UP NORTH – White Heather Magic

December 25, 2016 bigjohn2014 4 Comments

start-white-heather-r — 1967 – Start of the White Heather Trial at Rogart. On the far left is rider, George Hunter (Loch Lomond MCC) on the far right are the Grant twins, Bill (third from right and John (far right in blazer)

Words: Trials Guru; KK Cameron; Rob Sutherland; Tommy Sandham; Raymond Leitch; Mairi Grant

Photos: Iain Lawrie, Kinlochleven; Grant Family Archive, Rogart; David Sutherland, Brora.

My beautiful picture — **John Little, originally from Edinburgh, now Elgin on his Bultaco Sherpa (FFS169D) on Sciberscross in the 1967 White Heather Trial – Photo: Grant Family Collection**

Back in the mid 1960s and up to the late 1970s, there was a unique event organised in the rural county of Sutherland in northern Scotland. It was called the ‘White Heather Trial’ promoted by the Sutherland Car & Motor Cycle Club and was the most northerly permitted motorcycle trial in the United Kingdom.

Held on a Saturday because of the deeply religious area being predominantly Free Church of Scotland which scorned sporting activities on a Sunday, the organisers respected this and therefore capitulated.

This allowed the Lochaber club, based in the Fort William area, to organise a Sunday event where the Free Church influence was not quite so strong and this made for a unique trialling weekend in the north of Scotland. This created a weekend of events in the Highlands of Scotland, not a two day event as such, but two days with events.

Centred at the hamlet of Rogart, which means: ‘great enclosed field’ it was a somewhat dispersed crofting community with the nearest village being Golspie, some nine miles distant. However Rogart does have a railway station and this had opened up the area somewhat over the years.

The trial started at Rogart and used sections at Davoch; Rhemusaig; Reidchalmie; Pitfire; Sonny’s; Kinnauld; Kerrow and Sciberscross in the Glen of Strath Brora.

Scibercross Lodge was built in 1876 and was one of the many hunting lodges built for, and by, the Third Duke of Sutherland.

The Grant Brothers – The Prime Movers:

Whilst there were a number of local club members that assisted in the running of the trial, the prime movers of the Sutherland & District Motor Club, White Heather Trial were undoubtedly the Grant brothers, John and Bill.

John was the older and Bill the younger, twin sons of Ian Grant and Jessie Magarry, born on 4th July 1928 at Dalmore, Rogart.

The family home called ‘Rowallan’ was built in 1889. Ian Grant moved along the road to the Bungalow when he married Jessie as his father was still Rowallan. They were only out of Rowallan for a year or two, but it was never bought. This is where the Grants ran their grocery business for many years.

They lived in Rogart all their days, the only exception being the time they spent in the Middle East during a stint in the obligatory National Service.

John and Bill left Rogart to train at Catterick Garrison in North Yorkshire, serving as motorcycle dispatch riders as part of the Royal Signals, until 1949. They then returned home to help their parents run the family business.

John and Bill Grant’s connection with the Scottish Six Days Trial began with Bill becoming an observer in 1967. This was followed by a commitment as Chief Marshall before Bill became the Assistant Secretary to Ally Findlay where his in-depth knowledge of the event was invaluable.

The SSDT ‘influence’ was evidenced with the type of competition numbers allocated to competitors at the White Heather. The riders had a large numeral on black background fixed to the front and nearside of their machines in the late 1960 events. An idea taken from the SSDT at that time.

george-shaw-1967-wh-r — **The late George M.B. ‘Geordie’ Shaw from Perth was also a Loch Lomond memberand SACU Trials committee man, seen here on his 246 Greeves in the 1967 White Heather Trial**

Not ‘medically identical’ twins, the Grant brothers were fiendish practical jokers. Some may remember the pranks that John and Bill played when they took their turn at attending the SSDT in alternate years, because the ‘absent one’ stayed at Rogart to run the family business in the village. Many people, including riders and officials didn’t realise there were two Grant brothers, because they were so alike in both appearance and mannerisms!

Daughter of John Grant, Mairi, former SSDT Secretary told Trials Guru: “They generally took their bikes down to the SSDT at Fort William. They would head down the main road to Beauly, then cut over the top to Drumnadrochit before heading on down to Fort William, a delightful run even today“.

The Grants had a preference for Velocette road motorcycles, which led to them to convince the marque owners club to hold their national rally at Rogart, run in the August.

grants-rogart — **The Grants twins of Rogart sit proudly on their Velocettes, (from left) Ian (Royal Enfield) with sons, Bill & John – Photo courtesy of Mairi Grant, Inverness**

John Grant passed away in 1998 aged 70 and ten years later, brother Bill aged 80 years in December 2008.

Trials Guru’s John Moffat: “I got to know Bill and his twin brother John through the friendship they struck up with my late father, many years before I found myself working with Bill in the SSDT office at the Milton Hotel in 2002. When I was 18, I observed at the SSDT in 1976 and Bill was Chief Marshall that year and his nightly ‘Briefing Meetings’ were a mandatory part of the duties and that was where he imparted his direction and knowledge to the officials and observers.

Bill‘s advice was always positive and he was a very knowledgeable chap to have on call as his experience gained through many years helping both Jim McColm and Ali Findlay, indeed steered me through a very adventurous week in Fort William in 2002.

We had great fun in the office, as he always had some story or other to tell in the short lull between the workload. As most of the stories he told me involved previous Scottish Six Days Trials, I must say I was always enthralled by them! He usually began his ‘lesson’ by saying the now immortal words: ‘Now, let me tell you this … ‘

I for one listened intently to what Bill had to say for this was the time to learn. I didn’t interrupt him. He had such a relaxed style that anyone who ignored him probably did so at their peril and no doubt came ‘unstuck’ shortly after!

The motto should read: When an experienced person speaks, it pays dividends to listen.

The Grant brothers have now passed into Scottish Trials folklore, they were true motorcycle enthusiasts“.

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Bill Varty 1966 — **Glasgow Lion member, Bill Varty in 1966 on his Greeves at Sciberscross – Photo courtesy of Mairi Grant, Rogart**

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20161218_004341 — John Winthrop conducts a trials school at Rogart in 1977. Riders include: Ray Leitch (goggles on helmet); Gavin Milne; Phil Paterson (fourth from right); Rob Sutherland (third from right); John Moodie (second from right) – Photo supplied by David Sutherland, Brora

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20161218_004324 — **John Winthrop (left) watches Rob Sutherland (348 Montesa) at a Rogart trials school in 1977 – Photo: David Sutherland, Brora**

Competitors memories of the White Heather:

Kenneth ‘KK’ Cameron, from Fort William:

kk-cameron-1969-wh-r — **Kenneth ‘KK’ Cameron from Fort William hits a spot of bother on his Montesa Cota 247 at ‘Sonny’s’ section in 1969**

“The bike you see in the photo came from Donald Buchan dealership in Perth, most of my bikes were from either Donald or Jimmy Morton at Sorn, Ayrshire. My memories of the White Heather are that it was a great trial and one I rode many times. The one thing that I remember well was riding with Allie ‘Beag’ Cameron and ‘RM’ – Roger Mount, Allie affectionately called us by our initials.

We were looking a difficult section up on a steep hillside, that no-one was cleaning. After looking at it for a while, Allie told us how to ride it. Approach quite fast in second, shut off power till you reach here, then give it a wee squirt here and shut off again, then another and so on. I can’t remember how many ‘wee squirts’ were needed but there were quite a few. Allie then gave us a ‘master class’ on how to do it. Allie was a brilliant rider, needless to say neither ‘RM’ or ‘KC’ followed his example“. – Kenneth Cameron, Fort William

Tommy Sandham, author – Four-Stroke Finale, The Honda Trials Story, originally from Airdrie, now Magor, Monmouthshire:

“I remember the White Heather trial. I think I did it twice and recall it was held on a Saturday, so that meant either a day off or a half-day on Friday to travel up to Sutherland. I was based in Airdrie then so it was
quite a trek with a trailer.

I well remember riding round and coming into a village and there was a Policeman standing in the middle of the road waving the trials bikes through! The first and only time I recall this happening. Then we had a lunch stop which again was unusual and the village hall was filled with cakes, sandwiches etc made by the local people. Everyone seemed to be involved!

When the White Heather was finished it used to be a rush back South to Fort William where there was another trial on the Sunday.

The weekend involved two bed & breakfasts and a lot of miles to cover but it was once a year and I remember it very fondly“. – Tommy Sandham, Magor, Wales

pitrite-1967-r — Willie Pitblado’s 403cc Pitrite, a combination of an overbored Triumph 3TA twin motor in a Sprite frame registered in Fife as DSP47D. The machine is now owned by the Gillespie family from Dunfermline who were related to Pitblado. We think the rider pictured here on the Pitrite at ‘Sonny’s’ is Sandy Sutherland in 1967.

Rob Sutherland from Brora, now living in New Zealand:

“I’ve spent some time trying to recollect the goings on of the White Heather so here they are”.

“My uncle, John MacDonald, my Mums brother who resides in Rogart to this day, was a clubman rider and former SSDT competitor on an ex- Brian Payne AJS (YNC526), which he bought from Alex Smith. I spent much of my early years with my grandparents in Rogart so the ‘WH’ was an on your tongue word being probably the biggest one day event in the Parish, apart from the annual sheep and cattle sales”.

20161218_004359 — **David Sutherland, brother of Rob on their Uncle John MacDonald’s 350 AJS (YNC526) – Photo: David Sutherland, Brora**

“Uncle John had become an organiser along with Billy and John Grant and with others whom I cannot remember the names of now. By the time I started riding the event in 1976 on my brand new 348 Montesa Cota, I had been an active spectator prior to then and from memory, to me it could have been a world championship having riders of note travelling up from the North East of England which back then was to a young boy another country. They competed along with the prestige of Scottish riders such as Roger Mount, Ally Macgillivray and riders of their era.

Not forgetting that weekend was a double-header as the Lochaber trial was held on the Sunday, which I suppose made the long trip more worthwhile for the far travelled riders.

I had followed the trial on my late 1960s 250 Cota from the age of fourteen as I was very familiar in getting to see the Rogart side of the trial without riding on the public roads so you can imagine how I yearned to be sixteen and get in there with the stars who could clean what a young boy thought impossible“.

wh7 — **Rob Sutherland (Montesa 348) at the 1979 White Heather Trial at Rogart – Photo: Iain Lawrie, Kinlochleven**

Sutherland continued: “I bought my 1976 348 with a five hundred pounds loan and topped the massive £799.00 purchase price of with my apprentice wages. The bike came from McGowans Motorcycles in Inverness and the salesman was Billy Lumsden who was, at that time, one of the top local riders and rode a Beamish Suzuki. Billy tragically lost his life in a road bike crash in Inverness. His younger Mike continued the tradition, as he rode trials with Gavin Johnson in the early days.

My first ‘WH’ was the 1976 event as I had just turned seventeen two weeks prior and as I think it may have been the first year schoolboys were allowed to ride, as long as our parents collected us for the public highway part of the trial which ran from Rogart North West to the Kerrow and Scriberscross, then down the Glen into Golspie before heading back to the Mound for the Aberscross and quarry group of sections.

The trial route changed yearly although some of the hardest sections were kept, but it did give the diversity with different sections to ride. It may just be my memory but I seem to remember large numbers of spectators at sections which only added to the competition a young sixteen year old from the Highlands could dream of, having spectated at the SSDT and having some of the big names from the SSDT ride in my own backyard.

I rode three White Heathers I think before getting into motocross, but had so much fun riding and practicing with John Moodie, Ray Leitch and the travelling adventures attending all Scottish championship trials. In fact I think the last ‘WH’ I rode in, a young John Lampkin was there on an SWM along with Glen Scholey and Rob Edwards taking in the double header weekend.

I remember these riders taking part… Steve ‘Butch’ Robson, who would become my best man; Gordon Butterfield; Dave Younghusband; Rob Stamp; Geoff McDonnell; Ray Crinson; John Winthrop; Robin Cownie; Walter Dalton; Keith Johnston; Casper Mylius; Alan Adamson; John White; Billy Matthews; Roy Kerr and Graham Smith from Hawick“. – Rob Sutherland, New Zealand.

Douglas Bald, Scottish Trials Champion in 1968:

“I have very happy memories of the white heather trial , can’t remember much about the actual event itself, but I do remember this occurrence no names but his initials were I. D. B. M; he liked a serious ‘swallie’ (drink) and as always l was the chauffeur.

We decided to go to the local barn dance and as would happen, we got back to our digs late to find the place dark and lock fast. This gave us no alternative but to gain entry, it unfortunately coincided with the local ‘Bobby’ doing his beat.

It took some explaining I.D.B.M was always a little argumentive after a drink and to this day it was the nearest l have ever been to being lifted by the Constabulary!

I can’t remember the date, but the police car was a Morris 1000!“

Iain Lawrie captured the action in 1979…

wh5 — **Watched by ‘Big Phil’ Paterson, Raymond ‘Ray’ Leitch from Culloden on his Bultaco, sponsored by Cawdor Castle in the 1979 White Heather Trial at Rogart – Photo: Iain Lawrie, Kinlochleven**

Ray Leitch who lived at Culloden, near Inverness:

“My very first White Heather trial I ever rode was in 1976 and I was number 1, but I lost the kick start on my Montesa Cota 247 half way through the event. Lots of ‘bump starts’ later and I finished about second last! I got betetr after that though.

I was sponsored by ‘Cawdor Castle Tourism’ and my brother Sid hand painted their monogram on the tank. That is the Bultaco you see here supplied originally by Stodarts of Oban, but later fitted with the Steve Wilson frame and swinging arm.

Those are Marzocchi air shocks which were modified from a set off a KTM motocross bike. Also riding round the trial with Rob Edwards was for me the highlight of all the White Heather trials I competed in“. – Ray Leitch

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rob-edwards-white-heather-trial%277677-1 — **1979 ‘White Heather Trial’ with Rob Edwards (310 Montesa) on his way to winning the event – Photo: Iain Lawrie, Kinlochleven**

Simon C. Valente from Edinburgh, now in Yorkshire:

“My first ride in the White Heather was I think in 1975, in 1977 I returned, travelling with my elder brother Peter and Graham Smith of Hawick, who was then an up and coming rider working towards his peak of winning the Scottish championship a few years later, in Graham’s Volkswagen camper van.

A few minutes before the start, opposite the Rogart Hotel, a small crowd had gathered to watch Willie Dalling who was on a 348 Montesa at the time, flailing away with a foot pump to square up his rear tyre on the rim. Suddenly an almighty bang, reminiscent of the one o’clock gun going off at Edinburgh Castle, reverberated around the village, as Willie’s inner tube exploded inside the tyre.

Being a strong and sometimes fiery character, you could almost see the steam exuding from Willie’s collar as, without a word, he unbuckled his watch and handed it to his wife Creena before starting the task of replacing the tube.

Meanwhile the audience turned away in respectful silence to leave Willie to work off his temper with the tyre levers!

That year was the first when Rob Edwards came to Rogart to take on and of course beat Scotland’s finest of the time, Alan Poynton, John Winthrop, Robin Cownie et al, and local favourite John Moodie from Rovie Farm. I collected a first class award on my TY175 Yamaha.

The trial was a heck of an adventure, after an early start it must have been past 5 o’clock when we were tackling the final section, before packing up and joining the charge towards Fort William for the Lochaber trial the next day – Great days!” – Simon C. Valente

wh6 — **Photo: Iain Lawrie, Kinlochleven (Rider 72 is Mark Whitham, Suzuki)**

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wh8 — **Photo: Iain Lawrie, Kinlochleven**

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wh3 — **Watched by Keith Johnston and Jock Fraser (in helmet), Peter Valente on his 310 Montesa – Photo: Iain Lawrie, Kinlochleven**

Peter Valente from Edinburgh:

“I recall Rob Edwards offering me his spare front brake for the following day’s trial after the linings came off mine on the 348. I should have taken it as riding without a front brake was a bit hairy – not to mention getting down from the top of Sciberscross.

Still the strongest memory of the trial is Willie Dalling using a footpump to square his rear tyre on the rim just before we were due to start. One of the bystanders asked Willie how he would know when he had got the tyre hard enough. Someone (it might have been me) said that when it went bang you would know that it was just too hard, at which point the tube burst. I’m sure you can imagine Willie’s reaction as he set to while the trial departed.

Then there was the rope with a bit wood on the end to go behind the stanchions to haul riders up a waterfall section that many fived. No doubt we’d find that one easy enough nowadays“. – Peter C. Vanente

White Heather Photo Collection of the Grant Family, Rogart:

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tommy-milton-jnr-1968 — **Tommy Milton Junior from Edinburgh, on his Bultaco Sherpa M.27 at ‘Sonnys’ in 1968 – Photo: Grant Family Collection, Rogart**

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Tommy Milton Junior, originally from Edinburgh now Northern Virginia, in Washington DC:

“A great dip into nostalgia remembering the trial at Rogart. I believe it became one of the events that counted towards the Scottish Championship.

I know I took part in it at least twice; you have produced the evidence for that, but I cannot remember if I rode a third or even fourth time.

By the autumn of 1968 I was only back in Scotland intermittently, as I had started working for British Road Services based in Oxford.

I really liked this trial. Attractive area, welcoming local people, well organised event, with the Club even fixing accommodation. I stayed with a very nice couple and I remember the lady made a terrific breakfast.

And, finally, the sections were mostly rocky climbs, which suited me and, especially, my Ariel”.

“I also remember the trial finished at what I think was the local cattle market. The first time I rode, many people came to join in the general socialising, including a number of pretty teenage girls all dressed in Highland gear. I remarked to one that it was very nice of them to have welcomed us lowlanders by dressing up. Oh no, she smiled, we’ve just got back from a dance competition in Golspie!

I am grateful to see the photographs of me on my Ariel, RFS651, which I still have. I bought this bike from Davy Dryden from Uphall, West Lothian.

I had always wanted an HT5 since, as a kid, I had watched Laurie McLean practising on our pushbike trials area, and when we were all at the E&D clubroom one Sunday night after a trial I overheard Davy complaining that he could not get to grips with it.

So later we agreed a deal. I was very happy and I think I won two or three trials with it in 1967/68 season. I have always wondered if anybody has won a Scottish open event on a Classic 50’s four stroke since then?“.

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More images and information on White Heather Trial to follow shortly.

Credits:

Photos:

Iain Lawrie, Kinlochleven
Grant Family Collection, Rogart

Special thanks to all the contributors, photographers and riders who have shared their memories of the White Heather on Trials Guru.

This article and photo-feature is dedicated to the people of Sutherland in north Scotland and in particular the Grant family of Rogart. It now sits in the Trials Guru ‘special section’ entitled ‘Great Scots’.

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Did you ride at Rogart in the White Heather? Then tell us about it, maybe we can add your memory on this article.

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Riders’ memories of The White Heather:

Richard Mackintosh, Inverness:

“My first ever competitive trial was the 1976 White Heather. An event that was to kindle a lifelong interest in the sport albeit sometimes interrupted by that nasty thing called work. I learned the rudiments of riding in a local woods and streams in and around Beauly from late 1975 on my fairly decent Ossa Mar, a £300 purchase from A. N. Other! Finding some out some months later that another Beauly lad John ‘Bull’ Davidson who by this time lived in Inverness was right into the sport too and palled around with previously spoken about Billy Lumsden. That led to getting some tips, advice and garnering further interest and being able to get a wee bit more practice in I guess. Anyway, trying to run before I could walk I entered the trial and had so much fun. I have a recollection I was about 38th or so out of about 80 riders. Dropped a barrowload of marks but there were plenty of also rans behind me. I can’t recall but it was probably the following year I became aware of the luminaries such as Rob Edwards being there too although it could have been that very year. Rob, a delightful fellow who I met briefly a number of times including my soon to follow 3 x SSDTs – another case of me trying to run before I could walk, had a great memory for faces and always had a few kind words. Back to the trial, it really was a great mix of sections, people looking on and you really felt part of something especially as a sport newcomer. All these cracking riders coming to participate and little old me being part of it. Just magic! The double-header of being able to shoot off to Fort William the following day , a bonus. Something,I’d forgotten about until I started reading this fine article. I think maybe 3 times or so I participated, Who could forget Robbie Sutherland in the coming seasons who really started to make his trials bike ‘speak’ and made us all envious when he got his 4 stroke CCM. Oh my, the sound! Ray Leitch, a fine rider often in the points. A shoogle here, a shoogle there, but feet firmly on the pegs. We travelled together to a number of trials and believe me, there weren’t many people who could get a Mk 3 Cortina and trailer chapping faster on the way home. Anyway, the White Heather, there couldn’t have been a better intro to the sport could there?” – Dick Mackintosh

Peter Bremner, Chairman Edinburgh & Disrict Motor Club Ltd:

“Well, this article brings back some great memories as Tommy Sandham said, it was a long drive up. Myself and Stan Young did that journey, we left Edinburgh about lunchtime and after a brief stop in Inverness at the West End chippy, non stop to Rogart in time for a couple of pints and it was 10.00 pm closing time in those days.

Seeing the picture of Tommy Milton Jnr, ‘Kerrow’ was one of his favourite sections. I managed it once for a dab, not only did I ride the trial, but was SACU steward a couple of times. On one occasion I came across Jock Fraser on the down side of the ‘Struie’ he had been involved in an accident. All the trials guys that were there duly helped get the bike on another trialer with Jock and his wife in another car.

His car was not driveable so what could be done with his trailer? I had my works van but no tow bar, but a single bike trailer can be wedged into a Ford Escort van with the doors only slightly open. There it stayed all the way back down to Fort William on the Sunday. And yes, the drive down to Fort William was interesting with trials bikes on trailers and pickups at various speeds!

My abiding memory is the way the whole village helped to put on the event“. – Peter Bremner

Ian ‘Midge’ Middleton of Dumbartonshire, an organiser of the Loch Lomond 2 Day Trial:

“I have recollections of the White Heather Trial and rode it from 1975 to the last one in 1983.

I was amazed to see the photograph of Geordie Shaw of Perth and Loch Lomond Clubs riding at the ‘Scriberscross’ sections on his Greeves in 1967″.

“That was quite a bit before my time, but I recognised him straight away, even before I saw the photograph caption. Geordie Shaw was great mentor to me and I couldn’t wait to have a go at the Trial, having heard all the tales from Geordie. Sadly Geordie passed away in 1975 when still quite young, probably aged mid-thirties or so.
After a long and arduous drive in 1975 on roads that had not yet been upgraded or improved in any way it was tremendous adventure even just to get to Rogart, the Trial epicentre. There was no Dornoch or Kessock bridges, no improved A82 or A9 roads, and it was very much the long way round, traveling through many small villages and towns.

Once there myself and my two travelling companions ventured into the pub to be greeted by Pete and Simon Valente whose first words to me were..’you look absolutely shattered’. I certainly was bit tired having driven 225 miles on fairly primitive roads in a very slow van. I was even more shattered after the event, but very happy at having completed my very first White Heather Trial.

Even more amazing for me was to encounter the lads from County Durham, Weardale and North Yorkshire who would have had to travel at least twice the distance to get to Rogart. The well known folks from the far South from where I am sitting were ‘Big’ Billy Maxwell, Ray Crinson, Walter Dalton, Rob Edwards, Gordon Butterfield and Colin Ward Senior. After finishing the Trial, the next task was to get everybody packed up and into the van for another arduous drive South on Saturday evening to Fort William, for the Sunday Trial run by Lochaber Club.
The White Heather was always a special and fantastic event, because it was a massive one lap trial with probably about 50 sections or so, and you were lucky to be finished at 5.30-6.00pm having set off at 10 in the morning. It seemed to closely resemble a day in the SSDT. I also remember lunch halts at a local school house which must have been opened up specially for the Trial. With the local ladies providing soup, sandwiches and tea. You had to be quick because time was short to get round the long lap.

The Grants also provided a route card with a sketch map of the route and the names of all the sections and section numbers. This was presumably all influenced by the SSDT processes, which having read the previous articles, the Grants were also already heavily involved with.
Being a very long one lap fifty section Trial it was very challenging, but immensely enjoyable. For me, it was ‘not a walk in the park’ and that was all part of the challenge in taking part and actually finishing. There is probably nothing like it in today’s world, and it was a shame that it finished in 1983, because the younger lads of today are missing out on something really special.
The sections called ‘Quarry’ was always pretty scary for me and they were always the last group at the end of the Trial when you were very tired. The group was just at the side of the main road leading to Rogart. You always had to be very careful to get the best line at the Quarry sections and have a really good blast up the steep rocky and narrow path, because if you were unlucky enough to fail and get a five, there was no way of restarting or going off to the side to get out of the sections.

If you took a five the only way out was to turn around and go back down which would have been a nightmare. That worry was the best incentive to get the right line, open the bike up and make bloody sure you got out the ends cards.I think I got through the Quarry sections without ever getting a five“. – Ian Middleton.

Ian Middleton kindly supplied Trials Guru with the official results for 1975/76/77/78 & 79:

white-heather-results-1975

white-heather-results-1976

white-heather-results-1977

white-heather-results-1978

white-heather-results-1979

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Xmas Day – White Heather

December 24, 2016 bigjohn2014 4 Comments

Released on Christmas Day, December 25th – the tale of the ‘White Heather’…

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End of year thanks from Trials Guru

December 23, 2016 bigjohn2014 Leave a comment

scott-2014 — **Trials Guru’s John Moffat sends you our 2016 seasonal message – we couldn’t do it without you! – Photo: John Hulme/Trials Media/Trial Magazine UK**

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Trials Guru – what people say

December 22, 2016 bigjohn2014 Leave a comment

Trials Guru, what people say:

Heise + Mick + Krahnst+¦ver — **Rainer Heise (left) with Mick Andrews and Felix Krahnstover**

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Archived Articles

Trials Guru Revue 2016

December 19, 2016 bigjohn2014 Leave a comment

2016 is almost at an end and we are all looking forward to the new year, 2017.

It’s always good to look over the shoulder to see where we have come from and the sport of trials is always interesting to revue.

It has been a busy year for Trials Guru with some news, reports and most of all, new articles from the sport of observed trials, all brought to you – free of any charge.

So have a look at our archives and view articles, comment and great photographs from the sport worldwide.

We have plans for 2017 and hope you will continue to pop in and have a look at Trials Guru’s pages, whether that be on a regular or occasional basis, you choose, you will be made most welcome!

So here is to 2016 and here is to 2017.

December 2016 – AJS article

November 2016 – Kia Series Closes

October 2016 – Len Hutty Remembered

September 2016 – James Dabill x 7

August 2016 – West Country 2 Launched

July 2016 – Charly’s World of Trial

June 2016 – Panda Time

May 2016 – SSDT Time

April 2016 – Gas Gas – Still Riding

March 2016 – Farewell Tubby – Farewell Munch

February 2016 – Irish Luck

January 2016 – Lampkin of Silsden

See what is in : Trials Guru Index

– The Premier Trial Sport Website for photos, articles, news and the history of motorcycle trials –

Uncategorized

Bernard Cordonnier 1959-2016

December 18, 2016 bigjohn2014 2 Comments

With sympathy, we report the passing of Bernard Cordonnier, Belgian Trials Champion 1987 on Fantic, former world championship contender and rider of Bultaco; Fantic; SWM & JCM on Saturday 17th December 2016 aged 56 years.

Bernard’s best position was 7th in the 1983 World Championship on an Italian SWM machine.

Former World Trials Champion 1981 and three times French National Champion, Gilles Burgat sent Trials Guru these words in memory of his friend: “On 17th December, the trial family lost a great rider and I lost a great friend. I met Bernard when I was eighteen years of age and he was a little older. This was in 1980 for my first season at the world championships. We rapidly became good friends as we were speaking the same language. Bernard was the most French of the Belgian riders and he was always hanging out with the French riders. He became my team-mate at Fantic Motor a couple years later”.

fantic-300c — **Fantic Motor Team – John Lampkin (GB); Renato Chiaberto (I); Bernard Cordonnier (B) & Gilles Burgat (F)**

“He was such a great person and a great rider. We frequently travelled together for the world championships or to go to the SSDT. When we stopped riding, we lost contact but a couple of years ago we met again for a trial classic in the Mont Ventoux in France. He was the same Bernard, always in a good mood and always very nice. Last year he was my team-mate along with Fred Michaud for the 2015 VTC classic trial in Mont Ventoux”.

bernard-fred-gilles-2015-c — **Mont Ventoux 2015 – Fred Michaud, Bernard Cordonnier & Gilles Burgat – all good friends in the sport of trial**

“This was probably the last time he rode a trial competition. Bernard leaves behind two children. They can be very proud of their Dad. I present my sincere condolences to his family”. – Gilles Burgat

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

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BERNARD CORDONNIER '86 lagnaha — **Bernard Cordonnier (JCM) in 1986 during the Scottish Six Days Trial on ‘Lagnaha’ – Photo: Iain Lawrie, Kinlochleven**

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Uncategorized

Coming soon – Memories of the White Heather

December 17, 2016 bigjohn2014 Leave a comment

Trials Guru is always looking for something different, so we have been actively seeking information concerning what was probably the furthest north promoted UK mainland motorcycle trial, the White Heather in Sutherland.

wh5 — Watched by ‘Big Phil’ Paterson, Raymond Leitch from Culloden on his Bultaco, sponsored by Cawdor Castle in the 1979 White Heather Trial at Rogart – Photo: Iain Lawrie, Kinlochleven

Stay tuned to Trials Guru – Release date Christmas Day 2016!!!

NOW RELEASED: Go straight to the article HERE

The Premier Trial Sport Website for photos, articles, news and the history of motorcycle trials

Feature

Rob Edwards’ AJS 16C

December 16, 2016 bigjohn2014 Leave a comment

Readers of Trials Guru will know of Rob Edwards and if you don’t then may we suggest that you have a read through Rob’s story by clicking on the link here on Trials Guru

Rob was probably best known as a factory rider and brand ambassador for the Spanish Montesa, but he started off as a local rider who competed on the international stage as his skills were honed.

Rob did however ride a multitude of machines in his early years, one of which was a 1963 350 AJS 16C which he bought from the Surrey dealers, Comerfords.

Words: John Moffat & Rob Edwards

Photos: All from Rob Edwards’ Private Collection – Photographers credit where known on each photograph, all rights reserved.

12 - red — **Rob Edwards cut his teeth on this 350cc G3C Matchless, winning his first award on the machine that was borrowed from his elder brother – Photo: Rob Edwards Private Collection**

Edwards was to ride his AJS week in – week out and, having cut his teeth on his elder brothers’ Matchless, he knew how a big four-stroke performed.

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1964 - Cleveland National - Best Perf - Best 350 - One make team - E Yorks Rider - Middsb member — **Rob Edwards on his 350 AJS – 970PL in the 1964 Cleveland trial which he won.**

A lucky break came in 1965, when Rob’s name was put forward to the AMC competition chief, Hugh Viney by factory riders, Gordon Blakeway and Gordon Mclaughlan who rode works machines for the Plumstead factory.

Rob was well known to the two Gordons as he lived in Thornaby with local noteable riders Blakeway and Mclaughlan, who had a business in Guisborough, young Edwards was a known quantity.

Rob had ridden the AJS registered as 970PL as a private entrant in the Scottish Six Days Trial in 1964, the following year, factory rider Mick Andrews had moved over to ride the two-stroke James, which was part of the AMC group, this left a spare berth in the AJS team for the 1965 Scottish.

Rob Edwards takes up the story:

15 - red — **At the start of the 1964 SSDT at Edinburgh’s Gorgie Market, Rob Edwards on his 16C AJS that was to be updated to woks specification for the 1965 SSDT – Photo: Rob Edwards Private Collection**

“I was allocated number 210 in 1964 on my AJS 350 that I bought from Comerfords, I entered as a ‘privateer’ and rode under the Middlesbrough & District, my home club. The event still started and finished in Edinburgh. On the Thursday, we went over the Corrieyarrick Pass. I think I had been following behind Peter Gaunt and what happened next I wasn’t to find out until sometime later. I found myself sat on a banking at the side of the Pass, which is an old General Wade military road. I had no idea at all how I came to be sitting there.

Alan Morewood from Sheffield, who became a top sidecar driver, came along on his 500 Ariel as he was number 205 that yea. He stopped and asked if I was Okay? ‘Yes, fine’ I said; ‘Bye’ he said and rode off”.

LEP - 1964 - Holder Photo — **Loch Eild Path in the 1964 Scottish Six Days with Rob Edwards on his AJS 16C – Photo Brian Holder, Teddington (Supplied by Rob Edwards)**

“A couple of minutes later and Alan was back. ‘Rob, are you sure you are all right, you look dazed?’ said Alan. ‘No problem’ I said and off he went again. Somehow I managed to get back to Fort William to finish the day’s run.

The first person I spoke to asked what I had been doing to scratch my face? Then someone said, ‘never mind his face, look at the back of his bike!’

The rear end was totally out of line. I then realised that I must have hit a pothole in the road with the front wheel over Corrieyarrick, cartwheeled and that explained my rest on the bank.

We pulled the bike back into line with a length of pipe that we found. Apart from a bit of a headache, it was back to business as usual.

The rest of the week was not as eventful and had a good old needle match with my mate Sid Lampkin who was on a factory Cotton that year”.

1965 SSDT:

Edwards:“A few weeks before the 1965 SSDT, I had an out-of-the-blue phone call from Hugh Viney, the competitions manager at Associated Motorcycles (AMC) who owned the AJS & Matchless brands; wanting to know if I would ride in the ‘works’ team in the forthcoming Scottish.

It seemed that they wanted Mick Andrews to concentrate on scrambling and ride the 250cc James in trials, which AMC’s also owned.

And so it came to pass that I became the third member of the AJS factory team.

However, there was no time for them to prepare me a bike and Mick’s bike 644BLB wasn’t available for some reason, so I would need to ride my own AJS which for me was not a problem.

Both the ‘Gordons’ – McLaughlan and Blakeway, had put my name forward to be in the team to Hugh Viney, so a big ‘thank you’ to them both for that gesture, which I have treasured all my life since.

My week was going well, I was clean on the Tuesday.

Later in the same day, we were looking forward to riding the new section ‘Pipeline’, introduced the previous year.

There were so many stories about ‘Pipeline’ that I wasn’t really sure if it had been cleaned yet or not.

I had teamed up with Alan Chant from Bexley-Heath who was on a 350 Matchless.

In those days all the ‘big bikes’ were grouped at the back of the field.

As we rode up to ‘Pipeline’, the spectators were all heading back into Kinlochleven.

Alan and myself walked the hill and both agreed on bottom gear.

Alan went first and he cleaned it.

I went next and after a bit of a shaky start, by trying to go too fast too soon.

I settled down and at the right speed things were a lot easier and guess what, I cleaned it.

I bet the spectators who left early were a bit peeved!

On the Thursday, I parked my bike close to the first section on ‘Mamore’ and went off to view the sections.

When I returned to my bike, there was a large pool of oil on the floor underneath!

A stone must have flicked up from the front wheel and hit the small alloy casting that the oil feed to the cylinder-head connects to and smashed it.

There was no way of fixing it, so I set off free-wheeling down to the road, expecting to retire from the trial.

I was sitting by the road side at the gate, that is the entrance to the famous Mamore path, when a car and trailer pulled up.

‘Whats up Rob’ the chap shouted over, I explained my plight.

‘No problem mate, give me two minutes and I will take the one off my bike’ he said.

In all the confusion and despair, I hadn’t noticed that the bike on the trailer was a 350 AJS, what a stroke of luck – for me anyway.

The engine had ‘gone bang’ and the fellow had retired from the trial.

You don’t have to be good with luck like that!

He got me going and I forget the lads’ name but I am indebted to his sportsmanship and generosity that day.

On the sixth day, we did Town Hall Brae in the centre of Fort William. We were then faced with the long ride back to Edinburgh.

For me it had been a great week thanks to Gordon Blakeway and Gordon McLaughlan”.

In the 1965 Scottish, Rob Edwards rode number 207 as part of the works AJS team comprising of Edwards, Gordon S. Blakeway (No. 178) and Gordon O. McLaughlan (No. 177).

Rob rode his own machine registered 970PL with many of the works style modifications carried out.

However, history records that it was Triumph that won the 1965 Manufacturers Team Prize, the Blackford Challenge Trophy.

Taken from the Official Results of the 1965 Scottish Six Days Trial:

Award 16 – For the best performance by a competitor on a solo motor cycle from 251-350 c.c. – R. Edwards (A.J.S.).

In the 1965 Scottish, Rob lost sixty-three marks and gained a Special First Class Award, just six marks behind his friend Alan Lampkin who went on to win the following year.

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Rob 1964 — Rob on his 350 AJS at Achintee Farm, Ben Nevis, in the 1964 Scottish. The AJS supplied by Comerfords, hence the Surrey registration number 970PL. If you look closely the front wheel spindle nut has the ISDT type tommy-bar, obviating the need for a spanner. It also has the works style prop-stand tied to the front downtube by rubber bands and a small spigot mounted on the lower-most engine bolt and the attachment spigot mounting on the magneto mounting plate. Rob used this bike as a works supported entry in the 1965 event. Photo supplied by Rob Edwards. Photo copyright: Brian Holder.

Rob talks about his AJS 16C:

Edwards: “When the SSDT started and finished in Edinburgh, on the sixth day after the lunch check at Crianlarich there were no more sections until the Royal Observatory on Blackford Hill in the city. This was purely to see if your clutch still worked. You had to stop between two yellow lines and when the official dropped his flag you could move on – simple.

When you passed a third yellow line, that was the end of the observed hill. The path was so flat, nobody actually treat it like a section. However, I did see a rider who when the flag dropped he picked up the front wheel and tried to wheelie to the ends cards unfortunately he tipped his bike over backwards and his score went up by five points”.

Technical issues:

Rob: “After the Blackford Hill stop/restart test at the SSDT, was the final scrutineering test when you wheeled the bike onto a wooden workbench for inspection.

The AJS had one big problem, the swinging-arm bushes, they wore out at an alarming rate”.

Rob Edwards: “If the scrutineer thought that there was excess movement in the bushes, your score could go up by five marks.

I can still see my Dad, Bob at the bottom of Blackford Hill, with a cup of tea in one hand and an industrial grease gun in the other.

After my cup of tea, I pumped the swinging arm full of grease. It only lasted for 100 metres, but it was enough to get through scrutineering”.

4 - red — **In 1965 Rob Edwards had fitted a Royal Enfield primary chaincase to his 16C AJS which prolongued the life of the primary drive chain – Photo: Rob Edwards Private Collectio**n

Our thanks to Rob Edwards for his recollection of his AJS and suitable photographs from his private collection of memorabilia for our special section on AMC trials machines. All photographs are copyright with permission to display granted for this article and the Rob Edwards Story only.

Reading

AJS – one that got away

December 10, 2016 bigjohn2014 7 Comments

There has always been a desire by enthusiasts to get their hands on factory machinery. The AJS and Matchless machines were one and the same, except for minor details and were brands that lesser lights sought to own.

Words: Trials Guru – Martyn Adams – Eric Adcock – Gordon Blakeway – Ian Harland – Gordon Jackson – Gordon Mclaughlan – Don Morley

HXF641 - 1 - David Lewis photo — An early AJS that the factory sold into private ownership. B.H.M ‘Hugh’ Viney’s factory 1946 350 16MC with black paint disguising many lightweight alloy components, registered HXF641, Viney won three successive Scottish Six Days Trials post-war, 1947-49 – Photo by permission of: David Lewis, London

A number of AMC trials bikes were released into private ownership after use by the Plumstead competition department, but only a few really ‘escaped’. One such escapee is the 350 Matchless G3LC the father of Trials Guru’s John Moffat purchased, OLH722. This was achieved by a single telephone call to the factory competitions department of AMCs in 1957. It was an ex-Ted Usher/Sid Wicken machine that had been in both long and short-stroke powered format in its four year period of use with the Plumstead factory riders. Similarly, the Matchless OLH723 which Usher also rode, was also released for sale in 1957 but released as an AJS and ridden in that year’s SSDT by Thornaby’s Robin H. Andrew, whereas OLH721 had been Artie Ratcliffe’s factory 1954 SSDT winning mount when in rigid frame form.

OLH722 had past through the capable hands of Fred Hickman, Gordon Mclaughlan, Bill Lomas and Sid Wicken before ending up with Usher as his last factory supplied machine in 1957, just prior to the Matchless team being disbanded. The machine is still in the Moffat family, but that is a different story.

1958 TA & JO Moffat — T. Arnott Moffat with son, John Moffat in early 1958 astride Moffat’s ex-factory 350 Matchless (OLH722) in long stroke form as sold by the competition department pictured in Stockbridge, Edinburgh. One of the few factory machines to find its way into private ownership which retained its Burman B52 gearbox casings cast in ‘Elektron’ magnesium alloy – Photo: Moffat Family Archive

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Lomas - Moffat - OLH722 — The late Bill Lomas (former World Motorcycle Racing Champion) with Trials Guru’s John Moffat and the ex-factory Matchless OLH722 he was loaned by the factory in winter 1954-55. The dull grey ‘Elektron’ gearbox can be seen clearly in this image – Photo: Gordon Small

This is the story of another AMC factory machine that got away. A motorcycle that hasn’t been stored away or kept in a museum, but one that has continued to be used in anger as it was designed and built for – competition, and has won in the process.

WJJ580, where are you?

We set about tracking down the story of the 1959 registered AJS 16C with the index number WJJ580, one of a batch of similar machines used by the factory. Built as a long-stroke 350, it eventually became a 410cc variant which the factory wanted to try as a bigger bore machine. These special motors ranged between 401 – 420 capacity.

The discovery of WJJ580 opened a veritable pandoras box of information. With Trials Guru on the case, we find that there were three such machines made available to riders around the same time period.

The competitions department at AMC had been experimenting with competition short-stroke motors as early as 1956, these were issued to their factory supported riders replacing their long stroke units. Production short-stroke trials models would not be available until six years later, and a full year after Comerfords asked for Jackson replicas to be built, following his 1961 SSDT win. The first short-stroke would be the Matchless in 1962 followed by the 1963 AJS ‘Expert’ 348cc models.

1963-amc-trials-cropped — The manufacturers of AJS and Matchless (AMC) introduced their trials models with short-stroke motors with Matchless in 1962 (top) and AJS 1963 (lower) now using the Norton style oil pump and a small pad style seat which replaced the ‘Dunlop’ rubber spring saddle. Photos: Associated Motor Cycles (AMC) advertising literature 1962/63

Factory numbers:

The factory registered their team machines in their name ‘Associated Motor Cycles’ with some AJS machines being registered as a Matchless. One such machine was the 1961 AJS used by Mick Andrews from 1962-1964 which was registered as a Matchless 347cc as 644BLB.

Gordon Jackson told Trials Guru: “When the factory disbanded the Matchless trials team in 1957 to concentrate the brand in scrambles and motocross, they asked me to use a Matchless tank on my works bike just to keep the brand name going in trials, but in reality the bike was simply my AJS with the different tank fitted“.

In September 1959, AMC trials models brought with them the bespoke trials frame with a much lighter and slimmer rear subframe, and a swinging arm taken from the lightweight road machines of the era. The previous competition models had the wide set rear subframe accepting firstly the Jampot rear suspension, and then latterly Girling suspension units with bottom clevis mounts.

With the launch of the ‘new’ trials model, the factory had registered a batch of 350cc trials models for their retention by the Competitions department under the watchful eye of former rider, Bob Manns. These were all registered consecutively on 1st January 1959 as WJJ578/579 and the subject of this article, WJJ580.

The ever helpful Don Morley, professional sports and news photographer, and author of many books on motorcycling, looked up his records for Trials Guru and confirmed that Roger Kearsey had been issued with WJJ578 as a Matchless as did Ron Langston in 1960, Cliff Clayton with WJJ579 and Gordon Mclaughlan with WJJ580; the machine we are featuring.

ron-langston-578 — Ariel rider and all-rounder, Ron Langston briefly rode WJJ578 as a short-stroke Matchless in 1960. Note the alloy primary chaincase with detachable clutch cover in this photo. Photo courtesy: Ian Harland’s scrapbook

Don Morley told Trials Guru: “The motorcycle manufacturers worked under the same legislation as private purchasers, in that they had to pay purchase tax which started in 1940 and went on until 1973 when it was replaced by Value Added Tax, when registering any motor vehicle back then. This was the main reason why they simply replaced the machine between the number plates on more than one occassion. Triumph however didn’t seem to do that“.

Cliff Clayton rode the Scottish Six Days Trial in May 1959 on ‘579, but it did not have the complete new style frame at this time, instead it had the factory 1958 ‘prototype’ rear subframe heavily altered at the top damper mount and used a Girling unit with the alloy clevis type lower mount mated to the old style swinging arm. It also utilised the heavy full width alloy rear hub, but the 1959 style 5.5 inch half width front hub which was from the 41′ WD G3L military machine. The fuel tank was blue with gold lining and the AJS monogram. A departure from the traditional black/gold combination. The new rear 5.5 inch trials rear hub would be introduced in the September 1959 and eventually all WJJ registered machines would be retro-fitted with the new style frame and lighter wheel hubs by the competitions department.

Morley: “I do remember having a ride on WJJ580 during a visit to the Isle of Man some years ago“.

AJS, the brand:

Probably the most famous AJS trials machine of all time is that which was used by Gordon Jackson to win the 1961 Scottish Six Days, losing a solitary one mark, the lowest ever recorded score. It was registered in December 1960 as 187BLF and is now owned by the Sammy Miller Trust, having been re-discovered in 2010 by Miller and positively identified by Jackson. 187BLF had never left the UK, this was contrary to popular belief.

5 The famous Gordon Jackson AJS as it arrived at the museum. — **187BLF prior to full restoration by Sammy Miller in 2010 at Sammy’s workshops at New Milton. Note alloy front brake plate of the type only used by factory riders. – Photo: Sammy Miller**

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gordon-blakeway-ajs-colonial-trial-1963-cw — **Gordon S. Blakeway on the world famous 350 AJS – 187BLF which carried Gordon Jackson to victory in the 1961 SSDT, seen here at the Colonial Trial in 1963 – Photo: Charlie Watson, Hull**

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Factory rider, Gordon Blakeway who had ridden for Ariel and Triumph, took over 187BLF when Gordon Jackson retired from trials in late 1962.

Gordon Blakeway told Trials Guru: “I rode 187BLF not as a short-stroke, but as a long-stroke. The bike was changed by the factory before I received it and Hugh Viney reckoned because I had ridden the long-stroke Ariel, then a long-stroke AJS would suit me better. I was slightly disappointed at this because I had been keen to have Gordon Jackson’s sharper short stroke motor“.

Blakeway continued: “When the factory eventually closed its doors in 1965, they asked me what I was due in expenses and I said it was about £55. I asked what they were going to do with 187BLF and they said it was for sale and they wanted £100 for it. I bought it, handing over the balance of £45 and about three weeks later I sold it on for an acceptable profit“.

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Wollongong - Aus - Noel Shipp AJS 644BLB — **Montesa’s Rob Edwards tries Noel Shipp’s Ex-Mick Andrews 350 AJS 644BLB for size in Australia when he was promoting the Montesa brand ‘down under’ in 1975.**

It had been universally believed that 187BLF had been exported to Australia in the 1970s, even Blakeway believed that this was the case. However that was most likely to have been confused with the exportation of 644BLB, the 1961 registered Mick Andrews’ machine (1962-64), which Cliff Clayton also rode in the 1961 SSDT as an AJS, although it was registered as a Matchless.

GLJ 2011 — **Taken in 2013, after its full restoration, Gordon L. Jackson stands proudly with his famous factory AJS 16C (187BLF) on which he won the 1961 SSDT on one solitary mark! (Photo: Trials Guru/J. Moffat)**

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red-rose-wjj580-2 — **Ian Harland on WJJ580 in the 1990 Red Rose Trial**

WJJ580, the beginning…

Looking at the original buff log book, WJJ580 was registered as a 59/16C AJS on 1st. January 1959 to Associated Motor Cycles Ltd at 44 Plumstead Road, London SE18 listed as a ‘350cc’. However, it would not always be ridden as a 350 but as a 410 sometime later.
The AJS was retained by the AMC competitions department until 1963 when it was sold into private ownership to a Mr. Stone in Birmingham. After 12 months, he sold it to a Mr. Hopkins of Swansea, Wales.

The machine’s colour scheme was originally recorded as blue/black, being a blue tank and black frame, which was by then a colour option on production trials models.

logbook-cropped — The original buff log book (registration document) showing WJJ580 when it was registered new to Associated Motor Cycles on 1st January 1959. The ‘JJ’ index mark was used by Greater London until 1974 – Photo: Ian Harland, Isle of Man

Trials Guru tracked WJJ580 down to its’ current owner, Ian Harland who lives in the Isle of Man, he is the father of James Harland, a past winner of the Pre’65 Scottish on a Triumph twin in 2013.

Ian Harland: “I bought the AJS from the rider/dealer Bob Gollner of Denmead, near Waterlooville, Hampshire in 1989, it had been restored for him by Peter Pykett and I think he won the Talmag Trial on the bike“.

talmag-reg-may-norton-500t-john-may-ajs-bob-gollner-ajs-reduced — Talmag Trial at Hungry Hill, Aldershot organised by the Territorial Army (London) MCC – Left to right: Reg May (Norton 500T); John May (350 AJS) & Bob Gollner on WJJ580 – Photo courtesy of John May, Godalming

Harland: “The AJS has a lot of history in that it had been built within a small batch of similar machines for the factory riders. One of which was Gordon Mclaughlan who rode it in the 1960 Scottish. Unfortunately, it was believed that Gordon didn’t get on with the 410 motor and sent it back asking for a long-stroke 350. He was then allocated 164BLL which he rode until the factory closed its’ doors and the AJS team was finally wound down. Gordon retained the AJS, 164BLL for his own use after that“.

ian-harland-wjj580 — **Ian Harland competing in the 1997 Pre’65 Scottish Trial at Mamore on the ex-factory AJS, WJJ580, which he has owned since 1989.**

Harland: “According to the original buff log-book WJJ580 was first registered as a 347cc machine. If this dislike of the over-bored mtor is correct it happened around 1960-1961. The reason the crankcases are stamped ’61’ is because a replacement motor would have been fitted. Apparently, the conversion to 410cc involves long stroke 350 crankcases and an 74mm bore. So to change from a short-stroke 350 to 410 involves a complete engine change, not just the barrel and head. Presumably, the change back to a 350 involved the installation of a new engine in 1961 which is still in the bike today. I met an ex-AMC competitions shop employee at the Manx Classic a few years ago who remembered some of this. I understand that Malcolm Adams from Leeds owned the sister machine, WJJ579 the ex- Cliff Clayton bike”.

Ian Harland on the AJS with its original factory frame and cycle parts, but by then with a much shorter rear mudguard loop, at the 1990 Pre’65 Scottish on the top section of Loch Eild Path, high above Kinlochleven.

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Gordon Mclaughlan was issued with WJJ580 and rode the 1960 SSDT carrying the riding number 147. It was obvious that the short-stroke motor was used at this point, evidenced by the matt black rocker-box which indicated an ‘elektron’ item. Elektron is a magnesium alloy made by the Magnesium Elektron company for AMC, which it used from the early 1950s. These componenst were usually retained by the factory when machines were sold to be used on other machines. It had the integral push rod tunnels. It also sported the long down-swept exhaust system with the short silencer. ‘580 was also fitted with the new style 14 inch Girling rear damper units which bolted on to bosses on the frame and swinging arm. Steel wheel rims were still being used at this time with the standard 21 inch front and 19 inch rear. Dunlop ‘Trials Universal’ tyres were fitted to all the team bikes.

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g-o-mclaughlan-cropped — Now enjoying a happy retirement, Gordon O. Mclaughlan was an AMC supported rider for 11 years 1954-1965 and ran his own car sales business, Gordon Mclaughlan Motors in Guisborough. – Photo: Ross Mclaughlan

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Gordon Mclaughlan spoke to Trials Guru, confirming some points raised by Ian Harland: “It’s a long time ago now and I have read a fair bit about my factory bikes over the years and it would appear that people know a lot more about them than I ever did! I suppose I was just too busy riding them to note down all the important facts and figures about them. However what I can remember is this. My bikes were always prepared by the works. I used to take whichever bike I was riding to Thornaby railway station and send it to the factory at Plumstead. They would fettle the bike and send it back, wrapped in cardboard and taped up to protect it in transit and I would go and collect it from the station.

I remember that the factory gave me a spare fuel tank that was a Matchless one, so that I could enter some trials with the AJS as a Matchless and I would cover over the AJS emblem on the timing cover.

I really liked the long-stroke motor as the sharp motor that Gordon Jackson used was just a bit too quick for my liking. I recall that some of the engines in my bike were as high as 420cc or at least that is what the factory told me. It was to try and win the 500cc cup at events on what was an over-bored 350.

I did ride WJJ580 for a year or so, before the factory asked for it back to do some work on it and back came 164BLL, that would be around late 1960, early 1961. It was before Gordon Jackson won the SSDT and we were given similar machines. I used 164BLL until the factory shut down, I was due eighty-five pounds in unpaid expenses and I was given 164BLL as payment. I kept it for quite a few years and then sold it as I was too busy to ride it when I was building my business, Gordon Mclaughlan Motors in Guisborough. We sold AJS motorcycles and Lambrettas to start with then I started selling second-hand cars until we became Morris agents which became BMC and then Austin-Morris, British Leyland and finally Rover until I retired“.

Trials Guru research revealed that Gordon Mclaughlan’s 164BLL was registered on 1st. January 1961 as a Matchless, even although it was built as an AJS and used primarily as such, and as a 350cc. I mattered not that Gordon’s AJS was actually registered as a Matchless, because the MOT test which commenced in 1960 was originally a ten year test, reduced to seven years in 1961. The factory didn’t retain machines much above three years from the date of registration.

Mclaughlan continued: “I did ride one of the first Pre’65 Scottish trials at Kinlochleven on a replica AJS I had built, I think that would have been around 1984. I enjoyed my time riding for the factory from 1954 after a couple of years on my own Norton 500T. The first AJS I received was a rigid, but I can’t recall the registration number of that bike, if anyone has any photos of it I’d be keen to see it. I know it wasn’t an ‘AJS’ private registration number as Gordon Jackson, Hugh Viney and Bob Manns had those.

Hugh Viney was our team manager, he was quite an aloof, reserved character, a rather serious man.

It’s amazing how many ex-works bikes were sold off by the factory after use. Ted Usher’s bike OLH723 ended up near to us, a local lad from Thornaby called Robin Andrew bought it in 1957. He was a fairly good local club rider“.

Sadly the factory machine 164BLL issued to Gordon Mclaughlan, was completely destroyed in the fire that destroyed many historic motorcycles at the National Motorcycle Museum at Bickenhill, Solihull on 16th September 2003.

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gordon-mclaughlan-ajs-colonial-trial-1963-cw — **After campaigning WJJ580, Gordon O. McLaughlan was issued with this machine, 164BLL, here we see him taking a hefty dab at the Colonial Trial in 1963 – Photo: Charlie Watson, Hull**

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**Ian Harland campaigning the ex-factory AJS (WJJ580) in the 1995 Pre’65 Scottish watched by Scots rider, the late Gordon McMeechan.**

Ian Harland continued the story: “When I bought WJJ580 the engine wasn’t the sweetest, it was actually very ‘rattly’. Martyn Adams, then based in Brighouse, West Yorkshire re-sleeved the barrel and found a new 7R piston for it. The motor has run ever since in many trials over the years ridden by myself including a number of Pre’65 Scottish, most Manx Classics, Talmag, Mons in Belgium etc. I’ve retired from trials now so the engine top end is again being rebuilt, the barrel being re-sleeved again by Martyn, now in Adelaide, Australia“.

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A Brian Holder photo of Gordon Mclaughlan takes a steadying dab on the factory AJS WJJ580 in the 1960 SSDT on Devil’s Staircase. Watched closely by SACU official Jim Birrell (standing with cine-camera) and Ralph Venables (seated, top left) Being factory prepared, it is fitted with the tommy bar front spindle nut and the compressed air bottle mounted on top of the alloy primary chaincase. The front forks have rubber inner tubes to protect the external fork springs. You can just make out the ‘prop stand’ bar strapped to the front frame down tube. This slotted into a tube which was welded to the front engine mount on the near-side. This complied with the SSDT regulation that the machine “must be fitted with a stand or the penalty would be 5 marks per day”. Mclaughlan was subsequently issued with 164BLL – Photo couresy of Ian Harland

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Works issue:

WJJ580 was used in effect as the works ‘hack’, a machine that would be allocated to various riders who had either expressed a wish to ride for the factory or were chosen, some ‘selected’ by the well-known doyen of trials journalism, Ralph Venables.
Venables would effectively ‘scout’ for the factories as he had the ear of the competition managers, two of which were Hugh Viney and Bob Manns of AMC.
History records that Dave Rowland was ‘selected’ in 1961, prior to being snapped up by BSA, and was issued with 580 when he had been at Bordon doing his army national service. However it was not a happy arrangement and Rowland sent the machine back as he didn’t get on with it. But in his customary style, Dave sent a polite letter with the returned machine in 1962, thanking Hugh Viney and the factory for allowing him to try it over a period of time.

Taken directly from Ian Harland’s scrapbook on WJJ580, we have an image of the late Dave Rowland on the AJS when he was enlisted to the army during national service in 1961. We can see that the machine has the late type frame and swinging arm and long rear mudguard loop Please note: This image is copyright and was used by the late Ralph Venables in his ‘Ralph Remembers’ column in T&MX News at one stage.

Roger Kearsey from Upwaltham, Sussex who competed with the Matchless WJJ578 for a spell went on to ride for Royal Enfield.
Eric Adcock of DOT fame also rode WJJ578, but eventually sent it back, preferring to stick with the two-stroke DOT.

WJJ578:

Eric Adcock spoke with Trials Guru and provided photos of ‘578 that he had taken, plus the letters that he received from Hugh Viney, the competition manager at the AMC factory. Eric is still heavily involved with the sport and is a Director of North Western ACU and is their Permit Secretary and Treasurer.

Eric Adcock: “I received correspondence from Hugh Viney, the competition manager at AMC and I was sent WJJ578 to try out”.

amc-1-001 — **The ‘informal’ letter from AMC’s Hugh Viney to Eric Adcock in October 1959 suggesting that he might try one of the works 350 trials machines. – Copy courtesy of Eric Adcock**

Adcock: “I had been demobbed from national service by then and was open to offers of a machine, I was in the Mechanical Transport division at Borden from March 1956 to December 1957“.

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amc-2-001 — **Hugh Viney’s ‘formal’ letter to Eric Adcock on 15th October 1959, inviting him to visit the AMC factory to discuss the matter of a works machine. – Copy courtesy of Eric Adcock**

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amc-3-001 — **23rd October 1959, AMC’s Hugh Viney offers to send a works 350 to Eric Adcock for testing ‘locally’ – Copy courtesy of Eric Adcock**

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amc-4-001 — **5th February 1960 – AMC’s Viney replies to Eric Adcock’s rejection of the Matchless WJJ578 – Copy courtesy of Eric Adcock**

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amc-5-001-1 — **A friendly/congratulatory letter from AMC’s Viney to Eric Adcock on his performance at the televised trial in 1960 – Copy courtesy of Eric Adcock**

WJJ578… Adcock’s test

erics-photos-054 — **Eric Adcock aboard WJJ578 on ‘Hawks’ Nest’ in Derbyshire in October 1959 where he tested the Matchless against his DOT – Photo courtesy of Eric Adcock**

Adcock: “I started in trials on a BSA Bantam in 1951, then on to a Francis Barnett and eventually on a DOT in January 1954, with a short spell on a Triumph Cub in 1958 which I had been sent by Henry Vale at triumphs, but couldn’t get on with it at all, so I sent it back. The Matchless I got on reasonably well with and quite liked it, winning an event in the process, but it was a bit too tall for me. I had the bike about three months before I sent it back to Plumstead, deciding to stick with DOT Motorcycles“.

erics-photos-058 — Eric Adcock’s photo of WJJ578 when it arrived from the AMC competition department at Plumstead in October 1959. These photos were taken at an all electric cotton mill in Oldham where Eric’s father was the mill engineer. Young Adcock kept his bikes in the boiler house. Adcock: “… as it was a warm and pleasant place to clean them and work on them until I got married”

Adcock: “I took some photographs of WJJ578 when I had it and held on to them, along with the correspondence from Hugh Viney, I hope it brings back memories for your readers“.

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erics-photos-055 — Nearside view of the works Matchless WJJ578 taken by Eric Adcock. Note the rubber cover over the carburettor and the clevis lower mount of the Girling rear dampers. This is the late type trials frame for the 1960 season, retro-fitted by the factory. The alloy primary chaincase, a Plumstead special component shown off to best effect in this photo.

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erics-photos-057 — **Often referred to as the bet side of a heavyweight trials bike, the ‘offside’ of the factory 350 Matchless, WJJ578 taken by Eric Adcock in October 1959**

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And so back to WJJ580 – Harland’s machine that got away:

sloc-manx-classic-2 — **Ian Harland at ‘Sloc’ in the Manx Classic Two-Day Trial on WJJ580, an event he won in 2004 on this very machine**

In 1962 it was the time for the factory to move on the AJS, WJJ580, with new stock having been taken from the production line and retained by the competitions department, headed by Wally Wyatt.

Factory mods…

This was how it was done by the works: The machines would be selected by dispatch staff from the production line and the frame and engine numbers were all noted in the production ledgers as being retained by Comp Dept. These selected machines would be wheeled away to the Competitions department. The machines would be registered in the company name and then stripped down and modified by the competition staff with lighter components replacing standard parts as required. One such item was the primary chain-case, the factory had these fashioned from aluminium alloy instead of the standard steel pressing with a separate, detachable clutch dome also fashioned from aluminum alloy. This practice had been carried on from the immediate post-war years.

Around 1955, the practice was to steepen the steering of the standard trials frame by heating up the frame tubes and forcing down the headstock, this also required new engine plates in dural to be made up as the gearbox became closer to the motor and a shorter primary chaincase was also fabricated out of alloy. The result was a sharpening of the steering which the factory jockeys preferred.

Fuel tanks could be altered to sit on the machine closer to the steering head or otherwise to riders preferrence. Usually the area of the tank where the riders knees would make contact would have the paint polished off and abbreviated lining used.

Inside WJJ580…

The replacement 1961 stamped engine in Harland’s bike is definitely non-standard. The motor uses a 8:1 high compression piston and is a forged item as used in the AJS 7R racing motors. The valves are much bigger than the standard AJS 350 single utilises. It also has much more power than the standard 350 motor produces.

Around the year 2000, the original frame cracked at the headstock. The AMC trials frames were susceptible to this type of occurrence and it’s amazing it lasted so long. An Andy Bamford from Fleet frame kit was obtained which has been used ever since.

Harland: “I still have the original works frame which one day I’ll get repaired. These bikes are like ‘Trigger’s broom’.
I rode my son James’s 500 AJS in the Pre’65 Scottish in 1999 and l loaned WJJ580 to my good friend, Giovanni Dughera from Turin who was a works Ossa rider in the 1970’s”.

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__-lhp — 1999 Pre’65 Scottish – Italian, Giovanni Dughera riding WJJ580 on Loch Eild Path. In the background to the left, Trials Guru’s John Moffat waits his turn astride his Matchless 469HKJ. On the right watching is Rochdale competitor, Frank McMullen – Photo: Iain Lawrie, Kinlochleven

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WJJ580 partially disassembled in 2016 to have a new liner fitted to the barrel by Martyn Adams. This frame was made by Andy Bamford in 2000, but Ian Harland still has the original frame set which will be repaired in the future. Note the alloy front brake plate, a special factory item, not the Comerfords version. The central alloy oil tank was a period modification used by the factory and subsequently marketed to private owners by Comerfords of Thames Ditton. All late model AMC trials machines from 1959-on used the bespoke trials frame and lightweight style swinging-arm and the 1 1/8th inch forks with the alloy top yoke.

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Martyn Adams, formerly of Serco in Brighouse, now living in Australia and trading as MDA Motorcycle Engineering picks up the technical details: “I reconditioned this engine over 25 years ago and don’t think there is too much to say. However finding a piston for the engine 25 years ago was an issue, as the bore size is 74 mm, not the usual 69mm. At first we thought it was an AJS twin piston, but not so, as the piston is a forged type and not the cast type. We then realized the piston is from a 1954 specification AJS 7R, not the readily available short-stroke type of 75.5 mm“.

barrel-m-adams — **WJJ580’s barrel machined to take a fresh liner – Photo: Martyn Adams/MDA Motorcycle Engineering,**

Adams: “This is the reason we recently re-sleeved the cylinder as the piston was still in very good condition but has now been machined to take a modern oil control ring. Ian believed for years that the motor was a 410, but I think the crank is a standard 93mm stroke, which would give a capacity of exactly 400cc“.

barrel-piston-m-adams — **WJJ580 treated to a fresh cylinder liner using the existing piston machined to take a 3rd oil control ring – Photo: Martyn Adams/MDA Motorcycle Engineering**

Adams continued: “So I suppose the motor is really quite special as it’s a pretty unique mix of factory parts. Ian also has a another bike with a special short-stroke engine that I made a crank for and is very similar to the short stoke Ariels we call her the big bang motor“.

barrel-m-adams-2 — **Base of cylinder detail shows the customary lets for the con-rod to clear as it pushes the piston up and down – Photo: Martyn Adams/MDA Motorcycle Engineering**

Adams added: “I haven’t checked, but would reckon with the domed piston and 74 mm bore, not 69mm, the compression ratio will be around 9:1. This is quite high for a trials machine. The cylinder head from memory has the later valves from the short stoke head with big inlet with a 5/16 inch stem and small head exhaust valve with a 3/8 inch stem. As I said a real mix of factory parts“.

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image1-2 — **The relined AJS barrel is now back at Ian Harland’s house awaiting to be re-united with WJJ580’s crankcases – Photo: Ian Harland**

So at least WJJ580 escaped the fate of many factory machines that were broken up for their parts and it was put to good use. To be ridden and competed on, very much in the spirit in which they were all designed and built.

WJJ580 certainly was – One That Got Away!

**Back together again in December 2016 – WJJ580 and its special motor – Photo: Ian Harland, Isle of Man**

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The numbers game…

The AMC factory road registered all its ‘road test’ and works retained trials machines locally in the Greater London area. The ‘XF’ index mark for example was London County Council, used immediately post second world war. The exception was the ‘GK’ index mark, as it was London South West area, whereas the factory was based in being Plumstead SE18 London. It is safe to say that all AMC factory trials machines were all London registered.

Known AMC Factory Trials Registration Numbers:

(*) Indicates those sold or still in private ownership

AJS:

HXF641 * (Viney); HXF644; AJS775 (Jackson); AJS776 (Viney); AJS777 * (Manns); KYM835 (Viney); OLD865 (Viney); WJJ579 * (C. Clayton) WJJ580 * (Various); 187BLF * (1961-63 Jackson/63-65 Blakeway); 644BLB (registered as a Matchless) * (Location Australia – C. Clayton 1961/Andrews 1962-64); 164BLL (registered as a Matchless – destroyed in the fire that ravaged the National Motorcycle Museum in 2003) * (1961-65 Mclaughlan); UXO194 (Jackson); VYW659 * (Jackson); TLP686 * (Jackson); TUL654 * (Manns); VGK756 (Jackson)

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Viney 1955 - JJM — **A smiling B.H. M. ‘Hugh’ Viney on his works 347cc AJS (AJS776) in the 1955 Scottish – Photo: Jock McComisky, Linlithgow**

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tlp686-ajs-1956 — **TLP686, the former factory AJS 350 of Gordon Jackson from 1956 on which he won the British Experts, now in private ownership – Photo: Mr. Philip Clarkson**

Matchless:

MLX735 (1952 A. Ratcliffe); MLX736 (Dick Clayton); KYM836 (1951 D.J. Ratcliffe) NLF773 (1953 Usher) OLH721 (Ratcliffe); OLH722 * (1954 Hickman/1955 Mclaughlan/1955 Lomas/1956 Wicken/ 1957 Usher); OLH723 * (1954-56 Usher); TXX515 (1957 Wicken); WJJ578 (Kearsey/Langston/Adcock)

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img4 LAR — **Artie Ratcliffe on his 1954 SSDT winning Matchless OLH721 on Town Hall Brae, Fort William – Photo: Ray Biddle, Birmingham**

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sid-wicken-olh-722-1956-ssdt — Sid Wicken from Kenardington, Kent on his factory 350 Matchless (OLH722) in the 1956 SSDT. Seen here with the short-stroke motor fitted, the ‘Elektron’ rocker-box can be seen with its matt black finish. Wicken’s frame broke below the headstock but still managed to finish the event with the frame wired together. The machine was sold into private ownership in August 1957 in long-stroke form to Arnott Moffat – Photo: Ray Biddle

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95 - Weem — **1951 – Derek J. Ratcliffe, brother of Artie on his factory 347cc Matchess (KYM836) on Weem, near Aberfeldy in Perthshire – Photo: Ray Biddle, Birmingham**

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Martyn Adams Contact details: HERE

Credits:

Photographs:

David Lewis, London
Iain Lawrie, Kinlochleven
Eric Adcock
Ross Mclaughlan
Gordon Small, Newport on Tay
Ian Harland, Isle of Man
Martyn Adams/MDA Motorcycle Engineering
J.J. McComisky
Ray Biddle, Birmingham
Philip Clarkson
Moffat Family Archive
Sammy Miller Museum
John May, Godalming
Charlie Watson, Hull
Rob Edwards, Middlesborough
Trials Guru / J. Moffat
Trials & Motocross News, Lancaster

With Acknowledgement for their assistance in compiling this article to:

Martyn Adams, Australia
Eric Adcock
Gordon S. Blakeway
Ian Harland, Isle of Man
Gordon L. Jackson
Gordon O. Mclaughlan
Sammy Miller, New Milton
Don Morley, Reigate
Trials & Motocross News, Lancaster

Photographic Copyright: is retained by the photographers named in captions above.

Apart from ‘Fair Dealing’ for the purpose of private study, research, criticism or review as permitted under the Copyright, Design and Patents Act, 1988, no part of this article may be copied, reproduced, stored in any form of retrieval system, electronic or otherwise or transmitted in any form or by any means, electronic, electrical, mechanical, optical, chemical, photocopying, recording or otherwise without the prior written permission of the author as stated above. This article is not being published for any monetary reward or monetisation, be that online or in print.

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Coming next – AJS – One that got away

December 6, 2016 bigjohn2014 Leave a comment

Words: Trials Guru; KK Cameron; Rob Sutherland; Tommy Sandham; Raymond Leitch; Mairi Grant

Photos: Iain Lawrie, Kinlochleven; Grant Family Archive, Rogart; David Sutherland, Brora.

The Grant Brothers – The Prime Movers:

Competitors memories of the White Heather:

Kenneth ‘KK’ Cameron, from Fort William:

Tommy Sandham, author – Four-Stroke Finale, The Honda Trials Story, originally from Airdrie, now Magor, Monmouthshire:

Rob Sutherland from Brora, now living in New Zealand:

Douglas Bald, Scottish Trials Champion in 1968:

Iain Lawrie captured the action in 1979…

Simon C. Valente from Edinburgh, now in Yorkshire:

White Heather Photo Collection of the Grant Family, Rogart:

Tommy Milton Junior, originally from Edinburgh now Northern Virginia, in Washington DC:

Did you ride at Rogart in the White Heather? Then tell us about it, maybe we can add your memory on this article.

Thank you for your response. ✨

Interactive Trials Guru:

Riders’ memories of The White Heather:

Richard Mackintosh, Inverness:

Peter Bremner, Chairman Edinburgh & Disrict Motor Club Ltd:

Ian ‘Midge’ Middleton of Dumbartonshire, an organiser of the Loch Lomond 2 Day Trial:

Trials Guru – the Premier Trial Sport Website for photos, articles, news and the history of motorcycle trials

Released on Christmas Day, December 25th – the tale of the ‘White Heather’…

Exclusively on… Trials Guru

The Premier Trial Sport Website for photos, articles, news and the history of motorcycle trials

The Premier Trial Sport Website for photos, articles, news and the history of motorcycle trials!

Thank you for your response. ✨

Trials Guru, what people say:

The Premier Trial Sport Website for photos, articles, news and the history of motorcycle trials

– The Premier Trial Sport Website for photos, articles, news and the history of motorcycle trials –

Trials Guru is always looking for something different, so we have been actively seeking information concerning what was probably the furthest north promoted UK mainland motorcycle trial, the White Heather in Sutherland.

Stay tuned to Trials Guru – Release date Christmas Day 2016!!!

NOW RELEASED: Go straight to the article HERE

The Premier Trial Sport Website for photos, articles, news and the history of motorcycle trials

Readers of Trials Guru will know of Rob Edwards and if you don’t then may we suggest that you have a read through Rob’s story by clicking on the link here on Trials Guru

Rob was probably best known as a factory rider and brand ambassador for the Spanish Montesa, but he started off as a local rider who competed on the international stage as his skills were honed.

Rob did however ride a multitude of machines in his early years, one of which was a 1963 350 AJS 16C which he bought from the Surrey dealers, Comerfords.

Words: John Moffat & Rob Edwards

Photos: All from Rob Edwards’ Private Collection – Photographers credit where known on each photograph, all rights reserved.

Rob Edwards takes up the story:

1965 SSDT:

Rob talks about his AJS 16C:

Technical issues:

Our thanks to Rob Edwards for his recollection of his AJS and suitable photographs from his private collection of memorabilia for our special section on AMC trials machines. All photographs are copyright with permission to display granted for this article and the Rob Edwards Story only.

There has always been a desire by enthusiasts to get their hands on factory machinery. The AJS and Matchless machines were one and the same, except for minor details and were brands that lesser lights sought to own.

Words: Trials Guru – Martyn Adams – Eric Adcock – Gordon Blakeway – Ian Harland – Gordon Jackson – Gordon Mclaughlan – Don Morley

WJJ580, where are you?

Factory numbers:

AJS, the brand:

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WJJ580, the beginning…

Works issue:

WJJ578:

WJJ578… Adcock’s test

And so back to WJJ580 – Harland’s machine that got away:

Factory mods…

Inside WJJ580…

The numbers game…

AJS:

Matchless:

We at Trials Guru are always looking for something different to bring you.

There has always been a desire for riders to own a proper ex-works machine.

We bring you the story of one that the factory let go, an AJS.

Plus background information on how the works went about things, back in the day, with direct comment by some of the official AJS team riders!

Read full article: HERE

Here on Trials Guru – Dedicated to the Sport – Free of charge!

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