The Sporting
MOTORCYCLIST News for social and sporting motorcycling
..published monthly
March 2022
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)
FROM THE EDITOR'S CHAIR n By Bob Twigg
It was nice to see the championship points for the S3 Parts National after the first round printed in TMX.
John Bramall
Nice for me that not only Joe Co llins and Sam Rolls have scored well in the experts but that Chris Koch, Steve Swanson, David Rolls (Sam's Dad) and the son of the South Midlands most times expert champ' John Lee's son Jonathon Lee. There is a Dad and son thing there!
Editor
On a different note, the injuries that many riders suffer in events make me cringe, though I have had several "broken bits" in trials (Thanks to me being useless on the handlebars)! I have never been brave enough (or rich enough) to compete in either motocross or enduros but I can imagine that horrid feeling of "Oh dear this is going to hurt"! The injury that Dave Knight MBE suffered when he hit some concrete hidden in a puddle must have been ghastly, the pictures in TMX told us how serious it was, tough chap David!
16 Gifford Close, Fareham, Hampshire, PO15 6PJ T: 01329 823282 E: johnbramall246@btinternet.com
(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
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MARCH 2022 VOL. 22 ISSUE 3 PUBLISHED ON THE 1ST OF EACH MONTH
The Manchester motorbike show was a huge success again well covered by the TMX "mob". There was a mention of a sectioned LE Velocette engine, I wonder if it was the engine I "saved" when I worked at a certain garage, it was due for the dump but I managed to spirit it away, it had been beautifully done by a friend of mine. I must not say where I worked then! It looked a super show which turns me back to those awful shows at Earls Court in London, not much there for the off roaders and the beer was too dear and yes awful! Now off road sport is gathering speed after the pandemic it is interesting to see that the ACU's online system of entering has gained over the old paper entries that we used to use. It's not much use if you are not PC "savvy" but it sure makes the sec's life much easier. Some South Midland clubs have made signing on much easier by making up a big board with each riders number in slots, riders now come up to the board and take their allocated number, the organisers know if the number has gone you are there. See, I am making it so much easier for all of you! But of course it does mean that some clubs do not take late entries or "on the day", so lads and lasses get on that computer! In March 1965 John Davis the South Midland Review editor said "what about the Review"? Fifty seven years ago many folk at the centre board meetings were worried about the future of the centre magazine.
Cover Photo: Billy Green Trials action from Hookwood Photo by: Darren Amis
Have times changed? It doesn't look like it! Though the South Midland Review magically became part of The Sporting Motorcyclist, covering motorcycling in all its forms and disciplines in three centres, the South Eastern, Southern and South Midlands we are still struggling Continued overleaf 3
Lee Brocklehurst
North Kent Trials Combine Q By Liam Seamer Photos by Sue Gaines We are two trials into the NKTC championship for 2022 and we are looking like we will have a full calendar of 12 rounds of events. This is thanks to Bexleyheath, Double 5 hosting two events each and the NKTC hosting two events in its own right as an amalgamation of several clubs combined, so hopefully your ready for a full year's competition, and to be willing to help out at one point in the year. It has been a rule since the NKTC competition was started, but we are going to be enforcing a rule this year much more strictly to try and ensure that the sport is fairer for everyone. If you fail to observe a round of the NKTC you will receive a -20 points deduction against your end of year aggregate score. However, we have also tweaked the rules slightly this year to try and help the smaller clubs, you are permitted to ride your own event, providing that you have observed at least once already or have your name down to observe at a trial later in the year. The 20 point deduction will happen irrespective of how many events you ride. The calendar has 12 events scheduled in, the final year's aggregate score will take into account the best 8 rounds of each rider, this allows for missed events and the all-important 8
Ethan Dowland event each rider must observe, as result no rider will be handicapped for missing an event due to observation duties. To try and keep track of the people that have observed I have
Liam Seamer
created a live spreadsheet on the front page of the website nktctrial.com where people can input there own names down on the event they are willing to observe (it works best on laptop). This has been very successful so far for both January and February with all observer positions being filled up a week before the trial commences, however please look forward into the calendar and consider when you will be able to observe as we still need observers for the March combine onwards. In other news we would like to thank Dennis Wakeman for his services as the treasurer for the NKTC for the best part of the past 20 years,
Dave Gryfif
he has however announced that he is stepping down from this role. In a turn of good news we have had a volunteer step forward to take this position up and we will be arranging a hand over period between them and make the announcement when official. In addition to Dennis, we would also like to pay thanks to Paul Taylor who has arranged the trophies for the NKTC winners each year, sorting out engravings etc, he unfortunately is also needing to step away from this role, so we also need someone who would be willing to get trophies engraved for the winners of each class. Please do not openly dismiss this recruitment chase assuming someone else will do it, more and more is being done by fewer and fewer (across all trials clubs) and if we are not able to find people that are willing to help out then the future of the NKTC will be put into doubt. We appreciate that everyone is busy in this modern world but a few hours every so often really helps us all out.....especially sacrificing a day every so often to observe!. We look forward to seeing you all over the course of the year in what will hopefully be a friendly and competitive year of trials for all!
Mark Robinson 9
It's not always uphill! Gurston starts with a downhill stretch where the quick folk get into three figure speeds!
Looking Up
Q By Alan Turner Too often there's mention in TSM of once regular events no longer taking place, memories of disbanded clubs and lost venues so it is a welcome relief to peruse the recently issued 2022 calendar for the National Hill Climb Association (NHCA). Between the start of April and the beginning of October the club lists no less than 37 days of competition. Admittedly, this is nation-wide but must still be seen as compelling evidence of a club and type of event that has a strong following. Traditionally, the club season begins and ends with an event at Hartland Quay, in north Devon. Other events are held at places like Manor Farm, near Charmouth, Dorset, or Castle, a track near Lostwithiel in Cornwall as well as better-known locations such as Prescott or Shelsley Walsh. Most were established, and continue to be run, by car clubs, but the motorcycles share the same meetings. Regular use and investment means facilities at some venues are at least as good as some of the permanent race circuits. 14
Kevin and Sara Dewell get their 781 Honda outfit off the line at Gurston For those unfamiliar with the sport, it is held on a hard-surface course. This is usually narrow and the way up will be far from straight, often deviously twisty. Competition is against the clock. Single riders, sidecars, or thee-wheelers are held at the start line and a green light indicates the course is clear for them. A rider leaves when he or she is ready and movement is what will trigger the beam to start timing the run. With the sophisticated control systems at some of the more established courses, the next rider will be allowed to leave when the
Britain's offshore islands have a more enlightened approach. This is Mt Bingham Hill Climb in St Helier, capital of Jersey! preceding rider is perhaps halfway into the run. For spectators, this make the action fast and furious, for competitors, it gives the opportunity for meetings to accommodate larger entries. Open classes are broken into familiar capacities: 250, 350, 500 etc. up to 1400cc. There are also classes for Vintage, Forgotten Era and Road Legal. The last is an opportunity for competitors to turn back the clock, if they wish, as they can ride to the meeting on the bike on which they will compete. Bikes need to have torque rather than outright power, light weight, good brakes and flickability are highly desirable, so the open classes are the province of moto-cross or enduro machines. Taking advantage of modern technology, they are fitted with the stickiest of road tyres as well as liberal sprinklings of crash bungs and lever guards, making the bike as crash-proof as possible, while hoping the unloaded rider will remain equally resilient. The larger-capacity open classes are often sports bikes prepared in 'streetfighter' style. A typical climb will be over in less than a minute. However, to be successful, everything that happens in those seconds needs to be spot-on. Getting off the start smoothly, braking, accelerating in and out of the bends, maintaining maximum corner speeds, getting the gear-changes and their timing right. And then trying to improve at the next attempt! Hillclimbing is a highly addictive intense adrenalin rush. Like most other clubs the NHCA uses
modern media, but its magazine 'Hillclimber' is an entertaining read. Rather than possible reliance on a few regular contributors, race reports are submitted by whoever causes the first red flag at an event. While that may sound harsh on the face of it, a red flag can result from a breakdown (forgetting to turn on the fuel, anyone?), perhaps overcooking a corner and ending up off track or a trip to earth where the damage to pride is usually greater than any physical injury. The guilty party will be found in the paddock and presented with an envelope for their literary penance contribution. The result is a magazine with a glorious spread of styles and viewpoints. The club even managed to hold a number of events through the pandemic, but these were strictly competitors only, with no spectator admission. At the time of writing, Continued overleaf
Adam Bentley attacks Bottom S at Shelsley Walsh on his 250 Honda
15
The Sporting
MOTORCYCLIST
A monthly publication written by enthusiasts for enthusiasts
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