Classic Dirt Bike Show 2024

The Hagon Shocks Classic Dirt Bike Show 2024 If it is to do with off-road motorcycling then it will be at Telford International Centre in February…

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Words and pics: Tim Britton Media Ltd

he Classic Dirt Bike Show has become a focal point of the year for many enthusiasts though their reasons often differ. For some it is a chance to source the vital final bit for a restoration or rebuild, others will be there to show off their project now it’s finished. Others, who’ve done the rebuild and shown the bike, will now seek out a new project in the autojumble. Then of course there are those who use it as a place to catch up with friends. Whatever the reason you went along – be it bikes, bits or buddies – there was plenty to see, no matter what your interest is in off-road sport.

Those of us who are feet-up fans had trials bikes from classic pre65s to twinshocks and Evos around the halls. Trials too slow? Well, how about MX or scrambling? To the uninitiated, differentiating between MX or scrambling is often confusing as both are races on an off-road course… an explanation is scrambling refers to the classic element while MX takes in the later bikes. It’s all a moot point and if you want to call the twinshocks and Evos ‘scrambling’ or

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COVER MODELS

Above: They use them big in USA desert races… Triumph’s 650 TR6 has a great record in the deserts of the western USA. This one is a genuine SR model from 1965.

We always try to have the cover bike from the CDB issue that’s on sale at the show on the CDB stand. This time it wasn’t possible as the bike was no longer in the country but we did have the rider, Ben Butterworth (left) and the bike’s builder Yrjo Vesterinen – Vesty also happened to be We said to Ben Butterworth: “The one of the show guests Honda you rode is on the cover…” of honour – on hand to we didn’t say it was a riding shot of him. Ben and Vesty pose with pose with the pull-up banner. The full tale of CDB Issue 70.

Vesty’s Honda, with Ben’s view on how it rode, was featured in issue 70.

CDB Show

From the left, Mike Bowers, Alan Lampkin and Yrjo Vesterinen take a few moments out from arranging Vesty’s bikes to give the ‘Bulto Thumb.’

the classic and pre65 ‘motocross’ then no one is going to tell you it’s not possible.

Then of course there is the enduro scene, with its multiple classes – look out for an upcoming feature on the ins and outs of the sport. There were lots of different enduro bikes too. Then of course there were the more specialised sports of grasstrack and speedway, which were much more represented this year as Kelvin Tatum was expected to be a main guest, but last-minute family issues forced him to pull out.

Don’t forget the sidecar scene too as there are those who enjoy a third wheel on the bike and tackle the dirt with a mate in the chair too. Mind you, there were an awful lot of clubs there in 2024 who were keen to show they’ve shaken Covid off and events

“Well, it’s not quite like the works bikes we rode…” seems to be the consensus from Bowers and Lampkin as Vesty points out details of his very trick Bultaco.

are in full swing for this year. So, take a look at our selection of pics from the weekend at the Hagon Shocks-backed Classic Dirt Bike Show.

Below left: Fancy a go at classic grasstrack?

This could be the one for you.

TWINSHOCK SIDECAR CHARITY SERIES

Bottom left: Okay, the dirt connection is quite tenuous but Aermacchi was part of HarleyDavidson who used the flat singles in the dirt track models.

Carlton Marklove and Leigh Carter-Mills had no option but to pose for the CDB camera.

The Twinshock Sidecar Charity Series was launched last year and the organisers intend to build on the success for 2024 with six rounds instead of four. Not only is the aim of the series to support charitable causes but to do it by encouraging more people to race twinshock sidecars. The idea was created by three regular passengers in sidecar scrambling, two of whom suffer from colitis, and a prize fund was created from the series joining fee of £20 per crew. Winning teams donate the prize money to their chosen charity. We carried a small news item last issue and promised to catch up with the organisers Leigh Carter-Mills, Rebecca Marshall and Carlton Marklove at the CDB Show for the up-to-date info on the 2024 series. However, no one gets away lightly for publicity in CDB and we needed a pic… Leigh and Carlton were on hand so had little option. For more information, go to our news pages for the dates or visit the Facebook page Twinshock Sidecar Charity Series.

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TOP LADS AT NORMANDY MCC

Above left: Pictured before judging but Mark Ramplee’s Yamaha Wasp would win Best Sidecar in the concours awards.

Left: Thundersprint supremo Frank Melling – regarded as BSA’s last official works scrambler – signs copies of his latest book..

Left: Trials guest of honour Yrjo Vesterinen is interviewed on stage

by John McCrink and describes what life was like on the world trials scene 40 or so years ago.

Below: The Pre65 Motocross Club does what it says on the tin… a club for pre65 motocrossers.

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are longNormandy MCC has a great history and members Viney’s time supporters of the CDB Show. Posing with Hugh ary, on actual SSDT winning AJS are Richard Thomas, secret Graham the bike, Nik Everitt, club chairman (to the left) and Hill, club president, to the right.

Now celebrating their 80th anniversary, Normandy MCC arose from the exploits of Home Guard dispatch riders in the southern counties of England along the Thames Valley. In those early days motorcycles were seen as a vital communication link should all radio and telephone services be destroyed. Younger readers may be surprised to learn satellite and smartphones had to wait until there were satellites to work them… Once it was clear the Second World War was coming to an end the enthusiastic DRs approached the ACU to form a club. They were a little restricted in actual activity as petrol was still unavailable but the club now existed.

Over their 80-year history the club’s members have been active in trials, scrambles and enduros as well as latterly providing an excellent display at the Classic Dirt Bike show for the past few years. Here’s to the next 80 years and if you’re based in the Thames Valley area and need a club to join, go to www.normandymcc.co.uk

CDB Show

COLIN DOMMETT TRIBUTE Rider, winner, organiser, enthusiast are just four labels which could be applied to Cornwall’s Colin Dommett. Sadly, Colin lost his battle with cancer on the eve of the 2023 CDB Show where he was due to receive his refurbished 1968 ISDT Barbour jacket from the tender care of Nigel Eastwood at Wax Jackets Cleaned.

For 2024, with the blessing of Colin’s family, a small display was set up with a mannequin filling out Colin’s ISDT outfit and mounted on an early Sixties Cotton. Not only was Colin a more than capable solo trials rider, he was also no slouch when it came to the ISDT either; then he switched to three wheels and excelled there too. A talented development rider who worked for Cotton in the mid-Sixties, Colin’s final project was the restoration of Scott Ellis’ BSA which we featured in CDB three issues ago.

The Cotton on the display is finished in the red and black colour scheme favoured by Mr Dommett himself.

A small part of the private entries area was given over to a tribute display for Colin Dommett…

… the idea had been to present Colin with his refurbished ISDT Barbour kit last year but sadly it was not to be…

…as Cotton was based in the South West and Colin was a works rider for the company it was appropriate the display included a Cotton…

… Nigel Eastwood of Waxed Jackets Cleaned had refurbished the kit and was involved in the display. He’s refurbished other ISDT team jackets too.

On the works trials bike stand, Vesty’s works Bultaco.

Nice line-up of MX Yamahas.

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FOR A GOOD CAUSE As land for trials becomes harder and harder to secure, one option is for clubs to purchase courses they have used for years. Naturally this isn’t a cheap option, though generally the land ideal for trials is less ideal for growing things or building houses on. Sheffield and Hallamshire Trials Club has the chance to buy its popular Eadons Fields course and set off on a fundraiser to secure the money to do it. Club member Dave Thorpe – trials rider not MXer – donated a super-special Triumph Tiger Cub to the club so it could be sold off to help finance the land deal. It’s built to a very high spec, using knowledge gained when Dave was in Triumph’s works team and extra knowledge gained when building pre65 Scottish winning Cubs for himself and his lad Dan. There’s not room for the full spec sheet here but a taster is the engine is fully reconditioned, bored out to 250cc and mounted in one of the now unobtainable Armac frames. Front forks are ultra-light with Yamaha Mono internals, wheels are built on to alloy hubs by Alan Whitton with a Michelin front tyre and IRC rear on alloy rims and so on. Basically this Cub is the DBs… if you feel this bike is for you contact Sheffield and Hallamshire Trials Club www. sheffieldandhallamshiretrials.co.uk and make your offer… the club will accept somewhere between £12,000 and £13,000.

Built by Dave Thorpe and incorporating many special bits, this Tiger Cub will be sold to help raise funds for members of Sheffield and Hallamshire club to buy their trials ground.

Above right: A wide variety of machines featured in the private entries.

Right: Jeff Smith, the UK’s first MX world champion, was at Telford with his daughter Chris – far left of the pic – and author Ian Berry where they had a few books for sale…

Left: Once the mainstay of scrambling, BSA’s Gold Star.

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Well, did anyone buy it?

CDB Show

Above left: Speedway star Eric Boocock says something profound to trials star Sammy Miller… probably something about Belstaff jackets.

Above right: To mark Sammy Miller’s 90th birthday Hagon Shocks commissioned artist John McCrink to create a caricature of the trials legend. Here Charlotte Hagon hands over the picture to Sammy.

Below left: A superspec Leese Honda TLR.

Yamaha bits anyone?

Well, yes actually.

Triumph is back in mainstream MX.

Below right: Evo MXers such as this Kawasaki are rightly regarded as classic these days.

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CDB SHOW 2024 RESULTS Best in Show Alan Wright Trophy Best Road Racer Best Motocross Best Scrambler Best Trials Best Enduro Best Grasstrack Best Speedway Best Sidecar Best Club Stand

Above: The world being put to rights: Bill Brown, aka Mr Wulfsport, and trials legend Sammy Miller catch up on the Wulfsport stand.

Left: Grasstrack and speedway require specialist machinery.

There is a place for them at Telford especially as the show sponsors Hagon Shocks are connected to the scene.

Below left: A regular to the show is 1979 world trials champion Bernie Schreiber. We found him catching up with his former team-mate Dave Thorpe.

Above right: Not many people would be able to turn out on such an immaculate Bultaco every week.

Right: Monty is a stalwart of the classic scene who arranged a four-model P11 Ranger collection for a photoshoot for me some years ago.

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1991 CCM 604 350 Bultaco Sherpa 1965 Cotton Telstar 1991 CCM 604 1970 400 Husqvarna Cross 1975 Kawasaki KT250 1976 Moto Gori GS 1973 Godden 84S 1955 Rotrax Mk1 1984 Yamaha Wasp Cotton OC

Alec Middleton Yrjo Vesterinen Malcolm Sharpe Alec Middleton Peter Saunders Mark Barge David Phillips Anne Skinner Mike Jones Mark Ramplee

Best in Show for 2024 is Alec Middleton’s 1991 604 CCM. Alec’s efforts also landed him Best MXer.

CDB Show

Above left: Richard Allen’s stall had a few nice bikes for sale in the outside autojumble.

A bit of inspiration for my own project here.

These posters would certainly brighten up a wall.

Above right: Just rummaging in the autojumble on Dave Godley’s stand is Robyn Harris. She’s looking for a number plate for her 500 Rotax Husqvarna which she was planning to race at Red Marley Hill Climb on Easter Monday. Her other half Mike Ashley casually mentioned Robyn built the bike herself too.

On the Red Marley Hill Climb stand, a 250 CCM.

Below left: At first glance a nice standard OSSA… but take a closer look and it’s pretty trick.

The lads on Microdrone were attracting a lot of interest… can you see it hovering above the OSSA?

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Whatever motorcycle floats your boat there will be a class and a scene for it; take the 125 Twinshock Aircooled Cup for instance.

Publicising the World Speedway Day was Phil Ranson, a highly entertaining character who decided grasstrack sounded fun, bought a bike, turned up at an event and was on the startline without ever having seen a race.

A nice-looking bike but sadly Kawasaki’s KT250 never caught on in the trials world. This one was to win Best Trials Bike award.

One of the modern importers who recognise the benefit of being at the CDB Show is Sherco. The company’s top rider is Emma Bristow MBE, multiple world trials champion.

Above left: The Talon MickMar on Works Trials Bikes caught a lot of attention, with quite a few enthusiasts remembering the bike in action.

Left: Show sponsor Martin Hagon of Hagon Shocks is flanked by special guests, three-time world trials champion Yrjo Vesterinen and former world 250 MX champion Neil Hudson on the right.

Right: Belle Vue speedway was represented by Mark Lemon, who explained all about the resurgence of Belle Vue in company with Martin Hagon.

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CDB Show

Born from the BSA John Banks raced in the early Seventies was the Cheney BSA Thumper, built

by Ken Heanes – noted ISDT team manager – and ace frame builder Eric Cheney.

Speedway is all about reaction times, dropping the clutch as the tapes go up. Belle Vue’s stand had a reaction tester…watch for the light to go to green, drop the clutch…

Above right: …let’s just say the CDB editor’s times were consistent…

Above left: Prize guys: Rockshocks Suspension has been sponsoring the premier classic trials series for several years and the 2023 series presentation was at Telford.

Left: Concours winners for the 2024 Classic Dirt Bike Show; see results panel for who is who.

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