You will need Adobe Acrobat Viewer to view this file Jack Thompson British Bike Trial
Sunday 7th December 2004
Over 100 trials riders on British bikes built before 1967 - Matchless, Ariel, Greeves, many more. Riders come from all over England to ride a classic trial named after a Bexleyheath Club rider who was a wizard at building and preparing 4-stroke trials bikes. Free admission and program.
Results
Summary by class (PDF)
Full results (PDF)
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Photos
Coulbert.com has photos by Matin Coulbert here
Page 1 of Photos from Colin Parkin
Page 2 of Photos from Colin Parkin
Page 3 of Photos from Colin Parkin
Page 4 of Photos from Colin Parkin
Page 1 of Photos from Monty Bryant
Page 2 of Photos from Monty Bryant
Page 3 of Photos from Monty Bryant
Page 4 of Photos from Monty Bryant
Page 5 of Photos from Monty Bryant
Page 6 of Photos from Monty Bryant
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Page 10 of Photos from Monty Bryant
Reports
By Jamie Clarke
Sidcup & DMCC ran a 20 section long, two lap pre 67 trial on Sunday 7th December. In previous years the weather has conspired against the club making the event difficult but this year saw a dry and warm day (for December) and the marks were really low and the event was close. In the premier, fourstroke pre-unit class Dave Shave won with all cleans - and this was his first year in the class. Dave also won the best NKTC rider awards as well. Previous winner of many "Jack Thompsons", Len Hutty finished in third on 1 mark with Mark Fletcher (second) and Richard Whitebread (fourth). Colin Mote won the "easier" fourstroke pre unit class. Chris Anderson and Darren Snell shared the class win in fourstroke unit sprung class. Richard Challis won the "easier" route of the fourstroke unit sprung class. The fourstroke rigid girder fork class was won by Bob Onley, while the fourstroke rigid tele fork class (the Vinall Trophy) was won by Sam Appleton. Graham Braybrook and Laurie Bird shared the class win - on all clean - in the twostroke class, while in the "easier" two stroke class Graham Mitchell won. In the sidecars Bob Miles and Ray Taylor won.
Team Woods AMC
Team Woods AMC have finally finished an event after some time of many disasters. Coming 4th out of 6 finishers was a triumph for the team with the new passenger Alan Woods in his second sidecar event. You will next see the team out at the Windlesham Cup trial in two weeks time.
Report 2 - By Dave Blanchard - Originally from the Eastern Thumpers Magazine (Jan 2005)
One hundred and three lumps of gleaming heavy metal (in the form of British Trials Bikes) were entered in the 2004 “Jack Thompson British Bikes Trial”. As in previous years the event was held on a great piece of trials ground known as ‘Canada Heights’. The dedicated members of the ‘Sidcup & District Motorcycle Club’ care for this Kentish venue.
The weather leading up to the trial had not been wet enough for the usual mud sections to get any muddier. Consequently a few of the sections had to be a bit tighter than in previous events. One test involved a couple of trees that had been planted too close together by our very own ‘Mother Nature’. But! If you knew how to ‘wiggle’ your handlebars and shake your ‘wotsit’ through the gap,this posed no problem to most riders. Variety over the 40 sections was good and a credit to the ‘Clerks of the Course’.
The winner of the coveted “Jack Thompson Trophy” was Dave Shave riding his 500 Ariel springer. His was an impeccable ride with a clean score! Dave who has in the past mainly ridden modern bikes, recently took up the ‘old iron’ (as you sometimes do) and proves what a capable and versatile rider he is. Nice one!
Also riding the harder white route for a unit ‘joint win’ was Chris Anderson on his snappy little Cub. His equal on the day was Darren Snell riding a B40. Both of these gladiators were also on a clean score!
Due most probably to the dry going, the two stroke white route also had joint winners. Graham Braybrook on a Bantam and Laurie Bird on a similar BSA175 cleaned all the tight sections with confidence and skill.
The only ‘tele rigid’ rider to attempt the harder white route was young Sam Appleton from the friendly Eastern Four Stroke Association situated in ‘muddiest’ East Anglia. He rode a BSA C10 sidevalve! Yes I know. Who on earth would dream of developing one of those contraptions for highly competitive events? But the Beezer (called ‘Little Eric’) has obviously had the steroid injections that were left over from a time long ago when BSA could do no wrong in ‘world wide’ competition. It's a little beauty! Not to be left in the shadows by his outstanding little bike young Sam Appleton turned on the style to do the 40 sections for a loss of just one unfortunate 5. Yes! You've already guessed it;section 13 was the culprit. The cause? I’m not sure, but ‘Old fashioned Gremlins’ are a distinct possibility. Sam takes home ‘The Vinall Trophy’.
In the pre-unit rear sprung class riding the red route, Colin Mote took acomfortable win on 1 lost.
On the same route but in the ‘daintier’ unit construction class, it was another win for the EFA invasion force in the shape of Richard Challis. He rode a BSA250 for a loss of 5. Mick Holloway who was riding the same sections as Colinand Richard but on his more ancient 500 Tele Rigid Matchless, lost 5 points forhis class win. Well ridden, them men!
The ‘Charioteers’ of the event were Bob Miles and passenger Ray Taylor.They had a fairly comfortable win with 7 marks lost. Their sections had some necessary deviations to allow the outfits to get through.
The ‘Dinosaur Class’ of ‘Girder Fork Bikes’ obviously ride the red route.This class was blitzed by an out of practice Bob Onley on his ‘museum specification’ Velocette 350. He had an outstanding ride indeed, losing just 18 marks for a very deserved win. Well done old flower!
Two strokes were never my cup of tea in the past but that is all changing since seeing Graham Mitchell's superb little Butler 250. No, it wasn't Reg Varney from ‘On the Buses’ that designed it but a man named Chris Butler. Chris was a talented trials rider from the sixties and made his living manufacturing fibreglass motorcycle accessories. He eventually built his own frame with squaretubes and a Villiers engine as the motivation. He incorporated his own fibreglass accessories to complete a very nice little package. Pressure from other trials riders wanting the same saw him go into production with a complete trials bike built at his London premises. I was so keen on looking at the construction of the Butler that I didn’t realise how well Graham was riding. He did the red route for just a dab at section 16 on his last lap. So he gets the win on the Two Stroke red route. He did tell me he was just out for a little bit of exercise but looking at his performance he needs something much meatier to tax his energy a bit more. So if you want to have a loan of my Girder fork Ariel Graham, it will help you get very fit in the shortest possible time. Great ride though mate!
Karen Shave rode another of Grahams excellent rebuilds. Another lovely little two stroke (did I really say that) a 250 Cotton. I spoke to Karen and it washer first ride on the bike. So as soon as she found out that second gear was not first gear the bike slowed down a bit in the tight sections. To prove an excellent point she did the last lap for two dabs. A great effort I thought and some of husband Dave's style was showing through in Karen’s riding. Their philosophy seems to be ‘it matters not that you have never ridden them before, just jump on and go’. A great attitude, I wished I had some of it.
At the end of a great day another very good lady rider had a try out on my Old Ariel. Joan Westbrook was ecstatic at riding my bike. When she came back from her test ride she was all flushed with emotion and excitement. She jokingly said to me, “ It's an animal! Take it back quick!” I know you didn’t mean it kind lady and I know you wouldn’t have offered me that much money for it if you weren’t keen to own the old girl. By the way, how much is half a crown? I am too young to know about that old currency stuff but I am sure its a lot, isn’t it? Sorry Joan, its not for sale at any price because I remain an avid ‘Animal Lover’
Many thanks Sidcup Club
Preview
With the picturesque woodland surrounding the "Canada Heights" International Motocross course bathed in a profusion of winter colour and smelling of leaf mould, its that time of the year once again to enjoy the smell of Castrol "R" and the bark of Big British fourstroke trials irons on full song.
Time again to re-wax the "Barbour Suit" and clean the "Dunlop Wellies" for the Sidcup Clubs popular "Jack Thompson" British Bike trial on Sunday the 5th of December.
Now in its fifteenth year, the event continues to be very popular, with riders coming from far and wide to compete on their cherished classic machines. The trial is open to anyone riding a pre-67 British machine and affiliated to the ACU, however this can be arranged on the day.
In the past the sidecar fraternity have remarked that some of the sections were a bit too tight. The lessons learned at our recent sidecar only trial with be put into practice this time, so riders can look forward to sections with plenty of space and some good old climbs.
The solo riders will also not be disappointed as the club has a number of new interesting sections for them to tackle, so if you have got an eligible machine get it out for some fun.
If you are traveling a distance and hardy enough, you can stay overnight at the venue. There is electricity on site, plenty of flat parking space, catering and toilets.
Due to the dark evenings the kick off will be 9.30am with machine examination starting at 8.45.
To make the trial more interesting for everyone the club would like to run at least twelve to fifteen sections which will need observers, so we would like to hear from not only our usual loyal band of enthusiasts, but also from anyone else prepared to help.
A light lunch will be provided for observers and hopefully some mulled wine, so if you are at a loose end on Sunday the 5th of December come along for a pleasant day in the chestnut woods and watch, or better still observe (see Peter Burton under Who to Contact).
Directions to Canada Heights can be found here.