Classic Dirt Bike Show 2024

TheHagon Shocks ClassicDirtBike Show 2024

If it is to do with off-roadmotorcyclingthenitwillbeatTelford International Centre in February…

Words and pics: Tim Britton Media Ltd

The Classic Dirt Bike Showhas become afocal point of the year for manyenthusiasts though their reasons often differ. Forsome it is achance to sourcethe vital final bitfor a restoration or rebuild, others will be there to show off their project nowit’sfinished. Others, who’ve done the rebuild and shown the bike,will nowseek outa newproject in the autojumble. Then of course thereare those who use it as aplace to catchupwith friends. Whateverthe reason youwent along –beit bikes, bits or buddies –therewas plenty to see, no matter what your interestisinoff-road sport. Those of us who arefeet-up fans had trialsbikes from classic pre65s to twinshocks and Evos around the halls. Trials too slow?Well, howabout MX or scrambling? To the uninitiated, differentiating between MX or scrambling is oftenconfusing as both areraces on an off-road course…anexplanation is scrambling refers to the classic element while MX takesinthe laterbikes.It’sall amoot point and if you want to call the twinshocks and Evos ‘scrambling’ or

Above: They usethem biginUSA desert races… Triumph’s650 TR6has agreat record in thedeserts of the westernUSA.Thisone is agenuine SR model from 1965

COVERMODELS

We alwaystry to have the coverbike from the CDB issue that’sonsale at the showonthe CDB stand.This time it wasn’t possible as the bike was no longer in the country but we didhavethe rider, BenButterworth(left) and the bike’s builder Yrjo Vesterinen –Vesty also happened to be one of the showguests of honour –onhand to pose with the pull-up banner.The full tale of Vesty’sHonda, with Ben’s view on howitrode,was featured in issue70.

We said to Ben Butterworth: “The Honda you rode is on thecover…” wedidn’t sayit was a ridingshot of him. Benand Vestyposewith CDB Issue 70

the classic and pre65‘motocross’ then no one is going to tell youit’snot possible.

Then of course thereisthe enduroscene,withits multiple classes –look out for an upcoming feature on theins and outs of the sport. There were lots ofdifferent endurobikes too.Then of course there were the morespecialised sports of grasstrackand speedway, whichweremuchmorerepresented this year as Kelvin Tatum wasexpected to be amainguest, butlast-minute familyissues forced himtopullout.

Don’tforgetthe sidecar scene too as there are those who enjoyathirdwheelonthe bike and tackle the dirt with amate in the chair too.Mindyou, there were an awful lot of clubs there in 2024 whowere keen to show they’ve shaken Covidoff and events

Belowleft: Fancya go at classic grasstrack?

This couldbethe one foryou

Bottom left: Okay,the dirt connection is quite tenuousbut Aermacchi waspartofHarleyDavidson whousedthe flatsingles in thedirt trackmodels.

“Well, it’s notquite like theworks bikeswerode…”seems to be theconsensus from Bowers andLampkin as Vestypointsout detailsofhis very trickBultaco

are in full swing forthis year.So, takea look at our selection of pics from the weekend at the Hagon Shocks-backed Classic Dirt Bike Show.

TWINSHOCKSIDECAR CHARITYSERIES

CarltonMarkloveand LeighCarter-Millshad no option butto pose forthe CDB camera

TheTwinshock Sidecar Charity Series waslaunched last year and the organisers intend to build on the success for2024 with six rounds insteadoffour.Not only is the aim of the series to supportcharitable causes but to do it by encouraging morepeople to race twinshock sidecars.The idea wascreated by three regular passengers in sidecar scrambling,two of whom suffer from colitis,and aprize fund wascreated from the series joining feeof£20 per crew.Winning teams donate the prizemoney to their chosen charity. We carried asmall newsitemlast issue and promised to catchupwith the organisers Leigh Carter-Mills,RebeccaMarshall and CarltonMarkloveatthe CDB Showfor the up-to-date infoonthe 2024 series.However,noone gets away lightly forpublicityin CDB and we needed apic…Leigh and Carltonwereonhand so had little option. Formore information, go to our newspages forthe datesorvisit the Facebook page TwinshockSidecar CharitySeries

Aboveleft: Pictured before judgingbut Mark Ramplee’sYamaha Wasp wouldwin Best Sidecarinthe concours awards.

Left: Thundersprint supremoFrank Melling –regardedasBSA’s last official worksscrambler –signs copies of hislatest book.

Left: Trials guestof honourYrjoVesterinen is interviewedonstage by John McCrinkand describeswhatlifewas like on theworld trials scene40orsoyears ago.

Below: ThePre65 MotocrossClubdoes what it says on the tin… aclubfor pre65 motocrossers.

TOPLADSATNORMANDYMCC

Normandy MCC has a great historyand members are longtime supporters of the CDB Show. Posing with Hugh Viney’s actual SSDT winning AJS areRichard Thomas, secretary, on thebike, Nik Everitt,club chairman (to the left)and Graham Hill, club president, to theright

Nowcelebrating their 80th anniversary, Normandy MCCarose from the exploits of Home Guarddispatch riders in the southerncounties of England along the Thames Valley.Inthose earlydaysmotorcycles were seen as avital communication link should all radio and telephone services be destroyed.Younger readers may be surprised to learnsatelliteand smartphones had to wait until thereweresatellites to work them… Once it wasclear the Second WorldWar wascoming to an end the enthusiastic DRs approached the ACUtoform aclub.They were alittle restrictedinactualactivityas petrol wasstill unavailable but the club nowexisted. Over their 80-year historythe club’s members have been activeintrials,scrambles and enduros as well as latterly providing an excellentdisplayatthe ClassicDirtBike showfor the past fewyears.Here’stothe next 80 years and if you’re based in the Thames Valley area and need a club to join, go to www.normandymcc.co.uk

COLINDOMMETT TRIBUTE

Rider,winner,organiser,enthusiast arejust four labels which could be applied to Cornwall’s Colin Dommett. Sadly,Colinlost his battle with cancer on the eveofthe 2023 CDB Show wherehewas due to receivehis refurbished 1968 ISDTBarbour jacketfromthe tender care of Nigel Eastwood at WaxJackets Cleaned. For2024, with the blessing of Colin’sfamily,a small displaywas set up withamannequin filling out Colin’s ISDToutfit and mountedon an earlySixties Cotton.Not onlywas Colina more than capable solo trials rider, he wasalso no slouch when it came to the ISDTeither; then he switched to three wheels and excelled theretoo.Atalenteddevelopmentrider who worked forCotton in the mid-Sixties,Colin’s final projectwas the restoration of Scott Ellis’ BSAwhich we featured in CDB three issues ago TheCotton on thedisplay is finished in the redand black colour scheme favoured by Mr Dommett himself.

…asCottonwas basedinthe South West andColin wasa worksrider for thecompany it wasappropriatethe displayincludedaCotton…

Asmall part of theprivate entriesareawas given over to atribute display forColin Dommett…

…the idea hadbeento presentColin with his refurbishedISDTBarbour kitlastyearbut sadlyit wasnot to be

…Nigel Eastwood of WaxedJackets Cleanedhad refurbishedthe kitand was involved in thedisplay.He’srefurbished otherISDTteamjackets too.

Onthe workstrialsbikestand, Vesty’sworks Bultaco.

FORAGOODCAUSE

As land fortrials becomes harder and harder to secure, one option is forclubs to purchase courses they have used foryears.Naturally this isn’t acheapoption, though generally the land ideal fortrials is less ideal forgrowing things or building houses on. Sheffield and HallamshireTrialsClubhas thechancetobuy itspopular EadonsFields course and set off on afundraiser to securethe money to do it.Club member Dave Thorpe –trials ridernot MXer –donated asuper-special Triumph Tiger Cubtothe club so itcould be sold off to help finance the land deal.It’sbuilt to averyhigh spec,usingknowledge gained when Dave wasinTriumph’s works team and extraknowledge gained whenbuilding pre65 Scottishwinning Cubs forhimself and his lad Dan. There’snot room forthe full spec sheet herebut a taster is the engine is fully reconditioned,bored out to 250ccand mountedinone of thenow unobtainableArmac frames.Front forksare ultra-lightwith Yamaha Mono internals,wheels arebuilt on to alloyhubs by Alan Whittonwith aMichelin front tyre and IRCrear onalloyrimsand so on. Basically this Cubisthe DBs…if youfeel this bike is foryou contactSheffield and Hallamshire TrialsClubwww sheffieldandhallamshiretrials.co.uk andmake your offer…the clubwill accept somewhere between £12,000 and £13,000.

BuiltbyDaveThorpeand incorporatingmanyspecial bits,thisTiger Cubwillbesoldto help raisefunds formembers of Sheffieldand Hallamshire club to buytheir trials ground

Well,did anyone buyit?

Aboveright: Awide varietyofmachines featured in theprivate entries.

Right: JeffSmith, theUK’sfirstMX world champion,was at Telfordwithhis daughter Chris–far left of thepic –and author IanBerry wherethey hadafew booksfor sale

Left: Once themainstay of scrambling,BSA’s Gold Star

Yamaha bits anyone? Well,yes actually

Aboveleft: Speedway star Eric Boococksays somethingprofound to trials star Sammy Miller…probably somethingabout Belstaffjackets

Aboveright: To mark SammyMiller’s90th birthday HagonShocks commissioned artist John McCrinktocreate acaricatureofthe trials legend.HereCharlotte Hagon handsoverthe picturetoSammy.

Belowleft: Asuperspec LeeseHondaTLR

Belowright: EvoMXers such as this Kawasaki arerightly regarded as classic thesedays.

CDB SHOW 2024 RESULTS

Best in Show1991 CCM604

Alec Middleton

Alan Wright Trophy350 BultacoSherpa Yrjo Vesterinen

Best Road Racer1965 Cotton Telstar Malcolm Sharpe

Best Motocross 1991 CCM604

Alec Middleton

Best Scrambler 1970 400 Husqvarna Cross PeterSaunders

Best Trials 1975 KawasakiKT250

Best Enduro1976 Moto Gori GS

Best Grasstrack1973 Godden 84S

Best Speedway 1955 Rotrax Mk1

Best Sidecar 1984 Yamaha Wasp

Best Club Stand Cotton OC

Above: Theworld beingput to rights: Bill Brown, akaMr Wulfsport, andtrials legend SammyMiller catchuponthe Wulfsportstand

Left: Grasstrackand speedwayrequire specialist machinery. Thereisaplace forthem at Telfordespecially as theshowsponsors Hagon Shocks are connectedtothe scene.

Belowleft: Aregular to theshowis1979world trials championBernie Schreiber. We found himcatchingupwithhis former team-mateDave Thorpe

Aboveright: Notmany people wouldbe able to turn outon such an immaculate Bultaco everyweek.

Right: Montyisa stalwart of theclassic scenewho arranged afour-modelP11 Rangercollectionfor aphotoshootfor me some yearsago

Mark Barge

David Phillips

Anne Skinner

Mike Jones

Mark Ramplee

Best in Show for2024isAlecMiddleton’s 1991 604CCM.Alec’seffortsalsolandedhim

Best MXer

Aboveleft: Richard Allen’sstall hada few nice bikesfor sale in the outsideautojumble.

Aboveright: Just rummaginginthe autojumble on Dave Godley’s standisRobyn Harris.She’slooking for anumberplate forher 500Rotax Husqvarna whichshe wasplanning to race at RedMarley Hill ClimbonEaster Monday.Her otherhalf Mike Ashley casually mentionedRobyn built thebikeherself too.

Belowleft: At first glance anicestandard OSSA…but take acloser look andit’sprettytrick

TheladsonMicrodronewereattractinga lotofinterest… can yousee it hovering abovethe OSSA?

Whatever motorcycle floatsyourboatthere will be aclass andascene forit; take the125 TwinshockAircooled Cupfor instance

Anice-lookingbikebut sadlyKawasaki’sKT250 nevercaughtoninthe trials world. This onewas to winBestTrialsBikeaward

Publicising theWorld Speedway Daywas Phil Ranson,a highly entertaining characterwho decidedgrasstracksoundedfun,boughta bike,turnedupat an eventand wasonthe startlinewithout ever having seen arace.

Aboveleft: TheTalon MickMaronWorks Trials Bikescaughta lotofattention,with quitea fewenthusiasts remembering thebike in action

Left: Show sponsor Martin Hagon of Hagon Shocks is flanked by specialguests, three-timeworld trials championYrjo Vesterinenand former world 250MXchampion Neil Hudson on theright.

Right: BelleVue speedwaywas representedbyMark Lemon, whoexplained allabout theresurgence of BelleVue in company with Martin Hagon.

Speedway is allabout reaction times,

forthe

Aboveright: …let’s just saythe CDB editor’s timeswere consistent

Aboveleft: Prize guys:Rockshocks Suspension has been sponsoring the premierclassic trials series forseveral years andthe 2023 series presentation wasat Telford.

Concours winners forthe 2024 ClassicDirt Bike Show;see results panelfor whoiswho