Something different for Trials Guru readers. We occasionally collaborate with other trials enthusiasts and here is something special for you.
Ulf Karlson on ‘Pipeline’ in the 1975 Scottish Six Days Trial – Photo copyright: Rainer Heise/TRIALSPORT
Not a lot has been written about the 1980 FIM World Trials Champion, Swede, Ulf Karlson. However that has changed recently when James Brown of the ‘retrotrials.com’ website went across the sea to Sweden to interview Ulf at his home.
Read about the quiet man of trials who let his results do the talking for him.
Ulf Karlson captured by Rainer Heise/TRIALSPORT in 1975 at the SSDT
Karlson was faithful to the Montesa brand throughout his career.
Read about his achievements and what happened to him when he disappeared from the trials scene.
World Championship action in 1976 at Gefrees, Germany – Photo copyright: Rainer Heise/TRIALSPORT
Ulf Karlson’s story is exclusive to retrotrials.com, read the Ulf Karlson interview:HERE
Alan Lampkin aboard his historic factory BSA C15, on which he won the 1966 SSDT and Scott Trials – Photo: Fiona Watson
If you haven’t had a look at our special ‘ section’ on the Lampkins, have a look!
Recently updated, there is an article on Alan ‘Sid’ Lampkin and some information provided by one of the Lampkin sisters.
Motorcycles were always a part of Lampkin family life. This is Arthur Lampkin’s factory trials BSA Gold Star, but who are the three riders? See Lampkin of Silsden for the answer! – Photo courtesy and copyright – Janet Pawson
Of course we are not finished yet, there is still more to come.
Coming soon only on Trials Guru, the story of the most successful Scottish Trials rider of all time, Gary Macdonald.
Read about the Kinlochleven lad who practiced hard and took on the best rider’s in Britain and the world – only on Trials Guru.
Gary Macdonald from Kinlochleven is without question, the most successful Scottish trials rider of all time, having won more Scottish trials championships than everyone else and a British title!
The name ‘Lampkin’ is synonymous with off-road motorcycle sport. It has to be the most famous of all families associated with motorcycling in the world.
Trials Guru are proud to release a feature page dedicated to the Lampkin family, with informative articles and photos from our regular contributors. We start with Alan R.C. Lampkin’s story of a life in motorcycle sport.
Scott Trial Re-Union supremo, Alan R.C. ‘Sid’ Lampkin seen here with Trials Guru’s John Moffat in November 2014 – Photo: John Hulme/Trials MediaMartin Lampkin (Bultaco) Photo: Mike Rapley
As close family friend and former trials competitor, Blackie Holden said: “The Lampkin family can be summed up in one word – winners. There is something very special about them, from a very early age I remember their tremendous ‘will to win’ it is immense. Whether it be a game of noughts and crosses or a 500 GP, the competitive element with them is incredible. It’s not in a nasty way, they just have to win”.
Read all about ‘Lampkin of Silsden’ on Trials Guru
Guy Martin, star of the film ‘TT3D – Closer To The Edge’ and various television series is to ride a 350cc Ariel in the 2016 Pre’65 Scottish Trial on Friday 29th and Saturday, 30th April, 2016. He will also undertake duties as the official guest of honour for the event which takes place around the village and hillsides of Kinlochleven, Argyll.
Trials Guru’s John Moffat (left) with Guy Martin (centre) and George McCann at the Bon Accord Grampian Motorcycle Convention at Alford in 2011 where he was guest of honour – Photo copyright: Jean Moffat/Moffat Racing
The Pre’65 trial secretary, Anne Gordon added: ‘We are delighted to announce that Guy Martin, Motorcycle Racer and TV star has agreed to be Guest of Honour for the 2016 event and has also entered the trial to try his hand at Pre’65 trials riding. It is a great honour for us to have him at the trial and we would like to thank Simon Sharp and Owen Hardisty at Hope Technology (our Saturday Day Sponsors) for helping us to get Guy to the event after we approached them at last year’s SSDT. We are really excited to have such a celebrity at our event and hope he enjoys taking part. I don’t think there will be many people who have not heard of Guy, as he is well-known through his very illustrious motorcycle racing career as well as his many film and television shows that have us all enthralled with his very hands on and down to earth approach’.
The Pre’65 Scottish is always massively oversubscribed with over 150 potential entrants disappointed at not getting through the inevitable ballot of competitors. However it should be clarified that Hope Technology are the event sponsors and as such, are entitled to what is effectively a ‘wild-card’ reserved entry as part of their sponsorship deal, which in this case has been granted to Guy Martin for 2016. The appearance of Guy Martin at this event, both as a rider and guest of honour can only be good for the sport of trials and the ever supportive inhabitants of the town of Kinlochleven.
Guy Martin picks up his 350 Ariel that he will use in the 2016 Pre’65 Scottish Two-Day Trial on 29/30 April from Hope Technology’s designer Owen Hardisty – Photo courtesy of Hope Technology.
Who is Guy Martin?
Born in Grimsby, Lincolnshire, England in November 1981, Guy was the central racing character when supported by the Irish-based Wilson Craig Honda team in the docu-movie, ‘TT3D – Closer to the Edge’ which was filmed during the 2010 TT races and screened in 2011. This set Martin on the road to a lucrative television career having competed for many years at the Isle of Man TT with success, but so far no outright TT win to his credit. He has ridden for AIM Yamaha, Relentless/Tyco Suzuki and Hydrex Honda teams in the past.
Martin is interested in all things mechanical, his main occupation is an HGV mechanic with an independent truck company in Grimsby Lincolnshire, which specialises in the maintenance of Scania trucks. His father Ian who also ran a similar business is also a former motorcycle road racer who retired from racing in 1988 after an accident at Scarborough’s Oliver’s Mount.
Martin has been the central character in several television documentaries which has taken him half way around the globe to India and most recently to Latvia in a Chanel Four production in which he retraced the life of his late maternal grandfather, Zanus ‘Walter’ Kidals in the war-torn Baltic state of Latvia which saw occupation by both German and Russian troops in the second world conflict. His grandfather was a displaced person known as ‘DP’ arriving via Hull where he met an English girl, married, settled and worked in Britain.
By coincidence, the town of Kinlochleven saw many DPs, like Martin’s grandfather; arrive from war-torn Europe and the Balcan states of Poland, Latvia and Lithuania as there was work available at the North British Aluminium Company smelter in Kinlochleven. One such man was Lithuanian born Paul Kilbauskas, who arrived in 1947 and found employment at the aluminium works and with co-worker and friend Ian Pollock discovered the many paths and sections that are still used by both the Pre’65 and Scottish Six Days events that make use of the Leven Valley in early May. Kilbauskas later became a ‘Tunnel Tiger’ working on the large hydro-electric schemes in the Scottish Highlands.
Guy has harboured a desire to compete in Pre’65 trials since 2011, but television and racing commitments rendered it a ‘back-burner’ for a few years.
The Pre’65 committee having secured sponsorship with Hope Technology which has an association with Guy through his interest in mountain bikes and eventually Simon Sharp and Owen Hardisty made the approach to see if Martin would be Guest of Honour at the annual event, now in its thirty second year.
Guy Martin has turned his skilled hands to many things in front of camera, including a two-year restoration of a Supermarine Spitfire fighter aircraft which had been buried in a French beach since the second world war; a rebuild of a narrow-boat called ‘Reckless’ and much more; including riding a hydroplane motocross bike across a lake and setting a speed record for a pedal-cycle. He was even fortunate enough to be allowed to work on the last flying Vulcan bomber aircraft XH558 during preparations for its final flight in 2015.
Guy’s Ariel:
On loan specially for the Pre’65 Scottish Guy will be riding a 350cc Ariel HT3 which used to belong to Lancastrian ace, Chris Gascoigne who campaigned the machine for many years and has been a winner in Chris’s hands many times over.
Added attractions for the 2016 Pre’65 Scottish from 1966:
The 1967 SSDT programme cover featured the 1966 winner, Alan Lampkin on his factory BSA 748MOE
There will also be an appearance of the 1966 Scottish Six Days winning BSA C15T of Alan ‘Sid’ Lampkin. Registered as 748MOE, it will be ridden in the Pre’65 by Alan’s son, James Lampkin to celebrate 50 years since Sid’s SSDT victory on the very last British four-stoke machine to win the Highland classic. This will be James Lampkin’s first pre’65 Scottish although he has competed in the SSDT for many years.
James Lampkin: “Dad realised that it would be 50 years since the BSA won the Scottish in 1966 after he bought the bike back again in October 2014. It is very original having passed through quite a few owners since it was sold off in 1967. Although he doesn’t ride trials himself anymore, he was very pleased when I agreed to enter on the BSA. I’m really looking forward to it”.
1966 SSDT winner, A.R.C. ‘Sid’ Lampkin seen here with John Moffat (Trials Guru) in November 2014. James Lampkin is visible on the left of the photo – Photo courtesy: John Hulme/Trial Magazine.
We are always trying to bring you something different and unusual from the sport of motorcycle trials. Here we have a specially commissioned trophy, presented annually for the oldest rider at the Pre’65 Scottish Trial.
Commisioned by Mrs Isobel Mitchell of Portlethen, near Aberdeen in memory of her husband, Peter Mitchell a long time rider and member of the Bon Accord MCC and was a well known competitor in Scottish trials and latterly at the Pre’65 Scottish.
It was made by Inverness based artisan, Richi Foss who runs a fabrication and welding business at Dochfour, just outside the Highlands capital city.
Foss: ” The trophy was commissioned by Peter Mitchell’s wife in his memory and presented to the oldest rider to complete the Scottish pre 65 trials. It was slightly overshadowed at the time by a rather large steel Eagle I was also making at the same time which is now on a roundabout near the Police headquarters. It’s hard to believe that this actually took more time to make and brought me far more enjoyment”.
“To top it all, the first winner of the award was a boyhood hero of mine, Mick Grant”
Richi Foss produces much one-off work and is a motorcyclist himself owning a rather unique Norton ‘flat-tracker’ which won an award many years ago at the Kent Custom show.
Foss Fabrication and Welding can be contacted on 07761 286112 and is based at The Old Sawmill, Dochfour, By Inverness, IV3 8JG.
“Buttons” on the left with John Moffat at the 2015 Scottish Six Days Trial during the daily Nevis Radio outside broadcast – Photo courtesy of Tony Jones
It is with great sadness that we announce the passing of a true character of the sport of motorcycle trials, “Buttons” or John Button as he was known.
Buttons attended the Scottish Six Days Trial many times in his capacity as a mechanic, whose training went back to the days of the Bultaco tuning wizard, Reg May of Comerfords.
During the 2015 Scottish, Buttons popped in almost daily to visit the Outside Broadcasts of Nevis Radio where he kept listeners and the radio presenters in stitches with his quick wit and humour during the week.
Buttons had battled with cancer for some years and had planned to spectate at the recent Scott Trial, but illness prevented him from doing so.
Trials Guru conveys sincere condolences to his family at this difficult time.
Funeral Arrangements: The funeral service for Alfred John Button (Buttons) will held on Thursday 12th November 2015 at 12.30pm at Rainsbrook Crematorium. Ash Lawn Road. Rugby. Warwickshire. CV22 5ET. please no flowers, donations to Macmillan nurses are welcome.
Famous Scottish Six and Pre’65 Scottish section, Pipeline – Photo: Iain Lawrie, Kinlochleven
The entries are open for the 2016 Pre’65 Scottish Trial which takes place on Friday 29th and Saturday 30th April, 2016.
If you would prefer to a set of forms posted out to you, please send a large, stamped, self-addressed envelope to Mrs. Anne Gordon, Secretary Pre’65 Scottish Trial, Fairshiels, Blackshiels, Pathhead, Midlothian, EH37 5SX. Please note: that e-mail entries or late entries will NOT be accepted under any circumstances.
A new machine eligibility guidance booklet has been produced this year by Willie Stewart, the event’s machine examiner, which gives clearer guidelines on what is eligible for the annual highland classic. Anyone who is unsure of any component is welcome to contact him for clarification using the email address provided in the booklet. Please take the time to read these guidelines and the accompanying notes to ensure that you are aware of the regulations and remember to send two clear A4 (297mm x 210mm) colour pictures with your entry form. If your pictures are not clear then your entry will not make the ballot process so please be aware.
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