The ‘Dan Stewart Memorial’ Loch Lomond Two Day Trial is one of Scotland’s premier trials held on the west sides of Loch Lomond, just north of Glasgow. First held in the early seventies it has grown into one of toughest trials in the Scottish calendar. Organised as always by the Loch Lomond Motorcycling Club.
Dave Thorpe in the 1978 Loch Lomond Two Day on his Bultaco – Photo: Jimmy Young, Armadale
The Saturday route entails a lap of around 40 miles with 45 sections and Sunday is two laps of 11 miles with 25 sections. There are 2 fuel stops on Saturday. All sections are observed.
The route is all off road covering moorland and high mountains reaching the heights the surrounding horizons.
It is at heart a clubman trial but with sections suited to expert riders which can be tackled by good and eager B level riders.
Youth A riders are permitted to ride at the discretion of the Clerk of Course.
Entries will be taken up until the 20th of May. If you were unlucky not to get a entry to the SSDT then this trial is the next best thing for you.
Trials Guru is all about trials worldwide, however here is a slight deviation from the normal!
John Moffat apart from being a trials rider and enthusiast has always enjoyed other forms of motorcycle sport from an early age and openly admits he has a 100% respect for those who race motorcycles, either for a living or sport.
He has attended the MCN Scottish Motorcycle Show for many years as an announcer/interviewer and this year the guest of honour was seven times TT winner and trials enthusiast, Mick Grant.
Trials Guru’s John Moffat with Mick Grant, 7 times TT winner and trials rider at the Scottish Motorcycle Show, 2016 – Photo: Dan Jess
Son of a Yorkshire miner, Grant took up racing in 1967, strangely enough as he had a road bike and couldn’t afford a trials bike!
Moffat had the job of interviewing Mick on four occasions during a hectic weekend in the ‘Carole Nash Classic Pavilion’ at the Royal Highland Showground at Ingliston near Edinburgh on March 12th and 13th. It had nearly 500 classic motorcycles on show.
As a bonus, they were joined on the Sunday afternoon by 23 times TT winner, racing legend John McGuinness from Morecambe who aims to equal Joey Dunlop’s TT titles and Scots racer Stuart Easton who started in the sport as a youth motocross rider who went on to race for Paul Bird Racing and Hydrex Honda.
Trials Guru’s John Moffat interviewing racing legend, John McGuinness with Stuart Easton standing by on the right of the pair – Photo: Trials Guru/Jean Moffat
So you see, it’s not just trials we get involved with in Trials Guru, there is always something interesting going on!
2015 Bob MacGregor Memorial Run with ‘Trials Guru’ representative John Moffat thoroughly enjoying the run on his late father’s 1951 AJS 16MC machine with the riding number carried in the 1953 SSDT and 2013 Pre’65 Scottish – Photo courtesy of Ron Allner, Killin.
The annual Bob MacGregor Memorial road run for 2016 will take place on Tuesday 26th April, the week prior to the Pre’65 Scottish and the Scottish Six Days Trial.
The 2016 will have guest of honour, Bill Brown from Egremont, known affectionately as Mr. Wulfsport or even Mr. Maico given his connection with the German motocross marque and the world famous Wulfsport clothing brand which he created back in the 1970s.
Bill was a top motocross rider who raced predominately in the North West and Scotland, who ran Bill Brown Motorcycles.
The Greeves/NSU that Vic Allan will use in the 2016 Bob MacGregor Run on 26 April at Killin. – Photo: Vic Allan
The main organiser is of course Peter Remington, himself an accomplished trials and motocross rider who enjoys the road run which takes in approximately 130 miles of rural Perthshire public roads.
Peter Remington (Kendal) Saffire Bultaco 325 at the Lanarkshire Valente Trial in 1981. Photo: Jimmy Young, Armadale.
It is a circular route which goes from Killin to Aberfeldy and into the Loch Rannoch area. There is also a lunch break on route for the participants.
Peter ‘Rem’ Remington enjoys the fruits of his labour by taking part in the 2015 Bob MacGregor Memorial Run on his 644 CCM – Photo: Ron Allner, Killin.
The event starts and finishes at the McLaren Hall, Main Street, Killin FK21 8UH. Entry forms will be available from Peter by post: Peter Remington, Kenbrig, Levens, Kendal, Cumbria, LA8 8DT or by e-mail: premington2@gmail.com
The entry fee is £15 with £2 going to the local Bob MacGregor Motorcycle Club who provide local assistance.
Trials Guru representative, John Moffat took part last year on his father’s 1951 AJS 16MC and enjoyed it so much, he will be back in 2016 for another helping, this time on a 1964 AJS 16C short-stroke.
Riders preparing to leave the McLaren Hall in Killin for the 2015 event – Photo courtesy of Ron Allner of Killin
Mark Whitham leaves the start area on his Rudge in 2015, a machine similar to that which Bob MacGregor rode to SSDT victory in 1932 and 1935 – Photo courtesy of Ron Allner of Killin
It is noticeable how Trials Guru, the online medium for viewing photographs and articles of the sport of motorcycle trials world-wide, has really taken off.
Trials Guru is also now being referred to in sporting circles as ‘Guru’ or even ‘TG’ for short.
It started purely as an idea that ‘TG’ creator, John Moffat had back in 2003 which had been offered to a webmaster of a well-known trials website, but it was turned down because it “wouldn’t be of any interest”.
Alan Lampkin (325 Bultaco) seen here in 1978 is a keen follower of Trials Guru- Photo: Mike Rapley
Trials Guru was eventually launched quietly and without fuss in March 2014, that is two years ago now and it has grown steadily without advertising other than word of mouth.
Obviously its success is down to finding interesting material and the fact that it is totally without charge, be that subscription or payment to view. It is free and that is probably its appeal.
No fuss, no forums, no keyboard warriors to distract you from trials – just good honest information and photos from the contributing photographers and article writers.
We have been very fortunate that Trials Guru’s creator has many contacts in the sport, which has helped bring information to you the reader. Of course you, the reader, are equally important in the mixture, without you there would be no need for Trials Guru!
It is amazing how many former ‘works’ riders follow Trials Guru, many of them have appeared in photographs taken back in the day!
If you have an interesting tale to tell, then why not get in touch through the ‘contact’ page? We are always on the look-out for something out of the ordinary and new.
It goes without saying that we are all grateful for the contributions of our photographers who have given express permission for their material to be seen. Pleasebe respectful, as we are, of their copyright as the photographs belong to the photographer, not us!
We have a strict rule that every photograph is credited to the photographer, it is not masked over by using a collective ‘archive wrapper’, that is not the way we do things on Trials Guru and never will.
So please enjoy Trials Guru as a reader as much as we enjoy creating it for you.
Remember we are also on facebook and twitter.
Yours in sport,
John Moffat – Trials Guru website
Irish Trials on Trials Guru – Jonathan Bewley, 350 AJS, at the roadside sections in Glassamucky, Co Dublin, in the Leinster trial 18.11.1967 – Photo: Pat Ewen, Dublin
The Scott Trial 2015 winner Ian Austermuhle travelled from his home near Malton on Friday 26th February to the Buck Hotel in Reeth, North Yorkshire to present the cheques at the Scott Charity Presentation Evening .
Ian explained that it is every trial riders dream to win at the Scott which is undoubtedly one of the toughest trials in the world and definitely one of the riders favourites. Ian finally lifted the trophy on his 19th attempt.
Ian and his wife Beth were presented with a small gift by Callum and Chloe Fowler, members of the very popular and growing Youth Section of Richmond Motor Club who organise trials and training days for over 100 members aged from four years upwards.
On the evening John Fraser, the Scott Chairman introduced the recipients, several of whom said a few words about how the money helped their charities including an excellent speech given by Sam Watson representing ‘Just The Job’, when he explained how the charity has helped him and how much he enjoys going to work there.
This year a total of £7,500 was presented .
This amount is significantly less than usual because of costs involved for renewing the planning permission for another five years with the Yorkshire Dales National Park Authority to hold the event in the areas under their control. The Scott Trial has raised in excess of £150,000 since Richmond Motor Club took over the running of the trial in 1991.
The list of recipients are as follows (in no particular order): Swaledale Scouts; Swaledale Mountain Rescue; Friends of Reeth and Gunnerside Primary Schools; Reeth and Gunnerside Schools fund; Ravensworth Primary School; Arkengarthdale Primary School; Yorkshire Air Ambulance; Great North Air Ambulance; Leyburn Primary School; Reeth Young Farmers; Swaledale Seedlings; St John’s Centre Wednesday Club; RABI; Friends of the 2 Dales Nursery; Hambleton & Richmond Multiple Sclerosis Society; Swaledale & Arkengathdale Luncheon Clubs Association; Richmond Cricket Club – Youth & General; Moorland Association; St Teresa’s Hospice; DELTA; Holmedale Pre-School; Wensleydale Rugby Club Development Fund; Gamekeepers Welfare Trust; ACU Benevolent Fund; Just The Job; The Robert Dent Fund; Richmond Rugby Club; Homestart; Marrick Parish Institute; The Mowbray Suite at the Friarage Hospital and the Alistair Bullen Aromatherapy Fund.
The 2016 Scott Trial will take place on Saturday 22nd October.
We have added more photos to our special ‘section’ on trials in the North East of England.
John J Battensby at Thrunton Woods Trial, Bedlington Club, 28/02/2016, 3rd place overall – Photo: Jaxx Lawson @Joats Imagery
More photos from Jaxx Lawson and a new contributor, Ray Crinson who was a very good North east rider in the 1970s and 1980s. father of current rider, John Crinson.
Coming soon to Trials Guru, an article taken from the Trials Guru’s original notes made in 1999 on the life and times of trials rider and former SACU President, Honda Motorcycle & Power Sales Manager for Scotland & NI – Bob Paterson.
Steve Saunders on the Honda Britain RTL250S at the 1985 Scottish Six Days on Achlain section – watched by Honda UK representative Scotland & Northern Ireland, Bob Paterson – Photo copyright: Colin Bullock/CJB Photographic
The Highland Classic 2 Day Trial in Scotland has been overwhelmed with entries this year.
The trial is organised by the go-ahead Inverness & District Motor Cycle Club Ltd at the highland shooting estate, Alvie which is situated four miles south of Aviemore.
Originally an idea of club chairman, Malcolm H. Smith as a Pre’65 event back in 2003 for Scottish riders who were unsuccessful in obtaining an entry for the Pre’65 Scottish, it was increased by taking in twin-shock entries in 2005 and increased to a two-day event the same year.
In 2013 the introduction of a ‘guest of honour’ from the sport of trial saw Yrjo Vesterinen and the Bultaco team from the 1970s seriously increase the events profile and the number of riders fill the 130 maximum.
The Highland Classic 2 Day Trial 2016 event secretary, Rick Lound seen here on his Yamaha Majesty
Last year the entry was closed only five days after opening, such was the event’s popularity. The guest was former Greeves rider Bill Wilkinson and in 2014 it was Dave Thorpe. The 2016 is the ‘Yamscot’ Edition with former Yamaha factory rider and five times SSDT winner Mick Andrews who will ride a specially prepared Yamaha TY twin-shock.
Entry Secretary Rick Lound has been swamped by entry forms this year. “I live way out in the countryside and the postie has had more envelopes in one day than he has all week!”
Yorkshire born Lound has taken over the task this year from Inverness man, Dave MacKay who steps down after 28 years service to the club.
Chairman, Malcolm Smith is a gun-dog trainer and estate shooting consultant who has close ties with the Alvie Estate and the Highland Field Sports Association.
Smith said: “We have been aware that our trial is becoming the event to take part in, but we have to limit the entry to ensure that the infrastructure can cope. We are quite a small club which punches above our weight. We have a small team of enthusiasts that are keen to keep the trial popular and to live up to it’s title as the friendliest classic trial in Scotland and probably now the United Kingdom”.
Malcolm continued: “We are all proud of the event and more importantly so is the Alvie Estate Laird, Jamie Williamson and his staff. The clerk of the course has no intention of increasing the events severity, we have a winning formula and have no plans to change that. We are keen to make only detail changes to enhance rider experience of competing on ground that is usually preserved for hunting and shooting activities”.
At the time of this report, the entries officially closed on Tuesday, 23rd February and was oversubscribed by over 50%. An entry list will be released by the club after competitors are all advised of their entry being accepted.
The Premier Trial Website – Recording the History of the Sport 'Established 2014'
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