From The Editor's Chair

By Bob Twigg

It's Spring time! The Classic Dirt Bike show at Telford in February went off well. The last time I went there a few years ago I felt sorry for the exhibitors who had to display their wares (careful) outside the main hall. I gather that this year the windy rainy spell caught them out again. Who remembers Nik Fisk doing interviews of riders and ex riders there? Nik always had some amusing lines, he was really good at the job, apart from being a very keen motocrosser as well. RIP mate, keep them interested up there!

There was a nice bit in Beth Hogarth's youth column back in Febs' TMX. The OSET electric bike man Ian Smith said that ten years ago the first OSET event in Yorkshire attracted eight riders, fast forward a decade and 2020 will see a dozen OSET cups attracting upwards of eight hundred riders. The events will cover the whole country from Scotland to Cornwall. A great achievement, I must confess that when they first came out I was doubtful about their success, but I was wrong. There are many young riders in the South Midland centre getting good results on them, some of them are sons of centre "aces"! I wish they made more noise though, but that is just an "old codgers" thoughts!

Lionel Cox of the Berkhamsted club is "pioneering" an electronic marking system for observing. Each observer is handed a mobile phone sized device, as the rider enters the section the observer types in the riders number, when he exits the section his score is put in and that is transmitted automatically to the secretary back at the start and his score goes onto the results sheet. When the trial is finished the observers hand their "phones" back in and the results are available soon after the last rider. Lionel is confident it will help clubs and I am sure that if any club is interested he will be very pleased to demonstrate it. As a "PS" I will say that if I have to use it I will need several "training days", I'm not very good with these modern devices!

All the best, enjoy your Spring riding, Bob.

Andy Wood writes: Obviously the Covid 19 situation is having an effect on all motorcycling activity. All events taking place in April have been cancelled but regulations do appear in this issue for events taking place in May. On a positive note we hope the current situation will resolve to allow your motorcycling activity to resume during the summer.