Emma Bristow, Lincolnshire, England was presented with the 2014 FIM Womens’ World Trials Championship during the FIM Gala at Jerez, Spain. Emma is also ACU British Ladies Champion 2014. Well done Emma what a year you have had!
The fourth annual ‘Bob MacGregor Memorial Road Run‘ open for classic motorcycles (or anything special) will be taking place at Killin, Perthshire on Tuesday 28th April, 2015.
In memory of Bob MacGregor, the only Scotsman to have ever won the Scottish Six Days Trial, the event takes place two days before the preamble to the Pre’65 Scottish Trial at Kinlochleven.
MacGregor won the SSDT twice, in 1932 and again in 1935 on Rudge machines and had a greengrocers’ business in the town of Killin, the shop is still there.
Guest of Honour this year will be John Moffat, the Trials Guru, who will start the event and will travel along with local trials rider Bobby Lafferty, the event organiser. Bobby also organises the annual national trial named after MacGregor.
The route will traverse through the picturesque Glen Lyon and pass some old SSDT sections along the way.
Moffat intends bringing his 350 AJS, JSC905, which is the very bike his late Father rode in the Scottish Six Days in 1953 & 1954, the same bike that his son, David rode sixty years later, at the very wet 2013 Pre’65 Scottish Trial.
Those who want to join in the fun and nostalgia can do so by contacting event secretary, Peter Remington on 01539 560695 or click on the website: www.cumbriaclassic.co.uk
Montesa ‘Ambassador’ Rob Edwards:
To Be Continued …
Copyright:
Words: Rob Edwards/Trials Guru, John Moffat 2014.
Acknowledgement: Peter Bremner, Chairman Edinburgh & District Motor Club Ltd. For Montesa Photographs used in this article.
To read all of Rob Edward’s story of his life in trials click… here
To Be continued …
Trials Guru: The factory Cotton Minarelli that Rob Edwards rode was to become the production Cotton ‘Cavalier’ which was produced at around five machines per week. Supplied to customers in ‘kit’ form to avoid purchase tax. The 1969 Scottish – Rob Edwards came home in a creditable tenth position and another Special First Class award on 59 marks on his 170cc Cotton. The eventual winner was Yorkshireman, Bill Wilkinson who was to be the last British rider to win on a British built machine, a 250cc Greeves (WWC169F).
Rob remembers! : Isn’t it always the way? You start writing about one thing and another one pops into your head! Anyway, here is something I remembered about my Cotton days.
I traveled a lot with Brian Hutchinson. The problem was that Brian worked on the family farm. I would be at the farm at 4.30pm but it would be 6.30 pm before we started our journey.
One time in particular we set off for South Wales with light snow falling.When we reached the M1 motorway, the traffic was almost at a standstill. This didn’t bother ‘Hutch’ – he went straight across into the fast lane that nobody was using because the snow was too deep.
No problem! he had the Austin A55 pick-up to 80mph in no time and we had the fast lane to ourselves all the way to Sheffield!
Copyright:
Words: Rob Edwards/Trials Guru, John Moffat 2014.
To read all of Rob Edward’s story of his life in trials, click… here
Yorkshireman, Bill Wilkinson, the last British rider to win the Scottish Six Days Trial on a British machine, will be ‘Guest of Honour’ at next years’ Highland Classic 2 Day Trial. Organised by the Inverness & District Motor Cycle Club, this will be the ‘Tenth Edition‘ at the popular and picturesque Alvie Estate near Aviemore on Saturday 13 and Sunday 14 June 2015.
“Bill Wilk” rode his 250cc Greeves to victory in the SSDT in 1969, tipping Sammy Miller (Bultaco) into third place and Mick Andrews (Ossa) into runner up, when Wilky cleaned Pipeline on the final day of the trial. Bill lost 30 marks to Andrews 34 and Miller 35.
Entries will open on 20th February, 2015 and limited to 130 competitors.
Entry forms will be available on: http://www.idmcc.co.uk
The 1965 Scottish: A few weeks before the ’65 SSDT, I had an out-of-the-blue phone call from Hugh Viney, the competitions manager at Associated Motorcycles (AMC) who owned the AJS & Matchless brands; wanting to know if I would ride in the ‘works’ team in the forthcoming Scottish – WOULD I?
Trials Guru: 1965 was the effective beginning of the end for the ‘big bikes’ that Rob talks about. Sammy Miller had been victorious for the last time on his 500cc Ariel (GOV132) and had moved over in late 1964 to the Spanish Bultaco, the creation of Franciso Xavier Bulto.
Miller brought the 244cc Sherpa T (669NHO), home to victory in the 1965 Scottish losing 29 marks, the first win on a foreign machine in the trials’ history.
Second was Arthur J. Lampkin on his 249cc BSA (XON688) losing 33 marks and third was Mick Andrews, 250cc James (307AKV) on 37 marks.
It wasn’t all to go Miller’s way though, a year later, arch rival Alan ‘Sid’ Lampkin was to snatch victory from Miller’s grasp on his 249cc BSA (748MOE).
In the ’65 trial, Rob Edwards rode number 207 as part of the works AJS team comprising of Edwards, Gordon S. Blakeway (No. 178) and Gordon O. McLaughlan (No. 177).
Rob rode his own machine registered 970PL with many of the works style modifications.
However, history records that it was Triumph that won the 1965 Manufacturers Team Prize, the Blackford Challenge Trophy.
From the Official Results of the 1965 Scottish Six Days Trial:
Award 16 – For the best performance by a competitor on a solo motor cycle from 251-350 c.c. – R. Edwards (A.J.S.).
In the 1965 Scottish, Rob lost 63 marks and gained a Special First Class Award, just 6 marks behind his friend Alan Lampkin who went on to win the following year.
Rob on AJS:
When the SSDT started and finished in Edinburgh, on the sixth day after the lunch check at Crianlarich there were no more sections until the Royal Observatory on Blackford Hill in the city. This was purely to see if your clutch still worked. You had to stop between two yellow lines and when the official dropped his flag you could move on – simple.
When you passed a third yellow line, that was the end of the observed hill. The path was so flat, nobody actually treat it like a section. However, I did see a rider who when the flag dropped he picked up the front wheel and tried to wheelie to the ends cards unfortunately he tipped his bike over backwards and his score went up by five points.
To Be Continued …
Copyright:
Words: Rob Edwards/Trials Guru, John Moffat 2014.
Photos:
: Copyright: John Hulme/Trials Media – photograph at Scott Re-Union Dinner 2014.
: Edinburgh & District Motor Club Ltd for the use of the 1965 programme cover.
: Rob Edwards for the 1964 photo of Loch Eild Path. Brian Holder Photo.
To read all of Rob Edwards’ story of his life in trials click … here
Tommy Sandham, author of “Four-Stroke Finale, The Honda Trials Story” and “The Scottish” books, has produced a bespoke book on the Pre’65 Scottish.
Released in 2010, the photographs are all in colour, featuring the work of Colin Bullock, Donald Young and John Moffat to name but three with a full set of results, year by year included in this fine publication.
Tommy has some future work planned and needs the space, so he has reduced the price to sell the remaining stock.
Once they are gone – they are gone! He has no plans to re-print this book.
Copies are available direct from Tommy Sandham:
http://www.tommysandham.name/working-on-pre65.html
At the new low price of £5.99 per copy! Get yours ordered now to avoid disappointment.
Scott Trial Centenary Re-Union Dinner 1914-2014
– Saturday 15th November 2014 –
Many years ago, the late Tom Ellis, Ripon motorcycle dealer and BSA works trials rider was responsible for organising the Scott Trial Re-Union Dinner at the Ripon Spa Hotel.
Tom was a highly respected rider and event organiser who, after he ceased competing, put a great deal of effort back into the sport he loved. Ellis was a stalwart of the Ripon Motor Club, which was founded in 1909. Tom had contacts throughout the trials world.
The dinner wasn’t just for riders past and present it was open to anyone who had helped the event become a success over the years.
Of course funds were raised on these evenings, held five years apart. for the famous Scott Trial charities. 2014 was to be no exception.
The event organisation was taken over some years past by Alan R.C. Lampkin known of course universally as Sid Lampkin, former BSA & Bultaco factory rider who himself won the Scott in 1966 on his works BSA (748MOE).
The event returned to the ever accommodating Ripon Spa Hotel in Park Street, Ripon as the hotel was able to accommodate at least 100 guests with ease.
The guest list was a veritable ‘Who’s Who’ of motorcycle trials over the years.
Sid opened the proceedings by giving the assembled guests a run-down of the itinerary for the evening. He read out the apologies, which included past winners: Bill Wilkinson, Sammy Miller, Malcolm Rathmell, Graham Jarvis and the well-known Gordon L. Jackson who couldn’t manage along this year, but had the courtesy to write to Sid with their apologies.
To propose the “Toast to the Scott Trial” was Sid’s nephew, 12 times FIM World Trials Champion, Dougie Lampkin M.B.E. Doug is of course a multiple winner of the event.
Arthur Lampkin had a few comments to make of his own, his usual ‘dry sense of humour’ shone through, which raised a chortle from the gathering!
The “Reply” was given by the very competent and knowledgeable guest, none other than former Senior Manx GP & Formula 1 TT winner, Honda factory star, Nick Jefferies. His knowledge of the sport and the Scott is un-paralleled. He took us through a little bit of the trials’ history eluding to great names of the past, made in the old ‘formal style’ by their initials and surname as they appeared in ‘official results’ and the press reports of the day. Such notables as: B.H.M. Viney; G.S. Blakeway; S.H. Miller; J.V. Brittain to name but a few.
As far as machines were concerned, the 1912 Scott of Clerie Wood of C.H. Wood of Bradford Film-makers fame was there sporting it’s famous AK222 registration number and loaned specially by the fabulous Bradford Industrial Museum for the occasion. David Wood, Clerie’s son was also a guest and instrumental in gaining the museum’s permission to display the Scott.
The other machine to keep the Scott company, was this years’ winning bike, the factory Beta Evo 300 of James Dabill, still sporting its 200 number plate which in itself was significant for Dabill as his win being the Centenary Scott to go with his Centenary SSDT win in 2011. The machine was loaned by Beta UK boss, John Lampkin.
The guest list was extensive; here is a short summary of some of those present, firstly the ten former winners who attended: Philip Alderson; Nigel Birkett; Johnny Brittain; Rob Edwards; Arthur J. Lampkin; Alan. R. C. Lampkin; Dougie Lampkin; H. Martin Lampkin; Gerald Richardson & Jonathan Richardson.
Other notable riders were: Tony Davis (BSA); Gordon Blakeway & Gordon McLauchlan (AJS); Pat Brittain; Tony Bingley; Peter & Neil Gaunt; John Metcalfe & Mick Wilkinson (Ossa); Norman Shepherd (Comerford Bultaco); Tony Calvert (Gori & Ossa).
A fair number of the Richmond club came by Harkers Coaches as the firms’ owner is Paul Terry, an active current rider and club worker.
Many present agreed that Sid Lampkin had put together a fantastic evening with excellent speeches and memorabilia on display, provided by Chris Wallis, Trial Secretary; Eric Kitchen, the doyen of trials photographers; John Hulme of Trial Magazine & Classic Trial and Tim Britton of Morton’s Motorcycle Media. David Wood supplied a selection of Scott videos that were playing in the ante-room and enjoyed by all.
Borrowing Sid’s gavel, Hulme made special photographic presentations to Dougie Lampkin and John Lampkin accepted a photograph on behalf of James Dabill, this years’ centenary victor.
John Moffat was both surprised and delighted, to be presented with two special photographs for his assistance and promotion of the Scott Trial over the past few years. Moffat, having been the most recent auctioneer at the trial awards evening, then proceeded to auction off the special “Scott Centenary Dinner banner” donated by Mortons, duly signed by everyone who attended, for the generous sum of £350, which of course tops up the Scott Charities pot.
Trials Guru
With most websites, it is usual to have ‘forums’ and similar features for discussion. Unfortunately due to other committments, we don’t have forums on Trials Guru. Besides, we feel it distracts us from the real job of sourcing more material from the sport and the Guru’s contacts to bring you more aspects of the sport.
However, if you have enjoyed an article or a series of photos of the wonderful world of trials, feel free to leave a comment, either below the article where it says “Leave a Comment” or post one on our “About” page.
Trials Guru is always happy to hear from fellow enthusiasts of the sport of trials.
Remember, “Trials Riders Do It – Feet Up!”
Trials Guru – Dedicated to the sport of Motorcycle Trials.
Please note: All adverts are linked on Trials Guru on a ‘no charge’ basis on this website, we do not wish a subscription from you or any form of income, if you feel you want to contribute financially, please do make a donation instead to the ACU Benevolent Fund for the support of injured competitors in the UK:
Brief Description
Aid from the fund can be obtained via ACU Affiliated Clubs through the ACU Centre Benevolent Fund Officer (CBFO) and the claim for assistance will be considered by the Benevolent Fund Committee.
A claim form, seeking information on an individual’s need will be completed and all information is treated with complete confidentiality and is strictly to help the committee see how best they can help.
In very special circumstances the Committee has the power to make emergency payments pending full information.
The Committee has to exercise extreme caution when deciding what help is applied since the Fund is entirely reliant on donations from members and other fund raising sources. Some of these grants were one-off payments and others were for longer periods. You will see from that the fund needs all the support it can get from it members, after all, there may be a time when you or a member of your family may need help.
Grants are not restricted solely to the competitive members and officials, other club members may make a claim if they are in hardship.
Contact Us
The Auto-Cycle Union Benevolent Fund
ACU House
Wood Street
Rugby
Warwickshire
CV21 2YX
Phone: 01788 566400
Fax: 01788 573585
Email: dw@acu.org.uk
TRIALS GURU - DEDICATED TO TRIAL 
