People

Bill Hartnell with Mike Naish

We introduce you to another stalwart of the South West Centre. A man who was seen by many in local events helping out and observing. In national events as a Steward and the ACU Centre Board as the Finance Officer. A man who has had much experience in trials both locally and nationally, experience gained before many readers were born. A man who carried on in his chosen sport for most of his life with enthusiasm and a good natured approach.

Bill Hartnell – Interviewed by Mike Naish

Bill Hartnell observing at the Knill trial in 2008. Photo: Mike Naish

Words: Bill Hartnell and Mike Naish

Photos: Ken Haydon; Mike Davies; Mike Rapley; Mike Naish (Main Photo: Ken Haydon)

Mike Naish: Are you a West Country lad Bill? and how did you get into motorcycling?

Bill Hartnell: “I was born in 1942 in Taunton and have spent most of my life in Somerset. The only family connection with bikes was an Uncle who was a Despatch Rider in the second wold war. It must have been about 1958 when I regularly saw Vic Vaughan, who lived in the next road- returning home on a Sunday night on his James trials bike covered in mud. I got to learn a bit about trials and thought it looked like a good sport. We used to go and ride our push bikes in push bike trials until I was old enough to get a motorcycle. I went to watch the Taunton Clubs’ Blindmoor Trial on my push bike and I was hooked.”

“I bought my first bike when I was sixteen in the May of 1959, a 125 James which was followed by a James Cotswold scrambler fitted with lights and road tyres, registered as JFX698. I got it from Pankhursts, it was probably the most unreliable bike I’ve ever owned.”

MN: Which was your first Trial?

BH: “My first trial was a Taunton Invitation Trial in the summer of 1960 on the James and I finished, although well down the list. Later on that year I did a deal with a rigid 1953 Francis Barnett Trials, OHO791 which had originally been owned by Bill Martin. I bought it privately and saw Bill’s name in the logbook. It wasn’t an ex factory bike and I often wonder where it is now?”

Bill Hartnell’s Francis Barnett OUO791

“I entered my first trial proper in December 1960, the Quantock Cup Trial run by Bridgwater Motor Club and was amazed to win the novice award. Several riders at that event have become lifelong friends, Joe Oaten, Mike Palfrey, Doug Williams, Richard Partridge and several others. The event was won by John Richards on a 500T Norton, possibly the last rigid win in this centre for an Open to Centre event.”

MN: How did you progress in trials? Was it from instant success to greater things?

 BH: “Well not really. My next event was Taunton’s Edwards Trophy Trial with retirement at the very first section! I often pass the old section now, long overgrown, and have a wry smile. I was footing in a marshy part and my knee caught the petrol pipe and snapped it. My third trial was a Chard Motor Club event on the old Windwhistle scramble course. I came last.”

“However progress was made slowly with the Barnett being changed for a 197 Greeves as rigids were now out and later I had a 250 model. The first Greeves I looked at was a 250 ‘Scottish’ model in Pankhurst’s Motorcycles in Taunton, it was 235BDV, after much thought decided to go for it. Imagine my anguish on arriving at the showroom, chequebook at the ready, to see it being wheeled out of the front door and ridden away. However, as a result Geoff Westcott and myself, he was the lucky purchaser, became good friends.”

“Transport in those early years were either ride to the event, carry the bike on a Sidecar or later on I had a Ford van and later an Austin A40 pick-up. I often shared transport with Joe Oaten or Mike Wyatt who also lived nearby. The trouble with sharing with Joe was he habitually was first to finish and when I got back he was always loaded up, changed and raring to go home.”

“I remember in October 1961 riding the Barnett to a Crediton trial at, I believe, Newton St Cyres. The plan was to ride to the start, remove the lights, change the engine sprocket to lower the gearing and change it all back at the finish to ride home. Tools, spares and extra warm clothing being carried in a back pack. Unfortunately late in the trial the clutch started to slip and the journey home, the last miles in the dark, was both slow and hazardous with every slight incline becoming a mountain to climb. But we made it, but only just.”

MN: Did you venture outside the SW Centre?

BH: “I met with John Pym early on in my career, he had bought a Triumph Tiger Cub trials, and we travelled together on occasions. We even strayed over the South West centre borders from time to time in to the Wessex and Southern centres taking in a few regional restricted and national events. Remember, these were the days of large entries in nationals, all riding the same route. At events like the Kickham, Knut, Perce Simon, West of England and Lyn Traders, it was not unusual to see non-experts, now called clubman, and even novices in the entry list. In fact novice awards were given.  We gained our experience and skills the hard way in those days.”

“Come 1965, further updating of machinery was necessary, but new was out of the question for a poor government employee.  I had joined the Civil Service in 1959 at the Inland Revenue and worked mainly in Somerset but I did have a spell in London for a time.”

However, Pete Turner who used to scramble and lived in Uplyme, was working for Tim Pritchard at Westbury Motorcycles and heard of my dilemma.  He rang me to say they had a 1962 Greeves TES MkII for sale. This was previously a factory supported bike ridden by Peter Valentine and just out of the workshops.  Peter had done a deal to ride semi-factory for Cotton. Enough said, the TES was mine for £129 and of all the bikes I have owned it was definitely my favourite.  First time out at the Beggars Roost at Easter resulted in a first class award. Several others followed including the Lyn Traders.  Dave Chick and I even went to the Scott Trial a couple of times but we never finished even in later years with Montesas.”

Beggar’s Roost action with Bill Hartnell on his Greeves.

1968, a looming marriage forced the Morris 1000 van and Greeves to go and it was not until 1973 that I managed a comeback initially on a 125 Saracen which I purchased from Dave Chick and then a 250 Montesa purchased from John Scott at a Yeo Vale grass track at Easter, 1973.”

Bill Hartnell, Montesa Cota 247 mounted in 1973.

“A succession of Montesas followed until giving up again in 1983. I did have one ride in 1984 but later that year I sold the bike. My interest in enduros was awakened in 1982 and my first event in the February of that year was the Broadhembury Club’s ‘Brass Monkey’ event which I rode on a Yamaha DT. I stopped riding enduros in 1987 shortly after injuring my hand, which meant I had difficulty with writing whilst it was recovering, much to the annoyance of my bosses at the Inland Revenue.”

On the Otter framed BSA in 2005.

“It was not until 1995 that I returned to Trials, competing on a Bultaco in club events and an Otter framed BSA B40 for long distance events. It was largely due to Dave Chick’s enthusiasm that I took up the long distance and Sammy Miller trials. I found them good events where the emphasis fell mainly on enjoyment, and I made many new friends and renewed some old acquaintances such as you Mike, after many years.  Sadly, they seem to have become more competitive and less fun in recent years.”

Somerton trial in February 2008, Bill Hartnell aboard a 325 Bultaco.

“I now find although semi-retired that time is at a premium mainly due to club and centre administration duties and I find it quite ironical that I have a shed full of bikes and the best riding gear ever, but little opportunity to get the wheels turning.”

MN: How did you get into the organising side of things?

BH: “My brother and I joined Taunton Motor Cycle Club in about 1960 and were soon out to work. I think I joined the committee in 1962 and have been there ever since doing Secretary, Treasurer, Clerk of the Course, and Secretary of the Meeting over the years. My latest spell as Secretary of the Club came about in 1994, following the previous Secretary’s sudden resignation at the AGM. It was only as a short term stop gap of course!”

“Although I had attended centre board meetings at odd times over the years, I had never been really interested or involved. However in about 1993 there were complaints about clubs not sending representatives to board meetings and I rashly said I would attend each one and represent Taunton.  Once there, it was a short step to management committee, Vice Chairman and then the Chairman.  Following the sad and sudden demise of Centre Treasurer, Mike Sanders in October 2000, I took over as Treasurer, on a purely temporary basis you understand.”

MN: What have been your favourite bikes?

BH: “Obviously the Greeves, 277AMW which later passed on through Harry Foster’s hands and had a Triumph engine fitted. It is still out there or so I am led to believe. Anybody know of its whereabouts? Also my first proper trials bike-the rigid Francis Barnett.”

Bill Hartnell on the Greeves, 277AMW – Photo: Ken Haydon

MN: What is your favourite trials and sections?

BH: “In the early days obviously our local big events, the West of England, Lyn Traders and Beggars Roost. There was nothing as great as a warm Whit Sunday up on Exmoor at the Lyn with sections like Shallowford, Farley Water and Big Bank. The Otter Vale ‘Presidents’ sadly was never one of my favourites. In more recent years after my third rebirth so to speak, it was the long distance events.”

Bill Hartnell in a long distance trial on the 350 BSA B40.

“Of course the Neil Westcott, Wyegate, Frank Jones and Tour of Islwyn. Sections like they used to be. Downscombe (Beggars Roost and Exmoor) Pant Glas Steps (Wyegate).”

MN: Who were your most admired riders?

BH: “In the early days Bill Wilkinson, Greeves riding on learner plates and British Experts win is obvious to me.”

Bill Wilkinson who won the British Experts on ‘L’ plates on his 250cc Greeves – Photo: Mike Davies

“Locally, Bill Martin who in the early 60s was certainly our best local South West Centre rider. I never knew Bill in the early days, but in recent years we often have a good natter. Great company.”

MN: How do you see the sport of trials now?

BH: “I am pleased to see at last some riders becoming more involved and putting back into the sport, but sadly although interested in the ground works, nobody seems to relish the paperwork side of the ACU which is becoming ever more complicated and time consuming. As an exercise it would be interesting to work out the average age of the current centre management committee.”

MN: Any targets for the future?

 BH: “Keep on enjoying our wonderful sport and the company of all involved, the friends and characters involved also to try and find time to ride more often.”

MN: What were the best Times?

BH: “1970’s with Montesa’s, at last a reliable low maintenance bike and sections still rideable for Mr. Average.”

Bill Hartnell on his 247 Montesa Cota – Photo by Mike Rapley

MN: What would you like to see?

BH: “A return to sanity in Pre65 Trials. It ‘s probably too late, but as a start limit suspension travel, as AMCA do for Classic Motocross. I cannot remember Ariel’s and Cubs in 1965 with nine inches of fork movement.”

MN: Any interest in other branches of off Road sport?

BH: “Not really, but back in the 60s I used to go up to Thruxton for the 500 mile production race. It was good to see bikes basically as you could buy them being raced like Dominators, Bonneville’s and Venoms. I followed speedway with Exeter Falcons and the occasional grass track mainly because of the spectacle of the sidecars. Motocross has always figured with regular trips to France with Chris Payne for some of the big meetings in the late 90s.  All the local meetings over the years when time allowed. I had a go myself in 1963 on a 350 BSA. It proved unreliable and I ended the season sharing a 500 Tribsa with another neighbour, Mike Wyatt. I quickly realised I lacked the necessary temperament to both compete and enjoy.”

Bill Hartnell – Photo: Mike Naish

Bill Hartnell put a lot of hard work into the sport. Being Secretary of both Taunton MCC and SWCTA as well as Centre Treasurer, running the Classic Three Day Trials, and heavily involved in the Two Day.  Observing and stewarding in many other events as well as working a couple of days a week. It needed a well balanced person to achieve all this. Please read this article as a tribute to a true enthusiast of the sport. – Mike Naish

Footnote by Mike Naish:

Sadly Bill Hartnell passed away in January 2015. Bill’s description of his long ride home from Crediton to Taunton in the dark when his clutch was slipping reminded me of an incident relayed to me by the Francis Barnett works rider George Fisher when I interviewed him many years ago for ‘Off Road Review’ magazine.

George had entered the Llamborelle Trial in Belgium in October, November time.  He set off from Bristol on his 122cc Francis Barnett with his haversack on his back, no works transport in those days, to ride to the trial near Brussels. Having crossed the channel, no roll on – roll off ferries it was winched aboard, he set out from Ostend but the big end started to rattle. By the time he had finished the trial, with a major award, the big end was about to give up the ghost, and George had to entice a tow back to Ostend with a local lorry driver, at the end of a tow rope. Eighty miles with icy roads with darkness falling and no lights with a dead engine. George said it was a nightmare and I could see him visibly shudder at the recollection. This was probably in 1953 or ’54 because I know that in 1956 he had moved to Triumph to ride and promote the new 199cc Tiger Cub and he shared a works van with John Giles and Gordon Jackson. That year he won the Llamborelle.

Another era, but history records that Derek Cheeseborough rode his little James up to Scotland from Torquay, completed the SSDT, and at the end of the Special Test in Edinburgh, after the run from Fort William, he changed his handlebars over, then rode through the night to be home again on Sunday. This was to be ready to be back at work in the Bank on the Monday morning. Not a feat I would care to emulate, in excess of two thousand miles, but then Derek was his own man and still is.

Bill Hartnell with Mike Naish is the copyright of Trials Guru and Mike Naish.

Credits: South West Centre ACU Gazette, where this article first was published by Mike Naish, 2008.

More interviews with Mike Naish HERE

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.

People

Mike Hann chats with Mike Naish

Words: Mike Hann & Mike Naish.

Photos: Mike Naish; Linda Ashford; Glenn Carney; Mike Rapley.

This is a profile, which dates back to 2007, of one of the most pleasant riders you would ever wish to meet. Enthusiastic, courteous, friendly, always willing to lend a hand. Somebody who encouraged young riders to take up the sport; an organiser, co-ordinator and course plotter. A rider who at sixty-six was the oldest rider in the South West Centre, and performing well at that. Who could have a bad word to say about a real genuine gentleman? Mike Hann.

Mike Hann (325 Bultaco) – Photo: Mike Rapley

Mike Naish: Have you always lived in Dorset, and how did you become interested in motorcycles?

Mike Hann: “I was born in the small Dorset village of Leigh near Sherbourne in 1941. My grandparents and parents were very keen motorcycling families and my father was an excellent engineer. He had been in the Royal Signals during the war and was captured by the Japanese in Singapore. During his captivity he was made to work on the Burma railway. I did not see him until he came home after the war when I was seven years old. He was an enthusiastic motorcyclist but all his bikes were road going models.

Every evening all the local bikers would gather at our house, drink tea and coffee, maintain their bikes and of course all the talk was about bikes, so I suppose it was inevitable that I would become interested. I saw in them a great sense of comradeship and I was learning lots from an early age.”

“When I was about thirteen, along with Badger Goss and Tony Chant, we joined the legendary grass tracker, Lew Coffin as trainee assistants at his parent’s place at Pond Farm, Hillfield. We worked five days a week for no money because Lew said it was ‘training’. Lew had a spare stock bike which we used to share at grass track meetings. Badger was useless as a mechanic but as you know he became a world class competitor joining first Cotton and then Greeves. My father and I looked after Badger’s machinery in his early days.”

“Tony was excellent at both grass and scrambles but he used to annoy Lew by going out at ten o’clock at night to see his girlfriend. Lew reckoned that if you were going to be dedicated to bikes there was no time for anything else. I enjoyed my time with Lew, he taught me a lot.”

MN: Apart from the odd grass track, what was your first competition bike?

MH: “At fourteen, I joined Yeo Vale and Somerton Clubs and very soon became involved in the running of events which I still am today. In 1957 I purchased my first scrambles bike, a 250 Greeves that was followed through my scrambling period by a succession of Husqvarna and Maicos. In 1958 I started work as an apprentice motor mechanic. This enabled me to afford to start scrambling which I did until the mid 70s when it was motocross.”

Mike Hann struggles to control his wayward 250 Greeves at a South West scramble.

MN: Any highlights you want to share?

MH: “Reaching good ‘Expert’ status.  Scoring two British Championship points at a South Molton British Championship round and winning a support race at a Farleigh Castle World Grand Prix in the 1960s. After a short engagement of ten Years, I married my wife Evelyn. It cost me seven shillings and six pence, thats thirty-seven and a half new pence.  She was a farmer’s daughter, excellent value for money, because we also gained three family farm venues for trials which we still use today. Not bad hey?”

Mike Hann aboard his 400 Maico in 1974.

“It was in about 1973 that I had an unfortunate crash in a support race at a winter TV Grandstand meeting. It left me with a nasty broken leg and thigh damage. I missed half of a season being repaired and as much as I tried I could never quite get back into it. It was no longer enjoyable. This coincided with a new daughter and I had started the garage business at Bishops Caundle. Before that I had worked for ten years at Yeovil Technical College teaching motor vehicle maintenance. Common sense and family advice prevailed, motocross ceased and the magical world of trials began.”

Mike Hann guns his 250 Husqvarna.

                                                                                                 

MN: So how did you start your trials career?

MH: “I met up with my long standing friend Keith ‘Ringo’ Ring and then started the long uphill climb up the trials ladder. Although good riders made it look easy we both found trials a lot harder than we first anticipated. Our local heroes at that time were Martin Strang, Geoff Parken and Hedley Ashford. They seemed to win an event on about ten marks lost and we took simply ages to get under one hundred marks. Remember, no dual routes in those days!”

Mike trialling an early model 10 250cc Bultaco Sherpa.

MN: How did you find trials compared with scrambling?

MH: “Right from the very beginning of my trials it was the sense of help from others and the general friendliness of everyone which was very apparent and different from motocross-which is still very true today. As I have already said we found trials at the start very difficult, but after quite a long time we eventually worked our way to ‘Non Expert’ and then ‘Expert’ status. Because I am living in Sherborne Dorset, I am officially resident in the Southern Centre ACU but right from the very beginning I have always considered myself a South West Centre person. I always loved my scrambling days as much as anyone but the magic of the trials world is absolutely the tops with me which of course includes all the people within it.”

Mike Hann on a Bultaco riding ‘Ruby Rocks’ – Photo: Mike Rapley

MN: You have competed the SSDT a number of times?

MH: “Yes, our Yeo Vale chairman in the early days was the well known Percy Butler. We all admired his dedication to the club and the South West Centre; he was admired by all who knew him. This was with the exception at some of the South West Centre board meetings because when Percy was there you knew it was going to be a long evening!

I always remember Percy saying to me “Son, thee can’t call thee sell a trials rider till thee have ridden and finished the Scottish Six Days Trial”.

Mike Hann tackles ‘Fersit’ on his 240 Fantic in the 1984 Scottish Six Days Trial.

“Yes Percy” I replied, “OK, if that’s what it takes Percy, then that’s what it will be”. Well I tried to make entries in 1976, through to 1979, but all were refused as the event was full up. Then in 1980 that special Edinburgh letter said ‘YES’ riding number 180. What the hell have I done now I thought, as the realisation dawned? There was no backing out and I really did not know what I was letting myself into.  That was the start of ten superb Scottish Six Days that I rode in with enough good memories to keep me going for ever. It included two retirements and I can never thank Percy enough for urging me to enter in the first place.”

The Fantic 301 of Thierry Michaud at the 1986 SSDT – Photo: Glenn Carney

MN: What about your bike dealership?

MH: “From 1980 to 1990 I was a Fantic trials main dealer. I loved every second of it but it took up lots of my time and in reality it was difficult to keep going with the main garage. Sadly when my parents passed away a tough decision had to be made, the garage earned my bread and butter and the bikes didn’t, so regrettably the Fantic Agency had to go.  I have to say that during those ten years the Fantic importer Roy Cary and his wife Helen were absolutely fantastic. For example in 1981 a spectator stole my riding jacket at the top of Pipeline, having put it at the ‘ends cards’ prior to riding the section. Mrs Cary was there and insisted I use her own coat to continue the event. That was beyond the call of duty. Following this I have been privileged to take part in six Pre65 Scottish events in total, with a variety of machinery, and once again my good friend Jack Coles allowed me to use his beautiful 500 Ariel, a machine which I rated as perhaps the best bike I have ever ridden.” 

Mike Hann on ‘Pipeline’ in the Pre65 Scottish Trial on the 500 Ariel HT5.

“In fact I did actually own it for a short time but a long standing back injury incurred a few years prior made riding the Ariel continuously a very painful exercise, so Jack had it back.”

Mike Hann, seen here on a 240 model, will always be associated with the Italian Fantic marque, having ridden and sold them for many years at Bishops Caundle.

MN: Do you run any road bikes?

MH: “I love the older bikes and am a very keen member of the Dorset Vintage Club and sometimes take part in their club runs on my 1929 BSA 350.  My brother Rodney, a retired policeman is chairman of the Vintage Club and in my capacity of car and bike MOT testing I get my oily hands on some very exotic machinery which I really enjoy. I consider myself lucky to be able to compete in the South West for fifty two years continuously and above all still very much like to get up early on a Sunday morning to meet the Yeo Vale gang and centre friends and enjoy another good days sport.  I am often asked ‘What are the highlights of your trials life?’ and my immediate reply is ‘Every Sunday’.  I am not afraid to admit that no one enjoys their sport more than I do.”

Mike Hann on a 1921 Sunbeam 1000cc vee-twin taking part in the Banbury Road Run.

MN: What do you think of the Pre65 scene?

MH: “My father was often Clerk of the Course for the Yeo Vale trials and I was helping him one day when he said to his helpers ‘Let’s get the Experts to ride over this part of the fallen tree and the rest of the entry over this lower part’.  That was the very beginning of the dual sections and now of course many times a triple route. In the sixties and seventies when single route sections were the norm you very rarely saw competitors over forty years old, but look at us now with multi route sections, we are all catered for which perhaps is the best and most sensible thing to happen to our sport.”

TALMAG Trial action from Mike Hann on a Matchless.

“One side of our sport which really saddens me is the mad mad world of Pre65 British bike trials, you could write a whole book on the subject. But when you have a section of people spending £12,000 building up an exotic engineered super bike and then entering it in a Pre65 event when the original cost was £300 it is a complete sad joke. The premier event is obviously the Scottish Pre-65 Two day and you could correct the situation overnight if you gave the awards to the competitors whose machine is in the correct spirit of the pre-65 movement.”

MN: And what of the future?

MH: “At sixty six and feeling sixteen you certainly appreciate much more all the things we take for granted. We appreciated our fortunate health, also the massive amount of club work, the observers, the help and support from my wife and family. Every Sunday I am riding Evelyn is running the garage forecourt. A customer recently asked me what I am going to do when I retire from the Garage. I said I would like to be a professional Trials rider and to be sponsored by my wife. She said that she had been doing that for years. In all a happy appreciative South West Centre rider whose favourite day of the week is Sunday. All the best to everyone.” – Mike Hann

Mike Hann entertains during an ‘Up Memory Lane’ gathering organised by the SWCTA – Photo: Mike Naish

This interview took place in November 2007, so the dates and ages will have change considerably. – Mike Naish

Trials Guru Post Script: When Mike Hann rode the 1980 Scottish Six Days with riding number 180, an enthusiastic parc ferme marshal when calling out the numbers in the morning, when he came to Mike’s number he called out in a loud voice “One Hundred and Eightyyyyy” in the way they do at darts competitions. This happened every morning with people laughing. Mike had to ask what the joke was!

Mike Hann (Fantic) at the Somerton Classic Trial – Photo: Linda Ashford

‘Mike Hann chats to Mike Naish’ is the copyright of Trials Guru and Mike Naish.

More interviews with Mike Naish HERE

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.

Obituaries

Don Howlett 1933 – 2024

Don Howlett, former director of Comerford’s Ltd of Thames Ditton, the Bultaco importers and multi-franchise motorcycle dealers has passed away, aged 91 years of age.

Howlett was a major player in the importation to the UK of the Spanish brand of off-road motorcycles from 1972 until 1984.

Don was a keen scrambles rider and also rode in trials. He competed in the 1963 Scottish Six Days on a Greeves. Comerford’s motto was ‘Ride them on Sunday, sell them on Monday’ which reflected the sporting involvement by most of the employees.

After the demise of Comerfords as a motorcycle and car dealer, he formed ‘CI Sport’ with Stuart Miller, this business was the importation division of Comerfords, originally called Comerfords International, hence the ‘CI’.

Don Howlett had been ill for some time, his funeral took place on Tuesday 3rd December at St. John’s Church, Old Malden, Kingston Upon Thames.

He leaves a widow Chris, son Paul and daughter, Louise.

The Comerfords riders and supporters in the 1963 Scottish Six Days Trial, Don Howlett is on the far right of the photo.
People

Brian Trott by Mike Naish

Brian Trott passed away in November 2015 aged 88 years, but he left his mark on trials in the South West corner of the UK and also further afield. He was well-known to all competitors in that area for his enthusiasm and dedication to the sport of trials and to motorcycling in general. It is no exaggeration to say that he lived for the sport of trials riding. This article was the result of an interview in 2007 on the occasion of Brian’s 80th birthday for the South West Centre ACU Gazette. Mike Naish shares the life of a dedicated trials rider by re-publishing this interview.

Words: Mike Naish & Brian Trott

Photos: Mike Rapley; David Cole

Brian Trott on a 247 Montesa Cota – Photo: Mike Rapley

Mike Naish: Where were you born Brian?

Brian Trott: “I was born at Hawkchuch near Axminster on 10th June 1927. The family moved to Harberton near Totnes when I was eight. My Dad was a gamekeeper and he got a job at the Dundridge Estate. No pay, but it was a lovely life. We dined well and enjoyed life. I picked up some of his expertise because I am very close to the countryside. It seems our family have either been in game-keeping or mechanics. I went to school in Harberton Primary and then later in Totnes.”

(Historical note: Dundridge House and estate was built by the Luttrells of Dunster castle in the late 18th century and by the late 1800’s had been acquired by Sir Robert Harvey of Harvey’s Bristol Cream Sherry fame. The property remained in the Harvey family until shortly after the Second World War and was most recently used as a training facility for air traffic controllers)

MN: What was your first interest in motorcycles?

BT: “It was whilst I was doing my apprenticeship here in Totnes. The company was WH Jordan a Morris cars and BSA agent at the top of the town. The motorcycle was in a garden not far from here. The lady had it jacked up with a belt on it fixed to a tool bench, I showed so much interest in it she gave it to me. I took it apart and took it back to Harberton on a pushbike bit by bit. I got it going and ran it for a couple of years.”

“My next encounter with bikes was in the RAF which really started my lifelong passion with motorbikes. It was very strict training which is where I got my machining experience. I had been in the Air Training Corps up at RAF Locking near Weston Super Mare on Ansons, so I was accepted into the RAF and I did three years as a fitter 2e (Engines) working on Harvard’s with Pratt & Witney radial engines in Egypt that was in 1945. That was my first real association with motorbikes. When I got there they asked me what my interests were.  I said motorcycling, so they sent me for some despatch rider training at a camp in Ismailia just outside Cairo. I met a man called Ivan Kessell from Cornwall, he was involved in speedway. They arranged a speedway match between the RAF and the army and they put me on a 350 WD Matchless. In our spare time, and as part of the training, we would get these bikes ready for the next meeting.”

Brian Trott on his early Villiers Specials.

“When I came out in 1948-49 I got a job with a tractor company, Reed & Company, a Ford distributor. I ran the agricultural side. I had a brilliant life with a mobile workshop and travelled all over the South West on the farms, I loved it but I had a bad accident with a tractor. The caterpillar ran over my pelvis and smashed it up it affected my bladder amongst other things. I was in Torbay Hospital for a year. Luckily I met a good surgeon who came to Torbay and he did a good job on me. In the early fifties I was a member of Dartmouth and District Motor Cycle and Light Car Club. I rode a couple of grass tracks on a Velocette GTP with an outside flywheel at St Annes Chapel Bigbury with Dickie Bird Ellis, then I rode a 197 James in scrambles. I bought it off of John Crook Motorcycles. It had been a rigid model but I put a swinging arm on it.”

1960s photo of Brian Trott on his James.

“Pat and I got married in 1954. I carried on in local scrambling riding a 250 BSA then a 500 Triumph converted speed twin. That wouldn’t half go, I had quite a bang with it at an Otter Vale scramble and it came right in half.”

“I had an accident on a Tiger Cub at a Devonport scramble over the border in Cornwall. I injured my knee and was out for the rest of the season. Of course in those days you rarely went to the doctor with these accidents you just waited for them to heal naturally.  I started trials when it was better, to get me fit for the next scramble season, but I liked trials so much I never went back to scrambles. It is a lovely sport and it has a lovely lot of people, that’s what I liked.”

MN: How did you get to events in those days?

BT: “We took the front wheel out and hitched the forks behind the rear bumper of our A30 car and tied it down, took the rear chain off and towed it that way. One day we went to the Isle of Man towing the bike, a Tiger cub, on the back wheel in the usual way. We were flagged down by someone at Tewksbury who said there was a fire coming out of the back of the bike. We looked around and couldn’t see anything wrong so went on our way we thought they must have been seeing things. We were stopped three times by people saying there were sparks coming out of the back of the bike but we could not see any thing. When we got to the IOM and we went to put the chain on, at least ½ inch of the swinging arm was gone, it had been worn away by the side knobbles on the tyre which had been deformed by the speed we had been going.”

“In fact when we got home and had a piece of plate welded in we had more clearance.”

MN: What bike did you start trials with?

BT: “Well it was nearly always BSA Bantams, it’s the bike I become most associated with and really I was the man who stated the bantam scene for trials. If only I knew then what I know now it would have been even greater. Although when I went to work at John Crook Motorcycles, I had sponsorship from Greeves along with Alan Stevens and Ian Crook through the shop. I probably rode Greeves for ten years. I used to normally get first or second class awards in local trials.”

Brian Trott on his Greeves in a Moretonhampstead trial.

“I always felt I rode well when I went to Hampshire and rode in the Bluebeards and the Greybeards for over twenty years. I feel my best successes were there. I won the event in 1980 and 1981 and then had a bad crash in ’82. The winner Les Crowder, sent me the cup, said I deserved it more than him. There are some brilliant people in the trials world. The accident happened at Pepworth, I was in the lead on the 320 Majesty and I hadn’t lost a mark. Well on the course there was a part where two trees had fallen, they had been there for years and I thought I could jump them both, I was too cocky really. Well this time I just didn’t clear them; the back wheel just caught the end of the tree and sent me off sideways. There was a branch of a tree that had been cut off with a chain saw and it went straight in my mouth. I was in a terrible state with severe facial injuries, it cut an artery in the back of my throat. John Born was my hero who probably saved my life; he got me out of the woods and controlled the bleeding so that I could breathe. Jillian, Johns wife, drove me to Chichester Hospital where luckily they specialised in head injuries. The last thing I remember was going into the scanner then when I came around two or three days later my head was in a frame. I had screws to pull my face and jaw back out because all my jaw had been broken in four places and my teeth had been pushed back into my throat, which had cut the artery, I was in a hell of a state.”

Roger, Pat and Brian Trott.

MN: And did this not put you off riding?

BT: “No not at all, I went back and won the event the next year with ease, I still think that was my biggest achievement. I am sure it was the will to keep riding which helped me recover quickly.”

Brian Trott (247 Montesa) captured by Mike Rapley

“The surgeon who looked at my ankles recently after I had two x-rays, looked at me and said, ‘Brian your ankles are shattered and I’ll put the cards on the table. You have three options. You can keep taking pain killers, you can have then screwed and fused but you will never get a boot on because you will not be able to bend your ankle or I can put you in a mechanical ankle, there is a new on just come in from the USA.’ After we had talked for a while and established that he had a Bantam he said ‘I think we can fix you up Mr Trott. You are almost eighty years old but you have the body of a sixty-five year old and the mind of a twenty-five year old. What do you want to do with a new pair of ankles?’ I said I want to walk down to the pub and I want to ride in motorcycle trials, so he said OK. I said when can you do it and he said next week and eleven days later I had a new ankle, it cost me £10,000. I have been back to work and it gives me no pain. The surgeon said that my positive attitude had helped my recovery no end. Now I have the second ankle done and am waiting to get back on the bike so that I can help Roger mark out the Dartmoor two day trial in September.”

MN: When did you open your shop?

BT: “I was working for John Crook Motorcycles in Totnes, I worked for him for twelve years and he took on a new Ford car agency but they dictated that he had to give up all his other outlets in trials bikes, so I said in that case I’ll take it on. That was in 1979. I eventually became a five star Honda dealer. It was hard work but as a family we all worked together and it worked well.”

Brian Trott in an Exmoor Three Day Trial on his BSA Bantam.

MN: Did you ever ride outwith the South West centre, apart from the Greybeards?

BT: “I used to go to the nationals like the John Douglas and the Kickham and of course our centre nationals at Otter Vale and the West of England. I always went to the two day in Cornwall, the Tristan da Cunha and the Kernow. I also did the Jersey Two Day. One year I ordered a new bike, a 320 Majesty from John Shirt. They were going to bring the bike to the trial for me. Well they arrived late and missed the ferry; we could see John Shirt’s van on the Quay slowly disappearing. We saw the captain and he stopped the ferry and backed up back to the Quay so that they could board. There was no room for the van so they unloaded the bikes and the gear and pushed them in between the cars and left the van on the harbour side at Weymouth. Mick Andrews didn’t half give me some stick over that. I had some good rides on that bike.”

Brian Trott, Yamaha Majesty mounted.

MN: When did you start riding Pre65 trials?

BT: “I cannot quite remember the date but I did ride in the first South West Classic Three Day trial in 1983 and carried on from there. I did feel very guilty because I had built this nice little BSA Bantam and most others were on big bikes like Matchless AJS and Ariel. Trevor Compton was on his Panther Stroud, I remember and I thought to myself what am I doing up here with this lot it is not fair on them, and I mean they were a lovely set of blokes. Pre65 gave me a new lease of life not only riding but making Bantams, I specialised in them. We tooled up and they became quite a large part of the business. We made the frames and sold bikes to Doug Theobold amongst many. I suppose we made about twenty-five. We did the motors up, I would machine flywheels and attach them to pressed steel plates and balance them up to suit trials. We also made some Tiger Cub specials.”

Brian Trott on the Mamore Road, Kinlochleven with his Tandon. Photo: Dave Cole.

MN: You went to the Pre65 Scottish in 2006, did you enjoy that?

BT: “It was a marvellous weekend, I rode the Tandon along the Mamore Road with Dave Cole to see the sections. It was one of the most pleasurable weekends I remember. Scotsman, Jock McComisky arranged it for us.”

Brian with friends at an ‘Up Memory Lane’ gathering in 2005.

MN: And finally?

BT: “I have no regrets in my life I would do the same things again. Even my accidents, they make you realise that life is worth living and it gives you a positive attitude. I hope to ride a little Bantam engined James that I have built in some easier trials when both my ankles have healed. I always felt my best riding was done between the ages of sixty and sixty-two. I was very strong and this helped.”

Brian Trott (Yamaha) – Photo: Mike Rapley

“I have to give a lot of credit to my wife Pat who has supported me through my entire career and my times in hospital both in Cornwall Torbay and Chichester. She has observed and been with me at most of my events and I like to take this opportunity of thanking her publicly for all her support over the Years.”

Acknowledgements:

With thanks to the ACU South West Centre Gazette

‘Brian Trott by Mike Naish’ is the copyright of Trials Guru and Mike Naish.

More interviews with Mike Naish HERE

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.

Obituaries

Gordon O. Mclaughlan passes

It is with sadness that we announce that the former AJS factory trials rider, Gordon O. Mclaughlan has passed away.

From Thornaby on Tees, North Yorkshire, Mclaughlan was one of the ‘Three Gordons’ AJS factory team comprising of Gordon Mclaughlan, Gordon Blakeway and Gordon Jackson. he was a motor dealer and owned Gordon Mclaughlan Motors, BMC and British Leyland agents.

AJS teamster Gordon McLaughlan seen here on his factory AJS 164BLL at the Colonial Trial in 1963 – Photo: Charlie Watson, Hull

Gordon was a member of the Middlesbrough & District Motor Club, a keen Scottish Six Days and Scott Trial competitor in the 1950s and 60s.

His last motorcycling event was the Scott Trial Reunion dinner, hosted by Sid Lampkin at the Kings Head Hotel on November 9th 2024, where he sat at the top table and conversed most of the evening with his friend, Arthur Lampkin.

A Brian Holder photo of Gordon Mclaughlan in the 1960 SSDT on Devil’s Staircase. Watched closely by SACU official Jim Birrell ( standing with camera) and Ralph Venables (seated, top left) – Photo couresy of Ian Harland

Gordon Mclaughlan’s funeral will be held on Friday, 20th December 2024 at 11:00 in St. Bedes Chapel, Acklam Crematorium, Middlesbrough, TS5 7HD and at Middlesbrough Motor Club thereafter.

People

Vic Ashford talks with Mike Naish

1 Comment

Vic Ashford was one of the South West Centre Officials. A man who helped to keep the wheels of our sport turning. A man who had dedicated himself not only to organisation and running of events for over fifty years, but who has represented the centre and his club as a works trials rider. He had a riding ability in his day that was equal to the top but he was also renowned for his organising of both trials and motocross. He arranged all the centre permits and was well known for his enthusiasm and good natured approach. He was of course that gentle Giant Vic Ashford. We also republish Vic’s obituary upon his death in 2012.

Words: Mike Naish & Dave Cole.

Photos: Dave Cole, Mike Naish, OffRoad Archive; Fred Browning, Mike Rapley. (Main photo Fred Browning)

Mike Naish: How did you become interested in Motorcycles Vic?

Vic Ashford: “I was born 1939 and raised on Wotton Farm near Denbury. We had sections on the farm that were used in the West of England National Trial, ‘Wotton Farm’ and ‘Cape Horn’ so I used to watch trials on the farm from an early age. My parents were not motorcyclists, but they had this mixed farm of one hundred and twenty acres and were content to let the trial come onto the farm land.”

MN: Take me through your early days and your first bikes.

VA: “I went to Denbury Primary School and then father thought it would be more use to me if instead of going to Grammar school in Newton Abbot I went to the Technical school in Torquaywhere I could learn about woodwork and metalwork as well as all the usual subjects.”

“When I was sixteen years old I bought a brand new James ‘Captain’ road bike from Freddie Hawkins. It cost £140 and Bill Martin who worked at the shop was assigned to help me learn to ride it. When I got to seventeen, I got a new James ‘Commando’ trials bike, again from Freddie Hawkins, it cost me £160. I joined the West of England Motor Club and rode about six trials on it, but did not particularly shine. I went to an Okehampton trial held on the firing range riding the bike there as we did in those days, but the bike broke down and Harold Ellis gave me a lift home in his van, which was the beginning of my association with him.”

MN: So did you move on to other competition bikes?

VA: “No not at first, I swapped the James in at John Green’s at Newton Abbot for a 500 AJS twin road bike. I was friends with Alan Dommett and we used to go and watch scrambles together on it. Because both our fathers were churchwardens, we sometimes had to leave the event before the end, so that we could be back in time for church, especially if the scramble was up in Somerset. Later I handed in the AJS and bought a Standard 10 van.”

“In 1959 when I was nineteen or twenty, I borrowed Alan’s 197 Greeves and rode in the Moretonhampstead Christmas trial and won the non-expert award and a week later I won the Pike Award for best novice in the Knill Trial, which upgraded me. I suppose this gave me the enthusiasm to ride again, so in June 1960 I brought a Greeves ‘Scottish’, it cost me £145. In 1961 I rode the Greeves in the Scott trial in Yorkshire with Bill Martin. It was a tough trial very hard going and I was pleased to get a finishers award. I started off and thought I would follow a couple of the works guys but I couldn’t keep up with them. I was going what I thought was quite quick across the moors when this little wiry guy came hurtling past me. When I got to the next section he was just going up it and I could see it was Dave Bickers.  Later on I heard this big four stroke behind me thumping away, then he passed me and it was Sammy Miller in top gear. That year Bill Martin got best newcomer on 150 marks lost on time and observation to Arthur Lampkin’s win on 56 marks lost.”

West of England trial in 1961. Left to right: Bill Martin, Vic Ashford and Ernie Short.

“I started to win regular awards on the Greeves and then I got works support from Francis Barnett.  Max King had talked to Hugh Denton of Francis Barnett and I was given a bike with the new AMC engine in it.

Vic Ashford aboard the factory Francis Barnett with the AMC engine. (Photo: OffRoad Archive)

This replaced the Villiers unit mostly used at the time. Later when Francis Barnett reviewed their list of riders for the Scottish Six Day the support stopped but I was allowed to buy the bike for £60. The first trial I won on it was a Taunton trial in February 1962.”

Vic Ashford body leans Max King’s 250cc C15 BSA, YOE388 which was one of the first production C15T models produced at BSA.

“Following the end of Francis Barnett support, Max King had spoken to the BSA competition shop and they had agreed to give me works support. While it was being sorted, Max lent me his own 250 BSA registered as YOE 388, the one that is featured in the second edition of his book Trials Riding.”

‘Trials Riding’ by Max King, Second Edition. YOE388 is on the front cover with Max King on board.

MN: How did you get on with the four stroke after all the lightweights?

VA: “Quite honestly Mike, changing bikes never ever bothered me, I would have ridden a five barred gate if it had handlebars on it! I had to purchase the bike myself from Benny Crew who, if I remember rightly, was at Wareham in Dorset. It cost £252 and was registered as TTK 7. It went to the competition shop at Small Heath to be fettled for the SSDT in 1963. To run it in I rode in a Dartmouth trial the week before, but I rode to Dartmouth via Launceston to put some miles on it. We went to Scotland in my Morris Oxford van. There was my BSA and John Poate’s Royal Enfield in the back, and a trailer with Roger Wooldridge’s Cub and Brian Slee’s 250 BSA. Roger gave me £10 for the trip I remember. I just missed a special first class award loosing 123 marks. Arthur Lampkin won the trial on 7 marks lost. After the Scottish, the bike went back to be fettled in the comp shop with a load of new bits. From then onwards until my support finished they sent me the parts in the post and I got them fitted down at Freddie Hawkins.”

Vic Ashford on his factory supported BSA.

“I rode in most of the Nationals, John Douglas, The Hoad, St David’s, Victory, Bemrose and of course our local ones, the West of England and the Presidents.”

MN : What did you ride after your BSA Support finished?

VA: “It was in 1967 that I sold the BSA to a guy in Cornwall and bought Roger Wooldridge’s old 250 Bultaco. I think Roger changed back to a Cub or BSA at that time. I rode it in the Knill and was runner up. I liked the bike, it seemed that you could do almost anything with it. I rode it with quite a few successes until 1969.”

Vic Ashford on the ex-Roger Wooldridge Bultaco Sherpa.

“The birth of my son, Jim was due, and my wife was in Torbay Hospital, but there was a West of England closed to club trial on in the morning, so I thought I would ride and then get down for the birth in the afternoon. Unfortunately I dabbed in fresh air, fell off and dislocated my collar bone. So I was in Newton Abbot casualty department whilst my wife was having the baby in Torbay. I went in later all strapped up obviously a bit sheepishly. I did not really ride in trials much after that although I did ride in a few pre65 trials for three or four years on a BSA. I have a Chinese trail bike which I use to mark out the ‘Moor to Sea’ trial. Before that I had a Serrow.”

Vic Ashford with his Yamaha Serrow – Photo: Mike Naish.

MN: Can I ask you firstly how tall you are and also about your riding boots, because I have this abiding picture of you hunched over your bike and always riding in Wellingtons?

VA: “Well I was 6’2½” when I was younger; I’ve probably shrunk a bit now. With regards to the boots I started off riding in fireman’s boots but one day I got the footrest stuck between the sole and the instep of my foot. And of course they were always leaking so I just used a pair of Wellington boots. At least it kept my feet dry.”

MN: Today you are well known for your Organisational activities, when did you start?

VA: “I joined the West of England Club in 1956 but I was most disappointed not to be voted on the committee that year, I had to wait until 1958 when I was nineteen. I have been on the committee ever since, forty-eight years, organising and running trials and scrambles. I have been vice chairman a couple of times, but I never wanted to be the chairman. I became Centre Permit Secretary in the early 1990s when Brian Staddon died and his wife wished to give up the post. I said I would stand in for a while until they got someone, and I am still doing it.”

Vic Ashford on his Bultaco, for many years a stalwart of the West of England club – Photo: Mike Rapley

MN: I know you are heavily involved in the Moto-Cross scene, and yet you have never ridden.

VA: “Not quite true Mike. I have always, from my youth, been interested in scrambles. Wilf Ellis, who was the scrambles secretary for the club, and I, visited all the national events and many on the continent as well. One year I visited eight of the twelve world rounds all over Europe. As for riding in scrambles, yes I did once ride at a meeting run by the Chard club at Windwhistle. As it happened I had trouble with my bike so I was loaned a 350 BSA Gold Star by Jack Williams and rode my three heats. Sad to say I finished last in two of them but in the last heat I made a supreme effort and just overtook a rider to finish last but one. I realised I was not really cut out to be a speed merchant, so that was it.  Today I manage the land at Whiteway Barton on behalf of the farmer and the club so that we can run the correct number of allowable events each year. This involves getting the track graded and maintaining the facilities.”

MN: What have you done career-wise? I believe you have a Fruit and Veg stall at Newton Abbot Market, have you done it for long time?

VA: “I worked on the family farm until 1963 when I bought a small holding of four acres in Denbury. On the farm Dad used to give me £5 a week pocket money so when I got married I said I needed a rise up to £20. We kept a few pigs and chicken and produced vegetables which we sold. Later I rented a couple of acres from Anthony Rew’s father to increase the amount of produce but it was a long hard day. I started the stall at the market in 1967 selling produce from local suppliers so I have been there nigh on forty years. Nowadays I just go out to the wholesalers at 7am to buy the days supply. Also I recently took over the greetings card stall when the owner retired so now I run the two.”

R. Bray (Montesa 348) from Newton Abbot being watched by Vic Ashford, Graham Baker and Keith Lee – Photo: Mike Rapley.

MN: And the future?

VA: “I intend to carry on in the market until I am at least seventy and in the motorcycle world as long as I am able. It has been a big part of my life.”

MN: One final thing. Vic mentioned that he started off by watching the West of England Trial at Wotton Farm so he knew the make up of the sections well. To give a flavour for those who do not know the sections, now no longer used, here is reproduced the words from the ‘Motor Cycling’ magazine for November 2nd 1961 reporting on the West of England Trial.

“Vicious opener for the eastern circuit was the Cape Horn-Wotton group, which involved dives into a hub-deep stream and up well-watered, slimy clay banks. Typical and consecutive performances were those of Arthur Lampkin (250 BSA), Gordon Blakeway (200 Triumph) and Jeff Smith (350 BSA). All used feet and throttle without hesitation, and on Wotton they kept going up the steep exit- where even some of the best men who tried other tactics were floundering before the end.”

“On Cape Horn, Smith became caught between the head –high banks and handed himself off- and was duly debited with a dab.  Immediately afterwards Brian Martin (250 BSA) footed where team-mate Jeff had lost his point; submerged rocks were the cause. Scott Ellis (200 Triumph) made a neat showing at Cape Horn as did V J Ashford (250 Greeves)”.

Winner that year was Johnny Giles (200 Triumph on 7 marks lost) best South Western Resident was Vic on a creditable 28 marks lost, beating such names as John Draper and Jim Sandiford amongst many others.

‘Vic Ashford talks with Mike Naish’ is the copyright of Trials Guru and Mike Naish.

Bibliography:

Motor Cycling, 2 November 1961.

More interviews with Mike Naish HERE

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.

Victor (Vic) James Ashford

1939 – 2012

Obituary by Dave Cole in 2012:

It is with much sadness we report the death of Victor Ashford, the President of the West of England Motor Club who passed away on Monday 7th May following an illness, which was borne quietly, and bravely for quite some time.

Vic was an immensely popular man who was well known to sporting motorcyclists all over the country, along with customers who knew him as a Newton Abbot market trader for a great many years. He had two big passions in life one was the West of England Motor Club, the other was his Whist Drive Club, Victor drove around the local villages on Dartmoor picking up many of his whist drive friends before returning them again after a good evening out-all in the aid of charity.

As a Woodland, near Denbury lad, Vic grew up with motorcycle events taking place on his family farm, as soon as he was sixteen he purchased his first bike and a year later his first competition bike, he went on to become one of the finest and most successful motorcycle trials riders from the west country during the 1960s.

On joining the West of England Motor Club in 1956, Vic was very disappointed not to be voted onto the club committee until 1958. He certainly made up for the lost couple of years as his services to his club and the South Western Centre of the A.C.U., are now legend and it is generally accepted that without vast amounts of help from him, in many forms, along with the insatiable enthusiasm of Vic, the club would not have survived through some of the difficult times faced in years gone by.

At the end of last year Victor was presented with the very prestigious Auto -Cycle Union Medal of Honour, an accolade marking his outstanding contribution, and years of service to the A.C.U. and to motorcycle sport in general, an honour that was richly deserved.

Certainly Victor’s energy, commitment, dedication and determination will make him sorely missed by a great many people. Victor was a true ‘gentle giant’, a ‘giant’ in every sense of the word.

Our sincere condolences go to all of Vic’s family, especially sons Jim, Martin and daughter Jackie, along with sisters Sheila, Joan and Jackie plus brother Eric.

Rest in peace Victor and thank you for your friendship and hard work.

Dave Cole – On behalf of the entire committee of the West of England Motor Club.

Trials Guru: We thank Dave Cole for allowing us to republish Vic Ashford’s obituary.

People

George Atkins chats to Mike Naish

Words: Mike Naish & George Atkins

Photos: Mike Naish

George Atkins – Photo Mike Naish

Continuing the series of interviews with some South West Centre trials riders in the UK, this is the story of a man who was never content to let the grass grow under his feet. A person who was driven by a strong sense of adventure, culminating in wide variations throughout his life. Progressing through life as a Scamp, a Rascal, a Scallywag, a Raconteur, a Swagman and Lothario, he was excellent with banter, and Carpenter to boot; and that was just the first thirty years. In later years, an enthusiastic bike builder, courteous when it was needed, friendly, always willing to lend a hand. A trials organiser, coordinator, course plotter. A rider who at sixty plus years is one of the oldest riders in the South West Centre who is still riding modern, Twinshock and Pre-65 championship trials, and well at that.  Recently into goat and sheep midwifery. Throughout his life someone with a strong spirit guide becoming a Counsellor with healing groups, and a spiritual healer. Finally finding his Shangri-La described as a harmonious valley within an earthly paradise. But running throughout this life has been a single continuous thread, motorcycle trials. This is the extraordinary colourful life of George Atkins.

Mike Naish: Have you always lived in Devon and how did you become interested in motorcycles?

George Atkins: “I was born and bred in Exeter in 1951, my father was a retired Regimental Sergeant Major in the Devon and Dorset Regiment and went through both the first and second world wars, but he died when I was ten. I went to school in Exeter although I was never very focussed on school work and took a lot of beatings for not doing the work which I took stoically and never made a fuss, and so I couldn’t wait to leave and go out into the wider world, which I did as soon as I was able, at age 15. My best subjects were woodwork and metalwork and I suppose it was logical that I would start work in one of those activities.”

“John Stocker School advised me to go and work with my hands with carpentry and shop fitting. One day whilst I was up in Exeter town I saw Force and Sons so I went in the yard and asked for a shop fitting apprenticeship. After my probationary period I started my 5 year apprenticeship in 1966. Then as soon as I came out of my time I went self-employed working as a site Carpenter until 1974 when I went to Australia.”

MN: What was your first bike and how did you get into trials?

GA: “My first bike was a 150 James, Mike Thyer, my cousin through his father, Lesley, gave me a ride on a Royal Enfield Twin. I jumped on and being in short trousers with a high level pipe, I burnt the inside of both my thighs. He worked for British Railways and he came around one day when I was fifteen and said ‘there is a motorbike for you at the end of the coal yard in the last bunker. I gave a bloke 10 bob (50p) for it. He said there is something wrong with it because it wouldn’t turn over, but I will leave it to you to sort out’. So we pushed it home. The kick start went straight down to the floor without turning anything. The only tools I had was a hammer, a chisel and a flat bicycle spanner. I took the gearbox cover off and all the gearbox parts fell out on the floor. The main shaft was broken. So I went down to the quay where the catacombs were, and saw a dealer called Herbie Plane and said, ‘have you got one of these please? ‘Yep’, he said, ‘Two shillings (10p) to you’. I said ‘but you have a bucket full there!’ ‘All right’, he said, ‘1s-6d to you’. I managed to work out how it all went back together and relined the clutch plates with old cork bottle tops and got it going again.  I went to my first trial to watch with Mike Thyer, who had a DOT. There was a guy called Chris Pulman who worked at Warnes cycle shop in Exeter, who helped me build my first trials bike.  Chris let me ride his Norman in 1967.”

George Atkins on his 197cc James in 1967.

“We went down to Herbie Plain and swopped the road James for the James Trials bike with some extra money. I was fifteen at the time. I pushed it home from the Quay at Exeter. Chris Pulman said you will need to lower the gearing. I can get you a blank but you will have to find someone to hobble out the teeth. All I had was an egg whisk drill. To lower the gearing I made a larger back sprocket by getting the blank, and then I laid the old sprocket on top and marked it out and then drilled 1/8th diameter holes all the way round at a larger diameter by drilling by hand, then filed them out as well as the centre hole. It took me two nights to do. The chain did go a bit tight then slack as it went around but in principle it worked. Pridham said ‘What the f……! have you got there boy? He was very instrumental in my life as was Chris.“

“I used BR Warne shop a lot to get all the parts I wanted, I was always in there. After it was built I used to go practising up in Stoke woods at the weekend and nearly every lunchtime I would go down to a bomb site at the back of John Born’s shop and practice for ½ hour with John and then roar off back up the main high street past the Guildhall with a Peco exhaust pipe and everyone would look at me, it was great. I was sure it was with admiration.“

“In my first trial I rode the James to an Otter Vale event on other side of Honiton. I won the novice award in my first trial. I belonged to the Otter Vale club and I rode the bike to trials until in 1968 when I got myself a sidecar outfit. It was a 1947 M21 with girder forks. I rode both in the South West centre and sometimes in Cornwall after I got the sidecar going. I later got a Cotton 250. There was one in Ottery, a lovely bike but they wanted £100 for it. I was only an apprentice and couldn’t afford that sort of money. Chris Pulman said why don’t you go to BR (Warne) and ask him if he would sponsor you. So I went and asked him. He said I’ll tell you what, ‘I’ll charge you £10, and I’ll buy it and organise finance for you, and I’ll sell it back to you for £110’. So I did, and it was the first proper trials bike I had.”

Boxing Day 1971 at Thorns Cross on the five-speed Bultaco.

“I wasn’t interested in girls at this time I was too busy doing my apprenticeship and riding and maintaining my bikes, but when I was doing some shop fitting at Waltons, which was a big store in Exeter, I met Wendy who worked there in the store. I decided that I needed a car to take her out, and figured it would be useful also to use to take the bike to Trials. Geoff Horrell who sold cider in Stoke Canon and rode an HGH in Trials, had a Standard 10 with a spare 850 engine which he swapped to me for a sidecar body. I used the car with a trailer for the bike although the brakes were not a lot of use. When the 1000cc motor blew up I replaced it with the 850 version.”

George Atkins in 1971 on his Bultaco.

“I used to do Pigeon shooting with this bloke out the other side of Dunsford and he said you ought to see the fields in Australia, I’ll show you some pictures when we get home. Well three months later in August 1974 I was in Australia. Wendy and I went out on assisted passage for £45 for the two of us and all our gear.“

MN: Tell me about your time in Australia?

“We went to Brisbane and were met at the airport by the father of Tony Goldsmith, a trials rider who owned the riverside club and whose father was already in Oz. He arranged sponsorship and a flat for us and I was to carry on my profession as a carpenter, but there was absolutely no work for months so I started to train David Goldsmith, his son, to ride trials, and he ended up being the Australian champion. I got a sponsored ride with the Brisbane Yamaha shop riding a brand new TY250 in trials. They asked to see me through another rider, and said they would lend me a bike and pay my entry fee, but I had to get myself to events. I rode in Queensland at weekends, then we bought a caravan and hitched it up to an Australian made Holden car to work our way around Australia. We got north to Bunderburg and went to a sugar cane plantation driving a tractor and other jobs.  I helped to build some houses up there, and as it was still in Queensland I could still ride the Yam. Then we heard from an old friend that had come out to Oz for an extended stay down in Victoria. So we about turned 180 degrees around and drove all the way down to Shepparton on the banks of the Goulburn river in Victoria,  about 100 miles North east of Melbourne and put the caravan in his front garden. I did some work down there on a sheep station and built some houses as a carpenter for an architect -Stud walls, roofs etc. The Yamaha dealer had said that if I moved to any other state just go to the local Yamaha dealer and they would lend me a bike for trials.  So in Victoria I had a TY 175 –used to round up sheep with it. Then I blew the engine up when practising, going over a jump into water it sucked up a cylinder full when I didn’t open up correctly. I told them it must have been a fault with the bike. They said ‘Can you mend it? I said ‘Yes’, so they sent me a new Con rod and piston and I got on with it.  It was nothing to travel 200 miles to ride in a trial out there.”

“We decided to carry on around Australia so I decided to go to Western Australia towards Perth. I drove across the Nullarbor Plain towing the caravan but we had a few problems on the way-I had to change the clutch in a thunderstorm with rain running down my neck. The prop shaft univeral joint went so you couldn’t go more than forty miles per hour until we got to Bunbury, a coastal town 175 kilometers south of Perth. We parked in a caravan park and got some work. Then I went to the Yamaha dealer in Perth. The manager at Ken George Yamaha was an American guy who was in in charge, I got a second hand Yamaha until the sections and rocks got bigger and I then changed to a 350 Bultaco. I worked for Caterpillar as a parts and sales representative. It was good job and the first 6 months I turned over three and a half million dollars. I had a 7500 square mile territory and I was away from home all week. We decided to come back in 1979 because my mum had passed away and Wendy’s mum had not seen the two grandchildren. Phillip was just about one and Jennifer was just a baby.”

MN: What did you do back in the UK?

“When I got back I got a job with Stanley West with Alan Dommett with agricultural machinery for twelve months. Then I went working on my own with about 6 customers operating and servicing their equipment, cutting their grass, pruning roses and hedges. I did that for three years. I was back riding trials on a 347 Montesa then a Suzuki. My life has gone in phases throughout whether it was Trials or Australia or in healing.”

“After my marriage to Wendy broke up I was in a dark place for a while but it was like a door opened for me and I found that I was a healer. So I worked for 6 years as a healer by the laying on of hands and counselling. This was around the Ashburton area including past life regression. I ran a meditation group in Buckfast Abbey for a time. It was through this activity I met my second wife Kate. We spent twenty years together, I was working buying houses and doing them up and re-selling both on Dartmoor and the South Hams. It took about five years each and we moved on around the country. We moved to Scotland and bought a house, because Kate wanted to be near a spiritual community at Findhorn eco village near Lossimouth. I worked doing carpentry and kitchens. I didn’t  ride hardly at all up there although I did build a BSA B40 just before I returned back south. After about three and a half years we moved back and bought a house in North Tawton where Kate and I parted company. I went to live in Tiverton near my daughter and got a job as a carpenter and maintenance in a Taunton school and Joined the Tivvy club and the South West Classic.“

“Now here with Louise at the farm in North Devon I feel I have arrived at a perfect harmony, physically and spiritually after all my journeys and life experiences. It is as if this was always meant to be. I always felt that I had a very strong sprit guiding and looking after me and I believe they have brought me to this conclusion with spiritual fulfilment. Lou and I have been married for a couple of years now and we just enjoy life and work and trials together with the dogs, sheep, goats and hens. Not long ago I found myself on the Farm with one of the goats went into labour so I just had to get on with it and help-with Lou guidance on the phone.”

Colin Dommett, Dick Ramplee and George Atkins enjoy a natter at the 2012 Pre65 Scottish Trial.

MN: And what about the future, and also what are you most proud of in your trials career?

“I just love riding bikes whether it is road or trials so I’ll carry on riding while I can and whilst I am still enjoying it. Trials are like a huge family and it is really good fun, and that it what makes it so enjoyable. There are some really great people and many friends who we love to see at events.”

2010 – Pre65 Scottish Trial on ‘Camas-Na-Muic; on his home built James.

“What I was really proud of was building up the James from scratch and riding it in the Pre-65 Scottish in 2010.”

MN: It has been a pleasure interviewing you George, long may you continue to enjoy your trials and the comradeship of riders.

‘George Atkins chats to Mike Naish’ is the copyright of Trials Guru and Mike Naish.

More interviews with Mike Naish HERE

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.

People

Ivan Pridham by Mike Naish

Continuing the articles of what we might consider the everyday enthusiast whose lives were wrapped in and around trials, so that the sport became an integral part of their and their families lives, as it was for so many of us. Many have passed on since these profiles were written to prepare those sections in the sky, for when we eventually arrive. Ivan Pridham passed on in 2017 but he is remembered with great affection. This interview took place in February 2009.

Words: Mike Naish & Ivan Pridham

Photos: Mike Rapley; Ivan Pridham Archive; Fred Browning; Dave Cole; OffRoad Archive and Ken Haydon. (Main Photo: Mike Rapley)

South Western Centre stalwart Ivan Pridham looks in confident mood as he tackles the top end of Diamond Lane in the 1963 National West of England Trial. (Photo: OffRoad Archive)

I want to introduce you to a long standing stalwart of the South West Centre. A man who has had much success in trials both locally and nationally, many before some readers were born. A man who has represented his city in international sport and supported a handicap children’s charitable trust. A man who has carried on in his chosen sport for most of his life with humour, enthusiasm and good nature and who was a popular rider to boot, Ivan Pridham.

Mike Naish: Ivan! That’s a strange name for a Devonshire lad?

Ivan Pridham: “Well not Devonshire although I have lived in Plymouth since I was fifteen. I was born at Latchley near Gunnislake in Cornwall in 1931. My father was a farmer but he couldn’t make it pay during the depression of the 1930s, so he went back to his first trade as a carpenter after the war when Plymouth wanted rebuilding, so we moved and he never went back to farming. As regards to my name, I understand there was an argument of sorts when I was born about what I should be called, and Ivan was picked from a book of names, with my two grandfathers names also bring used.  So I am Ivan Alfred James Pridham.”

MN: How did you become interested in motorcycles?

IP: “I had taken up an apprenticeship during the war in Plymouth at a small lift company, which later in life I bought and made into my business, although I still used to drive the tractor on the farm at weekends.”

“I first rode a motorcycle during my National Service in the Royal Engineers when I was in the army in Dortmund, Germany in 1952-54.  I started my National Service when I was twenty-one, because I had to finish my apprenticeship first. I had done my engineering training with the army in Elgin, Scotland. It used to take me thirty-six hours to get home from Elgin to see my girlfriend, now my wife Pat, but only twenty-four hours from Germany. I had to do motorcycle despatch rider training on a Matchless. There were a couple of BSA M20s, but nobody wanted them. I had done some push-bike trials as a youngster at local fetes but the army taught me to ride properly. I came out of the army in 1954 and wanted to save some money to get married, so I did not ride in trials until 1956.”

Ivan Pridham on the 197cc James at Lettaford, Moretonhampstead.

MN: What was your first bike?

IP: “It was a 500cc rigid frame Matchless, I started on it because I was used to riding them in the Army. It was an ex Basil Male bike from Cornwall. I rode it in a couple of trials and thought ‘This is a lot of hard work’, so I sold it and got a DOT. It had very small spindly telescopic forks which I broke off once, and a 7E Villiers Engine, so I soon modified it.”

Ivan Pridham on ‘Al’s Design’ section on his James.

“The next bike was the James, registered STA 948. It had the Villiers 197cc 9E engine when I bought it from Peter Stevens. I eventually modified it and bought a new 250 cc 32A engine, it cost me £29.50, and I changed the forks to Norton Roadholders. I’ve been told that the bike won more awards in the South Western Centre than any other bike. Mind you, it changed colour a few times and some people thought it was another bike. I always repainted it to the latest model colours and some thought it was a works prototype machine I had.”

Ivan Pridham’s James was later fitted with Norton Roadholder front forks.

MN: What was your first event? And how did you progress in Trials?

I started at a Devonport Club trial because they were fairly close to me. I have always been associated with the club and have held positions from Competition Secretary to Chairman and President. In the early days of course I rode to events and then used to ride around to see Pat after the trial. I also used to go to her house after practicing out on the moor. Riding on the moors is something you cannot do nowadays, but then I spent hours and hours practicing up there. After a while I got hold of a sidecar chassis for my road bike, it was a BSA Star twin. I put a couple of runners on it and a big screen and it enabled me to go further afield in the centre. Later on, I had an Austin A40 pick up and then moved on to a Standard Ten pick-up. By this time, I was married and when Wendy, our daughter came along, I had to sell the pick up because when Pat asked me where I had put the baby and the pram, I said in the back of the pick-up with the bike. So then it was a car and trailer.

MN: Do you remember your first award?

IP: “That would have been at a Devonport trial I expect, but I won my novice award to make me up to non-expert at an Otter Vale trial in 1956.”

MN: Did you ride outside the centre much in the early days?

IP: “Not too much, although Bill Martin used to get a team together for the West of England club and we would go up to the Wessex Centre and ride in events called ‘League Trials’, where you entered as a club and rode as a team. They used to have about four a year. The West of England club used to pay the entry fees, Dickie Walford organised that. He used to come along with Bob Frazer and they used to argue and shout at each other it was quite amusing really.”

“I used to go up practicing with Dickie on ‘Diamond Lane’. That used to be a Devonport section before the West of England club used it for their big national trials, which they did for many years. From 1959 to 1964, I represented the South West Centre in the ACU Inter Centre Team Trial.  I was team captain in 1963, the year that we won it up in the Yorkshire centre. The centre could not afford a separate team manager so I was made rider-manager that year.”

The victorious South Western ACU team of Ivan Pridham, Pete Bellew, Roger Wooldridge, Vic Ashford (on bike), Brian Slee taken at Harrogate, Inter Centre Team Trial 1963.

After the James I had a works supported Triumph Tiger Cub. Well I say works supported but in fact I had all the works Cub spares that were taken over for the ISDT in Italy in the early 60s. I had loads. I managed to build a bike for me and another one for Pete Thompson and still had lots over. I had a couple of Tiger Cubs after that and then the Bultacos started coming in. My first Bultaco was a four-speed 250, not the radial fin early model, I think it must have been the next model along. I had quite a few Bultos after Sammy Miller started supporting Brian Higgins with a Hi-boy frame. Brian kept it for a year, then I had it afterwards. That must have been in 1971.”

Ivan Pridham on his 250 Bultaco in 1972 in the Knill Trial, he finished third overall.

“Actually I had forgotten the Greeves. Pat Wilson who had come down to Plympton from Portsmouth way, rang me and asked me if I would like to ride under his banner. I jumped at the chance. It had a square barrel and all the goodies.”

Ivan Pridham on the 250 Greeves.

“After the trial I took it back to the shop clean, but he said he didn’t want it like that, he wanted it all muddy in the shop window with the details of the award I had won. I couldn’t pick it up until the Saturday morning to clean and fettle it. He had a go at me because I forgot to tell him I had won a trial at Broadhembury until three weeks after. Well that was no good to me, so eventually I said he could keep it.”

MN: You won a major award in the SSDT didn’t you?

IP: “That was in 1963. I won the ‘Ben Nevis Trophy’ for the second best newcomer from Dave Rowland. In those days, the works riders were eligible for the newcomer’s award, but they changed that in later years. That was also the year that Devonport won the ‘Mamore Trophy’ for the best team award. The team was Roger Wooldridge, Vic Ashford and me. I had some good rides and was on the day’s leader board when I only lost ten marks on one of the days during the week. Of course in those times we started and finished in Edinburgh, and coming back from Fort William on the last day I noticed many changing engine sprockets after Tyndrum to raise the gearing. They were able to do sixty or seventy mph, whereas I was on thirty to thirty-five mph flat out.  Bill Martin blew his new bike up on the way back after Callander that year. Ralph Venables used to ask me every night how many marks I had lost during the day. He used to report that here was a local West Country boy doing good.”

“Ralph used to get on well with Max King, and I worked with Max reporting South West events on BBC South West radio. I would be in Plymouth and Max in the BBC studios in Exeter, and he would interview me. He would try and make me pronounce words in BBC English, and when I kept saying ‘rout’ for route, he would say no Ivan, it is pronounced ‘root’. I remember once at a gathering when he was speaking I shouted out at one point, quoting from his book ‘Trials Riding’, “Page 23 – Flat out in second gear”. I thought it was funny but Max was quite annoyed at the time and didn’t speak to me for a bit. He is still bright as a button at ninety, even though he is a little frail now but we get on just fine.”

MN: Did you ever ride in the Scott Trial and other Nationals?

IP: “I was third in the John Douglas one year and rode other Southern Nationals like the Kickham, Hoad and Beggars Roost. I didn’t ever ride the Scott although I was asked a few times by the organiser. I couldn’t afford to wreck my bike what with a wife and young child to support, because it is a bike wrecking trial.  I used to do all my own repairs with the help of others like Pete Thompson who would do a bit of welding at the college he worked at, and Bill the Blacksmith at Yealpton used to turn me up footrests when I wanted them. I remember once in the West of England National the old James was rattling so much I knew there was something wrong. Well the route went near Newton Abbot, so I peeled off and went into Freddy Hawkins shop and asked them if they had a new barrel and piston. They did, so I had it and said I would pay them later. I took the bike around to the workshop took off the head, barrel and piston and fitted the new ones and carried on in the trial. It took me about twenty minutes.”

On the 250 James at the West of England trial.

MN: Did you prefer Rocks or mud in a trial?

IP: “We were more used to rocks in this centre and consequently our gearing tended to be lower whereas riders from muddy centres had higher geared bikes to ride muddy sections. Also in the South Western Centre we were not used to sandy type sections like they had around Bognor. Sand was a different technique and you had to keep going to keep the front wheel light. If you shut off the wheel just dug in, Kingsley Mount was famous for its sandy sections. I suppose I preferred rocks because most of my practising was on that type of going.”

MN: Did you ever get seriously injured at all?

IP: “Not seriously. In the Isle of Man two day trial in 1962 in the special test they sent you off at minute intervals over quite a long route. I rounded a bend and came across Mick Andrews who had tangled with another bloke and both were on the floor. I came off and hurt my wrist, as it turned out, it was broken, but I carried on to the end and finished the trial. Next week I was in a lot of pain so I called in for an x-ray. I couldn’t tell them I had done it the week before on a bike, so I said I just fell on it!”

MN: So what progression of Bikes did you have after the Bultaco era?

IP: “In the early 1980’s I swopped the Bultaco for a Fantic down at Albion Motors at Exmouth. I had a couple of them. After that I had a Pinkie Yamaha for a few seasons. It was a nice bike and my son in law still has it. Then I think I went to pre-65.”

MN: When did you take up Pre-65 Trials?

IP: “It must have been about 1986 or ’87. Brian and Pat Trott kept on to me so I bought a Tiger Cub and we used to go away and ride some weekends. We went to your trials Mike when you ran the Wessex versus the South West riders up in the Mendips at Lambs Lair and of course the Bluebeards and the Greybeards up Stedham. I won the Bluebeards a few times but the Greybeards only once. In 1979 the year that I won them both in the same weekend I lost two more marks than Sammy Miller, but he was peanalized three marks because he was younger than me. I won the Trial but Sam would never accept that I had beaten him. We also won the team award that year with the ‘Devonshire Dumplings’. That was the team of Keith Lee, John Born, Brian Trott and myself.”

John Born (Montesa) – Photo: Mike Rapley

“We used to go up on a Friday night, stay in a hotel and ride in the Trials and have a knees-up in the evenings. Pat my wife has always supported me at trials just as Pat Trott supported Brian. We always called the two Pats ‘The terrible twins’ when they were away together. When my back was playing up I had a break for a season or two and then Len Mudge said did I fancy having a go again so I bought a 150 Gas Gas and then I had a 200 Beta. I still have that one.”

Pre65 Scottish Trial action on ‘Mamore’ on the Triumph Tiger Cub.

MN: Did you win any other major events?

IP: “Well I won the Television ‘It’s a Knockout’ competition in Plymouth, and then we represented Plymouth at a Euro event in Belgium at Spa where the race track is, and we won the event over there for Plymouth.”

Ivan Pridham on his Bultaco – Photo: Mike Rapley

MN: Of all the bikes you have had is there any one that you might consider as a favourite?

IP: “I liked them all at the time but I suppose the James 250 I built was equal and better than most at the time. I always liked the 325 Bultaco as well.”

Ivan Pridham on his 325 Bultaco in 1976.

MN: Any favourite clubs and venues?

IP: “Devonport trials I liked and Mortonhampsted. I suppose I have won most Morton trials at sometime. We used to go up and support them when they were going through a bad patch. Ted Boult and I gave them a hand to run their trials. We were very friendly with Rowden and Molly Windeat who along with Fred Atkinson and Walter Dodd were stalwarts of the club in the 60s.”

MN: There was some rivalry I understand sometimes when you came back from Trials? And other incidents which gave you a bit of a reputation as a joker?

IP: “There was I have to admit. We were always racing with Brian Trott. I remember once we were coming back from a trial at Otter Vale and we stopped off to have a meal in a Hotel near Honiton with a few other riders. We unhitched the trailer from a car with two lads from Exeter, and when they came out after the meal they didn’t notice, and got all the way back to Exeter before they realized the trailer and bike was not there.”

From the left, Malcolm Evely, Ivan Pridham, Pete Thompson and Mike Rapley, the photograph, courtesy of Dave Cole is believed to have been taken by the late Fred Browning.

“There was that time when Mike Rapley came off his Bulto when the brake linings came adrift from the shoes in the front wheel at a Morton trial. His thumb was dislocated and stuck out at right angles from his hand, he was in agony so I caught hold of it and pulled it up and out and back into the socket. I think he was grateful?  Another time it was up at John Lee’s farm near Tiverton; he fell and dislocated his leg. We laid him on the ground and I pulled his leg down and back into the socket. He yelled at me and always said afterwards: ‘Keep that bloke away from me’.”

MN: Were you trained in First Aid then?

IP: “No, it just seemed logical to me. There was this time when a Cornish observer fell into a gully and hurt himself. Two of us tried to carry him to the road to call an ambulance but it was too difficult, so I put him across my back in a Fireman’s lift and carried him through the woods to the road. He kept complaining about the pain he said he was dying.  I said to him, ‘well don’t die here it’s too far from the road’. It turned out he had broken a couple of ribs in the fall and when I carried him it punctured his lung. No wonder he was in pain.  He still thanks me profusely however if I ever see him, he was very grateful despite my injuries to him.”

MN: So what are you doing now?

IP: “I am looking after Pat who is recovering from a successful hip operation and I am going in shortly to have some work done on my back, I fell down a lift shaft whilst I was working some years ago. On Tuesdays some of the old boys meet up at Jennycliffe for a cup of coffee and a natter. Sometimes there can be as many as twenty of us if they all come. Some come up from Cornwall and some down from North Devon. I still enjoy watching especially the Scottish. I think we have been up watching for some eighteen years.”

British Round of the 1976 World Trials Championship which was run by the West of England Motor Club and started and finished alongside Buckfast Abbey in Devon. The picture shows riders number 53, Mike Rapley, 76, John Burnett, 49, Martin Lampkin, 55, Pete Thompson and 45, Ivan Pridham. Also seen in the background is Pete Fox who was machine examiner that day and a long time stalwart of the West of England Motor Club. Photo courtesy of Dave Cole

‘Ivan Pridham by Mike Naish’ article is the copyright of Mike Naish – February 2009.

More interviews with Mike Naish HERE

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.

motorcycles

It all started with a Renault 4 – The story of the ‘Jerred Hondas’

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Words: Trials Guru & Peter Jerred

Photos: Iain Lawrie; Alistair MacMillan Studio, Fort William; Jimmy Young; Peter Jerred; Anthony Hylton.

In late 1972, Honda Motor Company launched their trials effort in Japan, code-named quirkily as ‘Bials for Trials’ debuting their small capacity which later became the production TL125 for the UK and Europe and the TL250 specifically for the North American market in 1975. From that time, there were to become official Honda trials models, but mainly the giant Japanese manufacturer created some very good motorcycles for the sport of trials, but few reached series production. This encouraged smaller concerns to build their own, using Honda engines. Honda even adopted a model made in the UK, built by Colin Seeley International, the Seeley Honda TL200E. This was in collaboration with Honda’s Racing Service Centre (RSC). The Seeley frame featured top and down tubing of square section as did some of the factory special Hondas.

The original 124cc TL was to provide an entry level machine for trials sport and with ten times British Champion, Sammy Miller MBE effectively in charge of development, it came as no surprise that he would eventually provide upgrade parts through his New Milton trials emporium. He would later produce a ‘Hi-Boy’ frame kit, as Sammy had produced for the Bultaco Sherpa T which he also developed from 1964 until 1974.

Honda publicity material from 1975 – Photo: Honda Motor Co

Conversely, down in St. Ives, Cambridgeshire, Peter Jerred ran a motorcycle dealership in the mid 1970s, he had taken a shine to the little Honda.

Peter was educated at Ottershaw boarding school at Ottershaw in Surrey and had studied building and land surveying at Guildford College and went on to become a senior engineer on various road projects in the south of England. He was at that time a keen scrambles rider.

Nick Holt on Ben Nevis during the 1979 SSDT – Photo: Jimmy Young.

Jerred set about building his own version of the Honda TL125 and pulled a team together for the 1979 Scottish Six Days Trial, which attracted a good bit of interest in Fort William that year, during the weigh-in Sunday. The team comprised of Nick Holt, Nick Fossey and Jim Kelly.

Nick Fossey on his Jerred Honda, tackles ‘Ben Nevis’ section in the 1979 Scottish Six Days Trial – Photo: Jimmy Young.

The previous year, 1978, Nick Holt had ridden his Jerred Honda to 104th position losing 460 marks. He received a first class award and was third best 200 that year on the prototype.

Nick Holt (200 Jerred Honda) on ‘Laggan Locks’ in the 1978 SSDT, watched closely by Austrian, Joe Wallmann. Photo: Alastair MacMillan Studio, Fort William

Peter Jerred tells it in his own words:

“I had a TL125 which was rather short of power and lacked quite a lot more. Sammy Miller began selling piston kits which took them up to 150cc, which was actually a modified standard Honda 750/4 piston with some machining work done on the piston crown. So, using one of those the next thing to do was ‘stroke’ the engine. The obvious amount was six millimeters, as each link of the cam-chain was six millimeters.”

The Jerred chassis in all its glory – Photo: Peter Jerred

It all started with a Renault 4:

“Next on the list was the chassis department, Mike Mills of BSA fame had got involved, having ridden in my Renault 4 across a ploughed field, no real power but long travel soft suspension. This allowed the drive wheels to stay on the ground rather than hop across the ‘undulations’ with thanks to Murray Walker, losing grip every time it was in the air. Mike therefore designed that frame so that all standard TL parts would fit but massively increased rear travel built in to the design. Mike at that time was possibly the best engineer in the field of suspension in Europe if not the World having worked for Ohlins with international racing star, Kenny Roberts.”

The long travel rear end can be seen in this photo, the dampers were inclined and the lower mounts located closer to the engine than the TL125 Honda – Photo: Peter Jerred.

“The TL125 frame was re-designed with only two slightly bent tubes and tig welded, very unusual at the time, by talented fabricator, Bill Wooldridge in his workshop at Weedon, Northamptonshire. The frame numbers begin with the year they were built, for example 1979 begins 79. The frames were finished in bright nickle, just like the Rickman Metisse frames were.”

“Nick Holt rode the prototype which had the rear mudguard loop made from a pair of bicycle front fork legs and it used a standard TL tank and aluminium side panels. The side stand was fitted to the offside, whereas later bikes had it fitted on the nearside.”

The prototype Jerred Honda ridden by Nick Holt in 1978. The standard TL Honda fuel tank and aluminium side panels can be seen here clearly. XL front forks with a forward wheel spindle was used. The name ‘Mills’ is also on the fuel tank. The exhaust was a one-off special item. Holt rode this machine in the 1978 SSDT. Photo: Peter Jerred Archive.

“The exhaust was also very different as it only had the front box with a short tail pipe. The kick start was reworked, which allows the bike to be started without lifting the footrest. I used to offer that modification on the basis that the customer sent me his old kick start that I would modify for the next customer. It was a good little mod.”

Angular Fuel Tank:

“The fuel tank was folded aluminium, in a similar style to a CCM tank which was another Mike Mills project. Fibre glass was used for the air filter and the side-panel and seat unit.”

The ‘Jerred Honda’ of Colin Moyce from Rye at the 1979 SSDT – Photo: Peter Jerred Archive.

“At the time, nothing was written down like professional race teams except the drawings for the frame. As mentioned, the first remit was that standard parts from the TL125 Honda should fit perfectly. Obviously, the tank and air filter and exhaust were special and supplied as part of the kit.”

The alloy fuel tank and Fibre glass components for the Jerred Honda – Photo: Peter Jerred Archive.

Suspension:

“Forks were standard straight exchange including yokes. Rear suspension, now that where the biggest and most significant change was made, by the standards at the time, the late 1960s and early 1970s. As I said previously it was massively long and unbelievably soft, controlled by the blue Girling Gas shocks with the twin spring set up. Many people did not understand that the combination of a long soft spring and the inclusion of the short square section orange spring actually further reduced the rate of the long soft spring.”

Nick Holt (200 Jerred Honda) takes a steadying dab in the 1978 SSDT on ‘Garbh Bheinn’ – Photo: Alastair MacMillan Studio, Fort William.

“Let us say the soft spring was rated at 60lbs per inch, then for every inch the unit moved both springs would compress, therefore the soft spring had not moved an inch, the 60lb/inch rate is reduced. Still with me? The suspension movement was just a little over ten inches! In general, when a rider was sat/stood on the bicycle, approximately half of that was taken up, around five inches, so plenty remaining to absorb impact and the same amount to drop in a hole and still retain grip. The hubs were standard TL125 Honda but on the “works” versions the fins were turned off; rims were re- anodised gold.”

Front End:

“Back to the front forks, although standard forks were okay. We tried several options, Bultaco/Betor, Marzocchi, Honda XL, the ones with the leading axle and the XL forks ran without springs but with air. Mudguards were Bultaco/Gonelli standard on rear, but the front version turned round with the flap trimmed off, which is very popular nowadays.”

Engines:

“There were three variations. 220cc in the bored and stroked version and 175cc with just the over-size bore however that came in the Over Head Cam TL engine and also in the push-rod version based on the CG 125 motor with trials gears added. In a funny sort of way, I liked the CG based engine, it was unusual, quiet and a little lighter. Going back to the 220cc engines, there was a lot of work to produce one. A spacer was required to lift the barrel 6mm, the cam chain had to be two links longer, extra weight was added internally to the crankshaft which also needed the piston to have a little of the skirt removed for clearance.”

“The crank pin had to be moved to account for the barrel being lifted 6mm. We over-bored the flywheels, plugged the hole and bored the new position for the crank pin 6mm offset.”

“There was also additional weight added to the external ignition flywheel. To do this there was a skim taken the external diameter and a stepped sleeve pressed on. To allow for the extra width of the ignition flywheel the near side outer case was spaced out 15mm.”

Lubrication:

“As far as lubrication was concerned, Jim Kelly had a connection with ELF lubricants, hence the large sticker on the tank of his bike. All the others ran on a standard 10/40 oil. They never used a drop between oil changes.”

Carburation:

“Fuel continued to be delivered via the standard TL carburettor but attached to the cylinder head by a purposed made manifold. From memory, surprisingly little was changed in the jetting department.”

Exhaust:

“As far as the exhaust was concerned, the front pipe was retained but married to a large fabricated open chamber and one to a pipe with a quite simple muffler on the end exiting just behind the top of the offside rear unit. The exhaust was relatively quiet, and Mike Mills explained it like this. If you had a motorcycle exhaust pipe going in the front door of the Albert Hall and a pipe coming out of the rear door, there would be little sound to be heard. I know it’s more complicated, but the principle has some logic.”

“Although we made twenty-five Jerred Honda kits, records of who they were sold to are unfortunately long gone! I have two, one of which I have begun to restore, frame number 15 and I hope that perhaps Sammy Miller could find a space at Bashley Manor for it. The complete frame weights in at 14lbs (6.36 kg).”

“Nick Fossey was exceptionally good on one, Nick Holt enjoyed his time on one, Jim Kelly and Mike Butcher also had one. Finally, I think, the bicycle was ridden briefly by both a Honda and a Yamaha test rider at an SSDT and within six months, if my memory serves me correctly, they both had long travel soft suspension.”

“For the 1979 Scottish Six Days, Nick Holt’s bike had Marzocchi forks, Nick Fossey had Bultaco on his. I also used XL125 on one of them and they didn’t use springs, the fork caps were linked together with a valve on one and were pumped up from that valve. Air gives a progressive rate and it worked quite well. The issue for the rider of course is that what is going on in the head, often overrides what is going on with the bike!

M. Miyashita samples the Jerred Honda of Nick Holt at the Scottish Six Days Trial at Fort William in 1979 – Photo: Peter Jerred Archive.

“I’d like to think that in its own way the bicycle was a little special for its time which must be credited to Mike Mills who was just a talented motorcycle designer/engineer.”

Nick Fossey pilots his Jerred Honda, entered as a ‘Mills honda 200’ in the 1979 Scottish Six Days. The Bultaco front forks are clearly distinguishable in this photo – Peter Jerred Archive.

The Jerred Hondas in the SSDT:

The Jerred Honda enterprise at the 1979 Scottish Six Days. Left to right: Nick Fossey; Jim Kelly and Peter Jerred. Number 59 was Nick Holt’s machine, 95 was Nick Fossey and 90 was Jim Kelly. Not in photo is Nick Holt – Photo: Peter Jerred Archive.

History records that all three of the Jerred Honda team riders competing in the 1979 Scottish Six Days, finished the event. Nick Fossey who was entered on a ‘Mills Honda 200’ riding number 95, was 87th losing 387 marks for the week. Nick Holt (Honda 200) riding number 59 came home in 130th position losing 478 marks.

Watched by a full gallery of spectators, Jim Kelly (Honda 190) on ‘Altnafeadh’ in the 1979 Scottish Six Days – Photo: Iain Lawrie

Third man in the Jerred team was Jim Kelly (Honda 190) whose riding number was 90 and came home in 164th position on 547 marks.

SSDT 1980, Nick Holt on the Jerred Honda 200 on ‘Calliach’ the machine is sporting Marzocchi front forks – Photo: Iain Lawrie

The following year, 1980, Nick Holt was entered under number 18 and finished in 123rd position on 464 marks.

Peter Jerred still has fun with off-road motorcycles. Photo copyright: Anthony Hylton

Peter Jerred: “Mike Mills was not only my brother in law, but also a great friend and talented design engineer who is sorely missed to this day. He really was the man behind this venture and I will always be truly thankful for his help. Mike had an affinity to the sport of motorcycling which we all love.”

Peter Jerred is still involved with motorcycle sport, having become immersed in classic scrambles in recent years, campaigning specially tuned and modified CZs. He also makes gear shift kits for the Czechoslovakian machines.

Trials Guru’s John Moffat got to know Peter Jerred when he purchased a jack-up stand from him in the early 1990s.

Moffat: “I bought one of Peter’s jack-up stands that he was selling at the Scottish Six Days one year. It was a very sturdy and well built item and was finished in red powder coating with a good quality bottle jack and securing bar. The jack has been in my workshop since then and has been used countless times when working on my motorcycles. I always ask Peter when I see him at scrambles if the warranty is still in date and we have a laugh about it. Peter is a great character, very knowledgeable and an enthusiast. He is always willing to help when required.“

Colin Moyce’s privately entered Jerred Honda at the SSDT in 1979 – Photo: Peter Jerred Archive.

Following the publishing of this article, we discovered that the Jerred Honda bearing the number 137 was the machine owned by Colin Moyce from Rye, East Sussex.

Colin Moyce: “Honda number 137 was my bike, you could buy the kit from Peter and build the bike yourself. I loved that little Honda and never went back to a two-stroke trials bike after owning the Honda. The rear suspension was amazing, it found grip like no other bike at the time. This was based on the trials in South East centre, where our conditions consisted of mud, more mud and total mud. The little Honda was in a world of its own, my club mates were just in shock on how much grip it achieved. Currently I’m riding a Triumph Cub or BSA B40 in pre65 events.“

“I rode the Honda in the 1979 Scottish Six Days, I then won the Scottish raffle for a free entry the following year, Jim McColm was SSDT secretary at the time, unfortunately I did not manage to claim the free ride as I was working in the Middle East for five years. I understand the bike is in Scotland now, I’m trying to get a contact number as would love to have it back. I wonder if Brian Fowlers’ Rapid Araldite is still covering the hole in the casing after hitting a rock on the Tuesday? That Araldite rescued me from retiring.”

It all started with a Renault 4 – The story of the ‘Jerred Hondas’ article is the copyright of Trials Guru and Peter Jerred.

Tribute to Mike Mills

Words: John Dickinson

From Kendal, John Dickinson, former editor of Trials & Motocross News on his Suzuki at the 1980 Aberfeldy Two-Day Trial. Photo: Jimmy Young, Armadale.

John Dickinson remembers time spent with Mick Mills, a man so far ahead in his field, then listens to tales of old at the Crooklands Hotel.

Sad news greeted me, and many other enthusiasts when they learnt the news I imagine, the other day as I arrived at work between Christmas and the New Year when I was told of the death of Mick Mills. Now, to our younger readers, this might not mean anything at all, but whether you have heard of Mick Mills or not, if you ride a modern off-road bike you unknowingly owe a lot to the man.

Mick was a remarkable engineer, whose forte was suspension. Now I am not going to rashly claim that he actually invented’ the modern linkage type of rear suspension, or Upside Down Forks, because as we all know there is nothing new under the sun, but he most definitely led the way in their development and thus to their almost universal adaptation.

Mick was the man behind the Swindon Swing-link, which was the first linkage type rear suspension system most of us had seen or heard of. It was so far ahead of its time in the days of twin-shock and linkless single shock systems that it enjoyed a tremendous run of success in British motocross with riders Paul Hunt and Gary Dunn. T+MX ran out of headlines as the duo relentlessly clocked-up success after success on the National circuit. The major MX manufacturers then ran riot with the idea and suddenly everyone was running a single-shock link system. Kawasaki ‘Uni-Trak’, Suzuki ‘Full-Floater’, Honda ‘Pro-Link’, all different but all basically a four-bar’ system as Mick described it to me one day.

I was fortunate to be invited down to Armstrong Motorcycles, formerly CCM, in the early 1980s by Alan Clews to meet and talk to both his talented designers who just happened to be Mick Mills and Mike Eatough and who were absolutely chalk and cheese in every aspect as I quickly learnt.

I met Mills first and in his drawing office found him to be a quiet, friendly, softly-spoken man who patiently talked myself and fellow T+MX staffman at the time, Mike Sweeney, through the theory of the four-bar rear suspension system, aided by the beautiful technical drawings on his draughtsman’s board, of his latest system due to be fitted to the next generation Armstrong. All the time, Mike Eatough was standing impatiently in the doorway, waiting for Mills to finish his explanations. As we thanked Mick and made our exit, Eatough grabbed us and whisked us off to his workshop saying something along the lines of, All that theory is all very well but THIS is how you really do it, in the workshop. Mike proceeded to show us how he converted his own ideas in hard metal with saws, tools and welders. Two totally different approaches yet each worked for the individual.

Mick Mills then went on to work for Ohlins, one of the most respected of suspension companies, becoming their chief designer where he did pioneering work with USD forks, working with the factory Yamaha MotoGP team and their famous rider, Kenny Roberts.

I occasionally met Mick down the years and he was unbelievably modest regarding his life’s work but was always willing to sit and chat with an interested amateur engineer such as myself and carefully explain why he did this or why such and such works and something else doesn’t. I always enjoyed our encounters and am sure I gained far more from them than Mick did but he was always happy to talk. The USD forks idea came from us looking for the stiffest possible triple-clamp structure… he told me one day when I encountered him in a Gloucestershire pub following one of Mark Kemp’s BVM trials test days.

I even once built a trials bike that Mick had designed, the Jerred Honda. Again, this was the early 1980s and again Mick was years ahead of his time, having come up with a long-travel twin-shock chassis for the TL 125 Honda engine. Out of the blue he rang me up just a couple of years ago and joked: “If you fancy building another I’ve just found my original drawings for the Jerred so we can knock one up if you like!”

I enjoyed an afternoon over the holiday period which was basically a get-together of old gits’ from the northern centre who gathered at the Crooklands Hotel, near Kendal, for a pint of Black Sheep, a plate of chips and a listen to well-known northern character Tony Bingley. ‘Bing’, who has enjoyed an enviably varied life in motorcycle sport, kept us amused for several hours, which just flew by. It wasn’t just entertaining, I learned a few things as well and eventually came away determined as Tony urged us to attend as many similar get-togethers and reunions as possible. There are a lot of characters out there with a tale to tell, so get them to tell it and make sure you listen.

‘Tribute to Mike Mills’ is the copyright of John Dickinson, Kendal.

Acknowlegement of source:

Article first appeared in TMX January 2010, R.I.M. Publishing Ltd.

More Honda Trials articles: HERE

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.

motorcycles

The Missing Link

– Honda RTL305 Testimony

Words: Trials Guru & Mervyn Smith

Photos: Mervyn Smith; Barry Robinson (by permission of his estate); Andrew Moorhouse/Studio Six Creative; Morio, Japan; Jean Caillou; Rainer Heise; Iain Lawrie.

One of our avid Trials Guru readers is Mervyn Smith from Shropshire who has Honda connections, having worked for Honda UK. He unearthed an old photo of himself holding a very interesting and special motorcycle, here is the story of that photograph and the motorcycle.

Mervyn Smith discovered this historic Honda RTL305 resting against a wall – Photo: Mervyn Smith Archive.

Mervyn Smith: “The photo supplied is a young and serious looking me in 1984. I was working for Honda UK Motorcycles and had found this bike dumped unceremoniously against a dark wall in the soon to be closed race team workshop at Power Road, Chiswick. It was in a very sorry state. With the former Off-Road Coordinator, Trevor Kemp, having left the company, l was possibly the only person in Honda UK who actually knew what it was, being the RTL305, long stroke machine. One of the bikes that Rob Shepherd used to win the 1977 British Trials Championship and a forerunner of later models which were to give Honda their first World Trials title in 1982 under the control of Belgian, Eddy Lejeune. With regard to trials history therefore it was a very important bike, but this motorcycle, I was told, was going to be scrapped, crushed in fact, which is how many of the ex-works bikes ended up as manufacturers, like Honda, did not want any racing technology to fall into the hands of their competitors.”

Rob Shepherd on one of his many factory Hondas in the Scott Trial – Photo: Andrew Moorhouse/Studio Six Creative.

“So, explaining the significance of the machine to the then General Manager (Motorcycles) Bob McMillan, I asked if l could rescue it for restoration and he agreed. I trailered the bike up to John Taylor Motorcycles, Fenton, Stoke on Trent, where John and his brother Jim, good friends, both keen trials riders and both sadly no longer with us, did most of the restoration work. It looked superb when finished and I was going to compete on it at least once, but was advised against it as apparently the magnesium cases on the bike were not robust having become very thin.”    

Rob Shepherd when he rode for Honda Racing Corporation on the factory short-stroke RTL360 tackles a steep hill at full noise in 1978 – Photo copyright: Barry Robinson (with permission by his estate)

Smith continued: “Along with Graham Noyce’s 1979 Motocross World Championship winning CR500, the new race team manager, Neil Tuxworth, shipped the RTL305 back to Japan to be added to the Honda Collection at the Motegi museum and, over time, all knowledge of it just disappeared. Years later out of curiosity I was frustrated that my enquiries about it led to a series of dead-ends and wondered if, after all, it had been destroyed. The answer proved to be somewhat more interesting.”

Honda factory rider, Nick Jefferies on his RTL in the 1977 SSDT on Blackwater – Photo: Iain Lawrie.

“I enlisted the help of recently retired Koji Kawanami the former Honda USA boss, now residing back in Japan, who very kindly said he would make further inquiries for me. For many months I heard nothing and was resigned to the real possibility that the bike was lost. Then suddenly out of the blue a photograph was sent to me by Koji San of a trials bike which had been located in the Motegi Collection, but they, having no idea exactly what it was, had mothballed it. I recognised it immediately of course – the missing RTL305 had been found.”

Jean Caillou, Rob Shepherd, Olivier Barjon, Yrjo Vesterinen and Nick Jefferies soak up the atmosphere at the 2017 ‘Honda Edition’ of the Highland Classic Two-Day Trial in Scotland.

“It seems there had been a fire at Honda Racing Corporation (HRC) and a lot of information had been destroyed, including record of this particular bike. The staff at Motegi, although knowing it was certainly some sort of Honda works trials bike, had no idea exactly what it was or indeed who had ridden it and were therefore unable to display it.”

“With the help of my good friend Jean Caillou, who is the expert in all things regarding the history of Honda trials, we were able to inform them of the exact provenance of the machine.”

Rob Shepherd with ex-factory Hondas at the Highland Classic Two-Day Trial in 2017 – The Honda Edition – Photo: Jean Caillou

Smith: “I am so pleased I made the effort to follow this up for two reasons. Firstly, an important bit of Honda off road history has been preserved and, secondly, as it is now on display in the museum from time to time, it is a fitting tribute to a brilliant trials rider, Rob Shepherd, and to the Taylor brothers who did so much work to restore it.”  

Rob Shepherd (GB, Honda RTL300 Long-stroke) at the Belgian World Round in 1977 – Photo: Rainer Heise Archive.

“My one regret in all this? I should have taken the risk and ridden it in at least one trial before it was shipped. Such is life.”

– Mervyn Smith, Bridgnorth, Shropshire.

Mervyn Smith, former Honda UK Area Sales Manager and trials rider is a Trials Guru VIP.

‘The Missing Link – Honda RTL305 Testimony’ is copyright of Trials Guru & Mervyn Smith.

More on Honda Trials HERE

References:

Honda Collection Hall: Mobility Resort, Motegi, 120-1 Hiyama, Motegi, Haga District, Tochigi 321-3533, Japan.

Honda Collection Hall, Motegi – Photo: Morio, Japan

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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