Words: Trials Guru & Gordon Farley.
Photos: Bob Hosie; Peter Bremner; Mike Rapley; Bob May; Barry Robinson Estate; Eric Kitchen; Kenny McNamee; Montesa Motorcycles (Permanyer SA); Jeff Koskie; Len Weed/Dirt Bike USA; David Wood/C.H. Wood Bradford Archive; Ben Chaplin Collection; Ian Robertson; Ken Haydon Collection on Trials Guru.
If you search the internet for information about Gordon Farley, you could be forgiven for thinking that there is surprisingly little to be found. This is unfortunate, for here is a man whose contribution to the world of motorcycle trials deserves to be recorded and remembered. It is therefore our intention to put that right with this article.
To describe G. J. Farley simply as a two-time British Trials Champion would not do justice to his achievements. Farley is perhaps best remembered for bringing S. H. Miller’s seemingly unstoppable run of British Trials Championship victories to an end in 1970. Miller had dominated the championship for years, securing eleven consecutive titles between 1959 and 1969, initially on Ariel machinery before switching to Bultaco in 1965. But there is much more to G. J. Farley than that alone!
Gordon Farley’s name regularly featured in the reports published week after week in both The Motor Cycle and Motor Cycle News, following his successes at national trials more than fifty years ago, long before the advent of the internet. Gordon remains very much ‘old school’ in that respect, preferring to do without e-mails and mobile phones. He also had a distinctive trademark in the form of his black-and-white chequered hat – but more about that later!
Gordon Joseph Farley was born in June 1945, towards the end of the Second World War, in Pembury, a large village in Kent, just to the north-east of Tunbridge Wells. His father, Joseph, owned a motorcycle, although he did not compete in the sport himself. Gordon’s older brother Roger also had a brief spell riding trials.
Young Gordon, however, was captivated by road racing. When the time came to consider competing, the costs involved proved prohibitive, so he turned his attention to the more affordable sport of trials riding. It was a decision that would shape his future in motorcycling.
A visit to the well-known motorcycle emporium, Comerford’s of Thames Ditton, in 1959, when Gordon was just 14 years of age, resulted in the purchase of a 197cc Francis-Barnett. Two years later, he made his competitive debut in a local Sunbeam MCC Novice Trial, finishing a very creditable runner-up.
The famous hat:
At this time, safety helmets were very much an option, but very few trials riders normally wore them, preferring the less cumbersome and far lighter peaked cloth cap, which could be reversed when on the road to prevent the headwear blowing off.
Farley fancied something a little different, a chequered peak cap to emulate the chequered flag, a friend had one but search as he may, none could be sourced. Eventually his mother, Elizabeth decided to end the search by knitting him what is best described as a ‘pom-pom’ or ‘bobble’ hat which was black and white squares and looked very much like a chequered flag. It certainly made Gordon stand out in photographs of the period as no one else ever wore one like it!
Gordon Farley: “My chequered hat certainly made it easy for the press lads to make comment as it was instantly identifiable in photographs, it made their life easier for sure.“
With the implementation of the UK-wide helmet law on 1st June 1973, the chequered hat was reluctantly retired from service, the design of which later became the basis for the logo of Gordon’s motorcycle business. In fact the pom-pom hat still exists and is displayed in the shop in Guildford, Surrey.
Gordon was to excel, firstly on a 199cc Triumph Cub, before moving on to ride for Greeves, then Montesa and finally Suzuki as a development rider.
Pinhard Prize-winner:
At twenty years of age in 1966, Gordon Farley was the seventeenth recipient of the famous ‘Pinhard Prize’ awarded annually by the Sunbeam Motor Cycle Club of which he was a member. The Pinhard Prize is awarded to the best under-21 sporting motorcyclist or administrator competing under ACU or SACU jurisdiction who has made the most meritorious achievement or contribution in motorcycle sport. Previous recipients included Mike Hailwood, Jeff Smith and John Surtees, so Gordon was in esteemed company.
Scottish Six Days:
Gordon Farley like most trials rider of the era was keen to compete in the Scottish Six Days Trial. His first attempt would be in 1962, supported by J.A. Hitchcock on a 199cc Triumph Cub. Jock Hitchcock ran a motorcycle business in Folkestone in Kent and were Triumph main dealers and was Gordon’s first sponsors. He finished in 89th position on 174 marks and gained a first class award.
Gordon became friendly with Murray Brush, a rider well known throughout the south-east, and the two regularly travelled to trials together. It was through Murray that Gordon was introduced to John Hitchcock, who would become his benefactor for a number of years. This early sponsorship proved invaluable, enabling Gordon to compete in the Scottish Six Days Trial and make appearances at several events on the Continent.
The following year, 1963, Gordon entered the SSDT with his JAH Cub sleeved down to a 150cc in an attempt to win the 150cc cup, but this was achieved by local man, Allie ‘Beag’ Cameron on a factory-supported 150cc Greeves.
A few years later, Allie was employed at Greeves as a race mechanic when Gordon was signed by the Thundersley manufacturer. In 1964, Gordon finished in 67th place overall and another first-class award, again losing 174 marks.
In 1965, Gordon returned, entered by the Triumph factory on a 200cc Triumph and was better placed, with a Special First Class and 30th position on 107 marks.
More success was to follow in 1966, riding number 3 on his special 150cc Triumph Cub, he took the 150cc cup, plus a Special First award and finished in 11th place overall, losing 69 marks for the week.
The following year was to be Gordon’s final ride on a Triumph in the 1967 SSDT on an over-bored Tiger Cub, being a 225cc, when he came home in 5th position, a Special First class and dropping 42 marks. His best performance to date – but there was much more to come.
In 1968, now mounted on a factory-supported 250cc Greeves, Gordon finished runner-up to Sammy Miller, who was riding a 252cc Bultaco. Gordon lost 37 marks to Miller’s 17, a sterling achievement when one considers that Miller was at the peak of his powers at the time. The same year, Gordon was the fastest man, setting standard time at the 1968 Scott Trial on his factory Greeves.
With the switch to the Spanish Montesa in 1969, Gordon slipped back down to 6th position on 46 marks. This was the year that his former team-mate, Bill Wilkinson won on the Greeves, the last time a British rider on a British-built machine would win the Scottish.
The 1970 Scottish Six Days Trial saw Mick Andrews take his first victory on the prototype Ossa, with Gordon’s Montesa team-mate, Rob Edwards, finishing as runner-up. Gordon finished in eighth position and was also a member of the victorious Sunbeam MCC club team, while Montesa secured the prestigious Manufacturers’ Team Award, represented by Gordon, Rob Edwards and Lawrence Telling.
The 1971 SSDT was so close but yet so far away, with Gordon posting yet another runner-up spot, eleven marks adrift of Ossa mounted Mick Andrews, who won the highland classic for the second year in succession. Montesa would once again take Manufacturer’s honours with the Blackford Challenge Trophy. For Gordon, not a bad result, but not the one he wanted, which made two podium finishes in four attempts.
Something fishy?
Gordon also had a new sponsor for 1971, Macrae Kippers! This was provided by a firm, D.A. Macrae and Sons who had depots in Hull and Fraserburgh, Scotland.
Macrae Kippers were de-boned, smoked herring fillets prepared as a classic British breakfast or supper dish, the approach was made to Gordon Farley by their representative, trials riding Bill Emmison.
Farley: “I had two sponsors in 1971, Macrae Kippers and I secured sponsorship for that year’s Scottish from Hugh McDonald, who owned a gentlemen’s outfitters on Fort William’s High Street.“
This was the very same Hugh McDonald who lived at ‘Failte’, Achintore Road, who had supported Don Smith and his special Montesa powered ‘STAG’ machine in the 1970 event. Both Macrae Kippers and Hugh McDonald’s businesses were proudly represented on Gordon Farley’s riding suit that year.
Later, Emmison started a company importing accessories from the USA called BERM Specialities and was instrumental in bringing American, Debbie Evans across to ride the 1978 Scottish Six Days. It was Gordon Farley who supplied Evans with a brand new TY175 Yamaha directly from his shop in Ash specifically to enable Debbie to compete and fulfil her dream to ride the Scottish Six Days.
Debbie Evans-Leavitt: “Gordon supplied me with a new Yamaha TY175 for the Six Days, I am forever grateful, and thankful for his help and generosity.”
In 1972, Gordon slipped back to seventh place in the Scottish Six Days Trial, riding the Montesa Cota 247, but once again earned a Special First-Class Award. By this time, he had left Comerfords to establish his own motorcycle business, Gordon Farley Motorcycles, in Ash Street, Ash, near Guildford.
Most of the leading riders were still campaigning 250cc machines, but the following season would see a significant change, as the Spanish Bultaco team riders began using 325cc prototype machines.
Gordon returned to the SSDT in 1973 on the Montesa, finishing seventh on 86 marks, just three ahead of his team-mate, Rob Edwards. He did not enter the event in 1974, being occupied with the development of the Suzuki trials machine. His next appearance came in 1978, now 32 years of age, when he rode a 325cc Bultaco to finish in a respectable 45th place. This was to be Gordon’s final appearance in the Scottish Six Days Trial.
The ACU British Trials Championship:
1970 was to be the year of change, as Gordon Farley finally toppled Sammy Miller from his perch at the top of the British Trials Championship. The title was decided at the final round, the Knut Trophy Trial, held in December. Although Gordon finished seventh on the day, with Miller taking victory, Farley had accumulated 105 championship points to Miller’s 101. It may not have been a fairytale victory in terms of the final event result, but the points told the story. G. J. Farley was crowned ACU British Trials Champion for the first time. As the season drew to a close, Sammy Miller decided to retire from top-flight competition, looking towards team management going forward.
Farley had secured Montesa their first British Trials Championship title. Considering that England was home to the world’s leading trials riders at the time, this was a considerable achievement and a real feather in the cap of the Barcelona-based manufacturer.
As the 1971 season got underway, Gordon Farley was determined to retain his British Trials Championship title. The series comprised ten rounds held throughout the British Isles, with both the Scottish Six Days Trial and the famous Scott Trial forming part of the championship calendar at that time.
Although the British Experts was not a counting round in the national championship, it remained one of the most coveted prizes in the sport. In 1971, the event was won by Gordon’s Montesa team-mate, Rob Edwards, with Gordon himself finishing in twelfth place. The result served as a reminder of just how difficult it was to win a major national trial, let alone a championship, given the exceptional depth of talent among British riders at that time.
Regardless of the strength of the opposition, Gordon successfully defended his British Trials Championship title in 1971, once again securing the crown for Montesa. He finished the season on 97 points, ten clear of his nearest rival, Malcolm Rathmell (Bultaco), who amassed 87. Farley’s successful title defence was aided considerably by a runner-up finish in the Scottish Six Days Trial and third place in the Scott Trial, two of the most prestigious and demanding events on the British trials calendar. Victories in the Dulais Valley Trial at Neath, in south-west Wales, and the Red Rose Trial further strengthened his championship challenge and ultimately clinched the title. In effect, the championship was Gordon’s once his third place in the Scott Trial had been confirmed, relieving the pressure ahead of the final round, the Hoad Trophies Trial. This was in contrast to the previous season, when the title race had gone right down to the wire.
Trials Riding:
Max King, the author of the trials rider’s bible, ‘Motor Cycle Trials Riding‘ had the fourth edition published on 26th October 1972. Max chose Gordon to write the foreword, being the previous two years reigning British Trials Champion.
Gordon Farley wrote: “I knew, at first hand, how indispensable Max’s book had been because the first edition came out when I was a boy at school. Even then, I was keen on motor-bikes and interested in trials. But it was Max King’s enthusiasm – which his book reflected so clearly – that made me determined to have a go myself as soon as I was old enough and could get a bike. A thing that had always impressed me was that although Trials Riding was written, primarily, with the novice in mind, I knew for a fact that most of the top men in the trials world had read, enjoyed and benefited from Max King’s book.” [1]
European Trials:
The FIM World Trials Championship was inaugurated in 1975, and Gordon Farley had already been competing at the highest international level in its predecessor, the European Trials Championship, which evolved from the Henri Groutards Challenge. British riders featured prominently in the series, with both Don Smith and Sammy Miller among its winners.
Gordon first contested the European series in 1967, finishing eighth on the factory T20 Cub, the year Don Smith took the honours on a Greeves. In 1968, the competition became known as the European Trials Championship, with Gordon improving to fourth place on the 246cc Greeves, behind overall winner Sammy Miller.
Having switched to Montesa for 1969, Gordon finished ninth, while his team-mate Don Smith claimed the title. In 1970, Farley went one better, finishing runner-up to Miller. The following season, Mick Andrews secured the championship for Ossa, with Gordon taking third place on his Montesa Cota 247. Andrews repeated his success in 1972, when Gordon finished fourth, once again riding the Montesa.
By 1973, Martin Lampkin had emerged as the man to beat, taking the European title, while Gordon slipped to tenth overall on the Montesa Cota Mk III. This proved to be his final season in the series, as he turned his attention to the development of the Suzuki trials machine.
ISDT:
Gordon competed in the Isle of Man at the 40th International Six Days Trial in 1965, and was one of only around thirty finishers due to the inclement weather experienced that year, in fact it was a bit of a wash-out! Riding as a private entrant on a machine supplied from Triumph through his sponsor, Jock Hitchcock in the 175cc class on his Triumph (DAC603C) under number 115, he finished with a bronze medal. Gordon formed part of the Sunbeam MCC club team with Bill Faulkner (343 BSA) and Monty Banks (246 Greeves). The following year, Gordon had been picked for the ISDT this time at Karlskoga in Sweden for 1966, riding a 500cc Triumph twin in the GB Vase A team along with Alan Lampkin (502cc TriBSA), Jim Sandiford (246 Greeves) and John Lewis (500 AJS), the team finished in fifth position and Gordon won an FIM gold medal.
The following year, 1967 Gordon was back at the ISDT, this time at Zakopane in southern Poland this time 350cc Triumph mounted in the GB Trophy team winning another gold medal, the team comprising, Gordon, Ken Heanes (Triumph), Roy Peplow (Triumph), John Giles (Triumph), John Lewis (AJS) and Jim Sandiford (Greeves).
His 1969 ISDT entry at Garmisch-Partenkirchen, Bavaria was on a factory-supplied 250cc Montesa King Scorpion, by that time he was riding trials for the Espluges manufacturer and he gained the first gold medal won by a Montesa rider. His sponsor, Duckhams Oils even made a feature of it in their trade magazine ‘Quest’.
Comerfords:
Gordon Farley took up employment with Comerford’s at Thames Ditton as their Competitions Manager, living in the downstairs room of a company flat with upstairs neighbour, motocross rider Vic Allan who had moved south from Aberdeenshire to work at Comerford’s and race for Greeves. Both Allan and Farley paid the company £3 per week rent at that time.
Gordon got to know all the main characters including directors Bert Thorne, Don Howlett and Jock Wilson. Not forgetting the firm’s spanner man, Reg May who ran the ‘comp shop’ in Portsmouth Road.
Gordon struck up a very good relationship with Reg May to the point that when he needed his Montesa carburation set up for the SSDT, both he and Reg met outside Fort William with Reg armed with a fistful of AMAL jets to sort out the Montesa.
Gordon recalls: “We had to make sure no-one saw us up in the hills above Fort William because Comerford’s were heavily involved with Bultaco and Reg was their ace spannerman, and I rode for their sworn rivals in trials, Montesa. I never talked about it at the time, but it’s history now, and no harm can be done.”
Comerford Cub:
It was when he worked at Comerfords that Gordon developed the ‘Comerford Cub’ based on the Meridan, Coventry produced ‘Mountain Cub’ T20M, a model that was destined for export to the North American market. The Comerford Cub was in essence a replica of the factory mounts campaigned by Gordon Farley and Roy Peplow. Triumphs sold a batch of T20Ms directly to Comerfords.
These machines were modified at Thames Ditton by Colin Morgan, the work being supervised by Gordon. This included a 21 inch front wheel, with an alloy oil tank and conical silencer, fabricated by Mick Bridger of Tunbridge Wells and a BSA Victor alloy fuel tank topped off the machine which retailed at £225. Comerfords’ stores also retailed the alloy components, which included the conical alloy silencers and brake plates, thus enabling existing Triumph Cub owners to upgrade their own machines. This all happened in 1967.
Production spilled over into the following year with fifty-eight Comerford Cub machines built in total, these were pre-registered locally by the company for customers, some have survived to this day, being a sought-after machine, which now commands high prices in original condition and specification.
A changing world – time for change:
Gordon Farley was fortunate to have the support of J.A. Hitchcock and Son in the early stages of his trials career, an association that undoubtedly helped him establish his name in the sport. This early sponsorship proved to be an important stepping stone, eventually opening the door to factory support from Triumph Motorcycles. It was largely through Jock Hitchcock’s influence that Gordon received an offer of a factory contract from Triumph’s Competition Manager, Henry Vale on Christmas Eve in 1965, for the following season. He signed to ride Triumph in January 1966.
Triumph withdrew from trials at the end of the 1967 season, prompting Gordon to sign for the Essex-based Greeves concern. He remained with Greeves until he was approached by John Brise of Montala Motors, the Montesa importer based in Dartford, Kent. There was, however, one complication: Gordon had already signed a further contract with Greeves, which effectively tied his hands. Nevertheless, he eventually took up an 18-month contract to ride the Montesa Cota, joining Don Smith, who had parted company with Greeves, and Wiltshire’s Lawrence Telling, another former Greeves rider.
Further support came from French petroleum giant Fina. Gordon’s performances in French trials events had not gone unnoticed, and this led to a sponsorship deal being arranged through PetroFina’s UK importer.
With Sammy Miller still the dominant force on the British trials scene, Bultaco held the trump card in the manufacturers’ battle. Montesa were determined to change that, and assembled their three-man ‘dream team’ with precisely that objective in mind. History shows that their strategy paid off, with Gordon Farley taking over from Miller as British Trials Champion in 1970, bringing Bultaco’s run of championship success to an end.
Although loyal to Montesa from 1969 through to 1971, discussions with Suzuki began. The Japanese giant was looking to establish a foothold in trials, recognising it as an emerging market for motorcycle sport. Suzuki was already making its presence felt in both racing and motocross, having signed Olle Pettersson in 1968, followed by Joel Robert in 1970, and had just secured the services of Roger De Coster. Both Robert and De Coster had previously ridden for Suzuki’s Czechoslovakian rivals, ČZ, demonstrating the Japanese manufacturer’s growing ambition to challenge the established European marques.
Gordon Farley was clearly seen as the man to have on board. He had demonstrated his ability to develop machinery, having worked on the Triumph Cub and made his own modifications to the Montesa Cota. Greeves, however, was very much under the influence of its founder, Bert Greeves, who remained firmly committed to the marque’s distinctive cast-aluminium front frame design. Consequently, modifications and departures from established thinking were not always welcomed. This conservative approach was one of the factors behind Don Smith’s decision to break away from Greeves and move to Montesa.
Gordon had already established his own retail business in 1971, anticipating the day when he would step away from top-flight competition. The opportunity to take on a development rider role therefore held considerable appeal, allowing him to draw on his considerable experience while balancing his business commitments. In 1972, he duly signed for Suzuki.
The original model, called the RL250 Exacta in the USA, launched in 1974, but failed to make a significant impact in the marketplace, with riders considering the chassis too long and the centre of gravity too high.
Suzuki shipped over a prototype for Gordon to ride, evaluate and develop.
Gordon: “The problem with the first Suzuki prototype was that they would only modify their TS250 trail bike, even although I had sent over established Spanish mounts for them to look at and copy some of the better ideas. The first event I rode was a local trial in Hampshire. The Suzuki was good for local events and I won a few on it, but it simply wasn’t good enough for nationals.”
Suzuki eventually resorted to market dumping the RL250 to clear its remaining warehouse stock. However, the RL250’s engine being based on the TS250 trail model, which had established a reputation for being a strong and reliable unit. Recognising its potential, Graham Beamish of Beamish Motors at Portslade, Brighton who were handling motocross sales for Suzuki in the UK, decided to combine the Suzuki engine with a British-built chassis manufactured by Mick Whitlock at Hambledon, near Portsmouth. The result was the Beamish Suzuki.
Retail:
Gordon Farley certainly didn’t turn his back on the sport; far from it. Although he had stepped away from riding at the highest level, he channelled his energies into developing his own retail business. In fact, by 1976, he was operating two shops: one in Milford in Surrey and the other in Ash, near Aldershot in Hampshire. The Milford outlet was managed by Colin Morgan, who had been involved in the Comerford Cub project, while Tim Bateup took charge of the Ash premises. Gordon’s involvement in the sport was far from over; his focus had simply shifted from competition to the commercial side of motorcycling.
Gordon Farley today:
Gordon is now officially a retired gentleman – although perhaps not quite! He still works five days a week, or is it six? – at the shop bearing his name in Guildford, which is now run by his son, Scott. The business continues to specialise in trials and enduro motorcycles and spares. When someone like Gordon has spent a lifetime immersed in a sport that has also become his livelihood, it is hardly surprising that retirement remains something of a relative term. After all, motorcycling is very much in his blood, and it is difficult to walk away from something that has been such a major part of his life.
Gordon Farley was twice British Trials Champion, an achievement in itself, but there is so much more to his story than championship titles alone. His contribution to the sport extends well beyond his riding career, making him a significant figure in the history of British trials.
Bibliography:
Information on International Six Days Trial: Speedtracktales website
[1] Pelham Books – Motor Cycle Trials Riding (Fourth Edition), Max King – ISBN-10 : 0720706009 ISBN-13 : 978-0720706000
Dirt Bike magazine, USA, August 1978, P.31 – Hi-Torque Publications, Inc. (Len Weed photo of Debbie Evans and Bill Emmison)
Milestones of G.J. Farley:
Scottish Six Days Trial: – Second Place in 1968 and 1971
Scott Trial: Third Place overall, 1971; Rider setting standard time, 1968.
ACU British Trials Championship: Winner 1970; Winner 1971
Gordon Farley – Not Just a British Champion’ – article is the copyright of Trials Guru
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