big john

I'll make a short comment only as most of the guys north of the border know who I am, some of them personally for a number of years and probably expect me to say something and not remain totally silent. The SACU have taken steps to revise not only the way they charge for competition licences but also the insurance provisions they obtain for riders and clubs from their specialist brokers. Like any sports governing body, it does not run on fresh air, we wish it did. It's directors control it for no financial reward, salary or directors fees, they are all from motorcycle sport and are all volunteers. That includes myself! There is a comprehensive communication going to club secretaries, direct from the SACU office, around the 15th November or perhaps sooner, which shows them at what levels the event insurance will cost for 2013. The funds raised by the new competition levy will remain in Scotland, within the SACU to be used to improve all motorcycle sport for the future of motorcycle sport. That is the aim of all this apparent upheaval at this time. The SACU will no longer be able to earn any surplus or income from the insurance provided for riders or events. The premiums collected (£8.00 per comp. licence and all other premiums from events) will be paid via the SACU to the insurance brokers. All current SACU competition licence holders/riders have already been sent a letter on 2nd November, these should now all be with these competitors. That is 'Phase 1' of an operation of open and transparent communication by the SACU. It would be quite wrong of me to post too much information on here until the clubs get it first, this forms 'Phase 2' of the communication process. It's the clubs that set entry fees, not the SACU; the events are run by the clubs, not the SACU; therefore they will decide at what level to pitch their entry fees for 2013, not the SACU. Then and only then will we know which clubs can absorb the comp. levy and those that pass it straight onto the rider. This will apply for all 5 sporting disciplines, not just trials. The comp. levy is payable 'per event', regardless of whether that is a one-day event (trial) or a six day event (trial). The new event insurance deal will also be 'per event'. The comp. levy will not be payable, for example, for training days (run under a non-competitive event permit). Every rider who enters a competition run under an SACU permit in 2013 will effectively pay the £5.00 comp. levy within their entry fee in all 5 sporting disciplines, thats Trials; Quad Racing; Enduro/Hare & Hound; Motocross and Road racing. ACU, MCUI; IOPD or any other acceptable to SACU licence holders will not be charged any extra, we all pay the same £5.00 levy within the entry fee set by the promoting club. More official information will follow. I hope this clarifies some of your questions and corrects some comments. That's as much as I can say on an open website at the moment. Big John (edited for spelling and grammar)

Problem can be solved! A very good friend of mine (and very well connected to the Six Days and Pre-65 Scottish) made a really good suggestion a couple of years back in my company... "Change the Pre-65 Scottish Two Day over to a total Pre-Unit only Trial". That would sort all the trouble out! Big John

As I usually do, I wait until the club do their ballot and see what happens. If I get a ride, then that's a result, if I don't - I'll marshall/observe, those have been my actions since 1993 when I parked the cars at the old school! Have a good un! Big John

All SACU clubs listed here: www.sacu.co.uk Cheers, Big John

Chloe Richardson (17) rode a Montesa 4RT in the Scott, she was out of time, but completed the whole course. She had her first ride around on the bike, the afternoon before the Scott, not bad eh? Big John

Getting it started early this year? Only 62 shopping days to Christmas. Aren't I lucky? I have never been hauled up for any rule breaking since I first entered the event. That tells you something - my bikes are Pre65. That is all! I'll just sit back and watch the fun now. Big John

2 hours use - I'm sure the dealer will happily have a look at that. Have you removed the lighting kit yourself? Later models were prone to lose the fan relay 'by mistake' when owners removed the wrong items - just a thought. If it was my 4RT I'd call the dealer, don't delay. Big John

I heard there has been some sort of a glitch. I have tried myself today and it won't let riders register, there must be a fault, I've sent in a message by the website contact! Comes up "Security Code invalid" Big John Edited to add: Its working OK, apparently some computers block the captcha data! Big John

An easy fix, but the simplest of all! Big John

The 45th ISDT - El Escorial, Madrid, Spain Silver Vase Mannschaft - Belgium (B Team) (215) - Roger Marechal - Bultaco 244 (226) Jean Crosset - Bultaco 250 - 19th position 0 marks on Day 6 250cc Individual class. (169) Claude Tonneau - Ossa 250 (257) Daniel Thibaut - Ossa 250 I hope you find this interesting Mr Bult360? AND... there is a photo of Jean Crosset on his Bultaco Matador SD following Jaime Bordoy (Spain - 224 Bultaco Matador SD) on page 170 of the very specific book entitled: "ISDT 1970 - 45 Seis Dias Internacionales De Todo Terreno" by Javier Benito Aguado - a very expensive, but well worth having hard backed book, it is incredible! My good friend "Greeves" on here could possibly put you in touch with Sr. Benito in person, - right Sr.Greeves? Big John (My late father was also at this event in 1970 at El Escorial as an SACU Team Manager)

If you think motorcycle trials using machines powered by an internal combustion engine will become an Olympic Games sport...then by all means dream on! It just aint gonna happen guys! Big John

Yes, the upstart is stated to be riding "his" Matchless, it was borrowed from me! Yeah good report and photos of the "friendliest Classic Trial in Scotland". Have a good weekend at glorious Biggar! Big John

I used to be a regular attender and took a couple of AJS or Matchless trials bikes. It was a very good show Biggar. Used to be called the "Blackwood Murray Rally" at one time. I once rode the ex-factory Matchless trials OLH722 on the road run, that was back in the late 1990's. Big John

He has a fair point, in "days of yore" even switching to a mineral based oil from Castrol R was a painful decision and usually only after a rebuild. If you don't believe me speak to an old motocross hand as they tended to race CZ and Hukys with vegetable based oil such as Castrol R. Switching to a modern synthetic isn't that good an idea for an old design of motor and an air cooled one at that. I did ride the 1977 SSDT on a Bultaco lubed by Bel-Ray 1 at 60:1 ratio and had no problems, but that was after a complete engine strip down and rebore so everything was new inside before I switched from Shell 2T mineral. You could go over to Castrol A747 which can be safely mixed up to 50:1 ratio which is also a vegetable based blended lubricant like R40 and still easily available in litre bottles, not as expensive as R40 either. Hope this helps. Big John

Just wait until the environmentalists have a look at this, not to mention the insurance underwriters! eek! Big John

Thanks for the feedback Turbo! Only problem is getting a date that ensures no snow up here! It's actually a full month after the Pre-65 Scottish to be honest. Big John

Clever bloke, but it's not me! Big John (non-physicist)

Well first of all, I'd have his garage, but I'd kick out all that Harley crap and fill it with my stuff! he he! Big John

Nice to have you with us at Alvie, it's all about the rider and the enjoyment. See you next year, for another edition of the Highland Classic! Motorcycles spoken here! Big John

I did wonder why Tam was calling me "young"! Doh... Aye, he did have the ride of the year in that case...1959 G3C Matchless..not for the faint hearted! Big John (former campaigner of said Matchless motorcycle)

Ride of the century more like!...not...my Granny could have done better, I was well off form! Partly due to tiredness, sections a bit harder (some not all) and some pilot error, can't blame the bike, ran like a Rotary watch. But hey, what I was trying to say is that it will be Pre65 friendly next year, plus the club are planning some improvements to make it more enjoyable and special! Hope you will come back next year Tam, after all we did name a section after you! Big John

I've never been a fan of converting monos into twinshock, as OTF says it becomes a "nothing" bike and over time it becomes of really low value and my take on such bikes is they become by default a "special" in the true sense of the word! I think the conversion of say a TY250R Mono to twinshock is a bridge too far and shouldn't under any circumstances be allowed to compete as a bona fide twinshock machine as it never was! The IDMCC are keen to limit the Highland Classic to only Pre65 and Twinshock, the twinshock allowance was a concession made about 4 years ago to boost the entry a little, it wasn't done for any financial reasosn as there was originally a syndication created, which was never called upon to underwrite the event. Big John

Nope Ross! But it caters for twin-shocks and Pre65's! We are trying to keep it easy and the problem is the air-cooled mono is perhaps a step too far because of their ability compared to the twin-shocks etc. The "specials" class is for modified bikes that don't comply in a particular calss Big John

On the subject of mod.221 - Most of the trials swinging arms (199/199a) rear-most bracketry were made so pillion rests could be bolted on, production runs usually are this way.The ones that came here through Comerfords/Bultaco UK had the alloy tank and trials seat fitted, but home market had an Alpina style blue poly tank and long ride/dual seat, and of course full lighting kit for excursion/leisure riding. Big John

Ian, I remember your bike brand new at the McLellan Galleries, it was beside my new 325 (mod.199A) on Vic Allan's stand. I think you have seen the photo of me sitting on my 325 and Grant Miller sitting on your 175 (mod.221) only for the picture, as we were in the SMCS team, sponsored by Robbie Allan that season. So basically it has never been trialled? I fancied one for the Moffat Racing Bultaco collection, but Tam Dodd's son had one but it was in poor condition, I saw it on e-bay (again) a couple of weeks ago, I offered £400 (I think) for it once through an intermediary and he turned me down, but it wasn't worth even that as it had the rear loop cut off (not a good thing to do) and it would have cost me around minimum £800 to put it in the condition I would have be happy with! Now if you were to sell me yours that would be a different deal! Big John