Ted Harston is a living legend in Richmond Motor Club circles.

For over three decades the Craythorne, Yarm, man has overseen the tuition and trial riding activities of youngsters from the age of four years and upwards.

His nickname is ‘TY Ted’ coined from the original TY 80cc Yamaha machine on which many riders learned their craft.

Ted has marked out trials routes suitable for beginners and observed their activities. For his services the Richmond Motor Club (Yorkshire) Ltd presented Mr. Harston the Captain’s Cup.

Photo: Barry Watson, Richmond

The annual Bob MacGregor Memorial run takes place on Tuesday 30th April at Killin in Perthshire, this year it will be dedicated to the memory of Westmorland stalwart, John Holmes.

Holmes was a reknowned specials builder, trials rider and ISDT competitor. He was a former Bob MacGregor run guest of honour.

Entry forms are now available below:

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1979 World Trials Champion and the 1982 winner of the Scottish Six Days Trial, Bernie Schreiber has returned to the trials school arena with the launch of the ‘Schreiber Experience’ at Alvie Estate in the Scottish Highlands, some 37 years after his historic win, which is only seventy miles from where he claimed his victory.

Schreiber is the only American to win the SSDT in its 108 year history and the only American born winner of the World Trials crown of which he was victorious on a Bultaco.

Bernie will run his ZER(O)BS coaching and training Experience in conjunction with the Inverness & District MCC Ltd, who promote the annual Highland Classic 2 day Trial on the Alvie shooting estate at Kincraig, a few miles south of the holiday town of Aviemore. The date set is Monday 10th June, 2019.

The training will be run over a full day which includes a classroom session and some on bike time and will be run under an SACU training permit, with guest coach Allister Stewart, Chairman of the Scottish ACU Trials Committee on hand and in a supporting role is ACU coach, Richard Allen.

Schreiber told Trials Guru: “The Schreiber Experience is something that I have been thinking about for some time. When I was invited to attend as Guest of Honour and take part in the Highland Classic, I thought it would be a good place to launch my ‘experience’ and dovetail it with my stay in the Scottish highlands over the weekend of 8/9th June. For the trial, Martin Matthews of MotoSWM is supplying me with an SWM to compete and I will use it again as my demo-bike for the experience day. My coaching techniques will be different to my old trials schools as a lot of years have come and gone since then and while the basic techniques have not changed so much as the sport. Today, there are new formulas of coaching and training that make an impactful difference in building all the fundamental riding skills. The consistent routine of these skills is the blueprint to not only improving and enjoying the ride, but finding your real potential. My big deal is you always have to have a plan. Most people have a tip, everybody’s got a tip, but few have a plan. I always say ‘a goal without a plan is nothing but a dream’ so most people dream of riding better Trials, but they don’t have a plan to ride better Trials. So I wanted to help people to build a plan to take them from where they are to where they want to be. That’s what I do with my new Experience.”

Interested parties for the ‘Schreiber Experience’ in Scotland are asked to contact the IDMCC Secretary by e-mail to obtain the necessary application form on highlandclassic@outlook.com

The annual Reeth Three Day Trial scheduled to begin on July 20th and organized by the Richmond Motor Club (Yorkshire) has had to be cancelled due the risk of moorland fires this year.

Dry weather during June and more similar warm, dry weather forecast leading up to the event has made the moorland on which the trial is run, tinder dry and the risk of fire possible.

The ever responsible Richmond Motor Club took the weighty decision to cancel the very popular and over-subscribed event, as it depends on the good working relationship with landowners, game-keepers, factors and farmers in the vast landscape in the which the club organizes its events, including the famous Scott Trial in October.

The Reeth Three Day was an idea put forward many years ago by local enthusiast and life-long club member, the late David ‘Tubby’ Allinson of Reeth who wanted to create a mini SSDT. Over the years it has been a great success and well supported.

The Richmond club did not take the decision lightly as the event attracts 200 competitors and takes a great deal of effort to organize, but it did not wish to put ground at risk now and in the future if a fire was to break out during the event for whatever reason.

The go-ahead dealership Inch Perfect Trials throws its doors open on Saturday 9th June to welcome customers, past and present to see what the inovative company has to offer.

The location is New Hey Barn, Whitewell, near Clitheroe, Lancashire BB7 3AU and the opening hours between 8am and 4 pm.

Managing Director Matthew Alpe, himself a successful trials rider looks forward to welcoming you to the new showroom.

Inch Perfect Trials offers machine sales, training, parts and accessories and experience days as part of its business plan, unique in the trials world in the UK.

The website is: www.inchperfecttrials.co.uk for more details.

The busy Inverness & District MCC, the most northerly trials club in the UK have a busy time ahead with the promotion of their Highland Classic Two-Day Trial on June 9/10 on the picturesque Alvie Estate, four miles south of Aviemore.

The event has grown in stature over the years and now plays host to 150 riders plus 9 Guest Riders which includes Yrjo Vesterinen; Montesa ace from the 1970s, Clive Smith and from the racing world, Donnie McLeod and Iain Duffus who will be watched closely by Nick Jefferies, who makes his second appearance at the Highland Classic.

The trial starts at 11.00 am on the Saturday when the riders will be piped away by local piper, Sandy MacDonell and will enjoy two laps of 18 sections traversing the highland shooting estate.

The landowner is Laird, Jamie Williamson who has permitted trials on his ground for over 30 years.

The event is supported by Trial Partners: Putoline Motorcycle Oils; Apico Factory-Racing and Classic Trial Magazine.

This year the theme is The Montesa Cota Edition, recognizing the 50 years of the ‘Cota’ since it’s creation in 1968. Guest of Honour is the 1968 Scottish Trials Champion, Douglas Bald.

Images: Akihiko Hattori & Yamaha Motor Company

Yamaha Motor Company have re-entered the World trials arena by confirming that they will contest the 2018 FIM ‘Trial-E’ class with the announcement of their ‘TY-E’ model. The machine will be ridden by the factory rider Kenichi Kuroyama.

Kuroyama, is an eleven-time national champion of Japan. He rode for eleven years in the World championships and achieved four world title rounds and scored twenty-five podium positions.

The re-entry of Yamaha onto the world stage is significant and to be electric powered, even more so.

The question now must be asked, will the mighty Honda concern make inroads to electric-trials with their own electric powered machine?

Images courtesy of Akihiko Hattori, taken at the Tokyo Show, March 2018:

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Youtube watch:

Article: Ian Coulter

Image: Bexleyheath & DMCC

Organised by the Bexleyheath & District Motor Cycle Club, the ‘Battle of Burwash’ trial has been running for around seven years. It’s been named after the Battle off Hastings (1066) as it’s only down the road from the famous battle.  

Held on 2nd and 3rd June, it’s run on a brilliant piece of ground over seventy acres of streams, rocks and high banks, which makes a challenge for all abilities.  

Run over two days starting on the Saturday at noon with four laps of eight sections with results and awards that same afternoon.  

Sunday is three laps of thirteen sections, which are different from the Saturday, the results being compiled that night and up on Motorbiketrials.com by Monday morning.  

Camping is available with plenty of room for campers, caravans and tents. Easy access via concrete path so no getting stuck problems. There will be toilets and fresh water available on site. Event postcode TN218XA. Camping available from the Thursday afternoon.

It’s all happening up north!

The Westmorland Motor Club, established in 1910, which makes it one of the oldest clubs in North West England, will be out in force at this year’s Telford Off-Road Show (17/18 February) at the International Centre (TF4 8RH).

The members will be promoting the ‘Bultaco Revival Nostalgia’ trial which takes place on 16^th June at Holme Farm Sedbergh, Cumbria, a week after the Highland Classic Two Day which is already a sell out.

Guest of honour this year is Alan R.C. Lampkin, better known perhaps as ‘Sid’ Lampkin, former Bultaco works rider who was a winner in the SSDT and Scott Trials in 1966 on a works BSA C15T.

This year there will be team awards for teams of three riders competing for the Martin Lampkin memorial award.

Also attending is American Bernie Schrieber who won the World Trials title in 1979 on a Bultaco. Bernie now lives in Zurich but is really looking forward to riding in Cumbria.

The main sponsors are Coniston Brewery, BMW – Lloyd South Lakes and LSS Waste Management. The prime mover is once again Peter Remington who rode a Sapphire Motorcycles sponsored Bultaco back in the late 1970s.

Event Secretary is Mike Rapley and the forms are now released, with the entry limited to the first 120 places.

Last year was the inaugural event and was a great success, raising money for cancer charity.

There are many classes at the event which is not solely for Bultaco machinery, albeit that is the theme.

Download entry form and regulations HERE:

Nostalgia Regs 2018

Nostalgia entry form 2018

The Scottish ACU held their 2017 Trials Championship awards evening at Grangemouth, near Falkirk on Saturday 20th January.

Trials Guru’s John Moffat was there as Guest Presenter.

A one minute silence was obeyed in memory of Dalmellington’s Michael Anderson who passed away recently.

The 2017 Champions are: