Wright got it all right!
By TMX Archives on 20th Feb 08
Editor JD took a trip to Malvern to have a look at Alan Wright'sOff-road Classic Show and found that it really was a classic... SO, what to do last weekend? That was the question.
I quite fancied going to the Malvern Classic Bike Show, or 2008 Off-Road Classic Show or whatever its official title is. Actually, it doesn't matter what its official title is, it is universally known as ‘Wrighty's Show' as it is indeed Alan Wright who's bright idea it originally was and who had the bottle to go ahead and stage it.
It is a fair stride from Kendal (Cumbria) down to Malvern though – around 200 miles – and I definitely needed a team-mate. Step forward Chris Myers, whom Wrighty had persuaded to show his 1980 Bultaco, on which Chris finished seventh in the Irish World Round that year. And as Max Boyce used to say: "I know, 'cos I was there!” In fact, both myself and Mannix Devlin were there because as fate would have it, Mannix and I blagged a lift to Ireland that very year from – you guessed it – Chris Myers.
And before he finished seventh in the trial, on the Clandeboye Estate, a proper trial, all mud and rocks, Chris picked-up a £25 fine for speeding into Stranraer.
He might have got away with it if we hadn't pulled faces at him from behind the copper's back as he was delivering a stern lecture. When Chris started grinning The Law said: "Och, you think its funny do you sonny?” and promptly booked him!
He also kept us waiting another ten-minutes just to make sure we missed the ferry as well... Still, Chris was that mad at us, it inspired him to ride the trial of his life. It got me and Mannix off the hook anyway.
However, back to last week; a quick (late) phone call to my old mate Myers booked a return ticket to Malvern and, with Chris's cousin, Jonty, aboard, off we jolly well went.
Chris had only been reunited with the Bult six weeks before and it was in a hell of a state – it looked like it had been run over by a tractor. The midnight oil was well and truly burned in getting the bike ready, with all hands to the pump, including straightening the badly twisted frame before the rebuild could even commence. The result was well worth the effort though with the final correct ‘350' side-panel stickers supplied at the show by Bultaco specialist Dave Renham.
I must confess I found the show absolutely amazing. I must apologise to Wrighty as I expected it to be along the lines of a Village Hall display – and it was absolutely bloody massive!
There was every type of comp bike you can dream of, either on display in absolutely immaculate condition or out in the autojumble looking like it had been dragged from a duckpond. And of course you could talk and listen to fellow show-goers from morning 'til night. And I did! Colin Dommett, Andy Roberton, Arthur Browning, Roger Harvey, Gareth Hockey, Vic Allan, Mick Wilkinson, Barry Rodgers, Joe Maxwell... as many names as you care to drop in fact amongst what felt like hundreds of friends and acquaintances.
And whatever bike or bit you are looking at, there is always someone who can tell you about it, in depth. Sometimes the amount of knowledge a specialist enthusiast carries in their head is frightening. I do love bikes and their history but I do draw the line at knowing that the Mk4 model used a nickel plated gearchange return spring washer but the Mk5 used a chrome one. Yes I know it is very important – but not to me!
And as much as I like looking at bikes, I'd rather listen to one running so it was a nice touch to hear a few special machines being given an official run-up. The best sounding, to my ear anyway, was actually a (whisper-it) road race 500 Paton. Racing legend Phil Read cranked this one up on the starter rollers and for a twin it sounded fantastic. I could have sworn it was a three cylinder the way it roared and howled.
Standing close to those screaming megas had the disadvantage, or advantage, depending on how you look at it, that I couldn't hear a thing anyone said for half an hour after... so if I just grinned, nodded and said: "Half past two...” to anyone who spoke to me after the Paton had finally been shut down. Now you know why.
It was a cracking show and I just have to say: "Well done Wrighty!”
