The Sporting
T S I L C Y C R O T MO
..published monthly
orting motorcycling
News for social and sp
September 2020
Enduro, Grasstrack, Motocross, Road Racing, Speedway, Sprinting and Trials news
CONTAINS OFFICIAL EVENT ENTRY FORMS
The Sporting
MOTORCYCLIST
is published monthly and is available through your Clubs or by direct subscription
Editor
(ACU Southern Centre) John Bramall
16 Gifford Close, Fareham, Hampshire, PO15 6PJ T: 01329 823282 E: johnbramall246@btinternet.com
Editor
(ACU South Midland Centre) Bob Twigg
2 Harwood Close, Welwyn Garden City, Herts, AL8 7SN E: bobtwigg@ntlworld.com
Editor & Advertising and Distribution
(ACU South Eastern Centre) Andy Wood 30 Westways, Edenbridge, Kent TN8 6AA Tel/Fax 01732 865380
E: anmarprintingservices@gmail.com
Printed by
Anmar Printing Services, Edenbridge, Kent
SEPTEMBER 2020 VOL. 20 ISSUE 9 PUBLISHED ON THE 1ST OF EACH MONTH
All material for TSM should reach the editor by the tenth day of the month preceding publication.
FROM THE EDITOR'S CHAIR n By Bob Twigg
The Covid lockdown has created a very difficult motorcycle sport year. If the lockdown and the present conditions still apply in 2021 there will have to be some thinking about centre and club championships in all disciplines. Most centres and clubs have abandoned the chances of 2020 championships. Also, the fact that some riders will have lost money due to the closure of their workplaces. On my "grumpy" side it does look like a difficult future for off road motorcycling in general. I liked Andy Wood’s comment in the July issue on the governments idea of other forms of transport for the masses. I'm not sure that the Mums of today will allow their offspring the chance to buy and ride a motorbike. "Ooh they are much too dangerous" will be their response. Motorcycles are not dangerous, first it is down to the "nut" that holds the handlebars and secondly you are more vulnerable on two wheels either on a pushbike or a "motorsickle". Luckily I only had one nasty on a road bike when an "elderly" person came out of a side turning and "T" boned me. Again luckily I was on a customers bike (having spent hours rebuilding the gearbox) my boss bought the damaged machine rebuilt it and made a profit when he resold it. I did have a sore bottom for a while though! I'd better not mention the accidents and injuries I've had in trials though, that was just me being a clumsy idiot for nearly sixty years. None of the above must put anyone off motorcycles, there is nothing in this world that can compare to riding a motorbike (no rude comments please), you can have more fun on a moped than when you are driving an Aston Martin! Ours is the best sport in the world, keep at it lads and lasses and let's hope we can get out of this Covid thing very soon. Lastly, an apology, Rob Warner's article in an earlier issue was credited as being by me, sorry folks it was written by the man himself South Midland "ace" Rob. All the best. Contributions in this issue: Viv Brackett, Andy Withers, Alan Turner, Mike Wiseman, Bob Brown, John Bramall, Bob Twigg, John Kitchener, Dave Blanchard, Fraser Law, Bob Twigg, Barham MCC Would you like to contribute? Please send to the editor, contact details on page 3.
Cover Photo: Chris Koch Photo by: mxphotos
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C
Centres Officials
O N T E NTS
Chairmen
Competitive Motocross Back with a Bang in the South 5 A Welcome Restart
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Waltham Chase Trials MCC Keith Marshall Classic Trial
10
The Witley Motoduro
13
The George Greenland Trophy
17
South Midland Centre Championships - The Experts, 1985 0n... 24 Success for Sidcup Straight Talking
25 30-32
Return to Racing Ladies Day 2021 at Sittingbourne Speedway - Iwade
South Eastern: Steve Moore Tel: 01483 486320 Southern: Bob Hewson Tel: 023 9259 2919
Secretaries South Eastern: ACU Main Office Tel: 01788 566400 admin@acu.org.uk South Midland: Terry Golds Tel: 01582 455714 Mobile: 07747 855264 21 Buckingham Drive, Stopsley, Luton, Beds, LU2 9RA email: terrylgolds@ntlworld.com Southern: Chris Fletcher Tel: 01256 242214 1 Fairclose, Whitchurch, Hampshire, RG28 7AN email: chris-fletcher@tiscali.co.uk
Permit Secretaries South Eastern: ACU Main Office Tel: 01788 566400 admin@acu.org.uk
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South Midland: Ian Reynolds Tel: 0208 9079856 Mobile: 07803766314 186 Regal Way, Harrow Middlesex, HA3 0SQ email: reynolds.russell@virgin.net
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Southern: Claire Ballard Tel: 0118 981 2595 26 Droxford Crescent, Tadley, Hampshire, RG26 3BA email: ballardclaire@hotmail.com
Benevolent Fund Representatives South Midland: Dave Porter Tel: 01582 651189 22 Belper Road, Luton, Beds, LU4 8RG Southern: Terry Graves Tel: 02380 643503 13 Locksley Road, Eastleigh, Hampshire, SO50 5DX South Eastern: Hazel Collins Tel: 01189 421534 14 Brookside, Calcot, West Berks, RG31 7PJ
Rights of Way Officers South Eastern (Sussex): Bevis Billingham Tel: 01243 585128 182 Elmer Road, Middleton on Sea, Bognor Regis, PO22 6JA South Eastern (Kent): Steve Neville Tel: 01797 458939 26 Donsmead Drive, Northiam, TN31 6EQ South Midland: Chris Hurworth Tel: 01494 446198 23 Cambridge Crescent, Totteridge, High Wycombe, HP13 7NE
Regulations Trials
Bexleyheath, 13th September Sittingbourne, 13th September Double Five Kent, 20th Sept Thames, 11th October Waltham Chase, 11th October Waltham Chase, 18th October Entry Form
8 8 16 16 29 33 9
Southern: Martin Down Tel: 01264 365084 18 Barcelona Close, Andover, Hampshire, SP10 1JQ. email: martin.down1@gmail.com
Competitive Motocross Back with a Bang in the South
with competitors and officials well catered for to keep them safe. Modern Motocross steps up locally with a competitive meeting at Winchester MCC at Owslebury on Bank Holiday Monday, for entries and further information look at the link through thewinchestermotorcycleclub.co.uk. This meeting includes races for Moderns, Twinshocks and 85cc machines. There are three other meetings the diary for classics in the south: 23rd August at Dorchester Somerset Classic Scramble Club 20th September at East Stour South Coast Scramble Club 27th September at Yatton Keynall Llanthony CMCC/Bath MCC
Pre 74 runner up Mark Stephens - Bultaco Pursang
For entries and more details visit the club websites/ facebook pages.
Q By Andy Withers Southern Classic Scramble clubs are back in full swing with competitive meetings being run under covid regulations. Strong entries and highly entertaining racing have been features of the early meetings run by Somerset Scramble Club and Devon Classic Scramble Club. There were packed entries with pre entry online compulsory and no spectators allowed. At the Somerset Meeting Matt Holcombe took three wins, two in the fast Evo class on his Honda to win the class and one in the classics Pre 65/Pre74 on his CZ where he finished second overall to Peter Hollinshead on his 650cc BSA. In the "premiere" four stroke class Bryan Withers took three four stroke wins on his Husqvarna and Marcus Clare topped the twinshock A with two wins. At Devon Classic, Kristian Marshall was in scintillating form taking six wins, three in the Twinshock A on his Maico and three in the Pre74 on his Bultaco Pursang. He made the holeshot in all six races finishing ahead of Bryan Withers in three times in Twinshock A and Mark Stephens on a similar Bultaco in the Pre74. Both meetings were very well organisers
Fantastic form - Kristian Marshall on his Maico 5
Peter Steer enjoying himself
loosing a meagre 10 marks mostly on the leafy climbs at sections 9 and 10, he was followed home by Richard Tickner with Ronnie Day taking third place. Joe Snelling was the sole youth rider on the hardest route and was the only rider to record all feet up rides through the tricky section 10. There was a close tussle for honours in the inter class with Colin Allsop coming out on top but only by a dab from Basingstoke riders Alex Taylor and Mark Elms, ace rides by Colin at section 1 set in a natural bowl with a fallen tree guarding the ridge. Mick Marshall recorded the lowest score on the blue route to win the Over 40 class from fellow "Old Gits" Dave Renham, Dave Dale and Tim Bird, wheel perfect rides from Mick on the exposed roots of the fir tree at section 8. Another close battle in the novice class with Terry Tidbury victorious by 2 dabs from Steve Brown with Mick Auger some distance behind in
A Welcome Restart Q  By Bob Brown The Thames Motor Cycle Club made a welcome return to competitive sport with their Restart Trial held at Frensham Vale, mindful of Covid-19 restrictions entries were limited to 60 riders with no spectators. Jon Yendell, Kevin Fishlock, Mark and Simon Ward had set out 10 sections in dry weather on the Saturday but with heavy overnight rain some slight modifications were necessary. Philip Wiffen was best expert 6
Simon Ward
third place, trouble free rides from Terry and Steve on the sandy banks of section 7. Pete Haines achieved the lowest score of the day in winning the Over 50 class with John Reeves also finishing in single figures and Simon Dowling third, four cleans by them all at section 6 over the exposed roots. Riding the same route Robin Ball was best Twinshock from Ian Hayward with John Johns taking his Greeves round in the Pre67 class, nice rides from Robin on the steep banks at section 5. Nick James excelled in the Pre67 class on the yellow route followed home by Rupert Kemp and Jeff Morgan, Nick Everitt did likewise on the Sportsman route tailed by Andrew Cooper and Brian Cohen; both Nicks had feet up rides through the banks at section 2. With the success of the trial, the next trial on 20th September will be at Longcross. Expert Philip Wiffen Richard Tickner Ronnie Day Ashley Hall Max Seaman Neil Bowker Elliott Tickner Bailey Tidbury
10 21 33 49 63 69 74 78
Youth Expert Joe Snelling
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Inter Colin Allsop Alex Taylor Mark Elms Reynard Norris David Bathe Darren Haines Paul Heron Wayne Barron
6 7 7 14 18 19 19 25
Mark Ward Peter Steer Dave Barrett Jonathan Bathe Adam Grosch Gary Grundy Robert Bamford
28 48 53 73 86 88 102
Over 40 Mick Marshall Dave Renham Dave Dale Tim Bird
4 14 19 33
Novice Terry Tidbury Steve Brown Mick Auger
14 16 66
Over 50 Pete Haines John Reeves Simon Dowling Nigel Hains Kevin Fishlock
2 9 11 13 17
Geoff Shaw Paul Tinkler Carl Boraman David Wiffen Simon Ward
26 30 36 41 47
Twinshock Robin Ball Ian Hayward
22 30
Pre 67 Red John Johns
57
Pre 67 Yellow Nick James Rupert Kemp Jeff Morgan Nigel Turner
12 21 30 89
Sportsman Nick Everitt Andrew Cooper Brian Cohen Louie Aspel
12 34 68 109
Mark Ward 7
Making a 'Tasty' Gasket
Q  By Dave Blanchard I am sure we have all made gaskets in the past when the correct one wasn't available. Laying a sheet of gasket material on a surface and using a small hammer to tap or cut the edges in the shape required becomes easy and accurate with a little practice. But some of the modern day Corn flake packet cardboards are not what they used to be, and the NOS Corn Flake cardboard (if you can find them) were just as useless in hot oily conditions anyway. So I did a little experiment with those rectangular waxy coated, cardboard tops you find on Chinese takeaway aluminium foil containers. I left one of these cardboard covers in an old saucepan half filled with a dirty 14
mixture of white spirit, engine oil and ethanol impregnated petrol for the best part of a week (No, I am not a qualified Chemist!). The takeaway Chinese food 'cardboard cover' survived very well and seemed of better quality than the range of motorbikes they
are currently making. The food cover wasn't effected in any obvious way by the obnoxious petroleum mixture it was forced to bathe in. In an emergency when the correct gasket material is not available I can recommend this Chinese food cover to get you out of trouble. Only problem is, I haven't found one big enough yet to fit a primary chain case! Perhaps other readers know of a supply 'Sauce'? Seriously though, sheet gasket paper, cork, or rubber has to withstand, either water, oil, petrol and often extreme heat at the same time. Therefore gasket paper comes in dozens of different types of materiel for all sorts of applications. Consult your local supplier for the application you require. Also there are many different thickness's available. Probably the thickest cork we might ever need on our old bikes could be an eighth of an inch, or 3 mm. Fuel tank cap washers spring to mind. Some original paper gaskets fitted to our ancient bikes
could be as thin as 5 thousand of an inch....only slightly thicker than Chinese hair. Always check that the gasket you are making will not affect the end float on a shaft. Too thin for the job and the end float reduces, then gears could bind. Too thick for the job and end float becomes excessive. Common sense and measuring equipment is needed here. Another word of warning when making gaskets by tapping with a ballpein hammer...don't hit too hard! Especially on a thin cast iron flange for fear of cracking it. Again common sense and slow gentle tapping will bring success and reward. There is nothing like the feeling of a job well done.
Wheel Building Services (SM Pro Dealer) • 07595913214 • neameracing@gmail.com • neame-race-engineering.webs.com 15
My new playground - British Columbia, 2020
John Kitchener My Life... Q  By John Kitchener Bob Twigg writes: I remember John joining the now defunct Mid Herts club way back. He quickly came to the fore in many South Midland Centre events and progressed to doing National trials. He was a very determined rider and this helped when he went onto enduros, I know his sponsor Jim Jones always thought of him as a good solid rider and he had some good rides on the Gori. Later he went onto car rallying (very expensive)! I was lucky to have a friend like him though we did have some "grumpy moments"! He still rides a bike when he is in his holiday home in Canada. Well, Bob has asked me to do an article about my biking career, 18
Wycombe woods on the "Taco"
I doubt it's that interesting but Bob's done lots for me, so here we go: I come from a non-motorsporting family so my interest began watching riders at a local former brickworks, in the midlate 60's. In those days, trials involved "long" road and green lane courses, with several small groups of sections along the way. Bikes were very different, tyres didn't grip, twin-shock suspension didn't bounce, brakes and clutches didn't work, anything more than a momentary stop was a "5". As a result, the slippery clay banks, scattered trees, cambered turns and deep puddles resulted in all sorts of mayhem! To a young teenager it was great fun but I always had the belief that "I could do that". I doubt a young kid today would feel that way about most modern trials, amazing to watch as they are? Anyway, as soon as I was nearly 16, I did a deal with my parents, if I brought a trials bike, I wouldn't have a road bike. So I cycled 15 miles to a Mid Herts grass track event (probably where I met Twiggy), found how to join the club and then, each Wednesday evening, cycled the 4 miles to the club meetings at the Hedgehog pub. Soon I brought an old Greeves, 32A Villiers engine, ("square-barrel"), leading-link forks that went UP if the brakes worked and started practise at the brickworks. In mid '70, when I was about 17, I was "ready" and encouraged by a neighbour's father (who had completed in road trials for Puch in the 50's) entered the Sunbeam club's novice trial. I won the "Best
Unattached Rider" award (not a member of a Southern Centre club) and I was HOOKED!! In trials in those days, all riders did the same sections, so as a novice on a Greeves, it was tough riding the same sections as Experts on Bultacos. I battled on, until one winter's day late in '70 at a freezing and icy Barnet Club's event, I was Best Novice, which promoted me to expert status! This new status meant the Greeves had to go and I got a Bultaco on Hire Purchase. (no credit cards in those days!) This helped my riding enormously and with the 10% 1st and 2nd class awards calculated from entries of nearly 200 riders, I was soon squeezing into 2nd class, then 1st class awards but, with 17 times (?) centre Champion John Lee and European Champion Don Smith
about, it was tough near the top! However, in June '73, just after my 20th, I finally broke through and won a smaller event in the Southern Centre, followed 2 weeks later but a Herts Police RI event. I'd made it!! This all went to my head a bit and I began doing National events, occasionally scraping into the bottom of the 2nd class. In '73 I went to the Isle of Man to watch the world's elite race in the ISDT, not dreaming of what was to come... Back to trials and in '74 it was off to the SSDT as a privateer, supported by a mate from college. The 'taco nipped up coming down Glen Coe but soon freed and I was able to get round on time and Continued overleaf
19
Sammy is never too busy to help out fellow motorcyclists with mechanical problems! them into the workshop and helped them fix the problem. The guys were very grateful to Sammy and thanked him promising to come back and visit again - but without mechanical problems! Eddy and Alex contacted us recently saying 'We are
Q  By Viv Brackett When Eddy and Alex visited the Museum back in August 2019 they had ridden all the way from France. They were enjoying their adventure but arrived at the Museum with a gearbox problem on Eddy's AJS! Sammy invited 26
very grateful to have met with Sammy, that was an unforgettable moment! We will be back very soon'! Sammy said he was pleased to help two very nice guys! The Sammy Miller Museum in New Milton, Hampshire is crammed full of interesting
machines – including the examples featured below - and of course plenty of trial icons and racing machines! The museum address is Sammy Miller Motorcycle
Museum Trust, Bashley, New Milton, Hampshire B25 5SZ. Tel 01425 620777/616644 or visit www.sammymiller.co.uk for further information and opening times.Â
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Return to Racing
Overs start
Q  By Fraser Law Photos by mxphotos NMCC made a triumphant return to racing after almost a full year's absence, caused by last autumn's terrible weather and then the global pandemic. Utilising all of the latest ACU Covid-19 regulations, the club finally felt in a position to attempt to run racing once again. The new track prep crew had worked wonders with the circuit, helped by heavy overnight rain which made conditions close to perfect. With signing on and entering all being done on-line in advance 34
Simon Tucker
the pre-race admin went very quickly and smoothly, and soon practice was underway. As heavy rain was forecast for the afternoon it was vital that racing started on time, but miraculously the sun came out and the rain stayed away until everyone was well on their way home. First away was the Expert Class where Shane Holmes got faster as the track dried. After a third place first time out he soon found his groove and dominated the two remaining legs. Lewis O'Sullivan also favoured the drying track taking second place in the final two races but had to settle for third overall after a lower position in race one. Consistent top three places gave second overall to Ethan Etheridge. In the Junior Class Shaun Robinson took a clean hattrick of wins. Second and third places were traded each time out by Dan Whitehead and Charlie Sellick. Charlie finally finished in front in the last moto, but fast starting
Ethan Etheridge Dan had already done enough to secure second overall. The Clubman Class which is meant to be effectively Junior B featured some fast riders on this occasion. David Edge took all three wins to secure the top step of the virtual podium. Jan Howells finished second overall after being runner-up twice. John Flynn stayed inside the top four all day to finish overall in third. In the Premier O40 class the result was never really in doubt. Laurence Wiltshire took all three wins showing incredible speed, and lap times that would have put him top five in the Expert Class. Second place each time out went to John Barnes who was also looking impressive. Stuart McClurg returned to racing with a fine third place overall. The Elite O50 class has now become by far the largest of the age group categories. Chris Koch revelled in the early tricky conditions to make a
Shane Holmes triumphant return to racing in first overall. Second place overall just went to recently promoted Tony Fricker, by a single point from hard charging Greg Cox. John Smith looked to have the Super O60 class sewn up after winning the first two encounters, before a dnf in the third dropped him down the order. First place overall then went to Ross Dover, with Reg Willis claiming second overall from Stephen Hollins by a single point. Expert winner Shane Holmes also took on the 2 Stroke and U40 combined class taking the overall once again with two wins and a second place. Corey Blackwell finished second overall in the U40 category, while John Holmes was runner up in the 2 stroke classification. Ashely Batten stormed the workers race, doing just enough to stay in front of the rapidly closing Cameron Curtis. Luke Twelvetree finished third ahead of Sam
Waterman. Now that the club are confident of running under Covid-19 regulations, we'll be back with another meeting on September 20th. Expert 1 Shane Holmes 2 Ethan Etheridge 3 Lewis O'Sullivan 4 Thomas Allsopp 5 Jacob Russell 6 Simon Wyse Junior 1 Shaun Robinson 2 Dan Whitehead 3 Charlie Sellick 4 James Thompson 5 Sam Chapman 6 Josh Young Clubman 1 David Edge 2 Jan Howells 3 John Flynn 4 Jason Mills 5 Michael Owen 6 Corey Blackwell Continued overleaf 35
The Sporting
MOTORCYCLIST
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AWSPORTSPHOTO - Still open for business Make use of the lockdown time - why not look at and order some photos! Photos from 2015 - 2020 - including those seen in The Sporting Motorcyclist, Classic Bike, Classic Trials Magazine, The Classic Motorcycle, Classic Dirtbike, Trials Magazine, Bike and TMX of trials, motocross, enduro etc are posted on awsportsphoto facebook or why not ask for the photos I have of you to be posted as a set, either on facebook or emailed to you. The photo labs remain open for prints and digital images can be sent by email prices are posted on facebook or feel free to message or email for information. Digital images, prints of many sizes including poster prints and canvases, photobooks etc all available - if you have won an event or a championship why not have a special print watermarked with your name and achievement. Contact can be made through email to awsportsphoto@gmail.com, by message on facebook awsportsphoto or by phone 07445251429.Â