Features

After a disastrous end to the 2014 ‘Scottish’ for James Noble it all went well for the lad in 2015. CDB asked if we could have a wobble on his bike. It’s the right break for 147 All nice and neat, very little sticking out, just as a trials bike should be. The worst possible…

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Hakan Andersson (above), gave Yamaha their first MX title back in 1973. He is surely remembered as a 250 rider but back in the early 1970s he also used a 360 version of Yamaha’s factory 250cc bike. This is the story of Hakan’s former Yamaha YZ360 from 1972. Champ”s bike Erik Stenlund is a double…

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Though Jeff Smith was BSA’s superstar at GP level the factory’s support reached all levels of MX. How did they do it? With old team bikes, CDB checks one out. Team player There is a similar photograph to this, taken in the BSA comp shop, which features Graham Horne and his boss Brian Martin with…

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Part 1: Experiencing the ‘trail bike boom’ and riding off-road purely for the fun of it. Golden days in the Golden State A typical riding day in the Mojave Desert… Everyone who has ever ridden a motorcycle for the sheer pleasure of it has recollections of their own golden days – periods and places where,…

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The 48th International Six days Trial in 1973 was expected to be conducted with all the razzmatazz and over-the-top promotion that the American organisation hosting it could provide. Expected, but it nearly didn’t happen at all! THAT WAS THE YEAR…The ISDT that nearly didn’t happen Our Vase B team with, left to right: Dave Smith,…

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A stint as deputy manager for the Vase team in the 1973 ISDT gave Chris Oliver first-hand experience of the Triumph Adventurer based team bikes… handy when he came to build a replica. A Triumph of ingenuity A deviation from standard is the centre stand which Chris wanted on the bike – the originals didn’t…

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Speak to any EVO or Twinshock motocross fan and they will probably say the highlight of their season is undoubtedly the Vets MXDN at Farleigh Castle. 2015 Vets MXDN: Farleigh Castle One of the European contingent who make this event so special is Cedric Mellotte with a pretty trick Yam. The legendary ex GP circuit,…

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The Annual Cholmondeley – pronounced ‘Chumley’ – Pageant of Power takes place every June in the beautiful grounds of Cholmondeley Castle near Whitchurch in rural Cheshire where the Cholmondeley family have lived since Norman times. Cholmondeley Pageant of Power: Classic Scramble Demonstration Peter and Bill in action, is Bill lining up to pass Peter? CPOP…

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It was well known in the 1960s that Sammy Miller ran two almost identical Ariels –though 786 GON was often sidelined in favour of the more famous GOV 132. Miller’s ‘other’ Ariel Though similar to GOV 132 there are subtle differences with the engine spec. Once Sammy Miller retired his Ariel-based trials bikes and went…

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