Road registered Scramblers

[John Wakefield]

To continue the this thread on a more appropriate heading.
When I started riding motorcycles (from 1959 onwards & trials from around 1968) it was fairly common practice to ride to trials, well at least open to centre & club events. I cant recall any riders riding to a scrambles & certainly by the late 60's early 70's when I was a member of the Cambridge Matchless MCC & helped run the scrambles at Elsworth all riders were using trailers & vans. The Transit van was by then established and this proved an ideal form of transport for a couple of scramblers & still room for tools riding gear, fuel etc.
As for trials a number of riders were still riding their bike to trials, the bike often doubling as every day transport. I well remember Geoff Marsh of the Cambridge Centuar Club riding his Tiger Cub to day release classes at Cambridge Tech College around 1961/2
As bikes became more specialised trailers & vans became the norm. Now of course its a motor home or race transporter
Have any other members recollections of riding to events (and home again with bobby dodger lights)

[johnrunnacles]

Luckily, Eastern Centre scrambles through the 1960's were more of a Spring/Summer activity, so it was possible (sometimes only just!) to get the bike home again on the road before lighting up time, so bobby-dodger lights weren't needed. I was careful, too, not to commit to too long a journey, hence never made it over to Elsworth, although I did travel from my home in Felixstowe to Ramsden Heath and to Lyng on a couple of occasions. You did need an effective exhaust/silencer on the road, number plates, horn and a speedo, and these were removed on arrival at the event, to be replaced with an open megga carried along with the petroil can and carefully selected tools and spares (plugs, puncture outfit, etc.) lunch box and flask in front and back mounted haversacks. I got my Hawkstone to and from scrambles in this fashion from 1962 'til the end of the 1964 season, after which (until my "retirement" in 1967) I transported the scrambler on an Ariel VB-powered float. In the latter years, my scrambler was a home-built Triumph-engined Hawkstone, which I never got registered for road use in the way that I had the two-stroke (after having assembled that myself from secondhand parts bought piece-meal on apprentice "wages"............. no HP involved)
Where there was a will, there was a way!

[Brian Catt]

JW may remember the Transits, but I remember the Ford Thames 15cwts that preceded the Transit. One in particular belonging to Eric Deeley of Aylesbury. He owned the first Greeves I ever helped at meetings, but the Thames had a full glass-fibre lining up to the waist level. I asked why....."Because we have to be able to hose the BLOOD out" Oh yes, they were farmers, butchers and slaughterers.

[johnrunnacles]

The A55 pick-up was more the norm for the "moneyed classes".

[John Wakefield]

Some of the top riders Andy Lee, Dave Nichol etc were still using 'chariot' trailers pulled by Austin A60 Diesels.

[john downer]

Bobby dodger lights ?

I used to ride a greeves in 1968/9 with bobby dodgers. In 2006 I got a 1962 Scotish with a daylight only M.O.T. who knows when the law was changed ? I dont think I would want to risk bobby dodgers now.

[Brian Catt]

Most drivers can't see any oncoming bike, lights or not!

[PeteNev]

Road Registered Scramblers

I put a 1961 Hawkstone on the road late 1963/1964 not to get to meetings I had used an early 50's Ford 10 cwt van for that. The need to save every penny for a mortgage deposit & wedding the van had to go.The bike used to get to work & back & my scrambling days over.Out of interest has anybody got a 1961 Hawkstone that has been registered 196 DOO