Features

FROM OUR ARCHIVES Though history records Les Archer as being European motocross champion in 1956, results, or lack of, at the start of the season suggested a different outcome for the series. Words: Tim Britton Pics: Mortons Archive In an interview with Ralph Venables, published in The MotorCycle in September 1956, Archer admitted his season…

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When painter and decorator Roger Simkin wanted a Beezer that looked good and went even better, it was Mick Bennett he went to. Ever regretted selling something? I bet you have. In Roger Simkin’s case it was a neat Triumph engine Cotton, reputed to be an ex-Arthur Lampkin machine. Roger was approached by someone who…

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The Banks family of Bury St Edmunds has a special place in motocross history, with no fewer than three generations all becoming British champions. Words: Ian Berry Pics: Ian Berry, Peter Cutts, Graham Milne and Mortons Archive Every dynasty needs a founder, and for the Banks it was John who started the ball rolling, winning…

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Put two off-roaders together and the first question from either is generally “What’ve you got on the go at the moment?” This is often followed by “You’re doing a WHAT!?” Occasionally it is “Oh, one of those…” but more often it’s “You must be mad”. You choose which of these statements is applicable to us…

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Kawasaki’s advertising slogan in the Seventies made much of the light weight and colour of their MX models, we check out an SR400 which epitomised the advert legend. It is a fascinating world in which factory team bikes live, and there are three separate elements to that world. Naturally there’s the race day, then there’s…

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You probably don’t realise it, but a big four-stroke single is what you need in your life right now and the AMC version is pretty damned handsome. Surely everyone must know the story of how the upstart lightweight bikes came along in the Sixties and knocked the big bangers off their seemingly unassailable perches? Yes? No?…

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The ISDT often showcased future developments in our industry and proved they would work too. Naturally the press were there. This is a little bit of personal indulgence on my part here… and I suppose I ought to apologise for that…. but it’s probably obvious to regular readers that the archive here at CDB is…

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Though still fielding machines based on production bikes, the UK team for 1966 had some good kit. To perform well on the world stage was always the aim of the UK’s motorcycle industry throughout its existence and the International Six Days Trial was tailor made for this purpose. When it was launched in 1913 the…

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