Scottish Six Days Trial
The Scottish Six Days Trial is an internationally recognised Motorcycle trials competition, which has been running since 1909 (with breaks for the two world wars) making it the oldest motorcycle trials event in the world. Motorcycle riders from all over the world compete in this extreme sport, covering as much as 100 miles a day on road and off-road routes around Lochaber on each of the six days. The event is a trial of the skill, consistency and endurance of the riders, as well as a test of the specialised motorcycles used. History The inaugural Scottish motorcycle trial was held in July 1909 and was a five-day event devised by Campbell McGregor of the Edinburgh Motor Cycle Club. ''The Classic Motor Cycle'' July 1996, p.43 ''75 Years Ago'' Accessed and added 27 June 2014 Originally, the trial started in Edinburgh, going to John O'Groats before returning to Edinburgh. It aimed to be the most challenging motorcycle trial ever held. The Edinburgh & District Club organised the event ... [...More Info...]       [...Related Items...]     OR:     [Wikipedia]   [Google]   [Baidu]   |
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Motorcycle Trials
Motorcycle trials, also known as observed trials, often called simply trial/s (with or without the plural "s"), is a non-speed event on specialized motorcycles. The sport is most popular in the United Kingdom and Spain, though there are participants around the globe. Modern trials motorcycles are distinctive in that they have evolved to become extremely lightweight, lack seating (they are designed to be ridden standing up) and have suspension travel that is short, relative to a motocross or enduro motorcycle. Motorcycle trials is often utilized by competitors in other motorcycle sports (such as enduro, motocross or road racers) as a way to cross-train, as trials requires fine throttle, balance, and machine control. Characteristics The event is split into sections where a competitor rides through an obstacle course while attempting to avoid touching the ground with their feet. The obstacles in the course may be of natural or constructed elements. In all sections, regardless of co ... [...More Info...]       [...Related Items...]     OR:     [Wikipedia]   [Google]   [Baidu]   |
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Royal Enfield
Royal Enfield was a brand name under which The Enfield Cycle Company Limited of Redditch, Worcestershire sold motorcycles, bicycles, lawnmowers and stationary engines which they had manufactured. Enfield Cycle Company also used the brand name "Enfield" without the "Royal". The first Royal Enfield motorcycle was built in 1901. The Enfield Cycle Company is responsible for the design and original production of the Royal Enfield Bullet, the longest-lived motorcycle design in history. Royal Enfield's spare parts operation was sold to Velocette in 1967, which benefitted from the arrangement for three years until their closure in early 1971. Enfield's remaining motorcycle business became part of Norton Villiers in 1967 with the business eventually closing in 1978. History George Townsend set up a business in 1851 in Redditch making sewing needles. In 1882 his son, also named George, started making components for cycle manufacturers including saddles and forks. By 1886 complete bicycl ... [...More Info...]       [...Related Items...]     OR:     [Wikipedia]   [Google]   [Baidu]   |
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Martin Lampkin
Harold Martin Lampkin (28 December 1950 – 2 April 2016) was an English professional motorcycle competitor. He competed in a variety of off-road motorcycle events, but specialized in observed trials competitions, winning the inaugural FIM Trial World Championship held in 1975. In a genre of motorcycling competition that features balletic grace and acrobatic finesse, Lampkin was an iconoclast, using sheer momentum and physical strength to assault trials course sections. He died in 2016 of cancer. Motorcycling career The third son in a Yorkshire motorcycling dynasty, Lampkin was raised in Silsden, where he began riding motorcycles at an early age. His older brothers Arthur and Alan Lampkin were successful motorcycle racers and became members of the BSA factory racing team in the 1960s. In the early 1970s, Lampkin established himself as one of the top competitors in motorcycle trials, gaining the attention of Francisco Bultó, the owner of the Bultaco motorcycle company. Bultó off ... [...More Info...]       [...Related Items...]     OR:     [Wikipedia]   [Google]   [Baidu]   |
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Yamaha Motor Company
is a Japanese multinational manufacturer of motorcycles, marine products such as boats and outboard motors, and other motorized products. The company was established in 1955 upon separation from Yamaha Corporation (however, Yamaha Corporation is still the largest private company shareholder with 9.92%, as of 2019), and is headquartered in Iwata, Shizuoka, Japan. The company conducts development, production and marketing operations through 109 consolidated subsidiaries as of 2012. Led by Genichi Kawakami, the company's founder and first president, Yamaha Motor spun off from musical instrument manufacturer Yamaha Corporation in 1955 and began production of its first product, the YA-1 125cc motorcycle. It was quickly successful and won the 3rd Mount Fuji Ascent Race in its class. The company's products include motorcycles, scooters, motorized bicycles, boats, sail boats, personal water craft, swimming pools, utility boats, fishing boats, outboard motors, 4-wheel ATVs, recreat ... [...More Info...]       [...Related Items...]     OR:     [Wikipedia]   [Google]   [Baidu]   |
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Malcolm Rathmell
Malcolm Rathmell (born 18 June 1949), is an English former international motorcycle trials rider. He won the Scottish Six Days Trial in 1973 and 1979, and clinched the FIM Trans America Trials Championship in 1974 (The series was to become FIM Trial World Championship in 1975). Rathmell is a six-time winner of the British Trials Championship between 1971 and 1981 and six-time winner of the Scott Trial between 1971 and 1980. In 2013, Rathmell was named an FIM Legend for his motorcycling achievements. Biography Born in Otley, West Yorkshire, England, Rathmell first contested the FIM European Championship in 1970 before finishing runner up to Mick Andrews in the 1971 championship, a year in which he also won the Scott Trial for the first time. Though rarely off the podium in 1972 the championship was a repeat to the previous season, followed by a 3rd-place finish on the factory supported Bultaco for 1973. In 1974 Rathmell almost switched camps from Bultaco to Ossa but found himself ... [...More Info...]       [...Related Items...]     OR:     [Wikipedia]   [Google]   [Baidu]   |
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Ossa (motorcycle)
Ossa was a Spanish motorcycle manufacturer which was active from 1924 to 1982 and from 2010 to 2015. Founded by Manuel Giró, an industrialist from Barcelona, Ossa was best known for lightweight, two-stroke-engined bikes used in observed trials, motocross and enduro. The company was known originally as ''Orpheo Sincronic Sociedad Anónima (O.S.S.A.)'' and was later renamed ''Maquinaria Cinematográfica, S.A.''. The Ossa brand was reborn in 2010 when the trademark was purchased by an investment group and produced motorcycles until 2014 when, the company merged with the Spanish motorcycle manufacturer Gas Gas. However, when Gas Gas was absorbed by the Torrot Group in 2015, Ossa was not part of the deal and closed down again. History Company origins The original Ossa company got its start in 1924 making movie projectors for its home market in Spain. The company's four-leaf clover emblem wasn't actually a four-leaf clover; it is the escapement mechanism of a film projector. Befor ... [...More Info...]       [...Related Items...]     OR:     [Wikipedia]   [Google]   [Baidu]   |
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Mick Andrews
Mick Andrews (born 5 July 1944), is an English former international motorcycle trials rider. He was FIM European Trials Champion in 1971 and 1972 (The series became FIM Trial World Championship in 1975) and is a five times winner of the Scottish Six Days Trial, taking the laurels in 1970, 1971, 1972, 1974 and 1975, equalling the record set by Sammy Miller. In 2015, Andrews was named an FIM Legend for his motorcycling achievements. Biography Born in Elton, Derbyshire, Andrews began competing in trials events during 1959 at the age of 15 riding a 197cc James before moving up to a Matchless 350 the following year. In 1961 Andrews' talent was spotted by AMC Competition Manager and former three time Scottish Six Day winner Hugh Viney, who offered him a factory-sponsored AJS ride. He competed on the AJS models until 1965 when the AMC company purchased the James and Francis-Barnett companies, switching their works riders to the more competitive 250cc James machines. After AMC went ... [...More Info...]       [...Related Items...]     OR:     [Wikipedia]   [Google]   [Baidu]   |
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Greeves (motorcycles)
Greeves Motorcycles was a British motorcycle manufacturer founded by Bert Greeves which produced a range of road machines, and later competition mounts for observed trials, scrambles and road racing. The original company produced motorcycles from 1952, funded by a contract with the Ministry of Pensions for their Invacar, a three-wheeler for disabled drivers. After many wins in motorcycle trials competitions and developing a successful US export market, the original company ceased trading following a fire in 1977. Richard Deal bought the rights to the Greeves name in May 1999. The new business continues to develop motorcycles and launched the first new Greeves trials bike for 20 years in January 2009, with an all-new British two-stroke 280 cc engine. History The original company founded by Bert Greeves MBE was the Invacar company. Greeves was mowing the lawns of his home in Worcestershire when he had the idea of fitting the lawnmower engine to his disabled cousin's wheelc ... [...More Info...]       [...Related Items...]     OR:     [Wikipedia]   [Google]   [Baidu]   |
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Bultaco
Bultaco was a Spanish manufacturer of two-stroke motorcycles from 1958 to 1983. In May 2014, a new Bultaco was announced. Origins The origin of the Bultaco motorcycle company dates from May 1958. Francesc "Paco" Bultó was a director of the Montesa motorcycle company, founded in 1944. After several years of steady growth and road racing success, in 1957 Montesa moved to larger facilities. The move was protracted, disrupting production and was followed by a downturn in the Spanish economy. This slump brought to a head disagreements between Bultó and the other senior director Pere Permanyer. As an economy measure, Permanyer (the majority shareholder) felt that the company should withdraw from racing. Bultó, the driving force behind the racing program and responsible for much of the company’s technical expertise was vehemently opposed. Failing to reach a compromise, Bultó decided to leave Montesa to concentrate on his other business interests. Perhaps unsurprisingly, the maj ... [...More Info...]       [...Related Items...]     OR:     [Wikipedia]   [Google]   [Baidu]   |
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Arthur Lampkin
Arthur Lampkin (born circa 1938) is an English former professional motorcycle racer. The oldest son in a Yorkshire motorcycling dynasty, he competed in a variety of off-road motorcycle events such as observed trials, motocross and enduros. Motorcycling career Born in Kent, England, Lampkin's father moved the family to Silsden, West Yorkshire in 1941. He began riding his father's BSA motorcycle even before he was old enough to have a licence. Lampkin purchased his first motorcycle from money he had earned from his paper route, and by the age of 18 he had won the British trials national championship. In the 1960s, he became a member of the BSA factory racing team along with his brother Alan. Lampkin, along with Dave Bickers and Jeff Smith, were part of a group British motorcyclists that dominated the sport of motocross in the early 1960s. In the 1961 European motocross championships, he finished the season in second place behind Bickers. The following year, the championship was ... [...More Info...]       [...Related Items...]     OR:     [Wikipedia]   [Google]   [Baidu]   |
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Ariel Motorcycles
Ariel Motorcycles was a British maker of bicycles and then motorcycles in Bournbrook, Birmingham. It was an innovator in British motorcycling, part of the Ariel marque. The company was sold to BSA in 1951 but the brand survived until 1967. Influential Ariel designers included Val Page and Edward Turner. The last motorcycle-type vehicle to carry the Ariel name was a short-lived three-wheel tilting moped in 1970. Ariel made bicycles before making motorcycles, and also made cars. Car production began in 1902, moved to Coventry in 1911 and ceased in 1925. The 'Ariel' name was reused in 1999 for the formation of Ariel Ltd, a sports car producer. History Bicycles and early motorised vehicles The original company was established in 1870 by James Starley and William Hillman. They built wire-spoke wheels under the first British patent; this allowed them also to build a lighter "penny farthing" bicycle which they named 'Ariel' (the spirit of the air). They put the name on the fact ... [...More Info...]       [...Related Items...]     OR:     [Wikipedia]   [Google]   [Baidu]   |
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Sammy Miller
Samuel Hamilton Miller, MBE (born 11 November 1933) is a Northern Irish championship winning motorcycle racer, in both road racing and trials. He was appointed an MBE in the 2009 New Year Honours. In 2013, Miller was named an FIM Legend for his motorcycling achievements. Career Miller was born in Belfast, Northern Ireland. After attending his first race at the age of 16 in 1951, he followed a career involving both road, dirt/grass track racing and observed trials. Miller became British Trials Champion 11 times and won the European Trials Championship twice. In his continuing career, Miller is a winner of over 1,300 trials, nine gold medals and the International Six Days Trial, as well as coming 3rd in the 1957 250cc Grand Prix in championship. In racing he rode a variety of machines including AJS 7R, Mondial and NSU. Miller has won three 250cc North West 200 events (1956-1958). Miller rode mainly Ariel Motorcycles, including both trials events and the Isle of Man TT races ... [...More Info...]       [...Related Items...]     OR:     [Wikipedia]   [Google]   [Baidu]   |