Lazy Sod
Member
- Location
- Warminster Wiltshire
Now then, I rode in motocross events for 3 seasons from1962-4 aged 18 -20. The minimum age was 16, no schoolboys then. It was mostly called scrambling at that time, the term motocross was only just coming in. My rides covered from Hampshire, to Gloucestershire and westwards excluding Cornwall, my nearest tracks being Leighton, near Frome and Farley Castle where I rode often. The sport was massive then with frequently a choice of events on the same day. There was often prime time Saturday afternoon TV coverage, with Murry Walker getting the rider identification all wrong.
All the tracks were natural but very undulating with sometimes very steep hills. The use of diggers to push up huge stupid artificial ramps was unheard of. I was told by a more experienced rider to keep the back wheel on the ground and driving. This technique was most evident in the stile of Jeff Smith, the BSA works rider and word champion several times. His riding style was remarkably unspectacular but very effective.
One thing that I noticed was the high number of farmers and farmers sons participating. I always put it down to the fact that we had somewhere to practice (no practice tracks then) and had a Land Rover or pick up for transport, perhaps we could afford it more easily too. I wasn't very good at it, I was never fit enough, but a lot of the interest for me was in the machinery. People were building up specials, a Triumph 500 twin engine in a BSA frame with Norton forks for example. That led to the Rickman brothers developing the Metisse bikes.
It was a very enjoyable 3 years for me but I was needed at home more and more. My father was distinctly unenthusiastic.
All the tracks were natural but very undulating with sometimes very steep hills. The use of diggers to push up huge stupid artificial ramps was unheard of. I was told by a more experienced rider to keep the back wheel on the ground and driving. This technique was most evident in the stile of Jeff Smith, the BSA works rider and word champion several times. His riding style was remarkably unspectacular but very effective.
One thing that I noticed was the high number of farmers and farmers sons participating. I always put it down to the fact that we had somewhere to practice (no practice tracks then) and had a Land Rover or pick up for transport, perhaps we could afford it more easily too. I wasn't very good at it, I was never fit enough, but a lot of the interest for me was in the machinery. People were building up specials, a Triumph 500 twin engine in a BSA frame with Norton forks for example. That led to the Rickman brothers developing the Metisse bikes.
It was a very enjoyable 3 years for me but I was needed at home more and more. My father was distinctly unenthusiastic.