The Cotton Club
The Cotton Club at Las Vegas
Most of you know the infamous Cotton Club was indeed in Harlem, New York, not Las Vegas, Nevada. We're talking about a different kind of Cotton Club, one that features the almost forgotten English manufacturer who never made much of dent here in the USA. Yet Cotton, founded in 1919 proceeded to produce a wide variety of machines powered by JAP four stroke V-twins pre-war and Villiers two-stroke engines postwar.
Roadracing in the 1960's on the short circuit's of the UK, the 'works' Cotton, piloted by Derek Minter scored many victories in the 250cc class on the Cotton Telstar. Bernard Hooper designed the Starmaker engine which powered various Cotton machines. About 60 Telstar's were built from 1962 until 1967. The onslaught of Japanese race machines, specifically Yamaha multi cylinder two-strokes proved too much and production ceased.
But for a time, the Gloucester based Cotton firm ruled the newly created Formula Junior class, with Minter winning the 1964 250cc ACU Star / British National Championship. The original machines featured twin Amal monoblocs and made 27 bhp. Weight was a mere 230 pounds for the quick-handling, home grown machine with the Armstrong leading-link front forks. The late Bill Ivy was also running a six speed gearbox like Minters works bike and was a top contender too.
I'd long been an admirer of the legendary 'King of Brands', Mr. Derek Minter. His exploits on the Steve Lancefield and later Ray Petty tuned Norton Manx 500cc machines was the stuff of legends. 'The Mint' also rode a variety of smaller machines, like Bianchi and EMC before switching to the Cotton Telstar on which he won the title on. It was one of many for Minter, one of the best English short-circuit specialist in the world. He also faired well at the Isle of Man and the Dutch Grand Prix on the bike as well as his Nortons.
I had just finished Mick Walker's 'Derek Minter, King of Brands' book last week before heading west to attend the inaugural Auctions America Las Vegas Auction January 12-14. With this fresh in my mind, imagine my surprise to see six Cotton motorcycles of all types, road and track, on offer at the sale. But one bike in particular caught my attention. The Telstar 250cc production racer.
I had no intention of buying, but the little red Telstar 'spoke' to me, you know? I'm pretty sure it said 'buy me!', because that's what I did. This 1964 Cotton Telstar had recently been the subject of a 100% restoration by Bultaco West of Texas. I contemplated purchasing the Cotton Continental as a companion road bike, but felt that may be stretching my budget a bit too much at this time of year.
I tried to convince a few of my new found friends to join my Cotton Club, but to no avail, they'd spent their cash on other good deals this weekend buying Triumph Tiger Cubs, Russian sidecar unit, Moto Guzzi and a pre-war, tank shift 250cc Rudge. Our new friend Jinx (above, motioning) was determined to convince anyone that would listen, not to buy BSA's. A personal fued of sorts. BSA's will do that to you. That's what this weekend proved in spades. Men are passionate about their motorcycles. Sure, there were ladies there, but this was a guy thing. Whether you could afford $500.00 or $500,000.00 it was offered this weekend to buy. Many did just that: It was the right thing to do.
So the Cotton Club is an exclusive club for now, but we are committed to growth. In the meantime, hand me my pudding basin helmet and pass the Castrol Oil. I've got miles to go.
1964 Cotton Telstar 250cc Formula Junior Production Racer
Most of you know the infamous Cotton Club was indeed in Harlem, New York, not Las Vegas, Nevada. We're talking about a different kind of Cotton Club, one that features the almost forgotten English manufacturer who never made much of dent here in the USA. Yet Cotton, founded in 1919 proceeded to produce a wide variety of machines powered by JAP four stroke V-twins pre-war and Villiers two-stroke engines postwar.
Roadracing in the 1960's on the short circuit's of the UK, the 'works' Cotton, piloted by Derek Minter scored many victories in the 250cc class on the Cotton Telstar. Bernard Hooper designed the Starmaker engine which powered various Cotton machines. About 60 Telstar's were built from 1962 until 1967. The onslaught of Japanese race machines, specifically Yamaha multi cylinder two-strokes proved too much and production ceased.
But for a time, the Gloucester based Cotton firm ruled the newly created Formula Junior class, with Minter winning the 1964 250cc ACU Star / British National Championship. The original machines featured twin Amal monoblocs and made 27 bhp. Weight was a mere 230 pounds for the quick-handling, home grown machine with the Armstrong leading-link front forks. The late Bill Ivy was also running a six speed gearbox like Minters works bike and was a top contender too.
I'd long been an admirer of the legendary 'King of Brands', Mr. Derek Minter. His exploits on the Steve Lancefield and later Ray Petty tuned Norton Manx 500cc machines was the stuff of legends. 'The Mint' also rode a variety of smaller machines, like Bianchi and EMC before switching to the Cotton Telstar on which he won the title on. It was one of many for Minter, one of the best English short-circuit specialist in the world. He also faired well at the Isle of Man and the Dutch Grand Prix on the bike as well as his Nortons.
I had just finished Mick Walker's 'Derek Minter, King of Brands' book last week before heading west to attend the inaugural Auctions America Las Vegas Auction January 12-14. With this fresh in my mind, imagine my surprise to see six Cotton motorcycles of all types, road and track, on offer at the sale. But one bike in particular caught my attention. The Telstar 250cc production racer.
I had no intention of buying, but the little red Telstar 'spoke' to me, you know? I'm pretty sure it said 'buy me!', because that's what I did. This 1964 Cotton Telstar had recently been the subject of a 100% restoration by Bultaco West of Texas. I contemplated purchasing the Cotton Continental as a companion road bike, but felt that may be stretching my budget a bit too much at this time of year.
I tried to convince a few of my new found friends to join my Cotton Club, but to no avail, they'd spent their cash on other good deals this weekend buying Triumph Tiger Cubs, Russian sidecar unit, Moto Guzzi and a pre-war, tank shift 250cc Rudge. Our new friend Jinx (above, motioning) was determined to convince anyone that would listen, not to buy BSA's. A personal fued of sorts. BSA's will do that to you. That's what this weekend proved in spades. Men are passionate about their motorcycles. Sure, there were ladies there, but this was a guy thing. Whether you could afford $500.00 or $500,000.00 it was offered this weekend to buy. Many did just that: It was the right thing to do.
So the Cotton Club is an exclusive club for now, but we are committed to growth. In the meantime, hand me my pudding basin helmet and pass the Castrol Oil. I've got miles to go.
At the Simeone Foundation Museum for the celebration of two-stroke racers with guest speaker Kevin Cameron
Ay Sky Top Lodge Concours
I was contacted by the BMCT, the British Motorcycle Charitable Trust about whether the Telstar might be available. After running the numbers, they confirmed the fact that this was indeed an early example of the Starmaker powered proddie racer and would like to see it repatriated. A deal was done and the Cotton was boxed up for it's return to the U.K.
The bike arrive in Gloucester just prior to the Centenary celebration of the Cotton marque and was duly paraded about before being sent off to the Gloucester Folk Museum where it now resides. Details on the bike's arrival back in the U.K. are to be found in the pages of the Cotton newsletter below.
End of the road for the Cotton /EMC racing crew in 1980
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