gizza5

1982 member of the Army Team had several punctures and was racing to catch up on time, he got lost and managed to pick up the following days route, they must have been close together that year. So he didn't actually think he was lost, went miles before he realised, then back tracked, ran out of petrol managed to get to farm and scrounge a bit fuel eventually getting back on track! Clive Charlton I think broke down over near Gorton, had to stay overnight before a rescue vehicle got there the next day................... So Kinell it could have been a whole lot worse

He made two friends out there..................... ''Hello Mate got any two stroke oil'' ''Hello Mate got a bit of petrol'' ''Thanks just got to get me sen back to Pipers Burn''

Have you got a calculater must admit I was only too glad to finish my first year, and your right Mark they think it is tough now, but must admit the changes have been for the better See you in May, You take care of the course, HL take care of the Admin.....and Slapshot take care of the weather thats what you get paid for GOD DAMN IT...............................

Slapshot 3 What a wealth of information you are, pitty you boys can never get the weather right though

Biggest part of your bike preperation in the 80's and before that was those bl**dy riding number plates. Made out of Ally plate one up front and two either side at the rear end. Front was not a problem, but the rears were a bit more tricky especially the one you had to form round the exhaust, then the bracket to attach them. Once you have done all the fabricating there was the small matter of painting them, black background, yellow numbers..........now I am no sign writer, but you used to get some weird and wonderful assortment of modern art. Then there was the people that liked to do there plates on the Sunday morning before weigh-in, not only bodged their plates together, but the paint was still wet come Monday morning Falling off was quite interesting aswell as these things acted like a double sided sword, ripped a few riding trousers in those days Observers must have better eyesight nowadays as they are capable of seeing the single number up front

What a load of c**p that statement is, people buy the bigger bikes because these bikes are put in the market place. All that power only suits a very small percentage of riders, people think they need it and thats the problem The 250 Beta, the 250 Gas Gas, 250 Sherco would suit 90% of riders, the big hill climb you are talking about crops up once in a blue moon, if you struggle to get up this one section and ride the rest better on a much softer more controlable bike then I suggest that this option for a lot of riders is better. I convinced a friend of mine, who is fairly useful at national level who has had 270 Beta's for a few years now to go for a 250 in 2006, he has just bought a 250 2007 model The beta 4 banger 250, like the Mont 4RT will be and is enough for most riders...............

There's an echo

Mine's in too Thought you were on holiday Kinell.......................Buy a Mont for it you won't be dissapointed

Yes agreed but they have tried twice and failed twice First one's the majority (Some were lucky) would not start Knack or no Knack.................then issued a updated kit for it, beleive this did not work either. Now rumour has it they are not making a 2007 4T? I am not knocking the 4T a combination of bad development and a rush to release it in the market place was a big mistake. No doubt Sherco will be addressing this and maybe they will go the fuel injection route. I have ridden the 4T and it is very nice, so not knocking it, motor is superb different altogether from the Mont 4RT, having ridden them both I prefer my Mont on the engine characteristics side. It is good to see Beta get in the mix and hopefully it will be the biz, I have had many Beta's and is a fantastic bike, but none of them quality wise comes even close to the Montesa, not knocking the rest but the Honda input takes a lot of beating.

No it was the 'Proper' programme all 56 pages for the bargain price of one Scottish Pound note!

Digging through some old paperwork and came across the 1983 official programme for the SSDT. For me it was the start of something special, not to bore you! but it was my first SSDT and I have been fortunate enough to ride a few more Thought some facts from this programme might make interesting reading: Riders of note this week some ''Blasts from the past'' 2. Bernard Cordonier - he has got to have been the tallest man on a trilas bike, good for a single long dab 12. Felix Kranstover - another tall guy, now the editor of the German Trialsport magazine 14. Adrian Prato - part of the Fantic works set up 28. Bernie Schreiber - never won the SSDT! 51. John Boy - fantic works rider 102. John Reynolds - remember that helmet 148. Eddy Lejune - SSDT was not for him? 153. Gilles Burgatt - Hit a sheep I beleive and put him out of the trial 166. Mart - on a Montesa, not a Bulto 175. Danielle Galeazzi - one crazy, crazy Italian 177. Terry Michaud - on a SWM, before his successful move to Fantic 194 - Tony Gorgot - the eventual winner 217. Steve Saunders - on an Armstrong There was many other good riders and plenty of good foreign riders, all the worlds best were there as it was seen as one of the trials to win. Manufactures Teams: Armstong - Steve Saunders, Mark Jackson, Nick Jeffries S.W.M - B Schreiber, D Galeazzi, T Michaud Italjet - S Head, P cartwright, P Berlatier Montesa - Mart, A Gorgot, L Gallach Bultaco - C Myres, J Reynolds, Vesty Fantic had 4 teams, how times change led by John Boy, G Burgat and J Subira in the 'A' Team Routes were interesting not every section listed but a few: Monday: Out to Kinlochleven, Garbage Bin, Cameron Hill, then the long hall up Glencoe to 10 sections at Achallader (we had 2 1/2 hours delay here in the rain, triple subber bloody nightmare). Then up to the Bridge of Orchy taking in Ba House Chairlift back down Glencoe into Kinlochleven, Mamore up onto the Mamore road and the sting in the tail was Callaich. For those riders that have never ridden Caillach, nothing too hard about the sections, but one hell of a zig-zagging climb up the mountain. Please OTH do not put it ever in again Tuesday: Now if you hadn't done enough road work on Monday, you now had the quick trip up to Laggan Locks, Switchback and then Achlain. Achlain were probably some of the best sections in the SSDT, great for the riders good for the spectators shame there not in any more probably too easy Then across Clunes Meall Choire Ghlais back into Fort Bill to tackle Town Hall Brae for the first time in the week. It was amazing how many people missed the Brae! and went straight into the finish Wednesday: Out on the Mamore Road Callart Falls, Grey Mares Ridge, Blackwater, Pap of Glencoe, How I hated coming down to the road from the Pap, maybe that is why it is called the Pap. Then onto Kentallen renamed Lagnaha in later years. Thursday: Road race day we turned of Kinell !!!! and went round to Camp Hill as our first section of the day, These are located for the riders at the end of the track coming down from Pipers Burn, I hated that tree root always caught most riders out! Glen uig under the deer fence to the 5 subs up Coire Dubh, still in today but more of a challenge on a twin shock! then Bellsgrove before dropping into Strontian. Aftter lunch the usual sections of Camocasi, Meall Nam Each, Kilamalieu and the final sections of the day at Rhubarb before heading back on the ferry home. Friday: Out to Muirshearlich (Trotters Burn), quick scoot up Witches Burn across the moors to a new group Fersit !!! back to Kinlochleven doing Mamore, Sleubacich and finally Callart Saturday: Out on the road to Cnoc a Linnhe (now used in the Pre 65), up to Pipeline across the Dam, Leiter Bo Fion, Bradileig across to Ben Nevis for 10 sections and then to Town Hall Brae and to the finish. For me it was one of my best achievements in life to finnish my first SSDT, at times I did wonder what the hell I was doing there. The winner as mentioned was Tony Gorgot riding a Montesa, much hype was made of Eddy Lejune thinking that as a multi world champion, he had to be favourite to pick up the trophy, something he never achieved! The all singing and dancing 'WANG' yes I did say Wang word processers were computing the results, this was state of art for 1983! Ellgren was the biggest trials clothes manufacturer up there. Special notice to the competitors Rule 62, competitors using excessive speed ! Didn't apply to Papa Lejune as the Highland Constabulary could not keep up with him on his moped, he wasn't wearing a helmet either! My first year was a blast, I hope all you first timers find it the same See you in May

Why we buy the Poppy? Found this and it really brings it home why we should support our troops. The arguement can go on and on whether we should or shoudn't be in these war zones, but these guys and girls sign on the dotted line and pledge their allegence to our country...................some don't return.

Not to give my life story away, but I have had the pleasure of riding as a member of the Army Team in the SSDT for 4 years 1983 Fantic 200 1984 Fantic 240 1885 Armstong 350 (Twin shock-what a beast, Rotax 350cc Jumbo motor!!!) 1986 Armstong 280 (Mono- the one developed by John Lampkin) ....................and lucky me I have ridden every year since, I'll let you work that out The Army have a great presence in the SSDT, not only entering a team, but organising the most efficient and safe re-fuelling service. Sandy Mack (Army Man- on TC) is the main backbone of the team, who is now a Regimental Sergeant Major (Pussy), but with all the operational tours in our world today it is sometimes very difficult to get 3/4 riders to ride what is a specialized sport. They also enter 1 or 2 teams in the ISDE this is slightly easier as any unit that have the Military Harley Davidson MT350, a soldier can use these in enduro type 3 stage events, which encourage the soldiers in moving into the Enduro game as opposed to the Trials game. Over the years the Army Team in Scotland have had many bike sponsors, maimly Fantic in the early years, Yamaha, Aprillia, when no sponsors they used there own bikes and as Boofont said in the latter years Sherco from MRS. Moving onto the point about the Poppy, whatever your doing today please spare 2 minutes of your time at 11 'o' clock today, for the thousands of soldiers, Airmen, Seamen and many others who laid down there lives for us in both World Wars and the many other wars. Peace I feel in this world is a long way off, but we still manage to ride and participate in our beloved sport. On a final point getting back to the Army Team, they find it an impossible task to win the ''Services Trophy'' in the SSDT due to the fact the Police have a certain rider called Andy Huddlestone who can ride a bit Does ''Wiggy'' want to join the Army

Puzzle How far can you get?

Two words ''Octagon Esedos'' They have taken over the outdoor trials callender

Bl**dy Hell 'K' thinking of riding again? Message to club more route markers required

When were you in the Army Taff?...........Presume British Army, not the Salvation

Sorry to hear about your problems. Seems the problem needs taken up with the dealer as they should have done a proper PDI, the importer may offer some sympathy, but these minor faults can be sorted with the dealer. Hope its sorted for the morning

My entry probably in the shredder

Good one HL pitty 'Kinell' didn't take notice of the blue 'L' and ended up in Morar And I think the last paragraph sums up the SSDT, for the few! years I have ridden, it is still very difficult to explain to people that have not been there, but the scenery is fantastic, travelling across moors that are miles from anywhere its a different world..... Roll on May

Tool kit for our female trials riders If you want me I am in the local Hospital

A Muslim women called at our house tonight............I didn't open the door, just looked at her through the letter-box ...................see how she likes it

You Just Knew This Would Happen Well you could have predicted this, dosn't it just make you sick................. And then there's the school that is allowing the kids to Smoke.............. Wonder what my next 40 years will bring, if I live that long