We are always looking for something different on Trials Guru, usually trials, recently we featured a scale model Montesa Cappra motocross machine from the late 1960s.
Once again, Justyn Norek from Turin was on hand to take photos of another wonderful model. This time it’s a trials machine, the Ossa 250 Mick Andrews Replica (MAR).
It’s hard to believe it’s not photos of a real Ossa MAR motorcycle, just look at the detail!
The handiwork of Pere Tarragó of Barcelona, Spain …
Pere Tarrago at work on the 1:5 scale Ossa MAR
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Components painted and plated, ready for final assembly
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The finished article, a toffee sweet is placed to give an indication of scale and that this is a model, not a real Ossa!
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Can you tell if these are models or the real thing? These are 1:5 scale models lined up!
We are always looking for something different on Trials Guru, usually trials, but here is something we just had to share, the making of a scale model Montesa Cappra motocross machine from the late 1960s.
Justyn Norek from Turin was on hand to take photos of a wonderful model.
It’s hard to believe it’s not a real motorcycle, just look at the detail!
Jean ‘Pepe’ Lejeune riding one of his special Honda machines around 1966 – Photo courtesy of Lejeune family Dison, Belgium.
JEAN ‘Pepe’ LEJEUNE – 20 October 1926 – 6 July 2016 – “Thank You for Everything”
Jean ‘Pepe’ Lejeune, known by the moniker ‘Papa’ by UK trials enthusiasts, but he was also known to all in Belgium as ‘Pepe’ the father of the three famous Belgian trials riders, Jean-Marie, Eddy and Eric Lejeune and daughter Chantelle, has passed away at the age of 89 years. He was the undisputed head of the Lejeune family.
Eric; Jean ‘Papa’; Eddy; Jean-Marie and Mrs. Lejeune at the 2011 Scottish Six Days Trial – Photo courtesy: John Hulme/Trial Magazine UK
Lejeune was an enthusiastic competitor on home built Honda machines and was a passionate supporter of the sport of trials in his own country and world-wide effectively creating a trials dynasty. He ran the successful family plastics business in Dison, near Verviers which was called Plastiflac-Lejeune B.E, this helped to finance his middle son, Eddy to contest the world trials series. Eddy became world champion three times in 1982-1984 during a career riding for the mighty Honda Racing Corporation with whom he signed in 1979 at the age of sixteen. Eddy was also Belgian national champion seven times and eldest son, Jean-Marie was Belgian national champion three times and was brother Eddy’s mentor.
1986 Scottish Six Days – ‘Pepe’ inspects the RTL250 of youngest son Eric Lejeune – Photo courtesy of Mark Lamplough
The ingenious Lejeune made Eddy his first trials machine based on an SS50 Honda. In fact he built many special Honda trials machines for himself and his sons over the years.
1986 Scottish Six Days, ‘Pepe’ Lejeune (Red sweater) in the middle of things with son Eddy’s factory RTL270S. Eddy Lejeune on the left, mechanic Derrick Edmondson in the Rothmans top facing away from camera – Photo courtesy, Mark LamploughThe three Lejeune brothers: From left, Jean-Marie; Eddy and Eric at the 2011 Scottish Six Days Trial – Photo courtesy: John Hulme/Trial Magazine UK
Former World Trials Champion, Yrjo Vesterinen paid tribute and said: “The first time I had the pleasure of meeting ‘Pepe’ Lejeune was in 1970 in a bar in Dison, where the organising committee was based for the European Championship. It didn’t matter to him that I was a seventeen year old unknown youngster, who was struggling to understand where our Hotel was situated. Pepe straight away offered to take us there. It was the first time in my life I had sat in the back seat of a big Mercedes car. What a nice start for a memorable week-end in Belgium. ‘Pepe’ Lejeune was a larger than life character, a great ambassador for Belgium and the world of trials”.
Trials Guru will surely not be alone in sending sincere condolences to the Lejeune family at their loss.
13/07/2016 – Sadly, only seven days after the death of her husband, Mrs Lejeune slipped away.
Mr. & Mrs. Lejeune – Photo courtesy of Eric Lejeune, Dison
It is with regret that Trials Guru intimates that Simon Sharp has died on Monday 4th July, 2016 aged 53 years.
‘Team Sharp’ – son, Sam with Simon at the 2016 Pre’65 Scottish Trial in April – Photo courtesy: John Hulme, Classic Trial Magazine UK
A founder of Hope Technology Ltd at Barnoldswick, he was a keen trials rider and mountain bike rider.
Simon Sharp in the 2016 Scottish Six Days on Cnoc-a-Linnhe – Photo courtesy: Iain Lawrie, Kinlochleven
Simon had considerable input to all Hope Technology’s products over a thirty year period.
Friend and work-colleague Owen Hardisty spoke to Trials Guru and said: “I can say he was a life long friend who was admired by me and many, more than he ever knew. I have great memories of Simon and will miss him terribly”.
Simon Sharp (300 Vertigo) on Lower Mamore, 2016 Scottish Six Days – Photo: Iain Lawrie, Kinlochleven
He is survived by his widow, Alison and three children, Sam, Katherine and Heather. Trials Guru send sincere condolences to the Sharp family.
: : : Simon Sharp’s funeral will be on Friday 15th July, 2016 at Barnoldswick Holy Trinity Church at 12.00 noon
: : : Simon’s son Sam would like to thank everyone for their kind messages and supportive comments which the Sharp family have found comforting at this saddest of times.
Simon Sharp 1962 – 2016 – Photo courtesy of Hope Technology Limited, Barnoldswick, England.
Photos by kind permission:
: John Hulme, Classic Trial Magazine UK
: Iain Lawrie, Kinlochleven, Scotland
: Hope Technology Limited, Barnoldswick, Lancashire, England
If you haven’t done so, why not take a look at Trials Guru’s Rob Edwards Story. It truly is the story of a lifetime in trials.
Rob Edwards in the 1975 Scottish Six Days Trial on the prototype Montesa Cota 348, captured by Brian Nichols on Bradileig – Photo world-wide copyright: Mortons Media, Hornchurch – all rights reserved.
Written by Rob himself it gives a fascinating insight to how a young lad from Teeside went on to become a professional rider, eventually contracted to ride for Montesa Motorcycles in the sport world-wide.
Trials Guru is grateful for the co-operation by Mortons Media and also Classic Trial Magazine and many more photographers and personalities in the sport for their assistance in creating this story of one of Britain’s favourite riders in the sport of trials.
Trials Guru is a website dedicated to one sport, that of motorcycle trials. We hope that you enjoy what you see and read here.
We are always looking for something old, something new and if borrowed, we have to have full permission to make use of it!
If you have any interesting facts or photos from the sport, let us share them for you?
The modified 325 Bultaco with special frame and top frame tube as fuel tank – Photo: Mike Rapley
Mike Rapley for instance has entrusted his photographs from the sport to be shared with you and for enjoyment. It has gone down a storm and unearthed some machinery not seen for over thirty years.
Ross Murray (Beta) SSDT 2016 in Volume 2 – ‘Iain Lawrie Take 2’ – Photo: Iain Lawrie, Kinlochleven
Iain Lawrie, a Scottish trials enthusiast of over forty years has shared his wonderful images from the sport, now into two volumes.
Contact us at Trials Guru if you have something that you may wish to share with the sport globally and we will do the rest, free of charge
Montesa’s former world-wide ambassador, Rob Edwards recently sent Trials Guru a tranche of his personal photographs, taken over a number of years for his section on this website.
Among them was a photo taken high up on a hill of his friend, Barry Overy who died recently at the age of seventy.
Barry Overy, taken by Rob Edwards in the Highlands – Rob: “That was some karate chop Barry!”
Rob: “Barry Overy, from Stockton was a stalwart of our local club, the Middlesbrough and he was also a supporter of the East Yorks Centre, ACU of which he became President in November 2015, a position in which he took great pride. Barry was a good friend and a tireless worker in our sport of trials. I have known Baz a long time and will miss him.”
Rob Edwards gains five marks at Edramucky, near Killin on day one of the 1970 Scottish Six Days. Watched by observer, Willie Dewar and photographers, Stephanie Wood and Nick Nicholls. Photo: Rob Edwards personal collection.
Rob: “I have also enclosed another photo from my personal collection, it shows me in real trouble on day one of the 1970 Scottish when I lose five marks as I am clearly past the dabbing stage! The reason for sending you this photo is that it shows the late Stephanie Wood in the background, that is her standing on the left of photographer, Brian ‘Nick’ Nicholls. I am reliably informed that the observer writing ‘five’ in the book is Dunfermline man, Willie Dewar who worked at Angus Campbell’s motorcycle shop”.
For Rob Edwards story of trials on Trials Guru, follow this link HERE
Masao Nagato has kindly given permission for us here at Trials Guru to share his gallery from the 1983 SSDT … A few can be seen below, click to enlarge.
Click the image above (it says ‘1983 SSDT – 372 photos By Masao Nagata’) to be taken to his complete 372 photo gallery from the event on ‘Flickr’.
As always, please respect the copyright on all Masao Nagato’s photos.
Here is but a small sample, to view the full gallery click on the topmost image header.
A beautiful new book, limited edition, dedicated to the sport of trial. In landscape format, with a nice thick high quality paper, 142 pages, 32 brands of trials machine, 210 photographs. The foreword by Charles Coutard a legend of French trials. A gold mine for any avid motorcycle fan. A beautiful gift for Father’s Day or not. You will see Bultaco, Yamaha TY, Montesa, Ossa; the Italian SWM, Fantic, Garelli, Japanese represented by Kawasaki, Suzuki, Honda TLR with BSA, Triumph and many other English. Also the Honda world championship with Eddy Lejeune 82, the Bultaco of Vesterinen and motorcycles of Charles Coutard.
Très beau livre neuf, d’une édition nouvelle et limitée, consacré au trial. En format italien, avec un très beau papier épais de haute qualité, 142 pages, 32 marques de motos de trial, 210 photographies, une préface faite par Charles Coutard une légende du trial français. Une mine d’or pour tout passionné de motos. Un beau cadeau pour la fête des pères, ou pas. Vous y verrez des Bultaco, des Yamaha TY, des Montesa, des Ossa, les italiennes SWM, Fantic, Garelli, des japonaises comme des Kawasaki, Suzuki, des Honda tlr, des BSA, Triumph et beaucoup d’autres anglaises. Y sont aussi la Honda championne du monde 82 avec Eddy Lejeune, la Bultaco de Vesterinen, les motos de Charles Coutard.
The Premier Trial Website – Recording the History of the Sport 'Established 2014'
TRIALS GURU - DEDICATED TO TRIAL 