Author Archive: Keith Francis

Weald Non Expert Trial – 17th April 2016

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Please find below the links to the starting list for this Sundays trial as well as the cover sheet.

We will be adopting a mass start for the first 40 riders on the list with a second wave of riders to follow around 15/20 minutes later.

If you could please ask any visitors to keep their dogs on leads at all times due to the close proximity of a number of sheep in their lambing season.

Entries will be taken on the day for all those wishing to ride and all offers to observe will be gratefully received.

Cover sheet – Clay Hill 17.04.16

Start List – Weald Non Expert 17 04 16

 

Club Doo – Horse Race Evening and Presentation- 12th March 2015 – Tickets on sale now…

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Back by popular demand, the annual Tenterden MCC Club Doo will take place at Bethersden Village Hall on the 12th of March. Always a giggle and a great evening and once again this popular evening open to all past and present club members, families and friends will be a big screen Horse Race evening and a fish and chip supper, a bumper club raffle, mixed with the presentation of our prestigious club awards. To keep costs down this years event will be a ‘bring your own drink’ evening. Tickets are available from Dave or Keith at £10 per person including Fish and chips or Sausage and Chips.

Kickstart 2016…..

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As our thoughts turn to 2016, we all start thinking of our new year resolutions, give up the booze, lose weight, eat better, get fitter, play more, to try and not be all consumed by work…. and of course most importantly get that bike out that has sat in the shed or garage for the last I don’t know how many months (or years!!), get out and have one more ride or ride that trial you’ve always loved, everybody can find an excuse, so you need to make it happen, get that bike out and ride and enjoy the banter and giggle of the trials world or even for the blessed few try and win that class trophy or championship one more time…

So to help you, here are a few early year dates for the dairy in 2016. Get your entries off now or at the very least block these dates in your diary…

17th Jan – Sidcup 60 Trial – Canada Heights fun and frolicks – some excellent technical sections around the motocross track – 90 entries in so far so only 40 places left as of today. See Sidcup and District MCC Website for details

24th Jan – The Ashford Dunlop – needs no introduction, at the Kent Gliding Club, maybe not quite the event it used to be but you never know, always a challenge and the weather can add a little spice.

7th Feb – The Walker Memorial Trial Sittingbourne – fast becoming many peoples favourite early year trial with a long ride round and a route for all.

All 3 trials entries available in sporting motorcyclist.

The second Sunday from February to June then from August to Decemeber will be the East Kent Trials Combine Trials, routes for all from Expert to beginner in the local East Kent area. The next one will be the

14th Feb – GEST EKTC Combine – see Sporting Motorcyclist for details

Get your act together and enter one of the above online or via post and kickstart 2016 off in the right way… See you at the next trial…

Club Championship 2015/6 So far…

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The current club championship aggregates are available on the aggregate page. A reminder the season runs from September 2015 to August 2016, with the best 7 scores to count in each class.

Current class leaders are Expert Mark Smith, Inter Dave Luck, Novice Micheal Hollyer, Novice over 40 Roger Beck, Youth Oliver Whorlow… see aggregates page for full details.

South East Centre Team Trial – 31st May 2015 – Keith Francis

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When Luckio sent me a  text to say ‘do you know anyone who wants to ride in the team trial next weekend’, I realised what he really meant was ‘ do you want to ride?’.

I have always said if I rode one trial a year it would be the team trial at Crowborough. So I had to say yes… I love the rocky gullies and it is a rare treat ‘down south’ to ride sections like you find at Hourne Farm and Team Baker, Sturdey always seem to get it right.

Not only is it a great venue but it is also a really good laugh and unique in the fact that you ride in this event as part of a team in what is usually a purely individual sport. Team Tenterden are renowned for enjoying the team trial

Connor had unfortunately had to drop out of one of the 2 teams and thus a space became free at the last minute – I jumped at the chance to rearrange things and ride.

Rather amusingly, I was part of the Tenterden Young Guns team, riding with 2 riders who are developing very fast and improving every week, Joe Millen and Jack Beck.

The other team named Tenterden old boys consisted of Micheal Nutbrown (on a shiny new Beta), Mark Smith and Pete Southcott.

As we were a little slow getting the entry in we started at the back of the field, not ideal given the heavy rain as we arrived in the car park and unloaded… The team and club atmosphere shone through despite the weather with all 6 of us heading to the first section together for a bit of banter and laughter – old’uns v young’ uns..

I haven’t ridden this trial for a few years, but the format is usually the same with half the sections on the rocks the other muddy, slippery banks and climbs.. We got the bum deal with conditions deteriorating by starting on the rocks.. but heh ho.. we elected just to get on and ride having  a laugh.. Expert, inters and Novices all ride one route – just how it should be..

Over the years I have benefited from the experience and guidance of older riders (Graham Kemp, Vince Boozer, Kev Morphett etc)– all of whom have been only to happy to help with tips and assistance and I have always tried to help anyone I can in a similar way, so passing on some of that experience is always a pleasure, especially when people are happy to listen..

So with Joe and Jack we walked the sections together agreed the route and a plan, I tried to stick to the plan (once failing badly much to everyones amusement!) and then the boys could see how it is or isn’t done… well it worked on section one as we started with 3 cleans!!

We kept it steady and started well, the old boys soon pulled away from us, as us ‘young uns’ soon spent more time chatting/debating sections than riding, this probably wasn’t ideal given the conditions but we were enjoying ourselves and actually all riding pretty good.

Neither Joe nor Jack have ridden much on the rocks, but you would never have guessed, Joe was riding extremely smoothly on the rocks at a great speed to maintain control but have enough aggression to tackle the larger parts. Jack equally wasn’t to be out done, riding straight over the more difficult parts with only the odd dab going down and in particular tackling some of the muddy sections with some fine rides.

We caught the ‘old uns’ up on the muddy sections and just in time to watch Pete on his 750cc Beta have an amazing ride on the worst section of the day a straight up and down a bank with the down being horrendously slippery and the up being a deep 4th gear rut.. Pete’s ride to get out was superb, only bettered by his complete collapse on the 2nd lap as fatigue set in on the very same section – so much so I fear he might still be there now!

In truth we caught the other team up as Micheal had a puncture, but undeterred all 3 of them were riding equally as well which was great to see, Mark was even seen hopping the back around to negotiate a slippery section –  a braver man than me for sure..

With over 100 riders there was the odd queue but we kept moving pretty well, staying together as a team with plenty of morale support and jeering going on, even if the walking the sections on my part had fallen by the way side due to tiredness! We were ably and well supported by Colin and Roger and also kindly by Henry and Connor who turned up to watch on the day.. and by Micheals dad Bernie.

6 excellent rides saw all of us to the top of the long rocky gulley with only the odd mark going at the end with the true young ones suffering more than the old boy… There were a couple of fourth gear get through sections and both Jack and Joe gave it everything to attempt to get through, over time both are sure to become very, very capable riders and adapted well from rocks to mud in equal measure.. I think they both found a few extra 1000 rpm’s on their bikes on the second lap which won’t do any harm in the winter months in East Kent..

We finished around 3.30/4 o clock, shattered, wet and very muddy, with the 2 teams finishing just a few minutes apart which was great, soaked and caked from head to foot, but having had a thoroughly enjoyable day..  I for one really enjoyed the trial and riding with Jack and Joe was a great laugh with no one taking it too seriously, with both being great company and equally trying as hard as they could in the sections.. Thanks lads for a great days trialing..

As it turns out not only did we have a great laugh on the day but we actually did quite well with myself, Joe and Jack coming second out of the 18 teams in the team event!! Only being beaten by team Erith.The clubs best place for many a year and so close to winning!! And the ‘old uns’ finished a very respectable 7th. Well done Team Tenterden.

Roll on next year…

Thanks to Rodger Beck for the photos please see attached.

Crowborough Trial 2015

Memories of Murray Brush – Tony Rout

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MEMORIES OF MURRAY BRUSH by Tony Rout, typed by Sandra Francis.

Attending the Murray Brush Memorial Trial recently reminded me of an article I wrote for the Owls Club magazine some years ago

I recall an epic journey Murray and I took in January 1963, the year of the big freeze.

It all started one evening in Brenchley Working Men’s Club, when Murray asked me if I would like to accompany him to the Allan Jefferies National trial in Worcestershire on January 10th. Of course I said yes, being young and up for anything.

Now, the snows started on Boxing Day 1962 and by New Year were four or five foot deep all over the country and still coming down. Having driven with Murray to a lot of local trials in the past, I had every faith in his driving ability to get there and didn’t give it a second thought.

7am on Saturday 9th January and we were off in his nearly new Morris Minor 1000 pickup, J.A.H. Triumph Cub in the back with about 20 gallons of petrol, riding gear, spades etc. I had an overnight bag, wellies and a thermos flask with coffee and brandy in it and £1 in my pocket.

We set off in a blizzard with about 200 miles to go, but you must remember there were no motorways, bypasses, mobile phones, or salt on the road back then. Many telephone lines were down, so you were pretty much on your own. We made good progress through Tonbridge and Sevenoaks to the A25, but remember we were heading to a little hamlet in the wilds of Worcester and the Duck Inn. I was on the map which was useless as most road signs were buried under the snow! By about 10am we had made it to a transport café somewhere near Newlands Corner for breakfast. Some lorry drivers advised us not to continue beyond Guildford as the roads were impassable. Not to Murray in his “ Morry Thou”. Pressing on to the A40 it became apparent how bad it was, on one stretch it resembled the whoops section of an area motocross, 8ft high snowdrifts, telephone poles and power lines down etc. The only good thing was that there was absolutely no other traffic on the roads to block our path, so “Mo” could “give her the get on” as he used to say.

Around 1.30pm we arrived in Swindon and stopped a pub for a pint or two and a bite to eat. The landlord was a keen motorcyclist and showed us his Manx Norton racer. He wished us well and we drove on to Cheltenham, it was almost dark by now and still snowing old boots! Two young hitch-hikers asked if we would give them a lift to Gloucester. Murray thought this a good idea as we moved the “Road Closed” signs out of the way! He told them to hop in the back of the pickup. They would be able to push if we got stuck! We made it ok, just, and they knocked on the back window and jumped out somewhere in the town.

Pushing on past Bewdley we were on a very minor road and came to steep hill after a tight right-hander over a bridge and this was the only time there or back that I had to get out and push. Soon after we arrived at our destination, The Duck Inn. It was 9pm, the bar was almost empty, and so we ordered a pint and said we had driven up from Kent for the Trial next day.

Sorry the landlord said it’s CANCELLED.

After nearly choking on our beer our next question was” can you put us up for the night?” NO! Try back in Bewdley. As it was well past 9pm and 10 degrees below zero we did not fancy sleeping in the motor, so back to Bewdley where we were lucky to find a good coaching inn. I think it was the Kings Head. The only room available had a double bed and as I had never slept away from home before it was a bit strange to me.

We woke the next morning, Sunday to find the sun shining and the snow clouds gone, though it was extremely cold. After a good full English breakfast we set off for home at about 10am. Trundling along we were still about the only vehicle on the road but conditions were much better. At about 12noon we arrived at the The Air Balloon, Birdlip in Gloucestershire, where there was a warm welcome from the Davies family. Bill Davies, the landlord had been a star sidecar trials rider and his 2 sons, Mike and Tony were National Works supported riders at the time and well known to Murray. So after a good ploughman’s, several pints and much merriment we set off for home again at kickout time, about 2.30pm on a Sunday those days.

So, on the way back we came, stopping only to fill up the Morris from Mo’s “supply” in the back. It was dark by 4pm, but luckily I spotted a fish and chip shop open in one of the towns, it helped to soak up the beer! We still had a long way to go, but the faithful pickup never missed a beat, and we arrived home in Brenchley around 10pm., just in time for a quick one in the Bull. All that way and I still had change from my pound.

Sadly Murray has gone now, but we never forgot that journey, also a big thank you to Mr Dunlop for his town and country tyres!

Tony Rout