Classic Trial Magazine Issue 22 Autumn 2017 by Trials Media

• MOTORCYCLE • CYCLE • SIDE-CAR • CLASSIC • COMPETITION • FEATURES • www.trialmaguk.com

Issue

MACDONALD’S DOUBLE COMPETITON

MICRO MACHINE

REUNION

AUTUMN 2017 Issue 22 • UK: £6.25

1965 SCOTT BSA BANTAM BULTACO MICRO

RETRO

SPECIAL

VISION

All week long I have to be good...

But at the weekend I can be shocking! sales@thetwinshockshop.co.uk | 01395 514287

THE CHOICE OF CHAMPIONS

TONI BOU 10 x FIM Trial World Champion 2007-2016 11 x FIM X-Trial World Champion 2007-2017 To discover the Michelin Trial range visit:

moto.michelin.co.uk

Picture: 2017 Bultaco Re-union Nostalgia Trial Credit: John Dickinson

Cover Photo: Gary MacDonald (Honda) Highland Classic 2017 Picture Credit: Mike Rapley © 2017 CJ Publishing Ltd. All rights reserved. No part of this publication, even partially, may be reproduced or transmitted in any form or by any means without the prior written consent of the publishers. All copyright of images/content remains that of its photographer/author. Every effort has been made to gain permission to publish copyright material however, where efforts have been exhausted, we have published on the basis of ‘Fair Use’ to comment factual based material where by its use is not central or plays a significant part to the entire publication but to act as an aid for historical and educational purposes only. This publication is offered as a limited print run. Great care is taken to ensure accuracy in the preparation of this publication, but neither CJ Publishing Ltd or the editor can be held responsible for its contents. The views expressed are those of the contributors and not necessarily those of the Publishers. Documents submitted for publication will not be returned. The editor reserves the right to modify documents accepted for publication.

contents REGULARS

News �� 6 Editorial �� 8 Paddock �� 10 Shopping �� 12 Subscribe �� 46 Poster �� 49 Back Issue �� 58 Parts Locator �� 90 Shop �� 96

FEATURES

Special �� 14 Greeves Triumph 350

Classic Competition �� 22 1965 Scott Trial

Micro Machine �� 32 BSA Bantam Mick Bowers

Classic Machine �� 43 Comerfords Conversions

Game Over �� 54 DOT Motorcycles

Vision �� 60 Terrot 175

Retro �� 65 1987 World Trials

Showcase �� 70 Blackpool 1973

How to Ride �� 77 Mud

International �� 80 Bultaco Reunion

Sport �� 86 Alvie and Kia

Workshop �� 92 Air Filter Box

Executive Director: Philippe Benhamou

Photographers: Barry Robinson, Malcolm Carling, John Shirt Snr, Colin Bullock, Cyrille Barthe, Eric Kitchen, Alan Vines, Toon van de Vliet, Mauri/Fontsere Collection and the Giulio Mauri Copyright, The Nick Nicholls Collection at Mortons Archive, Don Morley, Motorcyle News.

Editor: John Hulme, england@trialmag.com

Advertising Manager: Lisa Reeves, lisa@trialmag.com

Editorial Staff: Jean Caillou, Matthew Heppleston, Heath Brindley, Justyn Norek Snr, Justyn Norek Jnr, Nick Shield.

Proof reading: Jane Hulme, Davina Brooke

Mail order: www.trialmaguk.com, www.trialmag.com

Webmaster: Heath Brindley, www.trialmaguk.com

CLASSIC TRIAL MAGAZINE IS PUBLISHED BY CJ PUBLISHING LIMITED 48 Albion Road, New Mills, High Peak, Derbyshire, SK22 3EX. UK Telephone: 01663 749163 Email: england@trialmag.com CJ Publishing Limited is a Company Registered in England Number: 5947718

Co-Managing Directors: John Hulme and Charles Benhamou

ISSN: 2049-307X

Design and Production: Dean Cook, The Magazine Production Company Printing: Buxtons Press

NEWS

HIGHLAND CLASSIC 2018 MONTESA COTA EDITION

Following the success of previous events, the 2018 Highland Classic Trial will be the titled the Montesa Edition to celebrate fifty years of the iconic Cota machines from Spain. The event will be hosted on the Alvie Estate on the dates 9th-10th June. Expect to see more information on the Trials Guru website and in the press for more details where we will look forward to discovering who the guest of honours will be.

COSTA BRAVA CLASSIC 2017 By the time you read this the entries for the 2017 event on 18-19 November will be open, so if you want to ride go to: www. trialcostabrava.com and do not panic as it’s in five languages, including English, and very easy to navigate. For hotels ideally located for the event Classic Trial Magazine visited these: Hotel S’Agaró. The paddock (which is closed at night and has security provided) and the race office is located here: Platja de Sant Pol, Sant Feliu. Reservations, tel: 0034 972 325 200 or email: info@hotelsagaro.com. Located just 200 metres from here is the Hotel Barcarola which also has a very good restaurant. Expect to see a host of top riders competing which could include: Yrjo Vesterinen, Ulf Karlsson, Charles Coutard, Steve Saunders and John Lampkin, to name but a few.

PHOTO IDENTIFICATION

CLAUDE COUTARD 1928–2017

French trials enthusiast Oliver Barjon spoke about Claude’s passing: “I first met Claude Coutard in the seventies at the world rounds when he was helping his son Charles. Claude discovered trials in the 1950s in the woods near Paris (St Cucufa) it really was the beginning of trials in France. From that time his life was dedicated to our sport. Firstly as a rider he was the runnerup French Champion behind Christian Rayer, and as ‘the’ French promoter of our sport for over 50 years until recently. After Greeves he rode Bultacos and had a shop in Lyon named ‘Coutard Service’. We will all miss Claude and our heartfelt sympathies go to his widow, Josette, son Charles and all the Coutard family.” Picture Credit: Oliver Barjon

We have many pictures sitting unidentified in our archive so we are asking readers to help, with this one to start with. We think this could be a Northern centre event around the winter of 1966, as in the roll of pictures are many riders and machines we can relate to that time. Please email: england@ trialmag.com. Once we can identify a venue and maybe even a date we can start to bring all the other pictures to life in the magazines!

SUBSCRIBE TO CLASSIC TRIAL MAGAZINE As you enjoy this magazine so much, please tell all your friends this publication is available on subscription only. To subscribe, visit the website www.trialma guk.com or turn to page 46 in this issue and receive a free Jitsie Neck Warmer worth £12.99 (There is limited neck warmer stock Dave Cooper Trial Mag 0817.pdf 1 14/08/2017 22:51 available, so order your subscription today).

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CLASSIC TRIAL MAGAZINE 2017 • ISSUE 22

TRIALS GURU JOHN MOFFAT

HASSLE FREE

Pictured from left: Rob Shepherd, Nick Jefferies and John Moffat

2017 has been a busy year, and happily, I have managed to ‘get out more’ and ride some events. Firstly the wet Captain’s Trial on my BSA C15, a proper Pre-65 event, then the Blue Bar Two-Day, a very good twinshock trial, and the ever growing and incredibly popular Highland Classic TwoDay followed by the Bultaco Revival Nostalgia in Cumbria, all on board my 325 Bultaco Sherpa. All these adventures were planned, I may add! It is really good to see first hand how other clubs and promoters put together their events and many thanks to these clubs for accepting my entries so that I could enjoy my motorcycling hassle free. I am now heavily involved as General Secretary with the Inverness & District, both club and limited company, having taken over from Dave MacKay who carried these duties out for over twenty-eight years. I fully appreciate that few thanks come a secretary’s way, but this year both at the Highland Classic and after it I was congratulated on the trial by many of the riders. It is not all down to me of course; there is a hard-working team of ‘core’ people underpinning that trial, which is par for the course at most if not all events countrywide. I would like to thank on behalf of our team at the Inverness & District our ‘Trial Partners’ namely Apico Factory Racing; Putoline Oils and this publication Classic Trial Magazine. The riders and officials benefited directly from their generosity and input which they bestowed on the event, helping to make it the success that everyone has been raving about. Thanks also to our two guests

Rob Shepherd and Nick Jefferies, who carried out their duties impeccably. Of course, the landowners play a huge part in any event, and that is why we have the ‘Address to the Trial’ which features our main benefactor the Laird himself, Jamie Williamson, the owner of the Alvie Estate. There are class winners but no outright trial winner, and that in itself helps retain the friendly atmosphere. A motorcycle trial needs some forward thinking and flexibility to keep it fresh, and something people want to come back to. It is noticeable that ‘our’ trial lacks the abundance of red tape that some others do, and we try to make it both easy and fun to enter. As for time, it comes at a premium the older I get, but that doesn’t prevent me making some plans! My latest is to build a ‘new’ trials motorcycle for fun and a bit of competitive riding. The basis is the Drayton frame kit that I have purchased for a 343cc BSA B40 ‘GB’ motor which was ‘left over in a corner’ after I sold my 343 BSA, the machine featured in the story of the ‘Full Circle BSA’ which appeared in the February edition of this very publication. The well-proven Drayton trials kit was delivered to my door and come as a true package deal. This consists of a fully assembled powder-coated frame with swinging arm, aluminium oil tank, oil pipes, aluminium fuel tank, cap and tap, head races, seat, brake pedal and engineplates. What more does a chap need? The delivery reminded me of the old kit-form trials machines of the late 1960s and early 1970s.

CLASSIC TRIAL MAGAZINE 2017 • ISSUE 22

PADDOCK

COMING SOON

CHAIN GANG

HI GUYS

COMING THROUGH

THE SAUSAGE MAN

HANDS OFF

WELL SPOTTED

HOLDING ON

FREE DELIVERY

CLASSIC TRIAL MAGAZINE 2017 â&#x20AC;¢ ISSUE 22

PADDOCK

SHAKE IT ALL ABOUT

BEST FOOT FORWARD

PHEW

OLD MEETS NEW

THE WATER’S COLD

CLASSIC TRIAL MAGAZINE 2017 • ISSUE 22

TEAM VESTY

UP AND AWAY

TEAM COSTA BRAVA

NOW SON

SHOP TRIALS

Headline Line Two

Eribea venduntibus ellamus rerum eos dus del mo cor alignatis sed earupta quodita ssitatur aute ne delit quodit aut recullorem que con re preste plaborepelis eos aped modit optae verum volectur am, tem nonsequ idelibus sitatis sinvenihit id endelignis simus dolore quias excescid experro earum dolessi acearuptia sendunto iur rerum labor as repudae stotas vollenis Mots solut GO2 re Helmet www.trialendurodirect.com eveliquam. Words: JOHN HULME • Pictures: Justyn NorYCK

he Spanish brand Montesa, and Jim Sandiford go hand in hand. The Sandiford family have imported the machines since the late sixties. When Jim Sandiford passed away S31993 Tools Backpack in it was & hisHydration son and daughter Martin and www.s3parts.com Caroline who were left to continue with the www.trialendurodirect.com business. They have successfully negotiated their way to enviable success with sales of machines, and competition success including SSDT and Scott Trial wins. In a male dominated sport it was Caroline who looked after the logistics. She has attended every SSDT since a very early age. With the change of direction in the Montesa/Honda trials importership she will not have the famous Montesa hospitality in the Parc Ferme, leading her to have her first holiday in May! “I really don’t know what I’m going to do with myself that first week in May… It’s going to be very strange. My brother is sad but relieved... he really hated the headache that went with it all, but I still love that place and the event, it still is Dad for me… What will I do? .. I will probably still drive to Fort William for a few days’ holiday and for the first Book Olga Kevelos time in over 17 years watch some sections. That will Email: ctur282388@aol.com certainly be a novelty, after having been confined to the Parc Ferme day in day out running our service for such a long time. I can’t NOT do the drive up through Glencoe, wave at the tree growing out of the rock (long story… but as kids Dad used to wake us up to look at the same! – Ask Hemmo’s and any Lampkin, they used to get woken up to look at it as well!) But yes, to watch some sections would be nice. Although I am sure I will feel like a spare part. No working out of delay times (Wow)... I can do them in my head I’ve been doing those for so long, but I’m sure someone will chuck their delay card at me with the words “Caz – how long have I got?” Don’t get me wrong, the 14 hours (sometimes) on that car park is extremely hard work; the loading of all the spares, the setting out of the same, the preparation and logistics of the “hire” bikes, looking after riders… it’s always classed in our family as THE WORST WEEK of the year… but it still holds that special place in our hearts. Our hospitality was branded “second to none” – other “contracted”

riders used to try and sneak in for some of our scram… we generally let them. This sport is so family orientated it is (and will be) very difficult for someone from outside to integrate and ours is certainly a VERY hard act to follow.

A Four-Stroke Winner

To win with James in 2007 was unbelievable… Stood at the bottom of the hill with all my and James’s family before he rode up onto the finish ramp, and to see his (and team riders Jack Lee and Andy Huddleston’s) body language as they rode down the back street.. We knew he’d done it... I cried... Personally for me that year I needed that, he knew that and didn’t disappoint. It was utterly fantastic and a real team effort. Exactly what this sport is all about. As for Amos in 2002, well what can I say... DVD 2017 SSDT Amos and this family have a friendship going back www.trialmaguk.co.uk YEARS (Back to Cyclo Trials Days) and his win was DVD 2017 SSDT very very special and was celebrated as only Pre-65 Amos www.trialmaguk.co.uk can!! Now I’m not going to get into the politics, the global meltdown and the impact that had on Montesa. The phone is ringing daily at the moment with the “Why aren’t you doing the Montesa service in Scotland?” and it’s a question we cannot politically answer. The switch to four-stroke (and being the leaders) should have paved the way for MAKE AND MODEL NUMBER Montesa, but across the board it increased the SPECIFICATIONS base costs of the bikes and therefore the retail. The Motor Single cylinder 2-T water economy took a downturn and the buying public cooled – 272cc (76 x 60) could no longer justify such a high end cost (despite Carburettor 26mm Ø Dell’Orto flat slide the brand’s unrivalled reliability). Two-strokes made (These will be fitted to the a resurgence… sales of four-strokes diminished. production machine) With over 40 years of experience and Montesa Gear-Box 5 speed contacts all over the world we are a stick of Montesa Clutch 12 plate Cycle rock... cut us in half and that’s what is says... Coupled Parts Frame 6063 specification with unsurpassable knowledge and experience of the aluminium CNC machined brand it’s been a sad demise… But looking forward, Front Suspension Ø 40 mm Marzocchi we as a family still have a commitment to the aluminium sport. That’s what Trials is about – always has been Rear Suspension Ohlin’s Shock-Absorber and always will be... Trials = Family and lifelong Brakes disc Ø 185/150 mm - AJP 4 and 2 Friendships … simple. piston callipers.

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CLASSIC TRIAL MAGAZINE 2017 • ISSUE 22

SHOP TRIALS

Headline Line Two

Eribea venduntibus ellamus rerum eos dus del mo cor alignatis sed earupta quodita ssitatur aute ne delit quodit aut recullorem que con re preste plaborepelis eos aped modit optae verum volectur am, tem nonsequ idelibus sitatis sinvenihit id endelignis simus dolore quias excescid experro earum dolessi acearuptia sendunto iur rerum labor as repudae stotas solut re vollenis eveliquam. Words: JOHN HULME • Pictures: Justyn NorYCK

Jitsie T3 Kroko Moto Kit

www.offroadaction.net riders used to try and sneak in for some of our he Spanish brand Montesa, and Jim scram… we generally let them. This sport is so Sandiford go hand in hand. The Sandiford family orientated it is (and will be) very difficult family have imported the machines since for someone from outside to integrate and ours is the late sixties. When Jim Sandiford passed away certainly a VERY hard act to follow. in 1993 it was his son and daughter Martin and Caroline who were left to continue with the A Four-Stroke Winner business. They have successfully negotiated their To win with James in 2007 was unbelievable… Stood way to enviable success with sales of machines, at the bottom of the hill with all my and James’s and competition success including SSDT and family before he rode up onto the finish ramp, Scott Trial wins. In a male dominated sport it was and to see his (and team riders Jack Lee and Andy Caroline who looked after the logistics. She has Huddleston’s) body language as they rode down attended every SSDT since a very early age. With the back street.. We knew he’d done it... I cried... the change of direction in the Montesa/Honda Personally me that year I needed that, he knew trials importership she will not have the famous OZO Rear Shocks Alpinestars SX1for Knee Guard www.inmotiontrials.com www.alpinestars.com that and didn’t disappoint. It was utterly fantastic Montesa hospitality in the Parc Ferme, leading her and a real team effort. Exactly what this sport is all to have her first holiday in May! “I really don’t know what I’m going to do with about. As for Amos in 2002, well what can I say... myself that first week in May… It’s going to be very Amos and this family have a friendship going back strange. My brother is sad but relieved... he really YEARS (Back to Cyclo Trials Days) and his win was hated the headache that went with it all, but I still very very special and was celebrated as only Amos love that place and the event, it still is Dad for me… can!! What will I do? .. I will probably still drive to Fort Now I’m not going to get into the politics, the William for a few days’ holiday and for the first global meltdown and the impact that had on time in over 17 years watch some sections. That will Montesa. The phone is ringing daily at the moment certainly be a novelty, after having been confined to with the “Why aren’t you doing the Montesa the Parc Ferme day in day out running our service service in Scotland?” and it’s a question we cannot for such a long time. I can’t NOT do the drive up politically answer. The switch to four-stroke (and through Glencoe, wave at the tree growing out of being the leaders) should have paved the way for Tech 10 Hebo MAKE AND MODEL NUMBER and Pants the rock (long story… but as kids Dad used to wake Montesa, but across the board it increased Shirt the SPECIFICATIONS www.apico.co.uk us up to look at the same! – Ask Hemmo’s and any base costs of the bikes and therefore the retail. The Motor Single cylinder 2-T water Lampkin, they usedReplica to get wokenGloves up to look at it economy took a downturn and the buying public S3 ‘Fujigas’ cooled – 272cc (76 x 60) as well!) But yes, to watch some sections would be could no longer justify such a high end cost (despite www.s3parts.com Carburettor 26mm Ø Dell’Orto flat slide nice. Although I am sure I will feel like a spare part. the brand’s unrivalled reliability). Two-strokes made www.trialendurodirect.com (These will be fitted to the Majesty TYmachine) 175 No working out of delay times (Wow)... I can do a resurgence… sales of four-strokes diminished. production Rear Brake Pedal them in my head I’ve been doing those for so long, With over 40 years of experience and Montesa Gear-Box 5 speed www.yamaha-majesty.com but I’m sure someone will chuck their delay card contacts all over the world we are a stick of Montesa Clutch 12 plate Cycle at me with the words “Caz – how long have I got?” rock... cut us in half and that’s what is says... Coupled Parts Frame 6063 specification Don’t get me wrong, the 14 hours (sometimes) on with unsurpassable knowledge and experience of the aluminium CNC machined that car park is extremely hard work; the loading brand it’s been a sad demise… But looking forward, Front Suspension Ø 40 mm Marzocchi of all the spares, the setting out of the same, the we as a family still have a commitment to the aluminium preparation and logistics of the “hire” bikes, looking sport. That’s what Trials is about – always has been Rear Suspension Ohlin’s Shock-Absorber after riders… it’s always classed in our family as and always will be... Trials = Family and lifelong Brakes disc Ø 185/150 mm - AJP 4 and 2 THE WORST WEEK of the year… but it still holds Friendships … simple. piston callipers. that special place in our hearts. Our hospitality Dimensions Seat height: 665 mm; Footrest was branded “second to none” – other “contracted” height: 330 mm

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CLASSIC TRIAL MAGAZINE 2017 • ISSUE 22

SPECIAL GREEVES/TRIUMPH

The Black Sheep My indecision of whether I want to ride modern or classic trials, on either two- or four-stroke machines, has left my father calling me on many occasions a mixed-up kid — in a nice, sort of father-to-son way, as we share the same passion for motorcycle trials. If I am 100% honest, I truly have an affection for four-strokes, but it’s a love-hate relationship, as I consider them a little heavy be it a modern or classic model. The four-stroke Montesa Cota 4RT is so nice to ride, as is a big Ariel 500cc, but jump onto any of the modern two-strokes and you can win on a standard production model. In the Pre-65 class, the two-strokes are always lighter and easier to ride. A two-stroke always feels very light, nimble and alive! It’s the same with events as I compete in many modern international trials, but once again, in truth, nothing compares to the social side of a good-old classic competition. Maybe I needed a mix of the two, a sort of a ‘Black Sheep’ of a motorcycle maybe, something a little different. I was looking to purchase a competitive classic British trials machine and advertised the fact on the internet. Soon my email inbox was ‘pinging’ away with an assortment of pictures and machines for sale, with many of them very attractive and, most importantly, competitive. I then spotted an advert for something which caught my eye — I can honestly tell you that my heart skipped a beat, a true four-stroke moment. It was a four-stroke Triumph Twin engine housed in a Greeves two-stroke aluminium frame. Was this the Black Sheep I was looking for? Words: Justyn Norek Jnr, Don Morley and John Moffat Pictures: Justyn Norek Snr

CLASSIC TRIAL MAGAZINE 2017 • ISSUE 22

SPECIAL GREEVES/TRIUMPH

hat on earth was this Triumph/Greeves/ Triumph 350cc? I asked myself; I kept going over this vision in my mind. I have seen pictures of them in the past in Classic Trial Magazine at the Pre-65 ‘Scottish’ and often wondered what they were like. Was it a real machine? “For sale” the words “a Greeves/Triumph 350cc” I could not remove the vision from my mind; yes I was very excited, to say the least. A powerful 350cc Triumph Twin engine, housed in a robust partly aluminium frame, bringing two iconic British motorcycle manufacturing names together for one wonderful motorcycle…really!

Is it still for Sale?

Honestly, my heart was pounding as I made the phone call, pressing the numbers on the phone key pad with a matter of urgency like never before. The phone rang for what seemed like forever until a very calm controlled voice answered: “Hello”. I spluttered out the words: “Do you still have the Triumph/ Greeves for sale?” The answer was yes, and I gave out a huge sigh of relief. My head and hands were sweating in an experience I have never experienced in my young life before. I had been sent many other emails with pictures and descriptions of machines for sale with a choice of Ariel HT5, BSA B40, AJS 500 and a really nice James. But, when the email arrived showing the Greeves/Triumph, all the others were hit with the delete button. I was in love with this machine like never before! I made another phone call to arrange to see the machine and to have a test ride on it, and the very

CLASSIC TRIAL MAGAZINE 2017 • ISSUE 22

kind man who was selling it said he would save it for me. It was around 100 miles away, and I arranged the next day for my father and me to go and see the machine. I hardly slept that night as I had been looking on the internet and old magazines and papers for information on such a unique motorcycle. The dream of owning this machine dominated my brain as I drifted in and out of sleep. The journey time soon passed, with the conversation centred on both the two-stroke Greeves and four-stroke Triumph, two totally diverse machines. We arrived at our destination to be met by a fellow trials rider in his sixties, a real gentleman with a huge heart for motorcycles and in particular trials. His main passion in trials motorcycles was Bultaco models as he spoke with great knowledge on the Spanish machines. Over a cup of coffee, we discovered that the machine we wanted to purchase is from the estate of the late great Italian trials rider and enthusiast Giulio Mauri. I am sure many of you

The registration document from the Italian federation.

Classic Trial Magazine readers will be familiar with the photographs from Giulio’s collection provided by Valenti Fontsere, who is the good friend of the editor, John Hulme. Giulio was a trials rider, journalist and photographer and he was also, along with Valenti, the author of the excellent and most complete book about Italian trials motorcycles as well as the beautiful small book about the history of Fantic trials machines. Now, I really wanted to own this magnificent motorcycle!

The documents confirm what the owner explained and that the machine was from the late great Italian trials rider and enthusiast Giulio Mauri’s estate.

SPECIAL GREEVES/TRIUMPH

A Triumph badge adorns the BSA fuel tank – yes it’s a full-on ‘Black Sheep’.

I salute both Bert Greeves and Edward Turner – Thank you!

Yes, it’s a twin.

Backing up the 500cc theory is the larger carburettor, which was maybe fitted to the 350cc engine to increase its performance?

A powerful 350cc Triumph Twin engine housed in a robust partly aluminium frame, bringing two iconic British motorcycle manufacturing names together for one wonderful motorcycle.

The rear silencer sits out of harm’s way inside the rear frame tubes.

CLASSIC TRIAL MAGAZINE 2017 • ISSUE 22

SPECIAL GREEVES/TRIUMPH

I suspect the rear wheel hub could be Japanese, or more likely to be from an early Montesa Cota.

Around the rear wheel area is a mixture of small engineering jobs.

Metal Profile front forks hold a Rickman or maybe a REH front wheel hub.

Modern footrests are essential on the Pre-65 machines for both comfort and rider control.

Ear to Ear

As with any purchase of a trials motorcycle, you always need to have a test ride to make sure it all works as it should do and also see if you like it; especially when it’s an old Pre-65 machine. I have viewed pictures of machines and spoken to their owners over the phone as a potential purchaser in the past, and then been badly let down when I arrived to view the one they had for sale. My first impression of this machine in the flesh was one of a very ‘beefy’ machine, and the owner had described it perfectly. Yes, I was very nervous as I turned the fuel tap on and gave the kick-start lever a few hefty kicks! With one strong action on the kick-start lever, the engine burst into life almost like a lion when it roars, and the hairs on the back of my neck stood up like never before. The exhaust note was pure heaven, and my father commented that I had a grin on my face from ear to ear. In my mind, we had already purchased the machine! I warmed the four-stroke engine up for a few minutes and started to ride it slowly around, and the sensation was out of this world; full of confidence I started to pull a few celebratory wheelies. My father’s grin was bigger than mine! Now it was time to negotiate the price, and with the seller sensing my enthusiasm we agreed to his asking price, and in return, he would let me pay in instalments — he wanted the machine going to a good home, which I appreciated; a true motorcycle enthusiast. We shook hands, and the ‘Black Sheep’ was mine and heading home with us. This is a dream come true for my father and me, and we are so happy with the machine. I am now enjoying riding the machine in Italian Pre-65 trials. But the aim is to ride it in the 2018 Pre-65 Scottish. I am sure if I do get a ride that Giulio Mauri will be looking down on me with a grin far bigger than mine!

CLASSIC TRIAL MAGAZINE 2017 • ISSUE 22

Yes there is quite a lot going on under the fuel tank.

What is It?

John Hulme: “With the passing of Giulio Mauri, we could not find any reference as to what the machine is; all we know is it’s a Greeves trials model with a Triumph engine ‘shoe-horned’ into the chassis, an all British Hybrid. “I spoke with Valenti Fontsere, who could not help as he explained that Giulio had owned many machines over the years. My next port of call was John Moffat who revealed some information but also suggested I call Don Morley. For those of you who do not know Don Morley, he has published some very excellent fact-based motorcycle trials books. The ones to find any reference to the Greeves/ Triumph mixture are titled: Classic British Trials Bikes, published in 1984, and Classic British TwoStroke Trials Bikes published in 1987. Both books can be found on eBay, but beware they are very collectable and fetch very strong money, such is their value to the trials enthusiast.

“A call to Don Morley, whose knowledge on this particular subject is second to none, backed up some of the earlier thoughts from John Moffat as Don explained, “The frame is from a Greeves TFS circa around 1964, and those front forks are Metal Profile’s product. The front wheel hub could be a Rickman or maybe an REH, I am not 100% sure, and I suspect the rear wheel hub could be Japanese or more likely to be an early Montesa one. On first impressions from the pictures, I was pretty sure the engine is a fairly late 500cc Unit Triumph 5TA, but Justyn says it’s a 350cc so it could be a 350cc 5TA as there is no outward physical difference between the two. The only internal difference was the hole up the middle. Backing up my 500cc theory is the larger carburettor, maybe this was fitted to the 350cc engine to increase its performance? Beyond that, the aluminium fuel tank is from a BSA C15T. So, all in all, a rather nice mongrel of a machine and one Justyn is obviously and quite rightly so very proud to own.””

SPECIAL GREEVES/TRIUMPH

This ‘I mean business look’ sums up the machine’s performance even when it’s stood still.

Perfectly Stable

The test area was around the region of the Old Trial ‘Prima Luna’ in Italy and one that offers a good variety of challenging rocky hazards consisting of big rocks, deep water streams with slippery and muddy climbs that would allow me to test the limits of both the machine and myself fully. The machine always needs some gentle warming up, which I carried out before dropping into the slippery stream beds. What surprises me every time I ride this machine is how well its handling is in rough terrain. It seems perfectly stable over rocks and slippery loose stones, controlling it with goodold ‘English’ body lean, an attribute to my riding that I have learned from my father and a technique he learned from the master of Pre-65 riding, Sammy Miller on his Ariel, which can be seen in old photographs. It’s a sheer pleasure to ride which must be due to the perfect combination of the robust and compact part-cast aluminium Greeves frame and the wonderful Triumph 350cc four-stroke twin cylinder engine, which always delivers the smooth power in any situation. This power makes pulling wheelies

Standing this mighty machine on-end takes some controlled aggression.

Valenti Fontsere on the right with his good friend Giulio Mauri in 2010 at the launch of the superb book they published titled: Trial Made in Italy 1975-1985

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SPECIAL GREEVES/TRIUMPH

The ‘Standing Proud’ impression.

and lifting the front wheel over obstacles so easy to carry out and in a very controlled way. The engine’s torque is so nice that finding traction is just second nature. I now understand why the 500cc version of this Triumph engine was so popular when used in the motocross machines made so famous by both Eric Cheney and the Rickman brothers. Is it the perfect Pre-65 trials machine? Nothing is perfect, and the weight of 112kg makes it hard work to ride against the modern lightweight two-strokes. The engine width is also another problem, and you have to be aware of this when riding it in the rivers and on the rocks and ride over them as opposed to through them. The ground clearance is 290mm. Very tight corners also take some navigating with the wheelbase of 1330mm, but with some severe clutch abuse, this is possible. The clutch action is quite heavy, and the brakes could be better as the power is so strong. There is room to

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improve the suspension, which is an area I intend to spend some time and money on. It’s a fantastic machine, and my next project is to try and find who built the machine. If any one sees this report and can provide any information, please email: england@trialmag.com and speak with John. For some unknown reason, I am pretty sure that this machine will have been built in the birth place of these two legendary manufacturers, Greeves and Triumph Great Britain! I love this ‘Black Sheep’ of a machine, and when you look at the numbers it comes from a Pre-65 era, and I was born in 1990! I often wonder why the once great and proud British motorcycle industry never produced these machines, but I suppose you can discuss this for ever and a day. Maybe one day I will build my own Greeves/Triumph hybrid. In the meantime I salute both Bert Greeves and Edward Turner. Thank you!

Giulio Mauri at the 2007 Scott trial in Great Britain.

CLASSIC COMPETITION 1965 SCOTT TRIAL

Lampkin: a man on a mission 22

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CLASSIC COMPETITION 1965 SCOTT TRIAL

It’s the usual chaos of dropping off your fuel cans and signing on.

All Scott Trials are long and hard, but when we started to look at the 1965 event through the camera of Brian Holder it was only when we noticed the results we realised just how tough it had been! There were only 34 finishes in on time from 173 starters. Organised by the Darlington and District Motor Club this National time and observation trial was as prestigious to win then as it is today. The mighty and proud manufacturing giants from Great Britain still led the way in the production of off-road machinery, with the choice of either the new breed of two-stroke Greeves pitched against the four-stroke power from BSA with an engine capacity of 249cc or the 199cc Triumph the desired choice. Sammy Miller had made the brave move to the two-stroke Spanish Bultaco from his legendary four-stroke 500cc Ariel GOV 132 in 1965 as he was convinced this was the way forward. He had a vision of the future development of the trials motorcycle and he wanted to prove a point in the toughest of all one-day trials competitions: that the single cylinder two-stroke was far more favourable than what he considered the long out of date fourstrokes that the British manufacturers still believed had a future. His next target for victory was the Scott. His only obstacle on the day turned out to be a man on a mission — Arthur Lampkin and his BSA. Words: John Hulme, Morton’s Archives, Motor Cycle • Pictures: Brian Holder

Not a van in sight — it was a case of using a pick-up or a car and trailer as transport for your machine.

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he 1965 event would turn into a very savage day of action on the North Yorkshire Moors as the ever changing weather conditions threw all they had to offer at both man and machine. The 60-mile course was covered one minute with bright sunshine and the next thunder, lighting and rain combined with a strong wind that would blow the riders up the hills such was its power! Under the watchful eye of the Clerk of the Course, Eddie Bentley, an army of helpers and enthusiasts had plotted out more than sixty hazards on the single lap charge over the demanding terrain. Many legendary Scott Trial hazards such as Cold Knuckles, Bridge End, Whaw Bridge, Tottergill, Rock Garden, Underbanks and the final hazard at Clapgate were included which are still used today. Representing the Yorkshire Centre in his official capacity as the Centre Steward was the very well respected Tom Ellis, who would make sure the day’s proceedings were carried out in a fair and honest manner. As always, to help with the local charities, many donations were made which would bring the total to over £2,500 raised since this was first supported by the organising club and the trial over sixteen years ago. The monies have provided support to St Dunston’s Institute for the Blind, a guide dog for the blind and St John of God at Scorton, and it is always very well received by the local communities.

CLASSIC COMPETITION 1965 SCOTT TRIAL

Riders assemble as they prepare for the toughest one-day trial in the world.

Boulders and Bogs

The demanding conditions for the Scott have not changed over its 150-year history as it’s always thrown the best available rivers, boulders and bogs at the off-road motorcycle trials rider who has wanted the ultimate one-day challenge. The terrain camouflages a multitude of conditions hiding under its autumn moorland topping, as the trees and bushes shed their leaves over bottomless muddy bogs and the hidden rocks in the long grass that can cause machine damage or a puncture. This can jeopardise a much-cherished trial finish or a much sought after Scott Silver Spoon —awarded to all the finishers on this occasion but usually only to the top 30 riders. The healthy entry held many past winners, including three-time winner Sammy Miller (Ariel) in 1958, 1962 and 1963, Arthur Lampkin (BSA) in 1960 and 1961, Jeff Smith (BSA) in 1954 and 1959, and, in more recent times, Bill Wilkinson in 1964 on his Greeves. BSA would also field two very strong manufacturer teams, with Arthur Lampkin joined by Jim Sandiford and Jeff Smith in the number one team and Dave Rowlands, Scott Ellis and Alan Lampkin in the number two team. Triumph had one team with a mix of youth and experience with Gordon Farley, Ray Sayer and Roy Peplow. Greeves would bring the two-stroke challenge with a team including 1964 winner Bill Wilkinson, Malcolm Davis and Don Smith. The other two-stroke challenge was expected to come from Sammy Miller on the new Bultaco, but with no team support, it would be very much a solo effort from the Irishman. Proving a point to the trials world, Miller had won the Scottish Six Days Trial in 1964 on the four-stroke Ariel and in 1965 on the two-stroke Bultaco, the first win for a foreign machine. The 1965 Scott was, on paper, looking like it was going to be an event of epic proportions as Miller’s riding number would put him starting behind the fancied Lampkin brothers and the previous year’s winner Wilkinson; it was a case of ‘Game on’ to find the worthy winner.

The crowds lined the hazards at every opportunity, as here they focus on Gordon Farley.

Sammy Miller’s Bultaco carried ISDT-type oval number boards on either side at the rear and he also had a belt with his riding number on to help observers identify him.

As always it’s 100% concentration from Sammy Miller on the Bultaco.

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CLASSIC COMPETITION 1965 SCOTT TRIAL

Looking as professional as ever, Jim Sandiford was part of the BSA manufacturer’s winning team.

Rainbow Warriors

With the ever changing weather conditions, it was a rainbow high above Richmond that would cast a ray of light over the motorcycling warriors who were about to engage in battle with the North Yorkshire Moors for the start of their longest day – The Scott. With the strong smell of good old Castrol ‘R’ in the air from the predominately four-stroke field of riders, each one set off at a shake of the starter’s Union Jack flag. The first really testing hazard of the day was situated after a five-mile ride, taking in five hazards before they arrived to an enthusiastic crowd at Orgate Splash; aptly named as it would take some prisoners into the cold depths of its fast flowing water situated just in front of the steep foaming waterfall. Midlands-based brothers Bob and Sam Cooper would arrive close together, but with Tony Holt (Greeves) hot on their tail followed by Peter Gaunt (Royal Enfield) who needed a steadying foot to help him on his way. Maurice Newsham (Greeves) was next, and it would be

Determination is written across the face of Ray Sayer as he chases after his young team-mate Gordon Farley who was riding number 74.

he who would shortly take the lead at the head of the field. Despite the fact that his speedometer fell off and jammed his clutch mechanism, costing him around ten minutes while he made running repairs, Newsham would make the time back up to head the field of riders for the rest of the day. Cold Knuckles is still used in the present day, but in 1965 it was the first testing hazard and did not succumb to a single clean ride through its two testing sections. The best rides would come from the eventual winner Lampkin, Miller and Paul England on the Cotton, who all cleaned the first hazard and footed their way through the second one to record three-mark penalties as the rest of the entry recorded fives. The two hazards at Hell Holes were just as tough, with the fast climb taking marks from the entire entry and the best rides coming once again from Lampkin, who had the BSA on full throttle for his spirited attempt, and Cheshire based John Roberts. They were both happy to leave the hazard parting with a single mark each.

Roy Peplow was an easy choice for the Triumph manufacturer’s team as his experience in the ISDT stood him well, and as always he would return a good solid result.

1964 winner Bill Wilkinson takes a deep breath on his way down Washfold as he tries to keep the chasing Arthur Lampkin at bay.

For a rider in his first Scott, and a Southern based one at that, Gordon Farley easily justified his faith in the Triumph management with his manufacturer’s team place as he came home in 7th position, and with it the awards for the Best Newcomer and Under-21 rider.

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CLASSIC COMPETITION 1965 SCOTT TRIAL

Once a racer always a racer. Earlier in the year Jeff Smith had added the 1965 500cc World Motocross Championship crown to his 1964 title for BSA.

Dave Rowland in his usual ‘beret’ hat headed home the number two BSA manufacturer’s team.

Jeff Smith had previously won the Scott Trial in 1954 and 1959 for BSA.

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Having suffered a crash early on in the event Jeff Smith lost his front mudguard. The end result was him covered from head to toe in good old Yorkshire mud. He takes off his riding jacket after a tough day at the office which was rewarded with tenth place overall and a part of the BSA winning manufacturer’s team.

CLASSIC COMPETITION 1965 SCOTT TRIAL

Greeves were delighted with Mick Wilkinson’s Best Over 350cc award on the 252cc Villiers engined machine.

Alan ‘Sid’ Lampkin would follow in his elder brother Arthur’s footsteps twelve months later when in 1966 he won both the Scottish Six Days and Scott Trial for BSA. The youngest of the three brothers, Martin, would take Scott victories in 1977 and 1978 on Bultaco and with SWM in 1981 and 1982. The wins on the SWM were the first for an Italian machine.

Over the next few years Peter Gaunt would move away from his four-stroke Royal Enfield and move into the new small engined capacity trials machines with Suzuki.

T Mason (199cc Triumph) — The ‘Tiger Cub’ was still a very popular machine with many riders.

Scott Ellis, on the left, shares a joke with fellow BSA team-mate Dave Rowlands on the left. It was a tough day at the event for Ellis who had been bed-ridden with the flu bug on the run up to the trial.

The crowd eases forward to watch Maurice Newsham on his Greeves as the first rider through ‘Washfold’ on his way back to the finish.

Bridge End

The rugged open moors where the road leads to Barnard Castle from Reeth passes over the hazards at Bridge End, which is always a good guide as to who is well up on time as it offers four hazards, giving the huge crowd of spectators plenty of action to watch. The fearsome rocky slot witnessed Maurice Newsham on his Greeves attempt them first, followed by Peter Gaunt as these two were well in front of the others, with Peter Fletcher next on the Royal Enfield. Next along was Ray Sayer who paused to have a quick glance at the hazards and rewarded with a single mark lost. 1964 winner Bill Wilkinson was next up but shook his head in disappointment as he parted with marks.

As the four hazards became more rideable, they were cleaned by six riders including Colin Dommett on the prototype 246cc Villiers engine Cotton, Norman Eyre (199cc Triumph), Mike Savage (246cc Greeves), Blackie Holden (199cc Triumph), Jim Sandiford (249cc BSA) and Dixon Metcalfe (199cc Triumph). Bill Wilkinson was pushing hard, which was showing on both the man and machine, to take another win as he approached Whaw Bridge well in front of Arthur Lampkin and the other fancied winners. The narrow, fast-flowing river took many prisoners who drowned their engines or fell foul of the slippery rocks. Noted rides came from just three of the entry, including Miller who went clean, along with Blackie Holden and 16-year-old Malcolm Rathmell in his first Scott Trial who would later retire.

The small market town of Reeth is very much the hub of activity on Scott Trial day and the village bakery, as is so often the case, sold out of its nourishing pies and sandwiches, much to the amusement of the locals, who already had theirs! Now very much on their way home as they head to Fremington Edge and its exposed rocky outcrop, the riders first pass through Underbanks where the field of remaining riders now looked very tired. Ray Sayer was the only rider who posted a clean ride, followed by single mark attempts from Miller, Metcalfe, Scotsman Derek Edgar on the DMW and a very tired Scott Ellis, who was struggling having picked up a bout of the ‘flu bug prior to the event spending his training days in bed as he tried to recover in time for the event.

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CLASSIC COMPETITION 1965 SCOTT TRIAL

Caught in the morning sun, Tony Holt (246cc Greeves) still looks very fresh.

In the mid-fifties the Cooper brothers Sam and Bob were very much the men to beat in the Midland Centre. They had riding numbers together at the Scott but only Sam finished, as brother Bob had machine problems with his James.

Derek Edgar was born in Edinburgh, the younger son of Norman Edgar senior who with his brothers ran the motorcycle sales and repairs business of Edgar Brothers in the city. They sold and rode DMW motorcycles, as seen here with Derek at Orgate Splash.

C Horner takes a steadying dab on his Butler. Using a Villiers engine Chris Butler manufactured these trials models.

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CLASSIC COMPETITION 1965 SCOTT TRIAL

1965 SCOTT TRIAL RIDERS RESULTS: 1: Arthur Lampkin (249cc BSA) 61; 2: Sammy Miller (244cc Bultaco) 82: 3: Ray Sayer (199cc Triumph) 93; 4: Jim Sandiford (249cc BSA) 98; 5: Bill Wilkinson (246cc Greeves) 115; 6: Roy Peplow (199cc Triumph) 115; 7: Gordon Farley (199cc Triumph) 124; 8: Blackie Holden (199cc Triumph) 130; 9: Dave Rowland (249cc BSA) 124; 10: Jeff Smith (249cc BSA) 137; 11: Don Smith (246cc Greeves) 142; 12: Mick Wilkinson (252cc Greeves) 146; 13: Alan Lampkin (249cc BSA) 147; 14: John Roberts (246cc Greeves) 148; 15: John Ashcroft (246cc Greeves)149; 16: Ted Mason (199cc Triumph) 155; 17: Peter Gaunt (248cc Royal Enfield) 156; 18: Tom Ellis (199cc Triumph) 161; 19: Dixon Metcalfe

Competing in his ninth attempt Bob Haines was very happy to make the Scott Trial finish and to also take the 500cc Cup on his Ariel.

Homeward Bound

The Green Dragon Public House lies just above the hazards at Washfold and attracts a few hundred spectators. Legend has it that the landlord would leave Arthur Lampkin a pint of Yorkshire Ale on the wall for him to drink, and we bet it was needed! Now well on the way back to the finish, the spectators were checking their watches with Newsham still at the head of the field. The second rider who came into sight was Peter Fletcher, but he would shortly retire with a broken front fork yoke on the Royal Enfield. Bill Wilkinson was next, having started five-and-ahalf minutes in front of the charging Lampkin. The crowd could hear Lampkin approaching on the ‘Booming’ four-stroke BSA, but after a check of the watches, it appeared that he was seven minutes behind Wilkinson. It would all come down to the best Observation score by the look of it. Lampkin was not done though; in an incredible fight back, he endured more torture to push his tough body to its limit to

(199cc Triumph) 161; 20: Scott Ellis (249cc BSA) 166; 21: Maurice

catch and pass Wilkinson before they crossed the finish line. As bruised bodies and battered machines arrived back at the finish the stories of survival began to emerge. Roy Peplow had crashed heavily on the Triumph early on but continued battered and bruised to take a first class award. Still, in its early days of development, the Bultaco ridden by second-placed Sammy Miller had no teeth left on its rear sprocket. The chain kept de-railing in the closing stages, and he had to stop on many occasions to put it back on, costing him precious time and marks. Spare a thought for 10th-placed Jeff Smith, who was another casualty of an early crash which smashed his front mudguard off the BSA. The 1964 and 1965 500cc World Motocross Champion was covered in mud and crashed on many occasions as mud and grit blurred his vision. For Bob Haines, it was a day of jubilation on his Ariel. At his ninth attempt at the Scott, he finished for the first time and took the prestigious 500cc cup. Once again the Scott had lived up to its reputation as the toughest test of man and machine, and the pride of Great Britain’s motorcycle manufacturer BSA was restored by the off-road motorcycling legend Arthur Lampkin.

Newsham (246cc Greeves) 173; 22: Dave Langston (249cc BSA) 174; 23: Tony Holt (246cc Greeves) 177; 24: Brian Hutchinson (246cc Butler) 179; 25: Tony Davis (246cc Greeves) 183; 26: Mick Smith (199cc Triumph) 184; 27: Rob Edwards (347cc AJS) 190; 28: Sam Cooper (199cc Triumph) 200; 29: Pat Walsh (244cc Bultaco) 201; 30: Barry Pickard (246cc Greeves) 213; 31: Derek Edgar (246cc DMW) 213; 32: C Horner (246cc Butler) 214; 33: Bob Haines (500cc Ariel) 223; 34: T Lomas (199cc Triumph) 253.

BEST ON TIME: Arthur Lampkin (249cc BSA) 4 Hours 18 Minutes 55 Seconds.

BEST ON OBSERVATION: Arthur Lampkin (249cc BSA) 61.

BEST 250: Sammy Miller (244cc Bultaco).

BEST 350: Mick Wilkinson (252cc Greeves).

BEST 500: Bob Haines (500cc Ariel) 223.

BEST FIRST TIME RIDER: Gordon Farley (199cc Triumph)

BEST RIDER UNDER 21: Gordon Farley (199cc Triumph)

BEST PRE 1952 RIDER: Jeff Smith (249cc BSA)

BEST CLUB TEAM: Bradford – Arthur Lampkin/Ray Sayer/Bill Wilkinson

MANUFACTURER’S TEAM PRIZE: BSA – Arthur Lampkin/Jim Sandiford/ Jeff Smith

MACHINES RESULTS: Triumph: 10; Greeves: 9; The Triumph of T Lomas, sporting scrambles handlebars with the supporting brace as did many other riders to cope with the tough conditions. They were ideal for knocking out front teeth!

Spare a thought for Peter Fletcher who rides down ‘Washfold’ on the return leg to the finish, as soon after this picture was taken his front fork joke broke on the Royal Enfield forcing his retirement from the trial.

BSA: 7; Bultaco: 2; Butler: 2; Ariel 1; AJS: 1; DMW: 1; Royal Enfield: 1

173 STARTERS, 34 FINISHERS IN TIME

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MICRO MACHINE BSA BANTAM

The Thing

Dave Rowland, 1967 Scottish Six Days Trial.

In the last issue of Classic Trial Magazine, we had a close look at the 1967 Scottish Six Days Trial which Sammy Miller won on the 250 Bultaco. In second place was Dave Rowlands on the ‘Micro Machine’ 175 BSA Bantam, which was christened ‘The Thing’. An affectionate British public, knowing that the once proud motorcycling manufacturing market leaders in Great Britain were in decline, loved the David and Goliath scenario. The Spanish Armada in the trials world had started with Bultaco before Ossa and Montesa joined forces to eventually become the market leaders after Miller moved to Bultaco in 1965. Rowlands worked wonders on the BSA Bantam in the face of some hefty and established opposition on well-developed and very competitive machinery, and his second place at the ‘Scottish’ is still fondly remembered. The 1967 article attracted so much interest that we decided to find out a little more about the ‘Thing’. Don Morley’s superb book titled Classic British Two-Stroke Trials Bikes from 1987 was an excellent source of information, but we wanted to know more. A good friend of my father, Ron, was Mick Bowers, who had worked in the BSA Competition Department. Mick’s late father Eric had, in fact, received the very first BSA Bantam off the production line, the D1 125 in 1948 at his motorcycle dealership in Chapel-en-le Frith. I had a few hours with Mick, or ‘Bonkey’ as he is better known, which proved invaluable in the generation of the article. Words: John Hulme, Mick Bowers and Don Morley • Pictures: Don Morley, Brian Holder, Eric Kitchen, Malcolm Carling, Alan Vines, Mick Whitlock, BSA and Joyce Hulme

Production was started in 1948 as a very depressed post-war Great Britain desperately needed a motorcycle that was cheap to produce and attract the working class public as an affordable form of transport.

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MICRO MACHINE BSA BANTAM

Legendary rider Bill Nicholson was given the job of producing a handful of BSA trials Bantams. This is one of them.

ohn Hulme: “The BSA Bantam was the first trials machine that my father gave me. It was the pre-Yamaha TY 80/175 era where everyone had a ‘Bantam’. Famous names include world motocross champions Graham Noyce and Neil Hudson, to name a few. Mine was a D1 with the 125cc engine with the ‘Plunger’ rear suspension. I can still remember the day my father fitted a ‘Knobbly’ rear tyre, it felt like a lottery win!”

The 1966–1967 model featured a swinging arm, and the engine size was increased to 175cc.

Production

One of the top lady riders at the time, Olga Kevelos, purchased the ex-Draper machine and competed on it in 1957 and 1958.

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Before we start the story of the ‘Thing’ we take a brief time travel journey to look at the history of the machine. The BSA Bantam was produced between 1948 and 1971 by Birmingham Small Arms Company. It was a two-stroke single cylinder air-cooled unit construction motorcycle first introduced as a 125cc before having its cylinder capacity increased to 175cc. It is estimated that well over 400,000 models were produced. Considered by many to be a typically ‘British’ motorcycle it was based on the German manufactured DKW RT 125. Production was started in 1948 as a very depressed post-war Great Britain desperately needed a motorcycle that was cheap to produce and attract the working class public as an affordable form of transport. The main difference from the original DKW design was the right-side gear change lever. The BSA Bantam was very much a ‘replica’ of the DKW, produced with imperial measurements and the conformative right-hand side gear change as it went into production in early 1948. The first production Bantam model was the D1, which rolled of the Birmingham production line in October 1948. Despite having a rigid rear end, the front suspension was telescopic and featured a ‘Shovel’ front mudguard with a ‘Fishtail’ exhaust silencer. One colour was available: Mist Green and the price to purchase the machine would be £60 plus tax. Over the years the machine would go through many model changes but the unit construction, where the engine and gearbox are produced as one piece, remained pretty much the same for its 25 years of production. Sporting a castiron cylinder barrel with an aluminium cylinder head the simple two-stroke

MICRO MACHINE BSA BANTAM

As the late sixties rolled in to the seventies many young riders had a BSA Bantam, including Classic Trial Magazine editor John Hulme seen here on the left with his brother Alan and friend John Fletcher.

Brian Martin on the early BSA Bantam trials prototype in the 1967 Colmore Cup trial.

Before receiving the ‘Thing’ Dave Rowland had achieved much success on four-stroke machinery with BSA. This picture is from the 1966 Kickham trial. 1967 SSDT: Employed at BSA as a Development Engineer, Mick Bowers was given the task of making sure both he and Dave Rowland’s machines made it to the end of the event.

1967 SSDT: The smile on Dave Rowland’s face at the end of the six days would be even bigger as he took the runner-up position.

Over the following years, many other models would supersede the D1. We have documented as the best we can the BSA Bantam models during its production years. We feel this is important as the machine becomes so much more prominent in the Pre-65 trials scene.

Models and Changes

engine was air-cooled. Initially, the gearbox featured three gears with the power fed through a wet-type clutch before the later models moved to four gears. Two different types of ignition were used. One was a Lucas battery powered coil used in the earlier models or as a magneto type from Wipac. The magneto system was part of a composite assembly sitting within the flywheel, which was fitted with magnet inserts. The windings gave power, either directly to the lights with a dry cell when the engine was stopped, or through a rectifier into a lead acid

battery. Early production models were fitted with the distinctive ‘fishtail’ exhaust silencers before a more conventional cylindrical type of silencer was developed and fitted to future models. It’s worth noting that the larger capacity ‘B’ series models helped to make BSA the largest motorcycle manufacturer in the world at the time. The engine sizes were nominal, as British manufactured motorcycles were generally made around 1cc or 3cc smaller than their tax bracket maximum to allow for re-bores and general wear.

D1: The 125cc D1 had first been produced with the rigid rear end, but within three years the model range was extended to include an optional ‘plunger’ type of rear suspension. It’s quite strange to imagine in the modern world, but the front telescopic suspension featured no damping, giving a very uneasy feel at the front. Various options of electrical lighting systems were available using Wipac and Lucas systems. The D1 model was available until 1963 to the general public but for the GPO — General Post Office — machines were produced up until 1965. D3 MAJOR: Next along was the D3 Major, which represented the first major changes since the Bantam model introduction. Released for sale in late 1953 it had an increased engine capacity to 150cc and had a more modern (and quite a novelty at the time) foam-filled seat fitted as standard, replacing the very agricultural individual sprung rubber seat. The front suspension was improved, but the major change was the move to the cylinder capacity to 150cc. This

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MICRO MACHINE BSA BANTAM

1967 SSDT: As it turned out, the four machines all performed well apart from the 148cc ridden by Dave Langston, who had problems with engine seizures; he had to change the main carburettor jet each time he had to return to road work between sections.

1967 SSDT: Alan Morewood remains feet-up on the dreaded ‘Devil’s Staircase’ on his way to a Special First Class award.

1967 SSDT: A determined Dave Rowland attacks the iconic Pipeline hazards with the ‘Thing’ on full rattle!

was achieved with a new enlarged cylinder with distinctive larger thermal cooling fins. The post-1953 D1 models inherited these distinctive larger thermal cooling fins but retained their 125cc capacity. This D3 model was produced up until 1957. D5 SUPER: This D5 model was only produced during 1958.Further development of the D3 swinging arm model had been carried out, and these were incorporated in the D5 Super model. It had a similar frame to the D3 Major, but with a lengthened rear section that gave more upright mounting points for the rear suspension. A more rounded style of fuel tank was fitted to enhance its looks. The engine capacity was further increased to 175cc. D7 SUPER: Introduced for the 1959 sales year it had a similar 175cc engine to the D5 but had an entirely new swinging-arm and frame. The hydraulically damped forks had seen much development work carried out on them as they made much-needed

Seen here in the 1967 John Douglas trial, Rowland continued the Bantam success winning the Mitchell and Allan Jefferies Trials for BSA.

improvements to the front and rear suspension. Production of the D7 model continued until 1966, but it had three different styles of fuel tank fitted as updates along the way. Other changes made were to the Wipac powered electrical system which included a change to battery powered external coil ignition. D10 SUPREME: On the agenda at BSA was to give the Bantams new D10 model more power, which was achieved with some changes to the cylinder barrel porting. Changes were also carried out on the electrical system, which was further revised with a new type of Wipac alternator and rotor. The electrical contact points were moved from the nearside to a separate housing in the primary drive cover on the offside. There were two other models offered in this model range which came with a new gearbox with four gears, a high-level exhaust and improved front forks. The first model was the Sports one with, amongst other small changes, chrome mudguards. The second model was the Bushman, aimed at the growing

Mick Bowers is just about to get his feet down on Hollinsclough in the 1968 Bemrose Trial on the BSA Bantam.

CLASSIC TRIAL MAGAZINE 2017 • ISSUE 22

MICRO MACHINE BSA BANTAM

Based down near Portsmouth, motorcycle dealer Bob Gollner was one of many people who believed the BSA Bantam was the trials machine of the future. Easy to ride and maintain, he produced a small batch of Gollner BSA Bantams. The event is the 1968 Perce Simon.

Testing his own machine is Mick Whitlock.

export market. It had 19” wheels and a modified frame to increase the ground clearance. Production of the D10 would finish at the end of 1967. D14/4 SUPREME: This was very similar to the D10 and introduced as a 1968 year model. The gearbox with its four gears was fitted to all the model range, with the power once again increased. The two models the Sports and Bushman in the range also inherited heavier and more durable front forks. D175/B175: BSA was now slowly acknowledging the problems which would bring their eventual downfall, and the D175 model which was also known as the B175 had only minor changes made from the D14/4 model. Availability of the Sports model ceased. The cylinder head had the off-set spark plug position made vertical, a slightly lower compression ratio was used, and the kick-start shaft was strengthened. Sturdier C15 model front forks were also fitted. This final BSA Bantam model was produced from 1969 to 1971, but remaining stocks were still being sold as late as 1973. The off-road Bushman version was available as an export model for the growing African and Australian markets, but 300 were sold in the UK. All the UK Bushman models carried the engine number prefix BB.

Bantams in Competition

Wind the clock back to Great Britain in 1949 when the world was in recovery from the Second World

CLASSIC TRIAL MAGAZINE 2017 • ISSUE 22

Mick Whitlock produced this one-off BSA Bantam trials machine, which was full of innovation including using the front downtube of the frame as part of the exhaust system. Doug Theobald rode this BSA Bantam he developed along with his good friend and BSA works motocross rider at the time John Banks. Looking a little apprehensive he edges the machine down the rocks in the 1970 John Douglas trial.

motorcycle trade representatives had been impressed by the efforts of the BSA team. The ‘Trials’ models had lower gearing achieved with a bigger rear sprocket, a rubber buffer inside the front forks, raised mudguards and some changes to the engines compression. John Draper tested the machine and two unofficial models were loaned out for the 1949 SSDT but neither of them finished! At the yearend motorcycle show, BSA announced a trials replica would be on sale in 1950. The D1 Competition Bantam was basically a converted roadster and achieved little success but became very popular with female riders by virtue of A BSA man through and though, Jeff Smith won the 500cc Motocross its light weight. World Championship in 1964 and 1965. He was also a top rider in trials winning two British Championship titles, the Scottish Six Days The first major changes came in and Scott Trials, and many other Nationals. After his retirement he still 1954 as the D3 model had its cylinder turned out in many trials, including the Northern Experts where he is bored out to 150cc. With the larger pictured here on a 175cc BSA Bantam trials. engine available the factory entered War. Much needed manufacturing would bring John Draper in the 1956 SSDT, and he won the prosperity and in particular in the motorcycle sector. prestigious 150cc Cup much to the boardroom’s The prestigious International Six Days Trial was delight. But in an amazing turn of events, the to be held in Wales and BSA intended to use the project was abandoned. One of the top lady riders occasion to bring all its global importers to the event at the time, Olga Kevelos, purchased the ex-Draper to impress them with their sporting prowess. In an machine and competed on it in 1957 and 1958. effort to win in all the classes: 125cc, 250cc, 350cc Despite Draper’s class win in 1956 the board of and 500cc legendary rider Bill Nicholson was given directors had not seen the obvious and did nothing the job of producing a handful of BSA Bantams to promote the two-stroke success, despite the capable of winning the 125cc class. As it happened, fact that Villiers’ powered machinery was being they were beaten by another British motorcycling developed into successful trials motorcycles. With manufacturer DOT, but many spectators and very small sales, the project was parked up.

MICRO MACHINE BSA BANTAM

The Ross Winwood aluminium framed BSA Bantam. It could so easily have been the best-selling Yamaha TY 175…

directors sanctioned the transfer of Brian’s twostroke orientated brother Michael to the project. A previous works trials rider for Francis Barnett, he worked in the BSA engine plant based at Redditch. Another engineer in the plant was Mick Mills, who was also moved to the project as his skills with the two-stroke engines were second to none. The project would be code named RED after Redditch.

question of his ‘Works’ rider status! His good friend and motorcycle mechanic Bob Lydiatt worked at Cartwright’s Motorcycles in Stockport, where much midnight oil was burned turning the machine into a motorcycle fit for the Scottish Six Days Trial. When he arrived in Edinburgh for the start of the ‘Scottish’ his rivals very much laughed off the idea of him surviving six days with the machine. Bowers had prepared what was, in reality, his own machine, with the works modifications carried out by himself, including the fitting of heavily disguised Bultaco front forks. Riding just two numbers behind Rowlands, it was Bowers with his mechanical skill that was given the task of keeping his eyes on his team-mate’s machine. Registration numbers were: Dave Rowlands JON 473E — Its code name was RED T1, Dave Langston HOK 496D, Mick Bowers ONU 324D and Alan Morewood YNB 173. As it turned out the four machines all performed well apart from the 148cc ridden by Dave Langston, who had problems with engine seizures and had to change the main carburettor jet each time he had to return to road work between sections. He came second in the up-to-150cc class behind Peter Gaunt and his ‘Micro’ Suzuki. Working wonders all week, the crowd got behind Rowlands on his way to an incredible 2nd position with Mick Bowers 18th, Alan Morewood 42nd and Dave Langston (BSA) in 43rd, all taking Special First Class awards.

Works Bantams

Heads in the Sand

Mick Bowers continued with his BSA Bantam until 1971, seen here on Pipeline in the Scottish Six Days Trial, when he left the ailing motorcycle manufacturer.

Bemrose 1971: Another man with many visions of how motorcycle trials development would go was Ross Winwood. This picture shows him on one of his early prototypes. “Does anybody know how motocross rider Dick Clayton acquired his BSA Bantam?” is a question we are asked so many times. This picture is from the Northern Experts.

Bushman Trials

BSA Competition Manager Brian Martin was a very well-respected industry player and also a good off-road rider. He had witnessed at first hand the BSA success of his predecessor Tom Ellis with the four-stroke machines and knew that he needed a twostroke answer to challenge the onslaught of Spanish machines. In an attempt to challenge the invasion of success from Spain he personally built and developed a new 173cc BSA Bantam as a semi-official project, which he finished in December 1966. He took a standard production roadster Bushman model and replaced the front forks with those from a C15 trials model. Another logical choice was the Bantam-type wheels and hubs; front 21” and rear 18” from the C15. A standard Bushman model would not accommodate the wide 4” trials tyre into the swinging arm, and so a Triumph Tiger Cub trials-model hub was used. To reduce width and bulk a ‘Peco’ car-type silencer was used, as was a ‘Victor’ motocross aluminium style fuel tank and air-filter housing, and a handmade cranked kick-start lever. The majority of the other cycle parts had been taken from the BSA-Triumph production line. The exception was a one-off set of specially cut, wide ratio, four-speed gears for trials use at 35:1, 26.6:1; 14.6:1 and 10.25:1. First riding impressions were very promising, and Martin won the class awards in the season’s opening National Colmore and St David’s trials. The factory was looking for success, and the trials project attracted their interest. The board of

A decision was made to prepare and enter as BSA entries four ‘works’ Bantams. One would have an engine displacement of 148cc to make it eligible for the 150cc Cup, to be ridden by Dave Langston, with Mick Bowers, Alan Morewood and Dave Rowlands on the 173cc machines. Engineering reports were prepared by the Martin brothers. The machines were a combined operation involving the three Michaels; Martin, Mills and Bowers, who also worked at BSA. The clutch adjustment was moved to the righthand side, and gearbox pinions were fitted with a modified tooth form to prevent breakages. After much experimenting with cylinder barrel porting the conclusion was that the best one was the standard version. Exhaust lengths were played with to improve performance, and the engines were mildly tuned by an increase in the compression ratio. Dave Rowlands was under the impression he would be riding a newly prepared machine, but on his arrival at BSA, a few days before the event was shocked to find he would be riding the pile of bits in the corner! This would be christened the ‘Thing’. With the event a few days away he raided the production line for some new parts and loaded the ‘Thing’ into his car, asking himself the

With these encouraging results, the time was right for BSA to launch a production Bantam trials model as Rowlands continued the success by winning the Mitchell and Allan Jefferies trials. They did the complete opposite when the board of directors once again made a decision with their heads buried in the sand and withdrew all works support for the trials team! The BSA Bantam project was potentially the cheapest worthwhile production trials machine ever, and they pulled the plug. In a show of defiance Mick Bowers carried out more modifications to his own machine, and the success continued as he won class awards in many nationals and the 151cc–200cc Cup in the 1968 SSDT on what was basically his machine. At the time Brian Martin conceded defeat with the project, but he knew the huge hole in the BSA finances would not be filled by the sale of a proposed production run of 500 trials models. A real honest man, Martin passed on his experience to the top trials dealers Comerfords of Thames Ditton in Surrey. In November 1967 they announced plans to build a run of 50 Bantam ‘Works’ replicas. BSA stopped this happening by dropping the entire Bantam and Bushman models from its machine range. Just one machine was built and the project shelved.

CLASSIC TRIAL MAGAZINE 2017 • ISSUE 22

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MICRO MACHINE BSA BANTAM

1967 SSDT: Riding up ‘Pipeline’ at the end of a successful six days in Scotland on the BSA Bantam.

Mick ‘Bonkey’ Bowers As we have already stated, it’s quite ironic that Eric Bowers took delivery of the first ever BSA Bantam that came off the production line in 1948 that his son Mick would be so heavily involved with in 1967. Words: John Hulme with Mick Bowers • Pictures: Brian Holder, Malcolm Carling and Yoomee Archive

Bonkey

His early years were centred on his father Eric’s bustling motorcycle dealership in Chapel-en-le Frith in the Peak District. Eric was a well-known motorcycle dealer and race sponsor, winning the 1952 Clubman’s Junior TT with Eric Housley. This victory would bring with it the introduction to a BSA dealership, and the likes of the late great John Hartle would also be supported. Mick’s apprenticeship would be served at Royal Enfield between 1958 and 1965, where both trials and motocross would be enjoyed and the nick name ‘Bonkey’ introduced. He had been riding in a motocross meeting near Pembroke and took a few days’ holiday in the area on a farm before returning

home. He was working on his Villiers Starmakerpowered Royal Enfield when a farmer bet him he could not jump over a landfill hole — which he duly did; the farmer said he was Bonkers! Mick started work as a Development Engineer at Birmingham Small Arms in their Redditch base in the Midlands in 1965. Under the eyes of Sep Ellis and Clive Bennet, who were the managers, his first job was to work on Ariels. Sep and Clive had both worked with Sammy Miller on his Ariel. This lasted for just two weeks before he had the interview to work on BSA machines! Yes it really was that crazy working for them at the time, as I found out when I spent some time talking to Mick about the trials project.

BSA Overalls

His first job, now wearing BSA overalls, was to build up the very first four-speed Bantam model gearbox. He was also good friends with two fellow BSA employees, the Martin brothers Brian and Michael. Brian was the Competition Manager and Martin an Engineer. His initial work in 1966 would see him heavily involved with the development of the BSA Bantam D14/4 model before he would move on to looking after the press fleet of machines. Both Sep Ellis and Clive Bennett were very good to Mick, offering him help and encouragement despite the mighty empire that was BSA slowly falling apart before their very eyes. Mick still reflects on the happy times riding machines built in a once mighty and

CLASSIC TRIAL MAGAZINE 2017 • ISSUE 22

MICRO MACHINE BSA BANTAM

1968 Bemrose: Mick was a regular Class award winner on the 175 BSA Bantam trials prototype, which he rode until 1971.

proud Great Britain manufacturing facility which brought with it success for himself in both trials and motocross on a variety of machines. He left BSA on the 5th November 1971. Over the following years he would still taste success in trials, motocross and enduro whilst also running a successful off-road dealership until 1986 in the Midlands. He then returned to the coach business before he retired. Mick can still be found on many weekends riding a motorcycle. Yes, as you have guessed, on a BSA special in trials!

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CLASSIC TRIAL MAGAZINE 2017 • ISSUE 22

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CLASSIC MACHINES CONVERSIONS

Comerfords

Trials transport 1967 style. Cyril Quantrill, Editor of Motorcyclist Illustrated and joint founder of Motor Cycle News is the man with a flat cap.

The full Comerfords story is for another day, but the company which was started in 1924 by Teddy Comerford has been a very prolific and important player in the off-road world through its motorcycle dealership which was based on Portsmouth Road, Thames Ditton in Surrey. Names synonymous with the sport of trials include Gordon Farley, Don Howlett, Martin Lampkin, Reg May, Sammy Miller, Bernie Schreiber, Bert Thorn, Jock Wilson and Yrjo Vesterinen to name but a few. Well known as the Bultaco importers they were also involved in the conversion of both the BSA Bantam and the Triumph Tiger Cub to be sold as Comerfords models, which we take a brief look at in this article. Words: Yoomee and Don Morley • Pictures: Brian Holder

Comerfords Competition Manager Gordon Farley ‘wheelies’ the BSA Bantam.

CLASSIC TRIAL MAGAZINE 2017 • ISSUE 22

Cyril Quantrill dips the front wheel of the Tiger Cub into the water.

CLASSIC MACHINES CONVERSIONS The whole machine looks very neat and compact.

Comerfords BSA Bantam Trials From this side the machine looks very un-finished, with no exhaust guard etc.

ould it have been an earlier version of the worldwide best-selling Yamaha TY 175cc model? That’s the million dollar question asked so many times about the BSA Bantam trials machine. With works BSA team support withdrawn in the later part of 1967, Comerfords launched a project to develop a well-priced competitive machine. They believed that without the massive overheads that the Birmingham Small Arms company carried they could make it financially viable. They planned to build a prototype followed by a first batch of fifty Bantam Trials works replica models. The new machine would be based around the cross country Bushman export-only model, which produced 13 Bhp. Modifications would include: BSA Competion front forks, a wider swinging arm, lower gearing and aluminium mudguards etc, all at a retail price of £190.10. A batch of 25 was planned but only one was built, as BSA announced they were dropping the entire Bushman and Bantam model range. Brain Martin helped with the Comerfords project but high costs would also influence the descision not to pursue the project.

The high cost of manufacturing wideratio gear sets was a problem that would stand in the way of producing them.

CLASSIC TRIAL MAGAZINE 2017 • ISSUE 22

CLASSIC MACHINES CONVERSIONS Looking very functional, the Comerfords Cub was a proven winner in the right hands as Gordon Fraley had demonstrated.

Comerfords Triumph Tiger Cub How good does the finished Comerfords Cub frame look! Extra gussets were added to strengthen the frame.

he 1966 trials season concluded with the news that Triumph would be pulling out of trials competition. Enjoying so much sporting success, Comerfords realised the potential was there for them to continue in trials with modifications carried out by themselves to the successful single cylinder four-stroke machine, which could prove popular to the buying public. Competitions Manager Gordon Farley was to head the project to convert twenty Triumph 200cc Mountain Cub models. Under his close supervision the machines could be built to order and mirror the machine he had been riding to so much success. The Comerfords model was based around the T20M Mountain Cub model and Farley would oversee the conversion work of the initial twenty. During the period 1967/1968 another sixty were converted and sold. Changes included a 21” front wheel, a BSA Victor motocross aluminium fuel tank, additional frame bracing, a 64 tooth rear wheel sprocket and a TR20 model carburettor. The gear ratios would be changed to the ones used by Farley. Various other alloy parts were fitted such as the oil tank and rear silencer, which would reduce the machine’s overall weight. The proposed retail price would be £225.

CLASSIC TRIAL MAGAZINE 2017 • ISSUE 22

An aluminium fuel tank helped to reduce the weight.

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GAME OVER DOT

The 1965 DOT Alloy trials model.

Devoid Of Trouble The death of Michael Scott Wade in September 2010 brought to an end the DOT motorcycle dynasty based at Arundel Street in Manchester. In some of these pictures, which were found by pure chance on an unidentified roll of film, we can view the end of the Villiers powered machines which were proudly presented in 1967. Using a ‘Micro’ Italian 175cc Minarelli engine they tried in vain to survive, to no avail. With the help of life-long DOT enthusiast and works rider Eric Adcock we look at DOT motorcycles as it was case of ‘Game Over’ as the Spanish and Japanese trials machines invaded the sport of trials and motocross in the late sixties and early seventies. Words: Eric Adcock and John Hulme Pictures: Malcolm Carling, Geoff Howe, Brian Holder and The DOT Collection

hen the Spanish armada of Bultaco, Montesa and Ossa arrived on UK shores in the mid-sixties and started to dominate trials many Villiers powered machines manufactured in the UK rose to the challenge, and DOT was one of them. The heavyweight fourstroke machines, which had dominated for so long, were deemed to be too old fashioned as the lighter and easier to work on two-stroke machines were seen as the future. Cotton, DMW, Greeves, Sprite and DOT had all enjoyed much success and along with some of the other, smaller, cottage industry manufacturers they had relied heavily on the Villiers engines.

Sporting Success

The early sixties was a successful period for DOT machinery in the motocross field, with Alan Clough and John Griffiths winning many National and Centre races including the weekend TV races before they both defected to Greeves. By the mid-sixties it was John Banks who upheld the DOT name but the machines were no match for the Swedish Husqvarnas and Czech CZs. Banks then persuaded his close friend Dave Bickers, who at the time was involved with CZ, to obtain a works engine from the Czechoslovakian manufacturer which was fitted into a special DOT frame, but this was no match for Bickers’ machine and not long afterwards Banks moved to BSA.

Not associated with DOT during his off-road career, Mick Andrews is seen here having a day out practising around the Peak District in Derbyshire; we believe around 1965. The section is Hollinsclough and the machine is the ‘works’ DOT of his good friend Norman Eyre, which he wanted to ride to test the front forks.

CLASSIC TRIAL MAGAZINE 2017 • ISSUE 22

GAME OVER DOT

It’s the 1965 Scott Trial in October, where we see Eric Adsett crossing Orgate Splash before he started to be involved with the new model.

In the trials world Eric Adcock was winning many Centre and National Trials and in the sixties was always in the First Class awards at many events. During this period his team-mates included Tony Davis, Rob Hart, Pat Brittain, Norman Eyre, Doug Theobald, David Younghusband — when his speedway commitments permitted — and Ken Sedgley, who was involved in scrambling as well. Wade’s last effort to keep up with the continental invasion in motocross was to produce an all DOT 360 engine, using an Alpha bottom-end and an Albion four-speed gear box.

White Strength

In 1966 Wade re-styled both the trials and scrambles machines with plastic/ fibreglass mudguards, fuel tank and air filter boxes, listing them as White Strength models. The decline in orders for trials machines started after Sammy Miller won the 1965 Scottish Six Days Trial on his Bultaco, which was starting to have a massive impact on production.

Doug Theobald changes the oil on his DOT prior to the start of the 1967 SSDT.

Wade made a motocross frame suitable to take a Maico engine, and six where produced with the aim of producing a competitive machine.

CLASSIC TRIAL MAGAZINE 2017 • ISSUE 22

A new machine was in the process of reaching production using the 37A four-speed engine, which went through a development period with factory rider Eric Adcock riding the machine and suggesting improvements where he thought necessary. It featured a lighter fabricated frame and swinging arm using, in certain areas, square box-type steel tubing and fibreglass body components and fuel tank to help achieve the ultimate goal of the lightweight competitive two-stroke trials machine to fight the Spanish challenge. Leading-link front forks of DOT’s own design were initially used, with Adcock opting for the far superior telescopic front forks from Metal Profiles on his machine. After much persuasion by Adcock, Wade eventually agreed to fit his 1967 Trials machine with telescopic front forks and listed them as extras for the buyers. The production machines when they were eventually released would be fitted with the cheaper REH versions. Also in 1967, to boost sales, Phil Bright and John Griffiths asked Wade to make a motocross frame suitable to take a Maico engine, and six were produced with an aim of producing a competitive machine. These were good enough for centre events but only a few were built.

GAME OVER DOT

A DOT Shock

At this stage Wade started looking at other options to keep the firm going and he started a manufacturing company in the old Brazing department, which ran for several years before he sold it on. He also started selling suspension units, with the damper parts purchased from Armstrong, having the springs made locally and then building the units in the factory under the DOT badge. Late in 1977 the Wades, Burnard and Michael called on Adcock, saying that they had a prototype trials machine fitted with a 250cc DMW Engine and would he evaluate it. Adcock who had only ridden infrequently during the previous five years asked a local clubman Maurice Brayford, who was competing regularly, to help him. Testing was carried out in a local quarry in Oldham over several months. The main problem was the telescopic front forks that Wade had made in the factory, which started to seize after about approximately one hour’s continuous use. After fitting the latest MP branded telescopic front forks it improved its handling and performance. Brayford used it in local and the occasional national trial, but it was not competitive against the European and Japanese machines now available. Only six of these DMW engine machines were manufactured and sold, and several have been restored in more present times. Several more frames had been made and have been fitted with 32A engines over the years. By the end of 1978 the last motorcycle had left the factory but the sale of dampers continued until the 2000s until Armstrong ceased production.

Feet-up and concentrating; Doug Theobald took a Special First Class award at the 1967 ‘Scottish’ and was the best placed DOT rider, in 19th position.

The Final Blow

After the launch of the machine, Adcock would continue to ride it through 1968 with some success, but the final blow to production of the machine, which was now supplied in kit-form, would come with the takeover of the Villiers empire by Manganese Bronze when the supply of engines ended forever on the 24th July 1968. With no new engine available in the UK Wade did not give up, and eventually he settled on an Italian 175cc Minarelli engine and designed a new tubular steel frame to suit. Sales were slow and the machine was no match for latest Spanish models now flooding the trials market. The engine lacked a heavy flywheel and at slow running speeds in sections it would stall easily. Adcock, who worked at an engineering company, acquired a scrap electric motor slip ring which he had machined to fit over the small, existing, external one. This improved the performance immediately. Another British motorcycle manufacturer who lost out with the ending of the Villiers production was Cotton. They were also using Minarelli engines and followed the DOT trend, and started fitting heavier flywheels as standard. They also fitted higher quality gears more suited to the needs of the trials engine. Wade at DOT decided to follow his own path and did not follow suit. Sales continued to decline and eventually dried up in 1973 with only 45 of the machines ever being built. It was quite fitting after all his commitment to the Manchester manufacturer that the last one produced went to Adcock on the 12th May 1973. This machine has been restored by a member of the DOT Motorcycle Club.

This shot of Eric Adcock is from the 1967 Red Rose Trial as we see one of the very first outings of the new pre-production machine.

CLASSIC TRIAL MAGAZINE 2017 • ISSUE 22

GAME OVER DOT This is the new model, on which you can see the latest Villiers 37A engine. The flywheel weight has been increased to give smoother running at very low engine revolutions. Modifications to the crankcases has allowed for a slimming exercise on the chaincase.

Two sizes of fuel tank were made available, with the smaller one having been cut away at the rear to make it narrower for the rider when standing. It was also claimed that the contours of the underside of the tank would deflect air down onto the cylinder head to give extra cooling.

The front wheel hub is located with a 65-ton-tensile front wheel spindle which incorporates an oscillating brake plate, giving maximum braking without interfering with the suspension movement. At the front the wheel hub is 8” and at the rear 6½”, giving a large purchase area for the brakes when applied.

The cradle-loop frame was fabricated from manganese molybdenum alloy steel, which was bronze welded with gusset plate where deemed necessary. The main frame tubes were formed from 1 5/8” tube with the steering head angle changed to eliminate the heavy feeling when the machine is on full lock. The 1967 model seen here was available in kit form 3–4 weeks from the order being placed. Each model was available fully assembled at £236 including the new Purchase Tax with a shorter lead time, or in kit form free of Purchase Tax at £197. The alloy engined models were £271 and £226 respectively. By the late seventies the ‘Micro’ trials boom was in full flow. With no Villiers engines available the small British manufacturers were looking to foreign engines to use in their machines. This shot of Eric Adcock on Hollinsclough, watched by fellow rider Dennis Jones, is of a very early Minarelli engined DOT in 1969.

Using a ‘Micro’ Italian 175cc Minarelli engine they tried in vain to survive in the late sixties and early seventies, but to no avail.

CLASSIC TRIAL MAGAZINE 2017 • ISSUE 22

DOT Forever

Burnard Scott Wade, who had bought the company in 1932, died peacefully in his sleep on the 11th October 1984 after a full day at the factory. His son Michael carried on with the business, selling damper spares for post-war DOT machines until his untimely death on the 14th September 2010. The factory was sold in January 2017 but the company still exists and is owned by Roy Dickman, who was a co-owner with Michael. John Hulme: “I would like to personally thank Eric Adcock for his knowledge and input into the generation of this article.”

Late in 1977 the Wades, Burnard and Michael called on Adcock and stated that they had a prototype trials machine fitted with a 250cc DMW engine.

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CLASSIC TRIAL MAGAZINE 2017 • ISSUE 22

VISION TERROT 175

600 hours of talent and passion Each one of us likes to customise our own motorcycles a little and it’s even more the case with older machines. But when one discovers the Terrot 175 owned by Frenchman Didier Choquet it takes it to another level, as he reckons it’s taken him 600 hours of talent and passion to create. Wherever you look at his motorcycle, innovation and engineering creation can be found in all areas. Absolutely everything is artistically machined in-house. The opportunity to discover more about this totally unique motorcycle was accepted without the shadow of a hesitation. Words: Ph. Pilat and John Hulme • Pictures: Deluy-Haussi and Franck Mizera

CLASSIC TRIAL MAGAZINE 2017 • ISSUE 22

VISION TERROT 175

Aluminium can be found all over the bike, including the engine cover, location brackets and the sump shield.

t is under a pleasant paschal sun that I arrive at the home of Englishman Hamish Eadie. In the company of Philippe Mercier we arrive for the third time to a friendly meeting of old motorcyclists who have been gathering for seventeen years. The varied areas to be ridden include twenty pretty kilometres of tracks and trails with shifting relief, to the delight of the forty regulars who would not miss this annual ride-out for anything in the world. Didier Choquet is already waiting for me, enjoying the sights and sounds, but he is also excited by the beauty of the course and the quality of the tracks. In his eyes it is indeed one of the most beautiful trials in the southwest of France, and our tandem of Anglo-French organisers is already planning a two-day meeting in 2018.

Moved out of harm’s way to the top of the engine is the clutch actuating arm.

Post-war France

While admiring the exceptional finish of his 175 Terrot we listened to Didier describing his creation: “I always liked to ride on post-war French motorcycles and in particular four-strokes, and it is true that the preference of lovers of this generation of motorcycles is orientated most often towards the Terrot. It was technically superior to their contemporary AMC or other Motobecane machines. Indeed their dry-sump engine launched in 1929, well before the equivalent English motorcycles, ensures better lubrication and cooling that benefits their reliability. I have already built three Terrot 500cc machines. Some time ago at the Ventoux Classic Trial we even formed a team Terrot with the 500 that was ranked 7th out of 46 teams. Since then I wanted to move to a 175 as it’s lighter and more manageable, and here is the result: 84kg with a full fuel tank”. The fact that it is completely covered with polished aluminium parts and with its black end tank decorated with the famous Terrot logo the Didier 175 gives a clear impression of lightness. So how did you learn all your skills, we asked: “I spent a large part of my life as a qualified boilermaker, and all of my life I have loved working with different metals and materials. “In 2008 I sold my metalworking/boiler making company which employed a dozen employees and it has left me with much more time to tinker a little on my motorcycles. Originally this fuel tank was equipping a road-going Terrot so I reduced it by 9cm in width and 4cm in height. It is, along with the engine, one of the few parts that I bought, because it is not in my philosophy to buy a complete motorcycle and then to strip it down to tinker with it and make to fit my own needs. Above all I like to make as many parts for my motorcycles as I can myself.”

CLASSIC TRIAL MAGAZINE 2017 • ISSUE 22

It’s a super slim-line Terrot.

VISION TERROT 175

Home Brewed

Didier explains about the ‘Home Brew’ frame of his 175: “The steel frame takes the round shape of the back loop of the Greeves of the 1950s but with modern fork geometry. It contains about 1.5L of oil but the hoses are not visible, which keeps it cleaner, but you can check the circulation of the lubricant through the small window at the top of the frame. At the front end are original forks from a Yamaha TY 125 but the yokes and the handlebar clamps are made in a local village where I can get small engineering jobs carried out. As I am rather tall the machine handlebar yoke is high enough to provide me with a suitable riding position. At the rear I have mounted a pair of modern shock absorbers which work well and are connected to a steel swinging arm. As for the wheels I renovated Akront 36 hole wheel rims and then ‘mated’ them with the Terrot hubs, which are a little heavier than I wanted but keep it original. The brakes were very poor and for safety’s sake I ‘bonded’ a very special lining to the brake shoe. I put them in the oven and take the temperature up to 200°C for 45 minutes. Then I turn the brake drum in the lathe and match the brake shoes to the same circumference, once again in the lathe. The results provide very effective brakes. A pair of IRC tyres was also fitted to the wheels. The chain guard and the small saddle are also personally made. The last job was to fit the polished aluminium mudguards”…It all sounds very simple, I might add!

Both front and rear brakes came in for some much needed engineering work to make them effective.

CLASSIC TRIAL MAGAZINE 2017 • ISSUE 22

VISION TERROT 175

The circulation of the lubrication oil in the frame can be checked through this small window in the top of the frame.

From this side it almost looks like a production machine.

A Special Engine

If you think the frame and its components are special you will soon find that this is the tip of the iceberg, as we now look into the engine. Didier: “Inside the cylinder block we find a slightly larger piston that increases the cylinder capacity to 186cc without risk of impairing the reliability. At the time Terrot announced a power of 15bhp but I think I may have found a few more. I also modified the engine crankcase so that the gearbox oil provides better lubrication to the crankshaft, a small defect of the original Terrot. Whilst I was inside the engine I machined a clutch housing, in which sits, smooth and slim, discs from the 125-200 TLR Honda. I also modified the clutch housing so that the actuating arm is on the top of the engine to preserve it from damage. “The ignition comes from a Kennedy electronic model but I preferred to keep the original Amal carburettor. The stainless steel exhaust system consists of a tube that penetrates to the end of the home-made silencer. Part of the tube inside the silencer is pierced with numerous holes until it reaches the best compromise between performance and the sound level. The kick-start lever currently comes from a 50cc Italian motorcycle but I am in the process of machining one in 7,000-grade aluminium, which will prevent me from having to fold the left footrest to start the machine every time. The air filter is made from 1,000 grade aluminium, which is much softer to work with. It was also made with the French influence of the machine in mind, and retains the small butterfly tightening filter with the looks of the glove-box zippers from Citroën, I love their shape!” When we tell you that this guy Didier is an artist ... In the end this authentic marvel stands him at only 2,800 € of parts; engine (300 €), tank and paint included, which remains very reasonable. That is until we put a price on his labour, which runs around the 600 hour mark. Profitability is no longer the essential concern, it’s the pleasure of the realisation of the concept.

CLASSIC TRIAL MAGAZINE 2017 • ISSUE 22

600 hours of work and passion are evident here!

My Baby

For its first official trial it validated almost all the modifications carried out by its designer. Starting without a problem with a nice but reasonable sound she sets out to face the areas of this friendly rolling countryside. The riding position is well suited to the rider and between its handling, its contained weight and its compact geometry, it all works very well. The local terrain also makes it possible to check the effectiveness of the braking and the well-damped suspension, which provide very satisfactory grip. As for the engine it’s quite lively and smooth, but on the other hand it does not have the range of power when you need some extra speed. It ‘peaks’ out far too early and Didier is already considering a modification: “As soon as I return to the workshop I will remove the camshaft and take it to a specialist to rectify its profile. And while he takes care of this I will fit a smaller gearbox sprocket. The torque available should stand it without problem. And then I could also finish and install my own kick-start!” The enthusiasm from this guy is incredible. But when we come to the question of possibly making other Terrots the answer is a clear no. “I’ll stop with this one that I will keep for myself. But soon I will look at the English motorcycles, in fact I already like a little idea which is in my head…Uh yes for the Ventoux 2018 trial I plan to introduce myself at the start with a 100% Triumph team. But not with the ‘Tiger Cub’ model as it would be too simple, no I think with the 350 Twin. With three motorcycles to complete I can keep myself occupied without becoming bored!”

RETRO 1987 WORLD TRIALS CHAMPIONSHIP

Tarres just got Beta 1987 World Trials Champion Jordi Tarres (Beta-ESP)

It was whilst researching some detail on this article covering the 1987 World Trials Championship on the excellent trials website www.trialonline.org, where Belgium’s Charley Demathieu has collated a hive of information, that I noticed just how competitive that year’s season had been. Finland’s Yrjo Vesterinen had been the first three-time consecutive World Champion from 1976–1978 on the Bultaco as Belgium’s Eddy Lejeune on the four-stroke Honda then joined this exclusive club by winning from 1982–1984. Young French Fantic rider Thierry Michaud then started to make an impact in the series with his first World title in 1985, followed by title number two in 1986. In 1985 a very young Jordi Tarres appeared on the World scene finishing in eleventh position. In 1986 he took his and Italian manufacturer Beta’s first World Championship win, in America, on his way to fourth position in the series. In a show of sheer determination and skill he totally dominated the 1987 Championship as Michaud failed to win a single round which also lost him the opportunity to join the exclusive club of consecutive triple world champions. The Frenchman was not finished though, as he beat Tarres to win the 1988 World crown but this would be his last. Tarres on the other hand simply got better and better. He would win consecutive triple crowns from 1998–1991 and from 1993–1995 before the dominating years of Great Britain’s Dougie Lampkin in 1997–2003 and, in more recent times, Spain’s Toni Bou from 2007–2016.

From its introduction in the early eighties Italian motorcycle manufacturer Beta now had a World Championship winning machine with the TR 34 model in the hands of Jordi Tarres.

A very young Diego Bosis signs a much sought-after Aprilia factory contract to contest the 1978 World Trials Championship.

Both Michaud and Tarres remain unique in the World Championship though, as riders who have lost the World title and regained it. On his way to his seven World titles Jordi Tarres would repeat this feat twice. Firstly in 1989 on the Beta, and then again in 1993 on his move to Gas Gas. Words: Yoomee • Pictures: Toon Van De Vliet, Mauri/Fontsere Collection and the Giulio Mauri Copyright, Beta, Fantic, Mecatecno and Montesa This article was generated with the help of Charley Demathieu and his superb website: www.trialonline.org

CLASSIC TRIAL MAGAZINE 2017 • ISSUE 22

Looking very much a contender for World Championship success Diego Bosis took his and Aprilia’s only World round win in America. This shot is from the ice and cold of Belgium.

RETRO 1987 WORLD TRIALS CHAMPIONSHIP

After the success on the four-stroke Rothmans Honda Steve Saunders had no option but to move in 1987 to the two-stroke Fantic when no offer came along to stay with the Japanese giant. The 1986 World Trials Champion Thierry Michaud from France looked out of shape all season and did not register a single win, as Tarres went on the rampage!

SPAIN ROUND 1 With mass exclusions at round one due to the riders running way over the time limit, it was a shock win for a very emotional Lluis Gallach giving himself and Mecatecno their one and only World Championship win. Michaud was second as Tarres was amongst the excluded riders, which also included Saunders and Lejeune. Great Britain’s Rob Sartin took his first World point in fifteenth position.

BELGIUM ROUND 2 The Spanish riders continued to dominate as Gabino Renales gave Gas Gas their first World round win in very icy conditions. Renales was a clear winner but the following top five positions were very close, covered by just a handful of marks. Saunders struggled to finish after a massive crash on the infamous Bilstain step wrecked his Fantic. Belgium’s Eddy Lejeune finished in sixth place. RESULTS: 1: Renales 88; 2: Bosis 96; 3: Tarres 96; 4: Michaud 97; 5: Saunders 99. ENTRY: 70 Riders.

RESULTS: 1: Gallach 59; 2: Michaud 71; 3: Renales 77; 4: Berlatier 90; 5: Girard 90.

ENTRY: 66 Riders.

Launched at the opening 1987 World round in Spain, both Thierry Michaud and Steve Saunders took delivery of the new 303 series Fantic model.

With two round wins to his name in Great Britain and France Steve Saunders finished the series in fourth overall. Belgium – This picture was taken moments after Steve Saunders had just destroyed his new Fantic on the famous Bilstain step. In a fantastic fight back an undeterred Saunders finished eighth, just three marks off the runner-up position.

GREAT BRITAIN ROUND 3 No one was ever going to beat Steve Saunders in the cold wet wintry conditions around Merthyr Tydfil in Wales. In between sleet and snow showers he put on a world-class performance to take a very clear win from Tarres. Other notable rides came from Northern Ireland’s Harold Crawford on the Yamaha, who finished eleventh behind Tony Scarlett in tenth on the JCM.

NORTHERN IRELAND ROUND 4 Showing his all-round ability in all conditions and not just the warm and dry of Spain, Tarres took the win in the wet and mud at a very traditional event at Newtownards. It was not an easy victory as both Saunders and Eddy Lejeune on the four-stroke RTL Honda pushed him all the way. The Championship was still wide open after the opening four rounds.

RESULTS: 1: Saunders 67; 2: Tarres 93; 3: Michaud 95; 4: Lejeune 107; 5: Bosis 110.

ENTRY: 80 Riders.

Showing the potential of the new manufacturer from Spain, Gas Gas, Gabino Renales took his only career round win in Belgium on the Halley model.

RESULTS: 1: Tarres 74; 2: Saunders 76; 3: Lejeune 77; 4: Bosis 97; 5: Michaud 97.

ENTRY: 66 Riders.

CLASSIC TRIAL MAGAZINE 2017 • ISSUE 22

RETRO 1987 WORLD TRIALS CHAMPIONSHIP Using the Rotary Valve induction system, the Mecatecno was a very radical looking machine.

FRANCE ROUND 6 Now looking very at home on the Fantic after his move from Honda at the start of the year, Saunders took the win after an all-day duel with Tarres. Bosis continued to be consistent, finishing third, as Tony Scarlett bounced back from a non-points scoring ride on the prototype JCM in Germany to take his only top five finish of the year in France. RESULTS: 1: Saunders 68; 2: Tarres 71; 3: Bosis 76; 4: Michaud 83; 5: Scarlett 86.

ENTRY: 43 Riders.

For Belgium three-time World Trials Champion Eddy Lejeune, his glory days were over as he finished a lowly ninth in the championship.

On a very emotional day Lluis Gallach won the opening World round in Spain on a Spanish-built machine, Mecatecno.

GERMANY ROUND 5 Taking back-to-back wins Tarres started to show that he was to be taken as a serious challenger for the World title. Young Aprilia rider Diego Bosis was also looking good after a slow start, as he started to be a regular top-five points’ scorer. For the reigning World Champion Michaud he was struggling to find his winning form on the Fantic. RESULTS: 1: Tarres 110; 2: Bosis 117; 3: Saunders 129; 4: Michaud 130; 5: Couturier 148.

ENTRY: 71 Riders.

Montesa were now starting to make inroads back to its former glory days, as French rider Philippe Berlatier came home fifth in the Championship.

AUSTRIA ROUND 8

The Montesa Cota 335 looked a very well-presented machine.

The Championship was now turning into a two-horse fight between Tarres and Bosis. The Spanish rider would take a good psychological win over his Italian rival at the start of a domination of the remaining rounds for the Beta rider. After some dormant years challenging for the Championship for the struggling Spanish Montesa brand Frances Philippe Berlatier finished in the top three in front of Michaud

USA ROUND 7 Riding with a new-found confidence, Bosis took his and Aprilia’s first ever World round win on the fly-away round in America from Michaud. Riding the Merlin, Pascal Couturier came third in front of Tarres. In another first Italian rider Donato Miglio took himself and Garelli into the top five for the first time as the event threw up some strange results.

RESULTS: 1: Tarres 67; 2: Bosis 75;

RESULTS: 1: Bosis 95; 2: Michaud 105; 3: Couturier 112; 4: Tarres 122; 5: Miglio 126.

ENTRY: 22 Riders.

CLASSIC TRIAL MAGAZINE 2017 • ISSUE 22

Tony Scarlett enters the deep raging torrent of water with the JCM in the Italian World round!

3: Berlatier 81; 4: Michaud 82; 5: Chiaberto 88.

ENTRY: 87 Riders.

RETRO 1987 WORLD TRIALS CHAMPIONSHIP

ITALY

Merlin was a relatively new manufacturer on the World circuit, produced in Spain. This is Spanish rider Joan Frexias in Belgium.

ROUND 9 After years of domination by Spanish manufacturers in the World Championship times were changing in favour of the Italian brands. A jubilant Tarres put Beta on the top step of the podium, followed by Fantic with Michaud and Chiaberto, with Bosis fourth for Aprilia. Italian brands had nine machines in the top fifteen. This was an important victory for Tarres as the points gap opened over Bosis. RESULTS: 1: Tarres 102; 2: Michaud 117; 3: Chiaberto 118; 4: Bosis 130; 5: Saunders 132.

ENTRY: 59 Riders.

CZECH REPUBLIC ROUND 10 Tarres was untouchable and this was reflected in his very confident and determined mood. The Beta was working very well and he and the machine were as one. Michaud showed some of his previous winning form but the chance to fight for the title was well gone. Bosis had no answer for the sheer consistency of Tarres and he remained focussed on the runner-up position.

1987 would be the last full year of the Championship for Tony Scarlett.

1987 WORLD CHAMPIONSHIP FINAL POSITIONS RESULTS: 1: Jordi Tarres (Beta-ESP) 202; 2: Diego

RESULTS: 1: Tarres 89; 2: Michaud 96; 3: Bosis 115; 4: Miglio 127; 5: Berlatier 133.

ENTRY: 41 Riders.

From the world of Cycle trials Andreu Codina was another young Spanish rider showing huge potential on the new Gas Gas.

The sun does not always shine in Italy. This is one of the many hazards that were affected by the rain at the event held at Falcade.

SWITZERLAND ROUND 11 In a predicted result Tarres was in a different trial to everyone else, taking an easy victory and his first World Championship with one round remaining. Garelli were making good progress with their new machine as Donato Miglio gave the Italian brand its highest-ever finish in the world of trials. Bosis and Michaud were both fighting for the runner-up position in the Championship. RESULTS: 1: Tarres 84; 2: Miglio 111; 3:

SWEDEN ROUND 12

Bosis (Aprilia-ITA) 170; 3: Thierry Michaud (FanticFRA) 168; 4: Steve Saunders (Fantic-GBR) 127; 5: Philippe Berlatier (Montesa-FRA) 97; 6: Pascal Couturier (Merlin-FRA) 92; 7: Renato Chiaberto (Fantic-ITA) 84; 8: Donato Miglio (Garelli-ITA) 83; 9: Eddy Lejeune (Honda-BEL) 81; 10: Gabino Renales (Gas Gas-ESP) 77; 11: Tony Scarlett (JCM-GBR) 72; 12: Andreu Codina (Gas Gas-ESP) 69; 13: Lluis Gallach (Mecatecno-ESP) 59; 14: Thierry Girard (Yamaha-FRA) 38; 15: Gilles Burgat (Aprilia-FRA) 25; 16: Ezio Regan (Fantic-ITA) 17; 17: Michel Traini (Beta-FRA) 12; 18: Davide Marchi (Aprilia-ITA) 12; 19: Peter Jahn (Montesa/Beta-FIN) 12; 20: Bernie Schreiber (Fantic-USA) 11; 21: Juan Freixas (MerlinESP) 10; 22: Harold Crawford (Yamaha-IRE) 10; 23: Eric Lejeune (Garelli-BEL) 9; 24: Bernard Cordonnier (Fantic-BEL) 7; 25: Laurent Cortinovis (FanticFRA) 6; 26: Lars Karlsson (Beta-SWE) 6; 27: Martin Karlsson (Aprilia-SWE) 6; 28: Gilles Ciamin (FanticFRA) 3; 29: Ryan Young (Beta-USA) 2; 30: Carlo Franko (Beta-ITA) 1; 31: Philip Alderson (YamahaGBR) 1; 32: Rob Sartin (Yamaha-GBR) 1.

World Round Winners RD 1, SPAIN: Lluis Gallach (Mecatecno-ESP) RD 2, BELGIUM: Gabino Renales (Gas Gas-ESP)

Bosis 118; 4: Berlatier 119; 5: Michaud 119.

RD 3, GREAT BRITAIN: Steve Saunders (Fantic-GBR)

ENTRY: 61 Riders.

RD 5, GERMANY: Jordi Tarres (Beta-ESP)

The results service run by Charley Demathieu can be seen on the podium at Falcade in Italy.

RD 4, IRELAND: Jordi Tarres (Beta-ESP) RD 6, FRANCE: Steve Saunders (Fantic-GBR) RD 7, USA: Diego Bosis (Aprilia-ITA) RD 8, AUSTRIA: Jordi Tarres (Beta-ESP)

As Tarres celebrated his first World crown with yet another victory the fight for second position continued. In the end, after a poor day finishing fifth Michaud handed the runner-up position to a jubilant Bosis, who also took the runnerup position in the trial. Michaud knew he had been beaten by a better rider in Tarres, who was virtually untouchable in the end.

RD 9, ITALY: Jordi Tarres (Beta-ESP)

RESULTS: 1: Tarres 54; 2: Bosis 74; 3: Berlatier 79;

3: Lluis Gallach (Mecatecno-ESP) 1

RD 10, CZECHOSLOVAKIA: Jordi Tarres (Beta-ESP) RD 11, SWITZERLAND: Jordi Tarres (Beta-ESP) RD 12, SWEDEN: Jordi Tarres (Beta-ESP)

Most Rider Wins 1: Jordi Tarres (Beta-ESP) 7 2: Steve Saunders (Fantic-GBR) 2

4: Lejeune 82; 5: Michaud 83.

4: Gabino Renales (Gas Gas-ESP) 1

ENTRY: 56 Riders.

5: Diego Bosis (Aprilia-ITA) 1

CLASSIC TRIAL MAGAZINE 2017 â&#x20AC;˘ ISSUE 22

SHOW BLACKPOOL 1973

Winter Gardens

With Great Britain controlling sales of the huge motorcycle market in the sixties with a wide range of home manufactured machines, many shows across the country and Europe displayed the new models soon to be released into the busy show rooms at the dealerships. The London based shows ruled the roost but there were many other shows scattered around the UK which also proved very popular. I can vaguely remember this Blackpool show we are looking at here, as at fourteen years old this seaside town was more of a holiday destination than a venue for a motorcycle show. As we lived only two hours away we had dipped our toes into the cold waters of the Irish seas on many other occasions. Words: Yoomee, Motor Cycle â&#x20AC;˘ Pictures: Malcolm Carling

England Cricketer Freddie Trueman opened the show.

CLASSIC TRIAL MAGAZINE 2017 â&#x20AC;˘ ISSUE 22

SHOW BLACKPOOL 1973

It’s a happy White Helmets display rider who receives his Triumph back in one piece from Trueman.

Watched by Blackpool’s Lord Mayor Edmund Wynnne, Freddie Trueman takes a look at the tank.

lifelong motorcycle enthusiast, my late father Ron, had taken me anywhere to watch anything to do with his two-wheeled obsession. As we took the motorway to Blackpool he was reminiscing as a young man how he had visited the Blackpool show and look out for the crowds who would be lined along Victoria Street aiming to gain entrance through the Olympia entrance of the Winter Gardens venue. The show had run from 1963 but his last visit to the show had been in 1965 where, upon doing some research, I had found that the recorded crowd attendance had been around the 13,000 mark for the first three days. As it was Good Friday, and an official Bank holiday, we had left home early to avoid the traffic and the queues!

How Much!

When we arrived, my father was now thinking we had the wrong day as there were no queues visible; I was thinking about that extra time we could have had in bed and the fact that we were literally two minutes from the beach. In truth, the show was going to turn into a disaster for the organising CMCA officials. Billed as the ‘Outdoor Leisure Show’ the organisers had had the vision of getting more of the general public involved in making the connection with the outdoor world on their motorcycles. In truth, the stall holders had been told it would be 65% motorcycles on show but they were very disappointed with what they found. They blamed a distinct lack of publicity on the poor attendance. When the doors opened we also found that the entrance fee was 44 pence for adults and 22 pence for children under fourteen years old. This was more than my father had ever paid to enter a show before, and when his words “How much?” echoed out I knew he was not happy.

On the inside, the Winter Gardens venue looked very industrial.

Check out all the guys trying not to look at the press girls!

CLASSIC TRIAL MAGAZINE 2017 • ISSUE 22

SHOW BLACKPOOL 1973

One day!

On the opening day the attendance was very poor.

A Grand Entrance

The highlight of the day was the grand entrance of the Ex-Yorkshire and England cricket player Freddie Truemen. A legend in the cricket world, I struggled to make the connection with the show, but the sound of his arrival on the back of a White Helmets display four-stroke Triumph to perform the opening ceremony was quite exciting. When I say highlight of the show, that’s exactly what it was. There were no crowds to witness the event despite its town centre location and no one in the show — it was very boring. You could see that so much work had been put into the show but I struggled to find any off-road machinery, which was what we had come to see. If you wanted a cycle or a tent and some walking boots it was fine. As I was very poor at school at Maths, (I got 13% in my CSE exams – yes that bad!) I had to check the claimed 65% motorcycles on view was correct — hmmm!

Agrati Sales UK Ltd displayed the 1973 Kawasaki range of models from Japan.

Honda used the front number plates to display each individual model in its range.

Electric motorcycles or scooters are not new. John Schuck was the official UK importer of the battery powered Solo Electra moped. It used a 24 volt electric motor with a simple on/off switch to control the power delivery. With a governed top speed of sixteen miles per hour it had a claimed range of thirty-two miles on one charge and cost £170.

CLASSIC TRIAL MAGAZINE 2017 • ISSUE 22

SHOW BLACKPOOL 1973

Bill Head’s stand had the long awaited Honda SS50S super-moped on display. The small, compact, four-speed gearbox model had the law abiding compulsory pedals fitted which could be locked forward with a simple lever release system to activate them. The proposed recommended retail price was £144.

More Sand than Grand

To say it took an hour to look around the show was an understatement. Yes, we were interested in the other aspects of motorcycling and, as in two years I would be 16, the new four-stroke Honda SS50S caught my eye, but in truth I wanted a Yamaha FS1E two-stroke. It was quite obvious that the organisers were panicking when they announced later in the day that the admission prices would be dropped and they extended the show’s opening times, which would run until Thursday. At the close of the show the attendance figures told their own story. On day one the organisers expected around the 15,000 mark but in truth only 2,000 visitors had attended the show. I have tried to find out if the show ran again but I have noted that there was a 2017 Blackpool Motorcycle Show, once again held at the Winter Gardens venue.

Freddie Truemen inspects the new Bell full face helmet imported from America, which had a RRP of £29.99.

Anything associated with a performance increase on a motorcycle always arouses interest. Claimed to be the only rolling road in the UK, the Souriau stand had this diagnostic test rig on display, which can cope with power outputs of 120bhp and a top speed of 150mph.

CLASSIC TRIAL MAGAZINE 2017 • ISSUE 22

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HOW TO RIDE… WITH SAMMY MILLER

COVER PICTURE

For many years I have often wondered who took the front cover picture of the book ‘Clean to the Finish’, seen here. I have trawled through many archives but it was by pure chance, when looking at some Brian Holder negative strips from the 1965 Scott, that I recognised Sammy Miller. Picture: Brian Holder Article: Sammy Miller and John Hulme

ammy now spends many hours bringing old motorcycles back to life for his excellent museum, which just has to be on everybody’s ‘Bucket List’ of places to visit. The museum is a living testament to Miller, whose love of motorcycles is as evident now as it was all those years ago. For all information on the museum, including opening times, please visit the website: www.sammymiller.co.uk JOHN HULME: “We are running a series of ‘How to Ride’, using and updating the text from his book titled ‘Clean to the Finish’. This book was first published in 1974 by Bruce Main-Smith & Co Ltd, and is now out of print and very collectable. The pictures have all been digitally reproduced from the books. If you are the copyright works originator of any images please feel free to contact Classic Trial Magazine, as with the passing of time Sammy cannot remember who generated some of the images.

CLASSIC TRIAL MAGAZINE 2017 • ISSUE 22

HOW TO RIDE… WITH SAMMY MILLER

MUD 1A

Mud is a common component of many hazards. Even sand can turn into a muddy mess with the passing of riders. To achieve success in mud it’s very important that you have the essential ingredients of speed, very fast speed and sometimes pure brute force. Just like rocks mud is the enemy and you must learn how to ride it as it requires a variety of techniques. Muddy hazards usually suit earlier numbers so if it’s a wet day crack on before they become un-rideable. One benefit of riding in mud is if you crash it’s usually soft!

1a & 1b: Stagnant water over sodden areas means bottomless mud. Your best chances are an early number and riding fast. Keep your speed up in such hazards even when turning. Take a quick dab if you need one to keep going forward. Be prepared for the front wheel to fill up with mud, and keep the throttle open.

2a & 2b: With the engine singing, the mud will fly and the power from the rear wheel will keep it throwing the mud off. The speed technique works sometimes, allowing you to skim across the surface and not giving the machine time to fall in too quickly!

CLASSIC TRIAL MAGAZINE 2017 • ISSUE 22

HOW TO RIDE… WITH SAMMY MILLER

3a & 3b: On many occasions you will find the front wheel will not turn as mud compresses between the mudguard and tyre. If you know you are competing in a muddy event it’s worth raising the front mudguard slightly to allow for more room. Footrest positioning is essential and you will need to keep your weight well back, as seen here in picture 3b.

CLASSIC TRIAL MAGAZINE 2017 • ISSUE 22

4a & 4b: If the hazard looks impossible it’s sometimes worth taking a five-mark penalty by putting your front wheel through the ‘sections begins’ cards. Make sure the observer acknowledges this. If your wheels become full of mud, as seen here in 4b, find a river to ride up and down to clean them out. Likewise a blast up a road or track can have the same effect of cleaning the wheels and tyres.

INTERNATIONAL REUNION

A Bultaco reunion

I was just nineteen years old when I moved from my home town of Slough down to Exeter, where I had been appointed as the manager of a small camera shop. I was passionate about the sport of motorcycle trials back then — just as I am now — and it didn’t take me long before I made friends with a few trials guys in the area. In particular one Ian Haydon, who happened to be the South West Centre Champion at that time. I well recall seeing for the first time his 250cc radial-head, four-speed gearbox Bultaco that his father Ken had just purchased for Ian to ride. I can still clearly remember seeing him in his garage and remarking what a superb machine it was when compared to the British models of the era. Being single and living in grim lodgings I spent many, many hours in the Haydon’s front room – a much preferred location to my dingy bed and breakfast – and with the Haydon family, Ken, Ian, Edith and Jenny all mad keen on the sport, we discussed the merits of many different motorcycles. What, you may reasonably ask, has the above paragraph to do with a review of the Westmorland Club’s Bultaco Revival Nostalgia Trial? Words: Mike Rapley • Pictures: Eric Kitchen and John Dickinson

ell quite a lot actually, because whilst I have seen four-speed Bultacos many times before, when I saw Chris Gascoigne riding what appeared to be a totally original one complete with the unique four-speed Bultaco exhaust note it brought back those almost forgotten memories of the time I spent such happy hours with the Haydons, particularly as I watched and learned as Ken fettled Ian’s machines. And that was very much the intention of the Bultaco Revival idea that the Westmorland Club came up with at the start of the year when the trial was launched at the Telford Classic Show.

Bultaco Years

Of course, the years from 1965 through to 1982 were very much Bultaco years as just about everybody who rode trials in those now far-off days will have owned and ridden a Bultaco at some time or another. As the marque is still so popular on the classic scene, and with spare parts still readily available for them, when the Westmorland Club had a meeting earlier this year to announce their new relationship with the Nostalgia Trial the meeting was unanimous in agreeing to call it the Bultaco Revival Nostalgia Trial, believing that it would attract a great many of the Spanish motorcycles and enthusiasts to Holme Farm, Middleton, near Sedbergh. They were correct as 38 competitors signed up to ride a Bultaco in this event for Pre-65 and twin-shock machines, but perhaps of more importance was the display

Three times a world champion for Bultaco, Finland’s Yrjo Vesterinen was highly instrumental in organising the machines for his friends from Europe.

CLASSIC TRIAL MAGAZINE 2017 • ISSUE 22

INTERNATIONAL REUNION

Team Myers, all Bultaco mounted, which required a purchase from good old eBay.

Alan ‘Sid’ Lampkin talks Bultaco with John Moffat, himself the ‘Trials Guru’ is a mind of information on anything Bultaco, and his son James who rode in the event.

of Bultacos that had been gathered for inspection prior to the start of the trial. Inevitably there were some tatty original, un-restored used ones and also machines that are ridden on a regular basis, but equally there were a few that looked as if they had left the factory only the previous day. It was one of those, the model owned by Ian Bradley of Coniston Brewery, that took the Concours Cup for the best presented machine at the trial. Ian made no claims to have been the restorer as that honour went to Sapphire Motorcycles, who were once the sponsor of Classic Trial Magazine test rider Nick Shield whose Bultaco would have probably claimed the cup were it not for Ian’s machine.

International

With the trial open to all Pre-65 style machines and all twin-shocks, for a third of the entry to be Bultaco mounted was an impressive effort by all concerned. Equally impressive was guest of honour Yrjo Vesterinen’s efforts in managing to persuade many of his Bultaco friends from his World Championship winning days to attend and ride the event, giving it a very international feel. For the well-known trials photographer Eric Kitchen it was also a day to meet up with his many Bultaco friends who he has taken pictures of over the years.

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I can imagine how much enjoyment Frances Charles Coutard got out of beating his good friend ‘Vesty’!

INTERNATIONAL REUNION

Chris Gascoigne on his rear radial cylinder head Bultaco with the four-speed gearbox.

A many times Spanish champion and world round winner Manuel Soler, like Yrjo Vesterinen, also rode for Montesa.

Headed by Oriol Bulto, whose riding days are long over, he flew into Manchester with Ignacio Bulto, Javier Cucurella, Jaime Puig and his great friend the former French Champion Charles Coutard. Coutard, like ‘Vesty’, still rides trials and he showed enormous ability over the two laps of 20 sections at Holme Farm finishing an incredible 12th overall and in front of Vesty, much to his delight. Very good friends they may well be, but aboard Bultacos they remain great rivals showing admiration and fun towards one another at all times and most certainly enjoying the day. Their presence at the event, which was held in brilliant sunshine – brought over by special delivery from Spain –, was an experience that the remaining riders in the trial enjoyed to the full. Many previously sponsored Bultaco riders were there, including Tony Calvert who was once a Yorkshire thorn-in-the-side of his Northern rivals when he travelled over the Pennines to ride in Westmorland. He may have been entered on his Triumph Tiger Cub but he was welcomed and remembered by the Bultaco gents, who were equally delighted to renew their long-time acquaintance with Dave Thorpe who was a world trial winner on a Bultaco back in the mid-seventies.

The Lampkins

Very much a privateer, in his early days Chris Myers scored world championship points on his Bultaco in 1980.

Martin Lampkin was the first ever FIM World Trials Champion for Bultaco in 1975 and in the same year Javier Cucurella also scored world championship points. Here he is watched by Tony Calvert.

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And how can one mention Bultaco as a marque and as a family name without including the name of Lampkin in the same sentence? To recognise the occasion Alan ‘Sid’ Lampkin, James Lampkin his son and John Lampkin were all there. ‘Sid’ escorted Oriol around to see some of the action, where they also remembered Martin who sadly passed away last year. Without a doubt he would have been a huge part of this reunion. John walked round much of the course, enjoying the fantastic atmosphere that prevailed, whilst James did his best to try and win the trial on the Bultaco that Sid had dragged out from the back of his garage and fettled for the day! The programme made use of the familiar term ‘back in the day’; Chris Myers and Mike Myers were Bultaco men through and through so their names went into the programme together with David and Sam Myers, Mike’s two sons. They even went out and bought a Bulto off e-Bay to ensure they all had a Spanish machine to ride in the trial! Talking of the programme, it was a fantastic production and was crammed full of photo maestro Eric Kitchen’s pictures from ‘back in the day’, and his efforts were much appreciated by everyone involved.

Really enjoying the company of so many old Bultaco friends was Ignacio Bulto.

INTERNATIONAL REUNION

It was a disappointed Nick Shield who was forced to retire from the event when the main bearings on his Bultaco failed.

Jaime Puig benefited from the use of one of the many Bultacos loaned by Yrjo Vesterinen and his friends.

Kitch

Eric Kitchen, or ‘Kitch’ as he is well known, first started photographing motorcycle trials some 44 years ago and amazingly has virtually all the negatives, transparencies and digital files that he has taken in all those years. In honour of the occasion Eric spent the previous three months locating pictures from those years, printing and laminating well over 100 A3 pictures for a fantastic display in the marquee that the club had erected. Whilst the Nostalgia Trial is a long-established event it has always been linked to the Nostalgia Scramble the following day, but for various reasons the Westmorland Club had to take the trial back from the motocross based organisation to which it was linked, so it was obviously very important to ensure the trial was a success as a stand-alone event. The team managed a brilliant promotion that was a credit to all concerned as the entry completed their riding day in brilliant sunshine to join the award presentation. Many remarked that they were already looking forward to the next edition of a trial that proved to be such a superb revival!

His riding days are maybe long over but Oriol Bulto enjoyed a guided tour of the event in the company of Alan and John Lampkin.

Representing the Lampkin family in the event was Alan’s son James on one of his father’s ‘works’ Bultacos.

Eric Kitchen described the event as ‘Fabulous’, as he met up with so many of his old friends from his foreign travels whilst following his passion of taking trials photographs.

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GATES OPEN AT 9.30AM

SPORT ALVIE

Laird of Alvie Estate Jamie Williamson and Rob Shepherd

Highland Honda edition

Very much a new exponent of the Pre-65 and Twin-Shock machinery, Gary MacDonald looked very much at home at the ‘Honda’ edition of the extremely popular Alvie Two Day event. He along with John Charlton and Calum Murphy remained clean on the A Route to win their respective classes. Carrying on the Honda theme, the organising Inverness & District MCC Ltd were delighted that John Moffat had organised for the Honda factory-supported riders from the seventies Rob Shepherd and Nick Jefferies to attend as the guests of honour.

John Charlton (BSA)

Words: Steven Crane • Pictures: Mike ‘Rappers’ Rapley

Nick Jefferies (BSA)

Gary MacDonald (Honda)

CLASSIC TRIAL MAGAZINE 2017 • ISSUE 22

SPORT ALVIE

Martin Gilbert (Honda)

John Moffat (Bultaco)

It’s only recently that Rob has returned to the sport, but the 1977 British Trials Champion on the Honda was unable to ride following an injury to his shoulder. He was more than happy to reminisce with the other riders about his four-stroke years though. Nick Jefferies is a multiple TT winner, trials ace and exISDT teamster but has not competed on a trials machine for over fourteen years, but on Norman Sheppard’s BSA Bantam he won the B route outright. Two laps of eighteen hazards were on offer each day, and the riders enthused about their enjoyment of the ride round and the quality of the trial, which was enjoyed by all. • A more comprehensive report and pictures can be found in issue 64 of our sister publication Trial Magazine.

Jean Caillou (Honda)

TWO DAY ALVIE 2017 ROUTE A

UNIT CLASS: 1: John Charlton (BSA) 0; 2: Paul Heys (Triumph) 1; 3: Mark Jackson (Triumph) 5; 4: Kevin Chapman (Trifield) 11; 5: John Maxfield (Triumph) 23.

TWO-STROKE: 1: Calum Murphy (BSA) 0; 2: Mark Buckworth (James) 11;

3: Tyler Murphy (BSA) 13; 4: Yrjo Vesterinen (BSA-FIN) 22; 5: Martyn Stanistreet (James) 27.

PRE-77 TWIN-SHOCK: 1: Robbie Weir (Yamaha) 12; 2: Mathew Gibling (Bultaco) 198. POST-77 TWIN-SHOCK: 1: Gary MacDonald (Honda) 0; 2: Alan Crayk (Montesa) 1; 3: Nick Shield (Majesty) 4; 4: Richard Allen (Honda) 5; 5: Gary Younghusband (Bultaco) 10.

ROUTE B

UNIT CLASS: 1: Ian Myers (Triumph) 10; 2: Allister Stewart (Triumph) 14;

3: Scott Alexander (Sprite) 15; 4: Gavin Andrews (BSA) 23; 5: William Weatherhead (Triumph) 30.

TWO-STROKE: 1: Nick Jefferies (BSA) 5; 2: Gerry Minshall (James) 15; 3: Hannah

Vesterinen (Bultaco-FIN) 19; 4: Ossy Byers (BSA) 23; 5: Craig Haworth (James) 25.

PRE-UNIT: 1: Chris Haigh (Velocette) 9; 2: Leo Salvadori (Ariel-ESP) 15; 3: Mike Bell (Royal Enfield) 52; 4: Stuart Chapman (Triumph) 55.

PRE-77 TWIN-SHOCK: 1: Jean Caillou (Honda) 79. POST-77 TWIN-SHOCK: 1: Martin Gilbert (Honda) 7; 2: Javier Cruz (Honda-ESP) 12; Chris Haigh (Velocette)

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3: Mark Hallows (Majesty) 13; 4: Jim MacFarlane (Yamaha) 28; 5: Martin Peirson (SWM) 32.

SPORT KIA TWINSHOCK CHAMPIONSHIP

Gary Fleckney (Honda)

Gavin Andrews (BSA)

Robert Faulkner (Yamaha)

Taking shape As we pass the halfway house in the 2017 Kia Twinshock Series Championship, the various championships on both routes are beginning to take shape. The latest round had the riders visiting Hereford and the Platch Farm venue at Ewyas Harold. With an entry of one hundred riders the selection of terrain, which included everything imaginable, produced two very good rides on the Expert route. The organising club had Dan Sanders flying the club flag who parted with just a solitary mark on section one, his only marks of the day. In a two-stroke versus four-stroke battle Andy Hipwell pushed him all the way on his Honda, finishing on two marks lost. On the Clubman route Steve Robson maintained his 100% winning record in all the rounds he has contested on his Fantic, losing just three marks in the process. His nearest challenger, albeit in the Britshock class, was Jim Pickering who parted with seven marks lost on his BSA Bantam. Words: Steven Crane • Pictures: Gillian Mcaveety – Matthew Welch

With the championship attracting strong entries in each of the classes we thought it was time to remind everyone of the entry restrictions for the machines’ eligibility.

Class 1

Open to all air cooled monoshock and any air cooled monoshock trials motorcycles that have been converted to a twinshock. Eligibility – the motorcycles should maintain the original silhouette as the date of manufacture. Acceptable modifications are: The option to run tubeless tyres, to make minor modifications to the frame and a choice of carburettors. Unacceptable modifications: Disc

brake conversions, unless already fitted. Fork stanchions must not exceed 36mm.

Class 2

Open to all Spanish manufactured twinshock trials machines for any year. New from 2015: standard Pre-78 twinshocks are now eligible in this class. Suitable machines include: Beamish Suzuki, Yamaha TY175 and Honda TL series. These bikes must be completely standard as per original silhouette otherwise enter class three. The object of this class is to keep the cost of competing to a minimum whilst maintaining a highly competitive series. Eligibility – the motorcycles should

Graham Greaves (BSA)

maintain the original silhouette as the date of manufacture. Acceptable modifications are: The option to run tubeless tyres, to make minor modifications to the frame, and a choice of carburettors; cycle parts can be changed as long as they are from the same period and from other Spanish motorcycles. Shock absorber and suspension movement should be similar to the original specification. Steering head angle can be moved and the swinging arm lengthened. The position of the footrest can also be moved. Unacceptable modifications: Disc brake conversions. Fork stanchions must not exceed 35mm.

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SPORT KIA TWINSHOCK CHAMPIONSHIP

KIA TWINSHOCK SERIES CHAMPIONSHIP POSITIONS: EXPERT

AIR COOLED MONOSHOCK: 1: Robert

Faulkner (Yamaha) 83; 2: Dean Devereux (Honda) 74; 3: Dan Sanders (Yamaha) 69; 4: Steve Bird (Yamaha) 46; 5: Colin Ward Snr (Yamaha) 35.

PRE-78/HISTORIC SPANISH: 1: Steve

Bisby (Ossa) 94; 2: Chris Barnett (Yamaha) 68; 3: David Wood (Ossa) 48; 4: Mick Clarke (Ossa) 28; 5: Gary Younghusband (Bultaco) 20.

BRITSHOCK: 1: Nigel Scott (Triumph) 53; 2: Martyn Stanistreet (James) 40; 3: Ian Peberdy (BSA) 37; 4: Phil Houghton (Triumph) 20; 5: Martyn Wilmore (BSA) 20.

TWINSHOCK: 1: Olly Wareing (Fantic)

77; 2: Andy Hipwell (Honda) 71; 3: Roman Kyrnyckyj (SWM) 66; 4: Richard Allen (Honda) 64; 5: Matt Spink (Suzuki) 45.

RND 5: Vale of Towy MCC

AIR COOLED MONOSHOCK 1: David Dan Sanders (Yamaha)

Class 3

Stephen Hancox (Triumph)

This is open to all twinshock trials machines and highly modified Spanish twinshocks. Whilst the intention is to try to keep to as original machine silhouette as possible more modifications will be allowed. Acceptable modifications are: The option to run tubeless tyres, to make minor modifications to the frame and a choice of carburettors; cycle parts can be changed as long as they are from the same period. Unacceptable modifications: Modified monoshock trials machines converted to twinshocks, air cooled monoshock engines and disc brake conversions. Fork stanchions must not exceed 36mm. Note SWM jumbos fitted with the original 38mm forks are acceptable.

Class 4

This class is open to British Pre-72 machines. Acceptable modifications: The option to run tubeless tyres and to make minor modifications to the frame and a choice of carburettors; cycle parts can be changed as long they are from the same period. • Please visit the excellent website: www.twinshockchampionship.org.uk for more information of events, venues and classes.

Carter (Gas Gas) 2.

BRITSHOCK 1: Nigel Scott (Triumph) 9. TWINSHOCK 1: Wayne Jones (Fantic) 4.

RND 6: Wye Valley AC

AIR COOLED MONOSHOCK: 1: Dan Sanders (Yamaha) 1.

PRE-78/HISTORIC SPANISH: 1: Chris Barnett (Yamaha) 58.

BRITSHOCK 1: Mark Stokes (Trifield) 11. TWINSHOCK 1: Andy Hipwell (Honda) 2.

POSITIONS: CLUBMAN

AIR COOLED MONOSHOCK: 1: Gary

Fleckney (Yamaha) 59; 2: Martyn Goodall (Yamaha) 55; 3: Paul Hobson (Honda) 51; 4: Colin Slater (Yamaha) 29; 5: Gary Bloodworth (Yamaha) 20.

PRE-78/HISTORIC SPANISH: 1: Eirian

Davies (Yamaha) 107; 2: Steve Fletcher (Yamaha) 84; 3: Gary Daykin (Ossa) 63; 4: Michael Fletcher (Yamaha) 58; 5: Bob Hill (Suzuki) 57.

BRITSHOCK: 1: Peter Edwards (BSA)

72; 2: Owen Hardisty (Triumph) 65; 3: Ossy Byers (BSA) 50; 4: Jonathan Souch (Triumph) 58; 5: Gary Hawkins (BSA) 41.

TWINSHOCK: 1: Steve Robson

(Fantic) 100; 2: Dave Braithwaite (Suzuki) 60; 3: Olie Foulke (Majesty) 57; 4: David Wilkinson (Honda) 50; 5: John Long (Honda) 42.

RND 5: Vale of Towy MCC AIR COOLED MONOSHOCK: 1: Keith Normington (Honda) 11.

PRE-78/HISTORIC SPANISH: 1: Eirian Davies (Yamaha) 4.

BRITSHOCK 1: Keith Wells (BSA) 3. TWINSHOCK 1: James Walters (Yamaka) 4.

RND 6: Wye Valley AC

AIR COOLED MONOSHOCK: 1: Gary Hawkins (Honda) 10.

PRE-78/HISTORIC SPANISH: 1: Eirian Davies (Yamaha) 21.

BRITSHOCK: 1: Jim Pickering (BSA) 7. TWINSHOCK: 1: Stephen Robson Nick Boxall (Fantic)

CLASSIC TRIAL MAGAZINE 2017 • ISSUE 22

Peter Edwards (BSA)

(Fantic) 3.

PARTS LOCATOR

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CLASSIC TRIAL MAGAZINE 2017 • ISSUE 22

23:51

WORKSHOP AIR FILTER

Make your own …

Air Filter

The air filter housing of the venerable Yamaha TY250 twin-shock was never the best in the world for airflow. We wanted to improve the flow characteristics and use a modern air filter. One way is to construct a trick-looking new housing from fibreglass. Words: Matt Heppleston • Fabrication: Yvan Marszalek Pictures: Yvan and Matt

veryone has their own preferred way of building parts; some like to carve a former in wood and others to bend and weld steel or aluminium, which is fantastic if you have the skills. Yvan likes to get messy with epoxy and fibreglass sheets. There are certainly many different ways to fabricate parts for your trials machine. The ‘Lost Foam’ technique is just one of them. Since the mould is destroyed after the part is built this method is not a production process. The advantage is that any shape that can be carved or moulded out of Styrofoam can be turned into a fibreglass/epoxy composite. Yvan wanted to improve on the TY250 twin-shock airbox in which he already used a Montesa 315 filter and had removed the restriction into the connecting tube. However the flow was still restricted by the narrow sides of the standard airbox. Here is how he made his custom solution.

Five steps

There are five basic steps in the process. 1. Cut a foam pattern. 2. Wrap with packing tape and apply a mould release wax. 3. Cover the pattern with fibreglass cloth and ‘wet out’ with resin. 4. Melt out the foam. 5. Final finishing of the part Seems pretty simple doesn’t it, so are you ready to try?

Safety Tips

Remember you are working with materials hazardous to your health and safety. Please take all appropriate precautions following the manufacturers’ safety data sheets for the products you are using. Classic Trial Magazine declines all responsibility for those inspired by this article in the event of any harm or accident.

CLASSIC TRIAL MAGAZINE 2017 • ISSUE 22

WORKSHOP AIR FILTER

STEP 1: Mould-Making

Take a big chunk of dense foam — pink, grey or blue extruded foam is much easier to carve and sand. Depending on the size of the part you may need to glue several thicknesses together. Then cut the outline, using a carpet knife or a kitchen knife with small teeth, a band saw or a scroll saw. Complete the shaping and rounding by rough cutting with the knife and then use course sandpaper to create the final shape. You can also use a dry-wall sanding pad; this is a mesh of abrasive material with plenty of holes where the foam crumbs can lodge themselves instead of rolling and making dents in your foam or some rough sandpaper. All this can be done in around an hour.

STEP 2: Tape and Wax

Once satisfied with the accuracy and level of detail, wrap the pattern with one layer of packing tape to prevent the epoxy from getting into the foam. One thing to pay attention to: epoxy does not adhere to the shiny side of the tape but it will lock itself into wrinkles and gaps in the tape. So do a neat job of applying to avoid difficulty removing the tape from the cured part. Apply some mould-release wax to help remove the tape later on. Top tip: you can mount it on a fixture with a nail at each end to hold the foam core off the working table. You can even use a kebab skewer. This will allow you to work on all sides.

STEP 3: Cover with Fibreglass and Resin

Apply one layer of thin fibreglass plain-weave cloth (2oz or 3oz) using a multipurpose spray adhesive (e.g. 3M #77) to stick the fibreglass matting to the mould before the epoxy is applied. Apply the cloth in 5 to 8cm (2” to 3”) overlapping strips. To ease placement make the strips as wide as will conform to the shape of the core without producing wrinkles. In some areas they may be quite narrow and others quite wide. Mix your epoxy as per the manufacturer’s recommendations. Then brush into the fibreglass

CLASSIC TRIAL MAGAZINE 2017 • ISSUE 22

thoroughly, saturating it. Use paper towels to absorb as much of the excess epoxy as possible. When pulling off the paper be careful not to lift the glass cloth. Continue this process until the paper can absorb no more epoxy. Apply the number of layers needed to obtain the rigidity you want by the addition of additional layers of medium grade cloth, with more layers in the most vulnerable areas. If more glass is needed apply it in the first 24 hours. Let the epoxy harden for at least 24 hours if no more fibreglass is to be applied. You may want to rough up the surface with sandpaper first.

WORKSHOP AIR FILTER

Finishing (only needed for perfectionists!)

After the epoxy is fully cured sand off the high spots and rough up the surface. Mix up a blend of epoxy and microspheres that is just liquid enough to be brushed on but not so fluid so as to let it run. Brush the filler over the outer surface using sandpaper of decreasing roughness. Sand all the mixture off except what is left in the hollows. Repeat until you get a smooth surface.

STEP 4: Foam Removal

It is better to get rid of the foam after all the surface preparation is done as it provides a solid base to apply pressure. Now get the solvent out — we use acetone. Remember it is a highly flammable liquid so use with caution. Work over a large bucket to receive the dripping solvent, in an area with excellent ventilation. Pour a small quantity of solvent at a time and let it dissolve the foam. You will be left with a bit of thick paste at the end; don’t worry. For the airbox, we used about a cup of thinner. Next remove the packing tape; if you waxed it, pulling a corner from inside will extract most of the tape and leave a nice clean interior, bringing with it any remaining foam paste.

STEP 5: Final Finishing

Spray with the finish colour you want. Firstly use an automotive primer or something similar. Wet-sand, and repeat this until you are happy with the surface finish. If you make a sports model you can spray with one or two coats of matt black. Silver wheel paint makes for a very nice aluminium look.

Top Tips

• Measure the approximate size of the item to be produced. Buy foam sheets which are just oversized when glued together to minimise waste. • To be more accurate make cardboard templates. Check the mould can actually be fitted to the machine. • Apply your reinforcement (carbon fibres, Kevlar cloth, etc.) in the first layers as you don’t want to sand these off if they protrude through the surface. • Remember that there will be traces of wax inside which will need to be removed before reinforcement or painting. • Sanding may weaken a couple of spots on your final product. You can reinforce those up from the inside by applying patches of cloth soaked with epoxy. • Fibreglass is weaker on sharp corners. Round the foam plug and add more microspheres/epoxy paste to be able to carve/sand the sharp corner in the end.

The End Result

The new filter housing has a much larger volume than standard and the engine breathes through a modern Montesa 315 filter. The pathway for filtered air is directly into the carburettor’s throat. Engine response is a little quicker off the bottom end and it keeps on revving out where the original Yamaha filter system seems to restrict the upper RPM. In addition it is substantially lighter and looks trick. Study the photos and how the final product looks on the machine. I hope you are impressed and inspired to try your own solutions!

CLASSIC TRIAL MAGAZINE 2017 • ISSUE 22

It’s time for a closer look at the Kia Sportage

esterfield

• S41 9AD • 01246 641446

Triangle of Chesterfield

6 Duke Street, Whittington Moor • S41 9AD • 01246 454545 • triangle-kia.co.uk

of Chesterfield are a credit broker (not a lender) for the purposes of this financial promotion and can introduce you to a limited number of carefully se

Fuel consumption in mpg (I/100km) for the model shown: Urban 30.7 (9.2), Extra Urban 43.5 (6.5), Combined 37.7 (7.5), CO2 emissions 175g/km. MPG figures are official EU test figures for comparative

purposes and may not reflect real driving results. Model shown Sportage 'GT-Line 5' 1.6 T-GDi 174bhp 7-speed auto DCT at £30,870 including Infra Red premium paint at £575. Kia Sportage range available from £18,795. Specification varies across the range and is subject to change without notice. t5portage models only up to £1,000 towards your Personal Contract Purchase Deposit (excluding 1/KX1 which is £500). Please visit kia.com/uk or contact your Kia Dealer for full details and exclusions. Not available with any other offer. T&Cs apply. Subject to status. 18s or over. Guarantee may be required. Kia Finance RH2 9AQ. Offer available for residents of United Kingdom. Offer available on purchase of a Kia Sportage in the United Kingdom between 01.07.2017 — 30.09.2017. Private customer registrations only. Excluding Personal Contract Hire. *Free-of-charge Care-3 available on Kia Sportage at participating dealers for new cars when ordered and registered between 01.07.2017 — 30.09.2017. Customers have 31 days from their vehicle's registration date to subscribe. Care-3 consists of first three services. Care-3 offer available to customers only, excluding Private Contract Hire. 7 year / 100,000 mile manufacturer's warranty. Triangle of Chesterfield Ltd trading as Triangle Kia are a credit broker (not a lender) for the purposes of this financial promotion and can introduce you to a limited number of carefully selected finance providers and may receive a commission from them for the introduction.

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CLASSIC TRIAL MAGAZINE 2017 â&#x20AC;¢ ISSUE 22

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6 5 Trial Magazine, in association with motorcycle trials literature specialist Yoomee, can now bring you a selection of books dedicated to motorcycle trials.

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1 20 Years of Twinshock Trials, Volume 1: £19.99

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The book contains a pictorial look at the men and machines in twinshock trials from 1965 – 1985 and contains 120 pages. With 198 captioned pictures in black and white enjoy this golden era in trials. The book is A4 size and comes in the semi hardback format.

20 YEARS OF TWINSHOCK TRIALS, VOLUME 1

20 YEARS OF TWINSHOCK TRIALS, VOLUME 2

20 YEARS OF TWINSHOCK TRIALS, VOLUME 3

SPANISH TRIAL MACHINES

LOCHABER SCOTTISH SIX DAYS TRIALS 1909-2011

PRE-65 ‘SCOTTISH’ 2017 DVD

2 20 Years of Twinshock Trials, Volume 2: £19.99 The book contains a pictorial look at the men and machines in twinshock trials from 1965 – 1985 and contains 124 pages. With 229 captioned pictures in black and white enjoy this golden era in trials. The book is A4 size and comes in the semi hardback format.

3 20 Years of Twinshock Trials, Volume 3: £19.99 The book contains a pictorial look at the men and machines in twinshock trials from 1965 – 1985 and contains 126 pages. With 224 captioned pictures in black and white enjoy this golden era in trials. The book is A4 size and comes in the semi hardback format.

4 Spanish Trials Machines: £24.99 This book covers in its 126 pages the history of Spanish trials machines between the years 1965 – 2010. Each brand is covered with a brief informative history including: Alfer – Bultaco – Clipic – Gas Gas – JJ Cobas – Mecatechno – Merlin – Montesa – Ossa – Sherco – Xispa – XPA. With 235 captioned pictures, including some colour images, enjoy a look at this history of Spanish trials machines. The book is A4 size and comes in the semi hardback format.

5 Lochaber Scottish Six Days Trial 1909-2011: £24.99 To celebrate 100 years of this famous event Yoomee produced this superb collection of over 200 images, with over half in full colour. Each image comes with its own informative text written by Deryk Wylde and John Hulme on this true test of man and machine. The book is A4 size and contains 132 pages, and comes in the semi hardback landscape format.

6 Pre-65 ‘Scottish’ 2017 DVD: £19.99 This fantastic classic trial had the weather smiling on it as riders and spectators who flocked form around the globe to enjoy the two days of competion around Kinlochleven. The film features a vast number of competitors.

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