PETER GAUNT

3rd August 1936 – 20 February 2019

It is with great sadness that Trials Guru website has to announce the passing of Peter Gaunt. He was 82 years of age.

Peter Gaunt was a renowned ‘special’s builder’, or so it was coined in the motorcycle press. However, Peter or ‘Top Gear’ as he was universally known in the trials community was much more than that. He was responsible for creating his own trials machines out of motorcycles that were not even designed for the purpose and was capable of winning on his creations, a feat he achieved many times.

Gaunt developed the James trials machine for the factory as well as creating the Gaunt Jawa; Gaunt Suzuki; Gaunt Ducati and the Otley based Dalesman concern made use of his skills to further develop their Sachs engine trials model for boss, Pete Edmondson.

He also converted Honda’s production XL250 Motorsport trail model into the ‘Allan Jefferies Honda’ for the Bradford motorcycle dealer.

Peter Gaunt also rode for the Royal Enfield factory on their 250cc Crusader trials model along with fellow Yorkshire-man, Peter ‘Fearless Fred’ Fletcher.

Gaunt was a skilled mechanic and regarded as a great ‘fettler’ of machines, knowing how to set them up for peak performance, right through the rev range.

Few will remember that Peter rode in the International Six Days Trial for the AJS factory team on a 500 AJS in the Swedish event in 1966. He rode again a year later at Zakopane, Poland on a 250cc Suzuki twin.

Gaunt suffered a stroke in December 2016, but had fought a brave battle against cancer to which he succumbed on Wednesday, 20th February.

Our sincere condolences go to the Gaunt family at this difficult time.

Peter’s funeral arrangements are: 12.20 on Thursday, 7th March 2019 at Stonefall Crematorium, Wetherby Road, Harrogate, HG3 1DE. Thereafter at The Mill Tavern, Lido Leisure Park , Wetherby Road , Knaresborough, HG5 8LR which is approx 2 miles distant from the crematorium. The family have not placed any restrictions on attendance, all friends and acquaintances will be made most welcome to attend.

Who better to write a tribute to Peter Gaunt than his friend Barry Robinson. Barry spoke to Trials Guru:

“Very few people are aware that I was an expert ranked trialler, scrambler and grass track champion passenger and even fewer are aware that Peter Gaunt and I practiced together on Otley Chevin. The Chevin is the very large hill south of Otley. We met purely by chance one summer evening. I lived in Otley and Peter lived at Horsforth about four miles from the quarry in which we tried the impossible. Peter in those days, 1957, had an uncanny talent at making two strokes go at low revs and yet rev out at the top end.

He was finicky about footrest positions and handlebar heights. As it was my playground I set out sections. One section up a wall side defied all Peter’s efforts and I could ride up it with ease. Peter never ever forgot that section. It was brought up in a conversation with Rob Shepherd and Chris Bradley last year at Fellbeck. And, it was Peter that raised the subject. I always point out that when red and blue section flags have to be navigated Mr Gaunt was on another planet.

I know for a fact that he took a hacksaw to the top tube of a works machine, to alter the steering head angle so that the machine turned, as Peter wanted it to do. I do know that the competition manager penned Peter a letter pointing out that they knew better than their contracted teamster.

In the heady days of Rathmell, Hemingway and others I watched Peter ride his Gaunt Suzuki up a muddy section and clean it in the trial and after. The respected Ralph Venables exploded when the same machine climbed a hill in his parish clean. All the other competitors were in second or third gears from the adjoining field.

Who else would have created the Gaunt Suzuki or Gaunt Jawa and made a success of it. None other than Yrjo Vesterinen has his leg over a Gaunt Jawa last year and but for detached brake shoes from their carriers would have ridden the machine. Peter also competed in the Isle of Man on a Bill Bancroft machine, so he could motor on tarmac as well.

I have told Peter Gaunt many times that he was brilliant at setting up trials machines but not commercial enough to profit from his unlimited talents.

Rest in Peace Peter.” – Barry Robinson, Ilkley, Yorkshire

Photo credits: Barry Robinson, (Ilkley); Iain Lawrie (Kinlochleven)

It is with sadness that we have to report the death of Neil Crosswaite, former Scorpa importer and entrepreneur. Mr. Crosswaite sustained a brain haemorrhage from which he did not recover and passed away on Friday, 1st February 2019 at seventy years of age. 

A lifelong motorcycle enthusiast, his passion for trials riding would see him travel all over the world where he would meet so many people who all had respect for his honest and open opinion. His world was his family. 

For many years Neil was in partnership with the late Martin Lampkin as joint promoters of the annual Sheffield Arena Trial held in January. 

The funeral arrangements will be held at Nab Wood Crematorium, Bingley Road, Shipley, Bradford, BD18 4BG on Thursday, 14 February at 13.20, and afterwards at the Busfield Arms, Keighley where everyone is welcome. 

Martin Crosswaite said: “The Crosswaite family would like to thank everyone for all your messages of support; it really means the world to us as a family that my Dad was held in such high regard by so many people”. 

John Hulme, Editor in Chief of Trial Magazine commented: “Neil Crosswaite was an inspiration when we started the magazine with his enthusiasm for anything motorcycle trials. His constructive criticism was always welcome as were his new ideas. His handshake was his word and I for one am going to miss his phone calls to find out was going on in the world of trials. All our thoughts are with his family at this difficult time”.

Trials Guru conveys it’s condolences to the Crosswaite family at this time.