Britbike forum Forums Remembrance Britbike remembrance forum We have lost a Good Friend...Tarvin Porter

Although I only just met Tarvin this summer at the BSAOC Ralleye, I am too stunned by this news.

One day at the meet we were sitting around the camp and Tarvin was speaking (only in response to questions, BTW) of his family and his home (a farm if I remember right) and his various commitments and obligations and all of the extra-curricular stuff as well (like his impeccably restored Goldie), and I was amazed that any one person could find the time and energy to accomplish all that. Tarvin was a true gentleman and enthusiast and an inspiration to us all.

I just returned to find this and would like to add my condolences to Tarvin's Family, and his friends, of which there are many here. Like some of you I knew him only through his posts, and reading those, it is obvious that Tarvin was a real, genuine, person. He will be surely missed.

Time is short,

Tom

OH ****... I had been behind on my reading here... and this is NOT what I expected to find. I echo everyone's sentiments, Tarvin was truly a great guy, far too young to leave us, and a Goldie Guy to boot. As others have said, let me (us) know how we can help the family. My thoughts and prayers go out to all of his family, and those that Tarvin cared about, and now will miss him.

Ron

Wasn't sure where to post this, here is as good a place as I can think of.

I bought a '68 T120 engine from Tarvin a couple weeks ago and got around to opening it up last night. Tarvin had said it looked like a good one and he believed it had been rebuilt recently by an older fellow who had been a britbike guy and had retired or passed away...

I told him I'd let him know of the condition of it when I got inside so....

The top end has recently been rebuilt, pistons .020 over, look nearly new as do the lifters. Jug and head look nearly perfect.

Here's a quote from Tarvin:

"SOLD........... to a gentleman and a scholar

(thanks Fisherman)

--------------------
GOLD S-TARvin
OVBSAOC # 1625
1960 DBD34 Gold Star
1956 DB34 Gold Star
1969 Bonneville
several basket case Triumphs"

Thanks again Tarvin,
I'll let you know what the bottom end looks like when I get in there....

Bernie

Well I'm a bit late in responding after Rich B. and I went to the Visitation on Sunday, but better late then not at all. It was a typical wake with a long line of family and friends, but we only knew two people there from when they visited Tarvin at VMD or OVBSAOC meets. I took the time Sunday morning to print out this thread and the pictures from sevral people's web shots albums and put it in a report binder and gave it to Denise, Tarvin's wife. I thought it would be nice for her to see how well regarded he was in our community. She was impressed and called me to thank me for it and say that it resolved a slight mystery. Apparently he failed to record the last check he wrote and low and behold, "Fisherman" in fact posted it was the excess shipping cost Tarvin had sent him a check for.

I too would like to add my name to the list of folks who didn't actually know Tarvin, but wish that we'd had the opportunity. Judging by the posts here, he was definately "one of the good ones"...

I had an idea, if I may?
How about creating an annual memorial award, to be presented each year at VMD (or another appropriate event) to "Best GoldStar"...?
That way, each year Tarvin's name would be attached to the best Goldie at the event. It would be a nice way remember him.
Ron, Gordon, ... what do you guys think?
-Terry

well terrance, i was gonna suggest something of that nature, even though i have yet to make it to VMD. but, with all the talk of guys having purchased triumph stuff from him , and the fact that many of us, myself included, know him thru these forums as a britbike.com guy rather than just a goldie guy, i wouldnt limit an award to just being based on a goldstar. obviously goldstars were his bag, but his forum presence was felt far beyond any one particular model. IMHO. did he partake in that one-kick contest i hear talked about? do you guys have a best in show of somesort?

ultimately, its best left up to the guys that knew him the best.

i am 55 and have 4 kids. one turns 5yo this week, and the youngest turned 1 just this past january. i also retire this week. so much was going thru my mind before even learned of this sad event. my point being i identify with gordons early comments about how most things are trivial compared to whats real in our relationships. we are lucky for so much, in this case our bikes, this forum, and the people involved here. i am in for whatever is decided.

Wow, this totally brought me down today. Haven't been here for a while, and am totally bummed to see this thread. Had the pleasure of finally meeting Starvin in Brimfield after many years of Britbike and Pitstop exchanges. He was truly a good soul and these posts sure prove that. He touched a lot of people with his kindness and enthusiasm. Godspeed Tarvin...

Hello all posting here who knew Tarvin, and those who did that havn't posted. Please forgive me if this seems out of line comming from one who never knew him, or exchanged conversation with him here. I mean no harm or offense at all in any way, if anyone takes it that way. "Real" people in this world, leave "real" gaps in their absence, and I feel without question reading these pages, that he was definitely one of the real people in this world. I cannot, for obvious reasons, feel the sorrow and loss that you good people do, but I can however feel your pains in reading these threads. I would like to offer up my condolences not only to his surviving family members, but to a group of very fine people here who also have loss at his passing. I was raised in a VERY small town in the most rural county in the state of Arkansas, very old fashioned, and very old world in it's ways. It was a town where everyone really knew everyone elses buisness as we all lived in such close proximity to one another, it was un avoidable to live otherwise. I am a newbie here, but I must express that I feel the same kinship here on these forums I have been on, that I do at home. It gives me the same feeling to read this as it does when I return to my hometown to visit and hear of another of the old patriarchs have passed on, people that have known me as long as I have been alive. Even though I knew nothing of the man other than what I have read here, I raise my glass to his memory as well, and gingerly offer only one small suggestion. From what I read of Tarvin, his commerades on wheels meant alot to him, so in his spirit, someone may think of organizing a memorial ride in his honor. Again, I appologize if I am overstepping any unseen boudries, and again offer my thoughts and prayers to not only his immediate, but his obvious extended family of fellow riders here. Bless you all.
sincerely, Dennis MacKay

Do You have any pictures. I’ve never seen This thread until a few days ago. ThankYou for making this

Hi Jaclyn, I have a few photos somewhere on my old computer of your dad. How would you like me to send them to you?

Jaclyn......we can come up with photos. I know a LOT of us have some of Tarvin. I’ll start the ball rolling as soon as I get Home tonight. He was a special person and he is still missed dearly. We did a “ reunion” camp this year. Tried to get some of the folks that used to be in that circle to join in. We had a small display of members we’d lost over the years......Tarvin was included, he was actually the first one we lost out of the group. Look up Reunion Camp on the events forum. You’ll find him on a table.....if I’m not mistaken who you are.....there is a thank you note from your mom included in the display. We don’t forget our friends.

Gordon Gray in NC, USA

To be continued........

Events Forum......Reunion Camp. Page 6 ( there could be others)......find a post by Wadesheilds.....and scroll through his photos. There will be a table pictured with stuff on it......Tarvin’s stuff is in the lower center. A tool he sent to a member he’d never met face to face who at the time lived in Ca. A couple of group photos with Tarvin showing him as one of the founders of our get togethers at Mid Ohio and a letter from the family thanking us for our small donation. I had T-shirts made up “empty chair”........but they made me so sad I couldn’t stand to keep one for myself or it would have been there. We don’t forget our friends.

This is a scan of a real photo ......back before everyone had a camera on their phone.

Tarvin was instrumental in making our Mid-Ohio get together a success......we tried to honor him by naming the bike show after him. This is one of the trophy plates.

Tarvin had those movie star good looks........his personality was......amazing. There really aren't enough words to describe him....kind, honest, sincere. It was a true honor to consider him a friend.

I would be happy to send a plate and the original photos to you......just PM me an address.

Gordon Gray, North Wilkesboro, NC USA

Can't seem to get the images to display so here are the links any way
https://imagizer.imageshack.com/img924/6489/IqM5lW.jpg
https://imagizer.imageshack.com/img924/9229/djjfFB.jpg

Here it is -

Met Tarvin at the 2006 Ohio Valley Summer Meet which followed the BSAOC International Rally, Brimfoeld Ma.
This is the only photo I can find -

Jaclyn & Samantha, you have brought a tear to my eyes with this since I went to look for this post. That I hope you found and I did print it out and gave it to your mom at his viewing. You will notice how we all loved your Dad, and many of those friends have followed your Dad for various reasons. Unfortunately due to time and changes in the internet, many of the pictures are no longer viewable. Photo Bucket changed policy and many other sites that hosted pictures foled or people needed space for newer stuff.

https://www.britbike.com/forums/ubbthreads.php/topics/831182/1

You & your sisters have had a hard time, losing your dad in 2007 and your mom in 2019, This isn't something anyone should have to endure.

These are all the posts your Dad posted on bb.com, but many you will find are technical posts concerning his intense passion for these old British bikes.

https://www.britbike.com/forums/ubbthreads.php/topics/831182/1
https://www.britbike.com/forums/ubbthreads.php/users/758/gold-s-tarvin-r-i-p

I likely have some in my archives I can dig up, give me a bit.

Brian, this is at the Ohio Valley BSA owners Club meet and Tarvin is with his Gold Star at the Bike show on Sunday. This would have been August 2006.

Jaclyn and Samantha...your dad was one of the first people I met at Ohio Valley (in 04 I think). It struck me how open and friendly he was to me and to my wife. I got to know him a little better while camping with the group. Wish I had known him longer. I don't know why I didn't see this remembrance thread then but in reading through it today I couldn't help noticing the several other people posting that have also left us too soon. I also hope this gives you some more appreciation of the regard in which your father was held.

Bill Edwards

So what was Tarvin like? Well he had a dry sarcastic sense of humor that never ceased to surprise and amuse us. He enjoyed making people laugh and smile. He had a sensitive side too, we all have feelings and he held some of his close to his chest, could be a little brooding at times but we always seemed to be able to snap him out of it. As you can see from these posts, he was honest and fair with people. Great attribute. Like many of us he had a bit of a stubborn side. Which reminds me of his Colman Lantern story.

He had an old Colman camping lantern, I think it was is dad's originally. I have two of similar vintage, but I put new seals in mine and I doubt he ever did. He would repeatedly bring it out and try & light it, but it always ended in the lantern erupting in a ball of flames and causing us all to jump to put out the fire. Not sure if this was stubborn or him just playing with us when we were bored around the campfire, so bring out the flaming lantern trick.

He loved to ride, I have a ton of fond memories of chasing him down back roads in Ohio and other places. listening to the sound of his 500 Triumph or his beloved Gold Star. He was extremely proud of the Gold Star and it was a beauty. He even left the rest of us early at Seaport Village at the Brimfield, MA International BSA rally so he could get his Gold Star in the GS only gathering pictures of that event. Broke down twice on the ride back alone but he made it! I should have rode back with him...

What he was to most of us was a true friend and great companion. Entertaining, knowledgeable, good travel partner and all around good guy. He loved you girls and talked about you often around the campfire. I do think he was a bit overwhelmed at the all feminine environment at home, he was a guy and I got the felling he wasn't really sure how to deal with all the girly stuff, but he was trying.

Another story is when I was leading a group ride from Mid Ohio to the Ashland County fairgrounds, Richrd mentions this briefly somewhere in this thread. This is down near Mansfield so we were going from Lexington Ohio to Ashland. The straight shot was up Route 42, but at 4:00 PM on a Friday Route 42 is like riding Lorain Road through North Olmstead. Packed and constant stopping. So I plotted an all back road version that took us past farms, part of an Ohio State Park and Clark Gamble's Museum at Malabar Farms. There is a section where it reminds you of roller coaster hills, a series of rolling ups & downs. I'm out front alone followed by Tarvin and Richard side by side. I crest a hill and in the middle of the road is a dead animal, I veer quickly to one side and turn to check the guys behind me, What I didn't know was there was a ton of flies on the road kill and when I went past it stirred them up. Well poor Richard & Tarvin rode right into the swarm. So that is what you dad was laughing hysterically about

I only got to meet Tarvin at the Brimfield BSA rally in Massachusetts.. It was a pleasure to sit around his group of friends and get to know everyone. Some of those people are still great friends. Im sorry I didnt have the chance to get to know Tarvin better. But if the quality of his friends was any indication then he was quality too.