Classic Dirt Bike

flawless perfection

I have a character flaw, well several really, and the actual number depends on who you talk to at any particular time – in this case though it is to do with motorcycles. I’m sure there will be enthusiasts reading this who also have their character flaws pointed out regularly, either by those who share their lives or those who share an interest in all things motorcycle. In the former group, sentences such as “you’re going to do what?!?” or “It’s just scrap…” are occasionally heard as our latest idea for exploring the world of dirt bikes becomes known, or a rare and valuable and needed part has been unearthed from an autojumble, acquaintance’s garage or some such source. The latter group, those friends who also suffer their own idiosyncrasies, will be…

classic dirt bike show 2021 keep eyes peeled for telford news

Generally speaking, and in a ‘normal’ world, this part of the news pages would be full of juicy bits and pieces about the Hagon Shocks-supported Classic Dirt Bike Show at Telford. In this space would be information about our guests and bits about the bikes already lined up to come. We’d have comments from stall holders, press releases from clubs as they told us the details about the forthcoming year. Then of course there would be the prize presentations of various trials and MX series which would have been running through the year… But it’s not… for the simple reason that although at time of writing our colleagues here are planning that the show is on, we are all realistic and know the rug could be pulled with just a few days’ notice. The…

italian job…

The Italian renaissance had as big an effect on the trials world of the 1980s as the Spanish industry had 15 years before. In the same way the Spanish filled the vacuum left by the turmoil in the British industry, so the Italians were there to provide the next generation of trials bikes to a market desperate for something to buy. It wasn’t quite as instantaneous as such a statement makes it sound, but nor did Spain oust the British manufacturers overnight, however there is little doubt for the Eighties the new accent was Italian. In truth, the Italian makers had been around the trials scene for quite a while, Fantic for instance had no less a rider than former European champion Don Smith mounted on one of their tiny machines…

the new owner

Taking on the benefit of this well sorted Aprilia is forklift truck field service engineer Garry Salmon, a relatively recent convert to trials riding. “I’ve been involved for 10 years I think,” he tells me as I’m taking pics of the bike. “Before that I was BMX biking, mountain biking, playing rugby and rallying cars.” So, what got you into it? “I was working with Harry Craig from Bedlington club and he suggested I have a go and it seemed like a good idea. Obviously I knew of the sport and had even tried it a bit and had motorcycles but not done anything serious until 10 years ago.” Through his car sport he’d been involved at Tynemouth DMC since 1985 and has carried on with the club.…

quinns of gateshead

There will be few trials riders in the North East of England who didn’t know of Quinns Motorcycles in Gateshead. How many of us purchased our bikes and spares there in the glory days eh? Chatting to Glen Quinn about our feature bike I got a bit more background on the Quinn business. Initially a car garage and MoT station in South Shields, three Quinn brothers – Peter, Brian and John – moved the business to Gateshead High Street and had three shops in a row. Peter was our trials dealer who also handled the over 250cc bike sales, John did the bikes under 250cc and Brian was franchise service man. On the off-road scene Quinns were initially a Montesa dealer but added other Spanish and Italian marques too and eventually…

the making of a star

If, for sake of argument, you made something which sold almost as fast as ‘it’ could be made, would you have any need or desire to alter, change or develop your product? Maybe not, why meddle with something which works, yes some variations may be needed to ensure the product was as compatible with as many markets as possible but major change…? Such was the situation Villiers found themselves in as suppliers of engines to a considerable number of motorcycle makers in the UK. What they produced they sold, and if one maker didn’t want what was produced, or perhaps wanted something a little different, well, they could jolly well buy the basic unit and alter it themselves. In actual fact as the Sixties dawned a number of makers were doing just…