Justyn Norek – Motocross and Trials – Trials Guru in collaboration with a fellow enthusiast of motorcycle sport, something a little different on Trials Guru.

In case you don’t know Justyn or his work, here is some information:

Justyn was born in Cracovia, Poland. As a teenager he followed the famous Tatra Trial based at Zakopane, an event frequented by Ted Usher, John Giles, John Brittain and many other British trials riders of note.

Justyn became friendly with Kuno Karlsson of Sweden a good rider in his day, which resulted in a visit to Sweden in 1966. Norak became friends with Ingvald Johanson of MC-Nytt the monthly motorcycle magazine.

Norek was always taking bike-sport photographs, a skill he developed to good effect and his work was now being published in the UK, Italy, Spain and the Netherlands.

He was offered the job of photographer for Team Husqvarna by their motocross manager, Bror Jauren. Husqvarna used many of Justyn’s images for their sales catalogues and were more than impressed with his work. However, Justyn was at that time at Cracow Polytechnic studying engineering and car design, so reluctantly he had to decline Husqvarna’s offer, which he deeply regretted.

In 1981, Norek moved to live in Italy, near Turin becoming design director at Idea Institute in 1992.

Norek retired in 2014 to concentrate in his painting. However, Justyn is now photographing motocross once more.

Sadly much of his early work has been lost or destroyed in Poland over the years so we are fortunate to be able to share with you on Trials Guru Justyn’s handiwork and skill in a small way, both trial and motocross photos, plus some machine testing photo-shoots with his son, Justyn Junior on Moto Guzzi and CCM 350T machines. (see separate report on Sammy Miller’s Ariel, 786GON by clicking on link below)

‘Justyn Norek – Take 2’ is HERE

Sammy Miller’s ‘Other’ Ariel – 786GON

– For more information on 786GON see this short article about Sammy Miller’s ‘other’ Ariel

⇓ Scroll right down for more trials photos, articles from Justyn Norek ⇓

Concept Cheney Racing:

Prototype Carrera goggles from 1973:

Russian rider Viktor Kavinov – KTM – Photo: Justyn Norek

More Trials photos and tests from Justyn Norek⇓

Cheney OSSA Mar 250:

Moto Guzzi ‘Trial Stornello’ tested in the Italian Alps – Words and photos by Justyn Norek Snr.

Test Rider: Justyn Norek Jnr.

Giuseppe “Pippo” Bartorilla was one of the best Italian trials riders in the 1970’s.
As with all trials riders he started to ride early and quickly fell in love with trials sport that remain his passion up to today !
His first competition was in 1970 on Bultaco Matador Mk II when he was 23 years old.

He started to compete in trials seriously in 1971 on Bultaco Sherpa T.
Always among the leaders, he finished his Regional Championship in second position, just one mark behind winner.
Next year, he had to do military service and sold his bike, but he is back in competition in 1973 with his new OSSA MAR, the bike most popular of that year.
Ignacio Bulto who was travelling in Italy on promotional tour has noticed his talent and offered him works Bultaco, thus 1974 he was riding again on Bultaco and competing in Italian Trials Championships, he wins his first event in the Italian Trials Championship. That was 1975.
In 1976 he got an interesting offer from new Italian Montesa importer ESSEVI, so he accepted it, being attracted by possibility to ride and develop new COTA 348 and rode 348 also next year, on which he took part in 1977 Scottish Six Days Trial winning first class award.
At the end of season he met old friend Carlo Colombari, ex- motocross racer and later ex-mechanic of Moto Guzzi and together they started thinking to build special motorcycle for trial competition with 4 stroke engine! They wanted to test and get an experience of that kind of bike with an engine offering lot of traction and capability of slow motion power due to characteristics of four stroke engine. For this reason their choice of an engine is Moto Guzzi ‘Stornello’.
Still trial is not acrobatic and extreme as it happened later on.
To these two joins also Gigi Pegorari, also good trials rider who owns Montesa Cota and always train with Pippo.
Bartorilla had already was thinking about four-stroke trials machines being impressed with British trials bikes, but he knew to compete with Bultaco, it needed to be compact and light.

Only Moto Guzzi could offer similar engine with potential for development and as Colombari was Guzzi’s expert, choice was Guzzi Stornelo with heavy modification: Rear part of frame completely new and engine with new cylinder increased capacity to 220 cc from Stornello’s modest 175 cc.

Lot of weight was shaved down to 84 kgs thanks to frame very compact with modified steering angle, as well as lot of work has been done on suspension, with Marzocchi ultra light magnesium front forks and ‘Bitubo’ experimental aluminium rear shocks, light fiber-glass tank combined with seat base, Spanish made wheels and all bolts and nuts in titanium done by Poggipolini.

These red painted Moto Guzzi created a lot of sensation in trials, especially after win in its debut. Pippo finished the season in 10 place.
In 1979 Pippo decided not to participate in Italian Championship and takes part only in selected events on Bultaco Sherpa offered him by Italian Bultaco imported Leopoldo Tartarini and that decide to take part in SSDT on his beloved Moto Guzzi.
So at the start of SSDT there appears two identical Moto Guzzi trials, creating quite a sensation and rumours that famous Italian bike company is interested in Trials!
With this bike Pippo Bartorilla rode the Scottish Six Days Trial in 1979 creating quite a sensation with his modern 4-stroke trials bike, bearing glorious name, going pretty well until last day when his Guzzi stopped due to petrol leaking into oil tank, thus thinning oil and finally causing engine seizing.
On the second Guzzi, Gigo finishes in first class awards.
It was a great result considering it was not factory but private effort, with very limited resources.

Interesting story is about fuel tank shape and color. Pippo has created it himself in foam and than fibre-glass, being inspired by the Montesa Cota 348 he wanted the tank and seat base integrated. Of course having high four stroke engine shape became very distinct and particular thanks to Pippo’ s sculptural skills.
He wanted a deep green colour, thinking about minimum ecological impact with nature, having low emission 4-stroke engine, not very noisy and the green colour of bike camouflaging it with green landscape, what a vision.
Only 12 bikes were built, other bikes having red fuel tanks.
Colombari has built those bikes for himself, for his two riders and his three brothers as well as one sidecar used by Pippo Bartorilla in selected events.

Today all those bikes are owned by collectors as Carlo Ramella and Pippo himself, but many other similar replicas were built recently by different riders
That’s because none of the twelve are for sale!

Moto Guzzi never had any interest to enter into trials bikes market, so it was exclusively Colombari-Bartorilla-Pegoraro effort.
What a pity Moto Guzzi had no intention to enter the trials market and develop bike properly.

In 1980 Pippo received offer to become Manager of Italian National Trials Team, so he accepted this offer and had not time to compete himself.
Today he still rides for pleasure and has modern Cota as well as some vintage trials bikes like for example the rare ELLIOT HONDA and CCM 350T.

Bianchi Trials (Italy):

Parilla Trials (Italy):

Moto Morini (Italy):

 

Bultaco Slimline Special:

 

Trans-AMA ‘Maltry’ 350:

Honda Elliot Trials Special:

We have no details of this machine at the moment, but will have more shortly. It appears to have been constructed in the UK and the frame shows influence from Bultaco and SWM.

CCM 350T (England)

CCM trials riding impressions – by Justyn Norek Jnr:

The CCM 350 trials machine is very compact. So the motor gives the illusion to be rather large.

This machine has changed owner recently. Last year it was in the stable of Carlo Ramella whose Ariel we also tested for you above.

Bur recently it was acquired by Pippo Bartorilla who is great four-stroke fan and builder of Moto Guzzi “Bartorilla” special, also tested before for you.

As Bartorilla is a perfectionist in everything, I expected the bike will start with first prod and indeed it did. Few minutes to warm it up and Pippo did some rounds with his jewel than giving the handlebars to me.

I did carefully several rounds too learning feeling of the machine as it was fairly different to what I’m riding normally a Montesa 4RT.

The bike was very different if compared with the Ariel, due to short wheelbase

It was very maneuverable and I could do tight corners and feel good balance. But it was on easy terrain so let’s go now into rocky riverbed.

I made carefully descent and put the bike through stoney stream.

Despite the fact that I know the place, it has changed after recent rain so soon I found difficulty with some big stones, and when the bike stops lot of trouble is to start it again ad definitely its heavy and tall by today standards I am used to, but slowly I get used to machine working more with the throttle than clutch as I am used to.

Engine is very soft and taking you off the trouble with its lower revs torque. So after initial trouble I started to enjoy riding it aver various obstacles.

Anyway, I put my feet to the ground more often than expected, it’s not an easy bike to ride over the rocks due to its weight.

That we changed location having rides uphill and downhill and with engines torque long wheelies are sheer pleasure.

I turned to village quite exhausted and hungry so I enjoyed some nice barbequed meat prepared by Carlo.

Maybe I understand now why Carlo has sold it, he has plans to get another works bike, I hope he will let me ride it too.

It was very enjoyable Sunday as always on motorcycles in the wood, and I have learned something new about vintage trials bikes.

However, it was hard work, much harder than other test of the Bartorilla Moto Guzzi 250 above, which I still prefer. – Justyn Norek Jnr.

 

Original sales information from CCM, Jubille Works, Vale Street, Bolton, England:

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CCM Article on Trials Guru: CCM – Built in Britain

 

 

More photos to follow shortly …

© – All text copyright: Trials Guru / Moffat Racing, John Moffat – 2016

© – Images: World-wide Copyright Justyn Norek, Turin, Italy (All Rights Reserved) – 2016.

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