Continental Report
CONTINENTAL REPORT
B. R. NICHOLLS
LAST WINTER Britons were presented a television motocross series that was exclusive to the British Broadcasting Corporation’s channel. Many people felt this was unfair, as independent companies were unable to screen the sports. Apparently their voices were heard. The effect is that 1968 winter motocross can be seen on both television programs.
However, the state-run BBC, being first in the field, really has perfected presentation, and the two trophies the network presents for the 250 and 750 classes draw a lot of interest.
CZ, for example, thinks it an ideal medium for showing the British public the excellence of its machinery in the hands of Dave Bickers. BSA and Greeves were not slow to support the series either, so with the solo classes well buttoned up. the independent company decided to offer a television sidecar trophy. For spectacle, the chairs take a bit of beating, but the big problem is mud. It can ruin a meeting for the simple reason that riders cannot be recognized.
That was the fate that befell the first sidecar round, though there was no doubt that the winner was Nick Thompson on his Triumph, followed by the 1967 champion, Len Crane. They finished in the same order in a supporting race to show their supremacy over the other chairmen.
In a two-leg race for solos at the same meeting, Arthur Lampkin was overall winner on his works BSA. This was the result of consistent riding that gave him a 2nd and 3rd place in the two legs. First race winner was his teammate, John Banks, with the second goinc to Chris Horsfield (380 CZ).
Out of luck was AJS works rider Bryan Goss, who repudiated his contract a week later by riding Husqvarna machines at the first of the BBC-TV Grandstand series held at Canada Heights. The 250 race winner was Freddie Mayes (CZ), who led from start to finish, no doubt happy that Dave Bickers was in the U. S.
The surprise of the race, however, was a new 250 BSA ridden by Jeff Smith to a 2nd place. It was another of BSA competition boss Brian Martin’s “exercises,” like his 350 road racer. Few people thought it would be so competitive. It utilizes a 500 ex-championship titanium frame. This, plus use of elektron, helps keep weight down. The engine basically is a Starfire with addition of a few high performance components. What a treat it was to see a four-stroke rushing past the two-strokers — a sight not seen for a long while.
It was quite a day for BSA with five of the first six home in the 750 trophy race. John Banks won from his teammate, Vic Eastwood; odd man out was Chris Horsfield (380 CZ), who finished third. Another BSA experiment was with the ignition of one of the 500-cc machines. It was just more compact, rather than new, with a small box in front of the cylinder head containing the two diodes, rectifier and wiring. It is reckoned by Lucus to be completely weatherproof.
Malcom Davis, out on the new 250 AJS. finished 6th in his race, after losing a plug lead, but was pleased and felt that after some minor modifications the bike would be a real flier. The mods he wanted have been made and observers were all set to see the results, but the whole of the British Isles has been declared an infected area for hoof and mouth disease. As a result, there is virtually no motorcycle sport tak ing place at all. Horse racing has been abandoned. stream fishing has stopped, weekend walkers stay at home, and farm ers lay disinfectant soaked straw on roads to try to keep the disease out of are~ts so far unaffected. There is little hope of any national events being contested for at least a month.
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Trials were the first to be hit with can cellation of the 1967 British Experts event. The St. Cucufa Trial was held in Paris right at the beginning of the month. It
was won b~ Don Smith (l3ultaco) with 30 marks lost from Peter Gaunt on his fan tastic little 128-cc Suzuki. He lost 44 marks, just two in front of Jim Sandiford (252-cc Greeves). Absent were Sammy \lil icr and Roy Peplow following a freeway crash in which neither was badly hurt, but the machinery WaS too bent to continue.
When the sport eventually doc~ get un derwav again it will he very interesting to see how the 2~() class progresses in the scrambles world. Up against the lone BSA four-stroke of Jeff Smith will be ranged the two-stroke brigade of AJS, Greeves, Bultaco, Ossa and Montesa. Added to these there are now a Kawasaki, to be ridden by Chris Horsfield, and a pair of Suzukis, one of which will be ridden by the experienced John Harris.
If the British or Spanish machines do well, then no doubt Americans will be pleased with the recent decision of those two countries to devalue their currencies as it should mean cheaper cycles. Don’t count chickens before they’re hatched for the opportunity may be taken to increase profit margins on existing sales, rather than to increase profit through increased sales.
This is a point the discerning buyer will watch carefully, for both British and Spanish manufacturers now have an advantage in the American market through the 14 percent devaluation over countries such as Sweden, Germany, Japan and Italy that did not devalue. One advantage about the new exchange rate of $2.40 to the pound sterling is that U. S. and British pennies now are of equal value, which should help a little with currency problems.
Now that the road racing season is completed, and with no present sporting activity to report, a major controversy is raging in England as to whether riders in the past season used engines with a larger capacity than the limits for the races they were contesting. One rider alleges that it went on all season, and that he could name six men that did it. If this is true, then they were cheating. It is as simple as that. The remedy is equally as simple — a protest. Such action costs $2.40, which is refunded if the protest is upheld—as it surely will be if an oversize engine is used.
The allegation has cropped up before when the MV camp did not believe Alan Shepherd was on a 350-cc AJS as he diced with John Surtees at the 1960 Ulster. The MV people thought he was on a 500cc Matchless in disguise, but at least they had the courage to back the allegation with a protest. In fact, the stewards found that the engine was only 349 cc. Surtees, at the time, was both upset and grateful — upset that MV should doubt Shepherd’s integrity, and grateful for proving what he had been saying about the slowness of the works MV as compared with some singles.
The whole business leaves a nasty taste in the mouth, especially as nothing at this stage can be proved. Next season perhaps someone will have the guts to protest, instead of moaning when it is all over. Perhaps the most sane comment on the subject came from ace tuner Ray Petty, who, commenting in Motor Cycle, said he would consider it a compliment if anyone protested against any of his engines. He said, “If they beat mine, they are better, NOT bigger. The idea that a big ’un could be distinguished by the size of the carburetor or size of sprockets is a bit far fetched. With the choice of four-, fiveand sixspeed gearboxes, riders use all sorts of gearing and may find they get better results by gearing up or down and using only the top or bottom four or five speeds. With so many permutations, there must inevitably be a wide range of sprockets fitted to seemingly identical bikes.”
Protests can be expected next season, as the lack of start money will mean that riders will be fighting that much harder for prize money. Things are looking up a bit, however, as it has now been decided that riders may have limited advertising on the fairings of their machines even though it is only for products used on the machine. It can only be hoped that this is the back door to better things. The idea that money in sport should not be openly discussed belongs to the 19th Century. Big money is needed, and quickly, before it is too late. It is needed to sponsor the British Championships, which should be streamlined to capture public interest. It is needed for the Isle of Man TT, which is an absolute natural to a big time sponsor. All those sewnon numbers on riders backs, with the name of a product added, must be worth a lot of money, because the races receive tremendous publicity and TV coverage.
It is lack of finance that may seriously impair work on the Fath four-cylinder engines for the builder has been hit by the reduction in Castrol support. It will be interesting to see whether a German firm such as Bosch or Metzler will now support him.
The Rickman brothers also are finding lack of support a bit of a problem, but this time they did not want money — they wanted to spend it on BSA Victor scrambles engines to be precise. They got the impression at the Farls Court Show that the Small Heath concern would play ball. They now have been told that none will be made available to them, so they are once again looking for a 500-cc power unit. In this sphere it will he interesting to see how the 420-cc Husqvarna performs. This is the mount that Alan Clough will use in his world titie bid.
