big john

It's a difficult one. I don't want to be a kill joy...but... The bikes taking part have to be "road legal", the Main Street in Fort William is a public road albeit now part of the town's pedestrian area the public have access to it. If there was to be an accident involving a child or a member of the public (...heaven forbid let's hope there never will be) the proverbial stuff would most definately "hit the fan". Is it not enough for the kids to simply watch Dad ride past? The Police are well within their rights to remove kids from a machine designed to take one rider without passengers. A trials bike is hardly equipped to accommodate the rider let alone a passenger. It's all very well until something goes wrong. I would rather see the parade continue without kids than to have no parade at the SSDT at all. It creates a good feeling for the start of a great week. Big John

Malcolm Rathmell once said "Riding with gloves was like washing yor feet with socks on!" However - Careful, no-one should handle modern "petrol" with bare hands nowadays, well known fact, it is carcerigenic (cancer forming) and is absorbed through the pores of the skin. Not recommended! Handle fuel and lubricants with extreme care! Also youth riders must wear gloves when riding at trials (ACU handbook TSR 15 - Clothing) Big John

Last I heard he was living overseas, but I can't remember who told me or which country it was. Could have been Toofast Tim? Big John

So they say, but I'm sure the frame number on my short stroker was two digits later than Venables bike, which was an ex-Mick Waller machine! I had a hunch it was Sooty Sutton, but there again I wasn't really allowed to play this time Big John

I'm not a gambler and I wouldn't know how to put a bet on a horse (sorry Ishy!) but I'd like to run a book on whether or not the Xispa will actually appear at the SSDT! I know the phone number of some good lawyers... Big John

Absolutely right Trickymick! Ted Jnr rode many times and in his early days on an Ariel, better known on an Ossa for many years, his father Ted Snr rode Norton and I think a Douglas and a small CZ one year. Big John

Yes, I have to agree Rockaria, it looks very like Chris Clarke from Sheffield. I can name the observer in the OTH extra photo of JR, it's Margaret Muirhead! Big John

Just a guess, the last rider could be of Finnish origin, it's certainly not Manuel Soler and I don't think it's Coutard, but there again I'm not supposed to take part in this! If memory serves me correctly, Martin Lampkin defected to "Speedy Working Motor" just prior to riding the SSDT thanks to Mick Bowers and my old friend Jock Wilson, who set about importing the SWM's to the UK. The reason Mart defected was simple, Bultaco was due him money and being a professional rider, that's just unacceptable. The Bultaco concern survived a few more years as a workers co-operative hence the 199B bike is sometimes labelled the "Co-operative Sherpa" Big John

He's the guy who will be guest of honour at this years' Robregordo 2 Day Classic at Madrid! Lucky lad! Big John (me too, I'm lucky I'm going there yipppeeeeee!)

By Heck! Those were the days... before all that hopping sideways and skipping backwards and jumping about began. Before the trial almost disappeared completely and Willie Dalling in collusion with Peter Stewart of Hamilton Cables hatched a cunning plan to go "no-stop" once again! Oh for the 1970's and 80's to re-appear once more...but wait a minute.... maybe they have...... with twinshock trials!!! Big John

"God loves a trier" and certainly John Noakes was that! Good old "Blue Peter"! Nice find Martin, thanks for that. Nice to see a period TL250 in action too...wonder where it is now? Big John

Hmmmm, now that I think of it, I bought a Seeley Honda with the intention of using it to restore my existing Seeley and have ended up restoring the parts bike! Not just finished yet, but it's getting there... Big John

It's not a crime! However, I have bought a couple of complete bikes to break for spares for the benefit of having parts available for my existing stock, I am just different I suppose! Big John

If you know the approximate year and riding number, I can check if it was ridden in the SSDT and by whom. Big John

I know where to get them, they take Hebo etc.

Looks very like a PAL speedway type magneto. Big John

I know the answer to that one...Scott Trial 2007! Big John

NO! Repatriation insurance is required to get a foreign national back home, if there was no insurance cover, the foreign national would be stranded in the UK and who would pay to get the rider home? Repatriation costs a lot of money! Big John

I will be watching the Xispas progress at the SSDT with interest! Big John

That Motobecane will be at Kinlochleven in May, have a look at it there! Big John

I see the handy work of Jose Luis Rodriguez....."EL PUMA"! Big John

I have one of those fitted on my TY250R. I obtained the whole thing as a kit from Nigel Birkett and it was about

It's not the first time a bike has been registered years after it was produced and sold by a dealer! After all, when you check on heaps of exWD (GB motor) B40 BSA's, they all seem to come from a batch dating from 1967! Big John

1976 model? Very welcome to bring it to Alvie, entry forms should be available next week from what I hear! Big John