Scottish Pre-65 Two Day Trial preview
By John Dickinson on 20th Apr 16
THE waiting is all but over now and for all those riders who have been painstakingly counting down the days to the Scottish either the Pre-65 Two Day or the Six Day the wait is almost over...
THE nostalgic Pre-65 Two Day will get things under way in the Highlands next Friday/Saturday, April 29/30.
The remote village of Kinlochleven will once again be the base for the event and the ‘new' village school and community centre will be the centre of proceedings offering office facilities, breakfasts, teas, toilets and will also host Saturday evening's awards presentation.
And the awards will be presented this year by Guy Martin, successful motorcycle road racer, record breaker and TV presenter and personality – and that's after he has participated in the event for the first time...
RIDERS
Time to have a quick run down the list of riders pulling a few out at random so apologies if you think you deserved a mention, we would love to give everyone a shout but there simply isn't room. And spectators, you need to buy a programme so that you can mark your favourite riders and work out at what time they will reach your chosen sections.
A Scotsman fittingly usually starts at No.1 and this year the honour goes to Mark McComisky (Francis Barnett) who will start alongside Classic Dirt Bike editor Mr Tim Britton (BSA) with odd numbers heading one way and even numbers the other in order to help speed up the event and avoid over-long queues.
And with riders from Scotland, England, Wales, Northern Ireland, Southern Ireland, the Channel Islands, France, Spain, Sweden and Finland the event is truly international.
Regular visitor Mark Harris heads a bunch of Southern Irish lads while lookalike twins Andy and Nick Paxton from the Stratford on Avon club will cause spectators to double-take as both are 341 BSA-mounted.
Clive Dopson from the flatlands of East Anglia and the Wymondham club is back again with his rigid Norton while Lancashire's John Gornall makes it two Norton singles in the 180-strong entry as he campaigns Mike Batty's swinging-arm model, built and ridden by Eddie Dobson last year.
Former winner Davy Morewood has had to pull his entry at the last minute due to knee injury which means on the plus side someone else will be offered the rise.
As this article was written the first 15 lucky people on the reserve list had been accommodated so even at this late stage there is still a chance, due to other people's misfortune of course.
Duncan MacDonald rides his Ariel and his REH Forks firm sponsors the event while England's Dan Clark is the first of the rasping Triumph twin-mounted riders, the bikes beloved by spectators!
Tony Calvert is a former winner on a John Holmes-prepped Cub while Paul Heys has done the same on a Cub built by his dad Max. Then there's Dave Thorpe – a multi-time winner – who this year for the first time is joined by his son Dan, both on Cubs.
Dave has major back problems and just walking is a chore but this winner from way back (he may tell you that he won the very first world championship round – and he did!) can still ride a bike.
Ben Butterworth is a lively Lancashire lad who can really ride his equally lively 500 Ariel while brother Jack makes a Triumph twin sing.
Veteran Scottish ace Les Winthrop has been so close to winning it on several occasions and gives it another go while Sandy Mack enjoys his ride out before getting on with the serious business of organising the refuelling for the following Six Days. James Harland returns on the Triumph twin that won him the shortened rain-hit event of a couple of years ago while the Congleton club's Janice Proctor is the sole lady rider this year with her BSA Bantam.
Rob Bowyer is another past winner, again Triumph twin-mounted, three time World Trials Champion Yrjo Vesterinen tries his luck this year on a Bantam as does Alan Whitton, whose special parts will adorn many machines in this event.
James Lampkin will be having a nostalgic run on his father Sid's 1966 winning 250 BSA so check it out if you want to see what a genuine original C15 trials bike looks like.
James Noble brings last year's winning Ariel back – what a popular win that was for the Yorkie after breaking his leg in the event the previous year – while Stu Blythe has won the best Newcomer and now goes for overall glory on chirpy Scouser Steve Slippery Smith's Cub.
Simon Sharp, of event co-sponsor Hope, looks for an easier time on a Cub after battling a rigid Matchless last year and son Sam has a similar mount.
Dapperly dressed Murray Whittaker will look to be top Scot while Alan Crayk always goes well on his Villiers engine Cotton.
You will only find one Ariel Arrow engine Zundapp and that is the one built and ridden by the ingenious Harry Stanistreet as the two-stroke twin purrs through the sections.
Carlos Casas and Javier Cruz are arch enthusiasts who have been coming for many years and lead quite a bunch of Spanish riders while the Trials Guru himself, Mr John Moffat from up the road in Inverness, gets to ride with son David.
Scott Dommett will be driving up from Cornwall again and this former winner will be Dot-mounted while Chris Haigh usually manages some special rides on his equally special and interesting Velocette.
David and George Emmett make lots of lovely noise on their Triumph twins while longtime Scottish pals and rivals Neil Dawson and Ian Shedden ride together on Villiers powered Sprite and Cotton respectively.
Graham Du Feu brings his well-prepped
Ariel from the Channel Islands while David Watson, believe it or not but it's true, has travelled back from working in the remote Australian outback to ride the ex works 360 Royal Enfield...
ROUTES
THE routes for Friday/Saturday pretty much follow the tried and tested formula with a different loop out onto the moors high above Kinlochleven, Friday's going roughly west and Saturday's east. Each day also includes a return spur up the road to the south of Loch Leven.
Friday's loop takes riders from the school up onto the Mamore road with groups at Lower and Upper Mamore before competitors head away taking in groups along the way to Callart before dropping down the moor to the road to the north of Loch Leven and return.
Anyone who has piloted a bike down that steep hillside from Callart knows how awkward and tiring it can be. Sections include Pipeline where many spectators will head for.
On Saturday there's the long, moorland loop that will take riders right out to the Blackwater dam before heading back to Kinlochleven for some hard-earned refreshments.
As we've said, buy a programme and study the maps and the section timings to plan your days out and make the most of your time.
THE ORGANISERS HAVE THEIR SAY
WITH the 2016 Pre-65 Scottish Trial now just a week away, the committee would like to thank our sponsors – Putoline, Hope Technology, Kia Motors and REH Forks for their support, without them we would not be able to add the finishing touches to the event that help to make it the trial it is today.
The first 15 lucky reserve riders have been successful in gaining a place so if you are still waiting, please don't give up hope yet.
The parade which was started for the 30th anniversary as a one-off has now become an annual part of the trial. It takes place on Friday, April 29, at 9.30am and will be headed by guest of honour, Guy Martin. We are very excited to have Guy at the event, not only to be our guest but to ride as well and we hope he enjoys the experience and the challenge.
New for 2016 is a Shuttle Bus to take spectators out to the sections along the lochside.
This is a venture by Kinlochleven Primary to help raise funds for the school as well as help the trial by easing the congestion and parking problems experienced at these sections.
The cost of a return trip is only £3 or £5 for an unlimited trip ticket which we think is excellent value. Details are in the programme and local posters will be in the village.
We wish them every success with this new and exciting addition to the facilities offered for the trial and hope that spectators will make good use of this service.
The 2016 range of event merchandise and programmes will be on sale during sign-on in the Community Centre as well as in the Start areas each day. Please go along and have a look at the excellent selection on offer.
