Lights on ISDT bikes

[John Wakefield]

Here is Mary with SOO 56D. Not a good quality picture, but I can see the tail light, and the headlight hiding behind the number board, in much the same way as the Comerfords Challenger, a photo of which I posted earlier. The number board would pivot on it's mounting brackets to sit above the headlight when required.

The bike was fitted with a centre stand (obligatory on an ISDT bike to remove rear wheel quickly in event of a puncture) this can be seen in the pic

[Brian Catt]

The word expert as used in several posts is very misleading! Yes, I know more than some, but there was so much that went on "under the counter", that a lot of information was never brought to light. One of my recollections is of timing an RAF rider practising swapping the bent forks on his Cotton in one of the bars at an IOM hotel. The rules did seem strange at times, and understanding the scoring and penalties needed a degree in fidling! The JAWA team pulled one or two (legal) strokes to win the event, usually by getting their second ranked rider to fail at the 60 second start procedure. This gave the leader an even greater class improvement factor. Much the same stroke allowed a Triumph HERALD to win a major continental car rally in the early 60s... There were, and still are, rules in the ISDT and ISDE, BUT implimentation was/is sometimes difficult.
There are still riders around who took part in night rides during an ISDT, but it was common to carry several spare bulbs....and remove the tail light bulb until approaching a control.

[IanCordes]

Quote - 'No pics of it in the Comerfords workshop, and I am sure other members would like to see them.' This is the one, I believe. Again, poor quality, but I am sure I can see both tail and headlights.

[John Wakefield]

Quote - 'No pics of it in the Comerfords workshop, and I am sure other members would like to see them.' This is the one, I believe. Again, poor quality, but I am sure I can see both tail and headlights.

Thanks Ian, also clearly visible in this pic is the centre stand and the Royal Enfield Continetal GT , 'jelly mould' tank (pic attached) Also interesting that a trials tyre is fitted to rear wheel in this pic where as its a 'knobbly' motocross tyre in the other pics.

[IanCordes]

Tyres can be changed at any time. Maybe it was to do with being road legal in the UK, mx tyres being for off-road use only? Also, nit-picking (who, moi?) it is a Royal Enfield Continental tank, as your photo correctly shows, John, not a Continental GT, which was a later model, that tank being a long fibreglass one, not entirely dissimilar to the Silverstone tank, which would of course been entirely unsuitable for this job.

Anyway, going back to the original subject of this thread, I think we have ascertained that all ISDT entrants needed to show working lights on their machines, with some period photos being misleading, in that the lights were well hidden from the cameraman.

[John Wakefield]

it is a Royal Enfield Continental tank, as your photo correctly shows, John, not a Continental GT, which was a later model, that tank being a long fibreglass one, not entirely dissimilar to the Silverstone tank, which would of course been entirely unsuitable for this job.

Just copied what ebay seller had stated https://picclick.co.uk/Royal-Enfield...549285343.html

[IanCordes]

here is the GT

[Lawrence Hampton]

Thanks Ian, also clearly visible in this pic is the centre stand and the Royal Enfield Continetal GT , 'jelly mould' tank (pic attached) Also interesting that a trials tyre is fitted to rear wheel in this pic where as its a 'knobbly' motocross tyre in the other pics.

This tank may well be one manufactured in India, like the BSA RGS/GOLDSTAR items.

[Lawrence Hampton]

Were lights required to be fitted to bikes in all ISDT 's? Looking at some pics Mary Driver does not appear to have a headlight on her Anglian SOO56D that she rode in the 1968 ISDT, and if you look at page 79 of the Carrick & Walker book, you will see in the line-up of the Vase-A team with no lights. I have the programme for the 1975 ISDT in IoM and non working lights at final examination resulted in 10 penalty points

[John Wakefield]

Thanks Lawrence I have turned and cropped two of the pics to give a better view. Who are the 3 guys with Mary? The tall guy looks like Dave Nicholl the ex BSA works motorcross rider, but not sure he ever rode in the ISDT.

[IanCordes]

That is a very big handbag..... The other picture was apparently taken at Bordon, during practice prior to the ISDT. It looks like SOO56D, the RE tank and conical hubs being the tell-tale, but if so, it has still to be prepared for the ISDT, including fitting a centre stand, lights, tank bag etc. Also, the front mudguard at Bordon is sprung, close to the wheel, whereas in the event she ran it with the high, unsprung mudguard, as fitted to a standard TGS.

[Lawrence Hampton]

Were lights required to be fitted to bikes in all ISDT 's? Looking at some pics Mary Driver does not appear to have a headlight on her Anglian SOO56D that she rode in the 1968 ISDT, and if you look at page 79 of the Carrick & Walker book, you will see in the line-up of the Vase-A team with no lights. I have the programme for the 1975 ISDT in IoM and non working lights at final examination resulted in 10 penalty points

[Lawrence Hampton]

Sorry John it is upside down.

[IanCordes]

Just wondering which tank that is, Lawrence? It is shiny, showing the reflection of the speedo, so must be the ali tank, as the RE one was painted (burgundy?) all over. Not taken in the ISDT then.

[Lawrence Hampton]

Just wondering which tank that is, Lawrence? It is shiny, showing the reflection of the speedo, so must be the ali tank, as the RE one was painted (burgundy?) all over. Not taken in the ISDT then.

Hi Ian
The tank shown (photo I posted) on the bike was from the Royal Enfield definitely not the Alloy. From information given to me by Bill Brooker, it was used in the ISDT because of capacity +/- 3.25 gallons in addition the map bag fitted easily on the top. The tank was chromed all over, with the burgundy painted over the 'Dull chrome, which makes sense.