Classic Dirt Bike Issue 45 Winter

FEET UP AND FLAT OUT ACTION FROM THE SPORTING SCENE

DIRTb bike CLASSIC

#45

ISSUE Forty-five Winter 2017

FLYIN’

FARLEIGH ARLEIGH The V Th Vets t ttakes k off ff

PRESS RESS DAY 1966 966 ISDT squad sq q ad on p parade

BACK ACK TO THE FUTURE Hedlund’s MX time warp p AN HOUR IN IN... ...OUR

ARCHIVE RCHIV PRINTED IN THE UK

STONELEIGH AND ND STAFFORD

We were there!

PLUS VESTY’S TRICK 125 BULTO // 440 SWM MX // DIRT TALK // ANDREWS IN ACTION

IN BALANCE

Loading the shed The prospect of planning a new workshop is exciting.

H

ow often do any of us have the chance to lay out a workshop from scratch? A chance to build what we want rather than have, something that is shared with all sorts of other things deemed important in modern life. I dare bet most of us have to make do with what we inherit through house moves or what is allowed in parental property for our workspace. Even having a parent with similar interests doesn’t always make for an easy workshop co-habitation or layout – trust me, I speak from experience. No matter how good a co-operation is, a shared workshop has difficulties.

So, imagine the excitement when it became clear part of the new garden was going to be dedicated to a small workshop, capable of housing the valuable classic and off-road motorcycling stuff collected during 40 or more years of involvement in this scene. I’ve had various sizes of workshop in the past, some of them quite large places but they’ve always had other uses too, one in particular also housed my working museum of manually operated vintage woodworking equipment (and you thought being into old motorcycles was weird!).

In the main though, most of my work places have been the family household garage and its associated contents were not always conducive to motorcycling life.

The family garage is a strange place and once this motoring lark caught on, houses began to incorporate a place to park a vehicle in. These days though there seems to be a trend to remodel the garage into a ‘much-needed extra living space’ and Kitty the designer is much in evidence on the telly

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as she squeals delightedly at the size of the garage and plans a spa bath, steam room and hydro-massage area; all appearing to be essential these days.

Actually, many moons ago in one of my previous occupations, I got involved – professionally – with such a designer intent on destroying the garage with carpets, patio doors and the like. There she was in her fashionable-for-the-time outfit of baggy denim dungarees, grandad collarless shirt and red sandals, spouting breathlessly on how “… clearing out this clutter, yah?..” would do wonders for the “…ambient karma…” or some such phrase, when into the mix came my questions as to where would the lathe, bike bench and workbench go? From the expression on her face I got the impression she wasn’t a motorcycle fan but hey, we’re all different.

Anyway, the new shed… past experience with workshops has taught me several lessons.

First it needs to be secure, then the inside needs to be light, ventilation is a really good idea and there can never be enough shelves.

A tin box such as a site storage container is okay from a security point of view but the condensation caused in winter and the heat in summer are inconvenient to say the least.

Sheds score on the lack of condensation and with metal cages built in can be made secure.

A purpose-built brick or stone workshop might be ideal but not always possible without planning permission so please be aware of regulations in your area in case you erect something that needs permission.

A quick glance around my own bookshelves shows there are lots of publications to provide inspiration over the coming weeks, though the

majority are American rather than specifically UK oriented, but there’s still some tasty garages in there.

Though these books are full of desirable places it is unlikely I can afford anything like the climate-controlled, tiled, designer places – though maybe I should see if Kitty the designer is still around “…oh-kay, yah, I visualise the concept… we’ll put the lathe there and I know this exclusive place that does gorgeous pastel paints, as frankly that yellow is sooo out now…” Alright, I admit it I’m kidding a bit there but just once on those programmes I’d like one of the designers to recognise our space too. So my new space is likely to be a little less glamorous than those in a dream garages book but there will still be some thought going into it.

That it will fit into the surroundings is important to me, that I don’t have to haul everything outside to use my basic equipment is equally important, a consideration also important to me is that I also have to be able to take photographs in it. There will have to be a clean-down area for things such as the parts washer, an engineering area for the lathe, drill and bench grinder, storage space and a decent workbench with a metal top so the odd slip with a hot air gun won’t singe the surface. The biggest consideration, however, is it will all have to fit into a 4.8m x 2.4m space so organisational skills will be to the fore and much scribbling on graph paper will be done to try to determine layouts before wood is cut. Though likely once I finish the place I’ll be in someone else’s workshop and think “why didn’t I do that?”

“

…Okay, so my new space is likely to be a little less glamorous than those in a dream garages book, but there will still be some thought going into it…

Copyright Mortons Media Group Ltd. All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced or transmitted in any form or by any means, electronic or mechanical, including photocopying, recording, or any information storage retrieval system without prior permission in writing from the publisher.

”

Tim Britton

The Professional Publishers Association Member

Independent publishers since 1885

Contents 03 In Balance

The opportunity to build a shed from scratch rather than inherit something built by someone else is a rare opportunity indeed.

06 News, views and reviews

Our regular look at what’s happening in the off-road world, events to go to, series updates.

11 Against the tide

By the mid Sixties the world had decided lightweight was the way forward... Hedlund thought otherwise.

17 Something special

The UK couldn’t quite leave the Triumph unit engine behind when ISDT duty cropped up – meant a few superb chassis were devised though.

22 You need…

… a Drayton Triumph, we look at a winner first time out and get the spec from the rider.

40 Subscribe! Subscribe! Subscribe!

As Classic Dirt Bike is subscription only in the UK you’ve either subscribed, nicked a mate’s copy or seen us at a show. If it’s one of the latter two… subscribe here.

52 Dicko’s view

If only our other halves knew how much we almost spend at these shows we go to… oh, they know do they?

61 ’cross words

Is it the fountain of youth at which Mr Berry has been sipping? No, just a view that youth isn’t a new thing...

This is part two!

72 Dirt Talk

What are you talking about in the CDB world? All sorts of things as it happens, bring it on we say.

82 Moto memories

All eyes were on Mick Andrews’ rear end at the 1977 UK world round and Nick Nicholls caught it in action as it soaked up the bumps.

Features 27 That was the year when…

… the ISDT squad was paraded in front of the press at Fenny Drayton. It was a well attended affair with the industry notables all over the place.

34 Bigger isn’t always better

With the current interest in smaller capacity bikes for pre-65 trials, we have a look at a rather special small capacity bike for twinshock trials.

66 An hour with…

… or actually ‘an hour in…’ for this issue, as it eventually dawned on the editor that a feature around the archive here at CDB Towers could be a good thing.

76 Bigger is better

In the search for MX success, more cubes will often help… CDB is invited along to the first running of a big-bore SWM.

Events On the cover

54 Sporting world

We’ve been to our sponsored NBBC round in the North East and a twinshock MX in Chester… where have you been?

Bradley Wheeler was in action at the Vets MXdN at Farleigh Castle in September. The event draws riders from as far away as Australia and is a fantastic event.

64 Fabulous Farleigh

On the contents page

CDB went to the Vets MXdN at Farleigh Castle in Wiltshire, torrential rain overnight made things interesting…

Nick Haskell was on the first turn for the best of the action at Farleigh Vets and caught the pack just right at the start of the Evo class.

Getting technical 48 Dirt products

Got something to help the off-road world go faster, keep their feet up longer or remain more on time in an enduro? Tell us, we’ll put it in this bit.

50 Tech talk

All is never lost… there will be something out there to help when things wear out and replacements can’t be found… like gear change shafts for instance.

News 6

DIRTNews

KTM found

An off-road feast for all at Telford

Exciting news from Hartwig Kamarad, director of the Motorrad Trial Museum in Ohlsdorf, Austria, is that one of the four 320 KTM trials bikes built by the factory is now in the museum. Thought lost, it was actually in a barn belonging to a friend of Hartwig’s.

Of the four machines, one went to German multi trial champion Felix Krahnstöver, one to Austrian trial ambassador and developer Walther Luft – both riders using the bikes in the Scottish Six Days Trial and the trial World Championship series 1977/8 and the National Championship with KTM. Another was for former Zundapp development engineer Mr Wieditz and one was for KTM boss Mr Trunkenpolz (the ‘T’ in KTM).

This is bike no 00004 given to Mr Trunkenpolz, who in turn gave it to the museum director’s friend as a special gift. This special KTM is on display with around 30 other trial machines from around the world in the Trial Museum Ohlsdorf, Weinbergstrasse 66, Gmunden, Ohlsdorf 4694, Austria.

Tel: +43 699 12905198 www.webermichl.at/museum/ Editor: Tim Britton cdbeditor@mortons.co.uk 07739 615605 Columnists: Ian Berry, John Dickinson Contributors: Alan Telford Media, Nick Haskell Photographers: Nick Haskell, Fiona Watson, Nick Nicholls Collection.

J

ust in case you haven’t already got the date carved in stone or pinned to your workshop wall, the 2018 Hagon sponsored Classic Dirt Bike Show at Telford International Centre takes place on February 17/18.

Inside the three halls will be the best of the off-road scene, but of course what constitutes ‘the best’ will depend on where you view it from. For some it will be the pre-65 trials scene, others will loudly proclaim it’s the Super Evo MX class that everyone should aspire to. Still others will point out the fun to be had with a third wheel attached to the side... and that’s one of the best things about the show, it’s so diverse and you just know these bikes on display will be used properly, in the dirt.

Show sponsor Hagon has been involved in the motorcycle scene for nearly 60 years and 2018 will see the diamond jubilee of the company founded by Alf Hagon.

Always noted for innovation, Hagon has been at the forefront of off-road development with not

Divisional Advertising Manager: Billy Manning Advertising representative: Helen Martin 01507 529574 HRMartin@Mortons.co.uk Subscription manager: Paul Deacon Circulation manager: Steve O’Hara Marketing manager: Charlotte Park

Production editor: Sarah Wilkinson

Commercial director: Nigel Hole

Senior designer: Kelvin Clements

Archive enquiries: Jane Skayman jskayman@mortons.co.uk 01507 529423

Designer: Libby Fincham

Publisher: Tim Hartley

is planned, including a couple of Jeff Smith bikes, a 500 B50 used by John Banks to win the 1971 British championship, plus a few more… so keep an eye on our Facebook page for further updates.

For trials fans, Sammy Miller is bringing two legends along – three if you include himself. First is his super special Ariel GOV 132 and complementing it is Gordon Jackson’s factory AJS registered 187 BLF, the one he did his famous one-dab win of the 1961 SSDT. Visit classicmagazines.co.uk and go to the ‘show tickets’ page or give our customer services team a call on 01507 529529.

Tickets for the Classic Dirt Bike Dinner will also be available at a cost of £33. See the website for more details. See you there...

Time to get your Hagon out of hiding

Publishing director: Dan Savage

Picture desk: Jonathan Schofield, Paul Fincham

If your winter rebuild is stalled for lack of a particular spare part, you can be sure you’ll find it on the trade stands or in the autojumble.

Even if your off-road project is stalled for, well, lack of an offroad project, then have no fear because there will be a project there waiting, with your name on it. Just be aware it might not be the project you think you want – CDB bumped into a lad at the 2017 show carrying the basis of a Husqvarna towards his van, his mate helping him grinned and told us when he’d come in he swore blind he was looking for a Yamaha…

At time of going to press there are a few things still to be confirmed for the 2018 show, but what we can tell you is that a line-up of factory BSAs

Editorial address PO Box 99, Horncastle, Lincolnshire LN9 6LZ.

only speedway and grasstrack figuring highly in its credentials but MX, trials and road racing too. CDB has featured several of Hagon’s alloy chassis solos and sidecars.

For the past two Classic Dirt Bike Shows, Hagon has been encouraging owners who may

General queries and back issues 01507 529529 24hr answerphone help@classicmagazines.co.uk www.classicmagazines.co.uk Subscription Full subscription rates (but see page 40 for offer): (12 months four issues, inc post and packing) – UK £20. Export rates are also available – see page 40 for more details. UK subscriptions are zero-rated for the purposes of Value Added Tax. Website www.classicdirtbike.co.uk Overseas distribution Marketforce UK Ltd. 0203 787 9001.

be ‘Hiding a Hagon’ in their shed to bring them along for a massive... nay, huge... display of anything Hagon orientated.

So, if you’re hiding a Hagon of any sort, contact Tony Hutcheson at Hagon on 0208 502 6222 and get your Hagon on display.

Printed William Gibbons & Sons, Wolverhampton.

CLASSIC DIRT BIKE (ISBN:978-1-909128-873) is published quarterly by Mortons Media Group Ltd, PO Box 99, Horncastle, Lincolnshire LN9 6LZ UK . USA subscriptions are $50 per year from Motorsport Publications LLC, 7164 Cty Rd N #441, Bancroft WI 54921.

Periodical Postage is paid at Wisconsin Rapids, WI. Postmaster: Send address changes to CLASSIC DIRT BIKE, c/o Motorsport Publications LLC, 7164 Cty Rd N #441, Bancroft WI 54921. 715-572-4595 chris@ classicbikebooks.com

7

Toughsheet Twinshock Awards The awards presentation for the Toughsheet National Twinshock MX Championships took place recently at the Moat House Hotel, Stoke, where all the silverware from a successful seven-round series was handed out.

More than 150 riders, family and friends attended the evening, and the ones blessed with hair (not many), were able to let it down, and dance the night away.

Rob Kinsey was inducted into the Twinshock Hall of Fame, for services to the sport, after 10 years doing the commentaries, but was unfortunately absent after being rushed into hospital the day before. He is now recovering and we wish him well.

Peterlee’s Barry Turnbull is the new Wulfsport National Twinshock Champion, and will carry the number one plate in 2018.

Thanks went to the Cumbria, Lancashire and Yorkshire Twinshock clubs who ran the events, plus all the superb sponsors, secretaries, lap scorers, medics, marshals and helpers.

Toughsheet organisers stand proud after laying out all the trophies.

The list of winners was as follows:

Wulfsport Experts 1 Barry Turnbull, 2 David Campbell, 3 Lee Holland.

Mark Connole (Best Four Stroke).

Falcon Shocks Best 250, Jamie Biddulph

LPE Clubman 1 Mike Tucker, 2 Gavin Cole, 3 Simon Bentley.

CI Sport Intermediates 1 James Curtis, 2 Matt Bennett, 3 Dom Bratt.

Anderton (Over 40’s Champion,

MD Racing Over 50s 1 Willie Burgess, 2 Alan Bott, 3 Tim Sabine.

MRH Consultants 125 Twinshock

Hazport Veterans Over 50s

1 John Davis, 2 Mark Burrows, 3 Steve Riley.

1 Mike Allport, 2 Chris Rowlands, 3 Mark Bowden.

MRH Consultants 125 Evolution 1 Jacob Joyce, 2 Andy Lawton, 3 Jonno White.

MD Racing Over 60s

Hazport Veterans Over 40s

1 Graham Challis, 2 Alan Hambridge, 3 Martin Snape.

1 Danny Blakeley, 2 Jonno White, 3 Paul Groom.

Woodys Vintage OffRoad Honda Evolution 1 David Campbell, 2 Jamie Dobson, 3 Michael Smith.

Andy Hinchliffe (Best 250)

Twinshock Hall of fame Rob Kinsey.

2018 Moidart Peninsula Road Run

Rupert Ratio books

Those of us who have unit BSA singles should really have the Rupert Ratio handbooks on our shelves. Pretty much the bibles for the C15 up to the B50 in all its incarnations and split into Vol 1 – The Engine and Vol 2 – Everything but the engine, a third volume is due out soon. This will concentrate on some of the special models of unit BSA. Since the demise of Panther Publishing, Rupert Ratio has taken on the mantle of self publishing his books and they are available at www.ratiopublishing.co.uk

Organisers Andrew Johnstone and John McCrink are pleased to announce that the ninth Moidart Peninsula Classic Motorcycle Road Run will take place on Thursday, May 3, 2018.

Open to motorcycles made up until 1979, each year an increasing number of genuine enthusiasts on an amazing variety of classic and vintage machinery make the pilgrimage to the Scottish Highlands for the event.

Last year saw entrants from the UK, Europe and the USA. Guest of honour for 2018 will be Sixties trials ace Mick Dismore, a veteran of the SSDT and a fully supported works rider for James from 1959-1964. At 85 he is still a regular visitor to the ‘Scottish’ and is looking forward to a run round the peninsula on his vintage Honda.

Starting and finishing at Kinlochleven, The Moidart follows what used to be the Thursday route of the Scottish

Andy Johnstone fires up his Royal Enfield at the start of the 2017 event.

Six Days Trial, and covers around 120 miles of breathtaking scenery. It includes the short Corran Ferry crossing and there’s even the opportunity to visit the infamous Devil’s Staircase, once considered a most demanding and intimidating section by competitors, but

loved by spectators.

For an entry form email johnmccrink@googlemail.com or send a large SAE to John McCrink, Braeside Cottage, Grange Road, North Berwick EH39 4QT. Entries, limited to 80 riders close on February 28, 2018 or when full.

News 8

Some classic appeal Though a predominately modern show, there was a bit there for us classic enthusiasts at the 2017 Motul-backed Dirt Bike Show.

L

et’s get it out there at the start, this show is a modern show with no real concession to the classic, twinshock and Evo scene which makes up the bulk of this magazine. That said, there was enough of ‘our’ type of motorcycling to create some interest for the editor.

Naturally the Toughsheet Twinshock series stand was overflowing with bikes and people, the 125 Evo series stand too had stuff on there which caused us to stop and chat a bit.

Amid the glitz and glamour of the new stuff in the main hall at Stoneleigh Park in Warwickshire, there were things like the tyre guys, with all of the latest rubberware to deal with all sorts of enduro and MX terrain. Michelin had arranged a test of its new tyre – introduced at the ISDE in France a few weeks ago – on a course designed by Ady Smith’s KTM Enduro Experience up at the 4 X 4 track in the NAC grounds.

Elsewhere in the halls were the 150GP MX series racers on their thrilling finale to a season of hectic racing. Or how about the Motoball guys? Two teams – France and Germany – battling it out over the four days on specially prepped bikes and a massive football.

Was getting a bit of kit your thing? The trade hall was rammed full of such stuff and there were lots of riders hauling away their purchases.

Stage action this year was compered by road racer Steve Plater who is also noted for being involved in the dirt bike scene. As youngsters did the electronic games thing, racing round an MX track, Steve kept up a brilliant dialogue as he encouraged them to test their limits. Steve also hosted the awards ceremonies and

Tidy looking Yamaha Pinky Mono in the autojumble area in Wrighty’s stand.

A young lad by the name of Noyce was working with Rickman and riding a Montesa-engined Metisse. “Can we try a Husqvarna engine in there?” he asked... and a legend was on his way.

250 London’s twinshock clothing range is the sort of thing we wore in the Seventies and Eighties.

Look out for the new range in CDB.

interviewed star riders from the world of off-road.

One of the coming things in dirt biking is electric motorcycles.

As the ever-increasing effects of climate change start hitting, the once novel idea of electric powered machinery is now less of a novelty and more serious.

Caroline Sandiford’s Mecatecno stand had the latest full-sized, adult trials bike featuring a two-speed gearbox and all the stuff one would expect for a top flight machine. Mecatecno top man Jordi Mila was on hand to help with demos and explain a bit about the bike to those of us who got a go on it. Seriously, if you get the chance try this out.

When you’re famous you have to sign autographs. Emma Bristow – UK trials superstar – signs posters for Isla and Charlie.

9

A champion’s tale, out soon

There’s always one…! Checking out the tools on the Venhill stand were, from left, Mark Gould, Mathew Chappel and Grant Bank-Gould.

Former CDB columnist Jeff Smith has undoubtedly led an interesting life packed full of motorcycling excitement with trials wins, scrambles championships, ISDT gold medals and twice being crowned King of the MX World. The BSA and CanAm superstar has collaborated with current CDB columnist Ian Berry and produced a book dedicated to his tale, it is in the late stages of production and is expected to be published early in the new year. There is a pre-order service available through www.motorsportx.com

Pre-65 Scottish Trial Motoball! Madness on motorbikes with a football… go see!

An invite to try Michelin’s latest enduro tyre meant a chance to sample the latest KTM enduro range too… brakes that work! What a revelation!

Have you got your entry forms for the 2018 Pre-65 Scottish?

They’re out now and entries close on December 8, 2018. Don’t forget you need two colour A4 photos of your bike showing either side and your licence number.

It’s worth checking the eligibility booklet too as there’s been some tweaks to the rules. The trial will, as per usual, be in Kinlochleven and for 2018 the dates are Friday and Saturday May 4/5. There is a limit of 180 riders.

Show dinner The Classic Dirt Bike Dinner will be taking place on Saturday, February 17, 2018 at the Holiday Inn in Telford. Tickets costing £33 each are available at classicmagazines.co.uk or by calling 01507 529529.

SUBTLE IT AIN’T… 11

…but it is oh so mind-bogglingly beautiful.

Words & Pics: Tim Britton

T

here is a fascination with massive non-unit construction fourstroke MX machines which goes beyond any real reasoning. I am unashamedly a fan of these often brutal looking motorcycles even though I’m way too young to have seen them raced in their heyday. By the time this Hedlund was created the day of the dinosaur in MX was long gone in top flight GP racing as even BSA had pushed the Goldie to the comp shop basement and their man Jeff Smith was flashing round the scrambles circuits of

Admit it, you want one… I know I do.

the world on an ever lighter Beezer evolved from the company’s B40. As pounds were shed and cubes added, Jeff looked to be having it all his own way… but perhaps no one told Nils Hedlund and Rolf Tibblin that smaller and lighter was the way forward?

It is a good thing they didn’t listen to those who said the day of the big bikes was over because a world without this Hedlund would be like a world without chocolate.

I came across the bike rather by chance when down at Hagon to interview Alf for a feature. Thanks to a bit of reorganisation in

the company which has seen the closure of the USA outlet, there were a few bikes being brought back to the UK – the Hedlund being one of them. As such, Hagon know very little about the bike, just that it came from a Belgian race team called Hedlund Racing and was ridden by Frans van Endert.

Luckily for me, MotorCycling’s chap Mike Bashford got a chance to ride the actual Tibblin machine at Hawkstone Park in 1964 and he did a comprehensive piece on the bike, which has provided the basis for this feature.

Hedlund 12

Bing for the Sixties but Dell Orto for this model.

The venerable Albin military engine had provided the basis for the large capacity MX machines fielded by Monark, Husqvarna and Lito which pretty much were the same machine but with detail differences and all with input from Nils Hedlund in the engine department.

These machines only had two reasons for their existence, first they were to be winners, secondly they were to provide publicity for the name on the petrol tank. In both areas they were successful and this continued after other factories were eyeing up smaller machines with greater power to weight ratio.

Because they were hand-built racers rather

A nicely presented motor which has power in bucketfuls.

than production machines, all three could have the attention to detail which turns a good machine into a great one. In the case of Husqvarna, their man Tibblin was again world champion on their big bike but the company pulled out of the 500 class leaving him with no ride. Luckily for Tibblin, Nils Hedlund was a near neighbour of his and Hedlund had been instrumental in the success of the pushrod 500 engine on which Tibblin seemingly dominated the 500 class in the early Sixties. Hedlund had his own ideas about what a motocross engine should be like and created the engine used in our feature bike –

This bike wears a well insulated alloy tank and there are no problems with it, unlike during the Sixties when Tibblin went through three glass fibre tanks in half a season.

A welded on tag holds the brake lever in place.

A stout chain guide keeps the chain in line.

an overhead cam unit.

I didn’t get to ride the Hedlund at Hagon that day (is that a big enough hint I wonder?) but can confirm Bashford’s impressions that this is a large motorcycle and my opinion came from wheeling it around in Hagon’s car park.

Okay, the bike in our pictures differs from the one in Bashford’s MotorCycling piece and I can only guess that it is one of the later versions described in the report and the actual Tibblin machine is the 1964 season bike.

By his own admission, Mike Bashford had not ridden around Hawkstone Park before