mickmetcalfe

No Steve Saunders for the first time in 20-odd years because he was on duty in his role as Youth coach. A real shame as yesterday would have been right up his street. Hicko is 'the' Hicko, ex Fantic importer etc. Also, I meant to mention that there were no (read zero) Montesa 4RT's entered in the trial. I expected to see more than a few.

Well, the Colmore is over for another year. The weather gave the organisers more than a few headaches before the event, with the full mixture of snow, ice rain, wing and sun making the sections much, much harder than Alan Wrights predicted

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Maybe Sunday wasnt the best day to judge the series, but... What I was trying to say in my own dim witted manor was that there seems to be a massive step between the Miller and BMCA series up to this ACU classic champs. There isnt anything in between. I love the Miller series but it is slowly but surely fading away as both the bikes and more senior riders get older couple with the relative lack of newcomers. And it can be rigthly critisised for being too easy at times. The BMCA is highly competetive but doesnt run road trials. Im looking to move on to another road based series but dont have the time or inclination to modify my painfully standard Cotton. I could by a Fantic twin shock which would make things easier or switch to the over 40s on modern bikes (which my sponsor says SHE will never allow!!) Sunday was a good run round, despite the weather but I would say when Martin Wilmore loses 70+ marks, Scott Dommett 80+ marks and Neil Gaunt 110+. the trial is too hard for ANY pre-65 bike. I hate to moan when it is clear the club put in a lot of effort but it is a long time since I felt so frustrated, disappointed and disillusioned with a trial. It hasnt helped that I did more damage to my bike than in any trial for a long, long time. Water is so unforgiving when placed between a piston and cylinder head!

Well, Ive just about got warm again but the Cotton will never be the same again! Allowing for the weather and even with the knowledge that it was going to be a lot harder than the normal classic trials I ride, I just dont think it did the pre-65 class any favours at all. I have the greatest respect for all the effort that was put into this trial and to all of the observers (particularly those who did two sections) but it does not encourage me to any more of this series.

I was really pleased to read in TMX that the stories were not strictly accurate, as I believe Steve still has a lot to offer the sport, such as teaching the youngsters who are now coming through. I must say that, in a way, I regret posting this topic in the first place but at the time, it was sad that it seemed to be all over. After everything Steve has achieved, I thought something positive needed to be said, hence the references to two significant events. Certainly, if I've caused any upsets to Steve, his family or friends, then I cant apologise enough as there was nothing malicious intended.

At the finish of the Colmore yesterday, it was rumoured that today was the last national ride for Steve Saunders. I for one hope that this is not the case and, if it is, I for one would like to thank Steve for all the entertainment he has given us since his adult debut at the Colmore in 1982. Two events spring readily to mind to lay claim to his postion in trials folklore: 1 British Experts victory on the Rothmans Honda at Hawkstone Park where he paralized everyone and won by goodness knows how many marks 2 British world round at Peterfield, in the pouring rain, on the works Fantic. Nobody, but nobody can find grip like Steve, which was demonstated at todays Colmore in the last group. If the rumour is a load of old b*ll*x, then I apologise now for spreading it.

Well, its all over bar the shouting!! Its fair to say that, with the exception of the Dovedale groups, this is the driest Ive seen the Cotswolds at this time of year. There was enough moisture about to give concern whether any frost would come out during the morning and polish up. As for Dovedale, I didnt have chance to go there but there was some of critisism over the length and severity of some of the sections. I hope it didnt detract too much from your day out. The net result is the we took more marks then intended which is reflected in Sam and Steves scores, after single figure returns in 2003. RESULTS Sam Connor 19 Steve Saunders 23 Joe Baker 24 Mika Vesterinen 26 Dan Thorpe 27 Tom Sager 35 most cleans James Dabill 35 Jan Cardinaels 38 Tom Norton 42 Chris Pearson 44 Phil Garrett 51 Colin Crease 52 Sean Conway 54 Rob Warner 55 Jon Tuck 55 Ladies Maria Conway 118 Donna Fox 151 Katy Sunter 171

Having witnessed the abilities of the 200 Beta Alp's during the Sammy Miller rounds, I went out and bought one primarily as a run about and secondly to do a few long distance trials and green laning. They are very capable bikes and with some work, might be a better proposition than the 4T Scorpa to encourage people to have ago at trials, particularly where you can only afford one bike. The trials with a C route, run by clubs such as my own beloved Stratford Upon Avon, are an ideal introduction to the sport. It will breeze C route sections and I will be attempting the B-route on mine at some events this year. The first round is scheduled for early April, so keep your eyes on Regs Available in TMX. SO, is there enough interest out there to have a Beta Alp or TRAIL bike trial forum?

Rider going up stream is Jon Bliss himself. I know the section well but cant for life of me remember what it is called. Is this the best looking bike currently available or what?

This Sunday is Colmore Cup day. Not a round of the Clubmans Championship this year but we have still attracted nearly 100 riders. Start is at Lemington Lakes Fishery on the outskirts of Moreton-in-Marsh. Cooked breakfast is cheap and highly recommended! Snow might still be on the weather forecast, but Wrighty says he will fix it to be dry and sunny if you all spend enough money with him! First man away at 9:30 (I think) for the 25 mile tour of the classic Cotswold sections. I will post results when I can get to a computer, which will probably be Monday morning, but feel free to post before that. 1 Scott Inman 280 Aqueous Solutions Gas Gas Brotherton 2 Wayne Holdsworth 290 Sherco Liphook 3 Paul Henderson 250 Scorpa Lindford 4 Steve Foord 290 Sherco Hailsham 5 Rowan Puttock 280 Inta Gas Gas Heathfield 6 Matthew McCarthy 270 Beta Abergavenny 7 Mark Gaskin 250 Scorpa Milton 8 Geoff Herbert 270 Beta Southampton 9 Graham Hutcheson 250 Montesa Tadley 10 Neil Bowker 290 JAM Sherco Ash 11 Andrew Udall 280 Gas Gas Eccleshall 12 Mark Thornhill 280 BVM Gas Gas Ebley 13 John Luff 250 BVM Beta Charfield 14 Barry Husband 290 Sherco Gloucester 15 Luke Chamberlayne 270 Beta Maisemore 16 Jack Lee 290 John Lee Sherco Higham Ferrers 17 Richard Allen 250 Beta Irthlingborough 18 Simon Welch 270 Beta Ross on Wye 19 Dan Sanders 250 Beta Clehonger 20 John Hill 290 Sherco Resolven 21 Andrew Williams 280 Gas Gas Caerau 22 Gary Jenkins 290 MRS Sherco Crynant 23 David Collins 290 Sherco Port Talbot 24 Steve Swanson 250 Montesa Thrapston 25 Jan Cardinaels 250 Montesa 26 Luc Cardinaels 250 Montesa 27 Mika Vesterinen 280 BVM Gas Gas Woking 28 Stuart Robinson 280 Gas Gas East Hagbourne 29 Steve Workman 280 BVM Gas Gas Camp 30 Kevin Peters 250 Montesa Challoners Hill 31 Steve Saunders 280 Gas Gas Cheltenham 32 Dan Thorpe 280 JST Gas Gas Wingerworth 33 Katy Sunter 250 JST Gas Gas Richmond 34 Tom Sagar 270 G.P.Beta Oswestry 35 Paul Sagar 270 G.P.Beta Oswestry 36 Patrick Wardle 250 Scorpa Thurlaston 37 Neil Jones 270 G.P.Beta Dunton Bassett 38 Steve Cook 270 Beta Bishops Cleeve 39 Dean Basford 250 Beta Bretforton 40 Ian Watts 300 Gas Gas Byfield 41 Donna Fox 250 MRS Sherco Auckley 42 Steve Timms 290 Active Sherco Stratford upon Avon 43 Phillip Garrett 290 Active Sherco Solihull 44 Peter Archer 290 Active Sherco Solihull 45 Ashley Hall 270 Beta Finchampstead 46 Andrew Collins 290 Sherco Lower Earley 47 Rob Warner 270 RAW Beta Russells Water 48 Mark Stokes 270 Beta Thatcham 49 Tim Lightfoot 270 Beta West Hagbourne 50 Gordon Brown 250 Beta Ross on Wye 51 Darren Butcher 270 Beta Wooten under Edge 52 Mark Lamplough 270 Beta Longford 53 Barry Roads 250 Scorpa Ripley 54 John Holland 250 Beta Uppingham 55 Darren Aris 270 Beta Milton Keynes 56 John Cowley 270 Beta Whaddon 57 Paul Millhouse 270 Beta Milton Keynes 58 Nick Manning 250 Beta Perth 59 Robert James 290 Sherco Shrewsbury 60 Simon Evans 300 David Jones Gas Gas Newtown 61 Kevin Bowden 270 Beta Welshpool 62 Neil Bowden 270 Beta Welshpool 63 Paul Boffin 270 Beta Nettlebed 64 Ian Fortune 290 Sherco Bath 65 Ian Shuttleworth 280 Gas Gas Bradford on Avon 66 Andy Noad 250 Gas Gas Farleigh Wick 67 Simon Hiscock 290 Sherco Folly Hill 68 Dean Smith 270 Beta Aberdare 69 Christopher Curtis 290 MRS Sherco Witcombe Ash 70 Matthew McDonald 270 RAW Beta Newton Poppleford 71 Colin Crease 280 Gas Gas Clandown 72 Jon Tuck 250 Scorpa Compton Greenfield 73 Sean Conway 250 Montesa Stoke Row 74 Tom Conway 250 Beta Stoke Row 75 Maria Conway 250 G.P. Beta Stoke Row 76 Adrian Harry 270 Beta Greengate 77 Andy Kilbey 290 Sherco Sidmouth 78 Wayne Vincent 290 Sherco Sidmouth 79 Tim Pearson 290 Sherco Holmesfield 80 Chris Pearson 290 MRS Sherco Holmesfield 81 Mick Thompson 250 B+S Beta Crich 82 Ashley Smith 250 JST Gas Gas Swanwick 83 Scott Brookes 270 Beta Redditch 84 Rob Wrigley 250 Montesa Chippenham 85 David Petty 250 Beta Allerton 86 Sam Connor 290 MRS Sherco Guildford 87 Nick George 250 Montesa Mepal 88 Alistair Allan 250 Beta Mepal 89 James Dabill 270 JLI Beta Irelandwood 90 Steven Harris 250 Beta Redditch 91 Nick Simms 280 RPM Gas Gas Mansfield 92 Kevin Harris 250 Scorpa Barnstaple 93 Joe Baker 290 Scorpa Yeovil 94 Tom Norton 270 Beta Oxford 95 96 Alan Taylor 250 Scorpa Cherington 97 Steve Clarke 250 Beta Honeybourne 98 Alan Newman 200 Beta Little Compton

The last lot we got was direct from Castrol's promotions department in Swindon. Sorry, I cant remember the exact address but there must be one somewhere on their website. It is a couple of years ago, so I dont know if they are still available. The one thing I do know is that they were not free. They used to list observers cards as well, but Stacey+Son in Chelmsford where a lot cheaper.

I know this wont make sense, but Norwich Union Direct dont include trials in the list of exclusions, even though Norwich Union does.

Please dont critisize the ACU - they are in it up to their eyeballs lobbying MP's for their support in squashing the proposed green lane closures - I hope...

Big John's right - it is in 'Classic British Two Stroke Trials Bikes' There are several pics of various Bantams in the BSA section and Im quite sure there is a brief, separate section on Elstar. Elstar was run by Alf Ellis in Birmingham (Smethwick?) and made his name building speedway and grasstrack frames. There was a Cub engined version campaigned by Steve Wilson in the Midland centre and the Nationals. Just as the trials frame was taking off, Alf was killed in a car crash and that was the end of the whole project. Bantam spares are plentiful at the moment and there is a good frame available from the Right Honorable Alan Wright Esq. at Trico Products on 0121-705-0204 - tell him I sent you! Rex Caunt makes an ignition and alloy barrel (01455 846963) As for Don Morley's book, there is a major saga behind it and it will never be reprinted unless someone like Sammy Miller does what he did with the four stroke version. I saw a clean, second-hand copy on a book stall at the Classic Bike Guide show at Stoneleigh, just before Christmas. The price? oh, a modest 45 pounds. Not bad for a book which had a cover price of around 12 pounds when published in 1983. I was going to buy it until I was struck with the thought that it would sever all relations with my 'sponsor' - she would have absolutely killed me!!!!!!!!!

Ladies and Gentlemen Hopefully, attached to this post should be the regs for this years Colmore Cup Trial. It is not a round of the Novagar Champs this year but please dont let that stop you from riding one of the oldest established nationals on the calender. Mick Regulations.doc

Must be more than one event! I must admit I only really paid full attention to the pre-65 bit. Cant believe the ACU let that happen.... :santa1: :santa1:

Had the regs sent to me last week - its in the Honiton, Devon area on Dec21st. I cant get there so I threw the regs away, but I seem to recall it covered everyone from modern experts to pre-65 and twinshocks. Sorry I cant give you more info.

Nope, it wasnt me - never started competing until I was in my 20's and have only really ridden in the midland centre.

The first 2004 round is scheduled for the 8th February and is normally held just down the road from Bristol Airport. Regs will probably be in TMX after Christmas. Other dates are (with nearest town) Cheltenham 7 mar Stroud 28 apr Stratford 16 may Westmorland 7 jul Builth Wells 15 aug Neath 5 sep Isle of Wight 10 oct Craven Arms 24 oct Didcot 7 nov Welcome to the party!