Wassell / Dalesman Trials Bikes

[big john]

]Hi

On my six-speeder the frame was well thought out and built, probably in mild steel and mig welded. At the time, mig welding was a relatively new process. My forks were lightweight MP S600 with Puch hubs

BJ - I strongly suspect that any ISDT or Dalesmans with works connections were been built to a far higher standard, thus leaving the ordiniary punters to sort out the faults. Mine would not have lasted 1 day as supplied, let alone 6.

Sparks2

Hi Sparks2,

Yes interesting indeed...

My Dalesman frame was constructed out of Reynolds 531 tubing and SIF-bronze welded. That was the Ernie Page ISDT bike. He didn't last the full 6 days in 1969, he was squeezed off one of the mountain roads by an Italian trophy man in a hurry and Ernie went over the edge. It cost him too much time to recover himself and the bike, so he was timed out.

Big John

[charlie prescott]

Hi Guy

[dfisher]

I know this is an old thread but, ran across it this morning. Anytime the subject Cheney comes up associated with Sachs peaks my interest. Eric developed and shipped us a total of five Cheney Sachs 125 back in 1972. There was one ISDT bike made which competed in 1972 but failed to complete the first day. I would very much like to see some pictures of your bike and discuss it further.

Here is a picture of the 1972 Cheney Sachs 125 ISDT bike.

Regards,

Dale Fisher

[charlie prescott]

Hi Guy's.

Hi Dale.

Yes that bike looks a lot like the "British Rival"! I will see if I can get the bike out of the insulated store that it is in, and take a few pictures for you. Very intresting bikes, the small production, or one off ones, don't you think?

Regards Charlie.

[dfisher]

Best guess was 25 of the Cheney Sachs frames were built. I don't believe Eric was all that thrilled about producing a small (schoolboy) two-stroke, but my father was pretty convincing.

In front of Cheney Works March 1972 with the prototype:

Frame #1 prototype Rec'd in the states April 1972.

Frame #2, #3, #4 Rec'd in the states July 1972.

Current collection frame #14 rec'd Dec. 1972 and GP#1 found last year at Cycle News California.

As seen in VMX and one of my racers.

[yam 22]

if anyone is interested ....... I've done a bit of research since first posting on this site. I was specifically interested in Pete Edmondson ..... and his links with both the Dalesman and the Wassell marques. Also managed to buy one of each and currently trying to restore them.

Dalesman Motorcycles

Otley, Yorkshire.

Dalesman Motorcycles were manufactured in Otley, West Yorkshire from 1968 to 1974. Founded by Peter H. Edmondson (the father of four times World Enduro Champion rider Paul Edmondson), the Dalesman firm manufactured off-road motorcycles aimed mainly at the expanding American leisure market.

Peter Edmondson was born in Horsforth. West Yorkshire. Prior to starting production of his own range of motorcycles, he owned the ‘Otley Cycle & Motorcycle Depot’ shop on Boroughgate, Otley which sold bicycles and was also a dealership for Greeves & BSA motorcycles. He formed Dalesman Competition Ltd after selling the Boroughgate shop, and started production at 6 & 7 Ashfield Works, Beech Hill, Otley in 1968. By July 1969, the weekly newspaper ‘Motorcycle News’ published full page reviews of the new Dalesman and reported the first batch of 50 motorcycles had already been sold.

In 1969, the average retail price for a new Dalesman trials machine was £199. The Dalesman business was later to move to Phoenix Works, situated in the Old Chapel on Station Road.

Total production figures are not recorded but it is thought approximately 2000 motorcycles were manufactured over the six year period that Dalesman ran. Three quarters of these were exported to the United States via. The importer, Jeckel Industries. The remainder were sold to home and mainland European markets.

Dalesman made three types of motorcycle:

- a trials (the Belfast),

- a motocross (the Lynx),

- an enduro (the Scout).

The history of Dalesman could be split into two main phases:

Phase 1 - 1968 to 1972.

Phase 2 - 1972 to 1974.

Throughout the first phase, Edmondson used the Austrian built Puch 125 cc, four speed engine (though a 6 speed version was offered as an optional extra in all countries excluding America) with Puch hubs, Puch forks and metal mudguards.

During the second phase, Dalesman design switched to using the German built Sachs 125 cc 6 speed engine with REH (Robin E Humpheries) conical hubs, forks and plastic mudguards.

From the start, Dalesman motorcycles sponsored works riders (Terry Wright, Paul England & John Kendrew) and had competition successes;

- in 1969, three specially built Dalesmans (ridden by Ernie Page, Ian Millar & Scott Ellis) took part in the ISDT (International Six Day Trial) at Garnisch Partenkirchen, Bavaria,

- Terry Wright won the Manx Two day trails on a Dalesman,

- in 1972 Peter Gaunt won the Irish Experts Trial and came 6th.in the Scott Trial on a Dalesman,

- in 1973, the British Army team used Dalesmans in the American ISDT

Innovation took place at Dalesman; they were the first firm to develop and use front and rear disc brakes on an off road motorcycle. Manufactured by Talon Engineering these prototype disc brakes were first used on the 1972 Dalesman ISDT Works model and later, a refined version of the front disc brake was offered as an optional extra on their production motocross and enduro versions from 1973 onwards.

Fabrication of Dalesman component parts was subcontracted out to local manufacturers. The frames were originally made by Jim Lee (frame builder and the long term sponsor of Isle of Man TT winner Mick Grant) at Birstall Smithies, Batley, using lightweight Reynolds 531 tubing with bronze welded joints. The machine workshops of Armley Prison, Leeds were used with inmates making exhaust systems for Dalesman and later, even taking over the manufacture of frames.

Although Dalesman sold motorcycles in kit form, the “part assembly” of each motorcycle took place in the Otley factory by a small work force whose produced figures varied from between 10 to 25 “kit motorcycles” per week.

The first phase of Dalesman history drew to a close in late 1972. Ron Jeckel of Jeckel Industries (the American importer of Edmondson’s motorcycles) had already bought into the Dalesman business. From once being sole owner, Peter Edmondson had become Managing Director. Jeckel wanted to increase production and in 1971 had brought in Bill Brooker (ex competition shop manager for Greeves Motorcycles) and appointed him joint Managing Director and Competitions manager. Peter Edmondson became Company Director but differences between Jeckel and Edmondson persisted, culminating in Peter Edmondson being voted off the board and him leaving Dalesman Competitions Ltd.

Peter Edmondson moved south to Lichfield and joined well known motorcycle parts manufacturer: Wassell. Owner Ted Wassell wanted to expand his parts business to whole motorcycle production and had already started manufacture of a “kit “ trials motorcycle that used a BSA Bantam engine.

Dalesman’s second phase was after Edmondson’s departure. Peter Gaunt joined as new Development Engineer and designed the new range of Dalesman motorcycles which used a 125 cc Sachs six speed engine with REH conical hubs, etc.

In 1973 the average retail price for a new Dalesman trials had risen from £199 to £299.

In Lichfield, Peter Edmondson was appointed as Wassell’s Development Engineer and Production line manager. Wassell also employed Jim Lee (the frame builder previously used by Dalesman) to manufacture the new Wassell frames. This range of Wassell trials and motocross models also used the same Sachs 125 cc 6 speed engine, REH conical hubs, etc, as were being used by Peter Gaunt at Dalesman. The motorcycles produced by both manufacturers began to closely resemble each other.

Alec Wright (Greeves rider) bought into Dalesman in 1974 and became Development Engineer but the firm would only last another 6 months.

These British made Dalesmans & Wassells were now generally regarded as not being as competitive as the designs produced by the increasingly dominant Spanish off road motorcycle manufacturers (Bultaco, Montesa & Ossa) in the mid 1970’s. In addition, the Japanese manufacturers (Honda, Kawasaki, Suzuki & Yamaha) were also expanding into this off road motorcycle market and benefited from smaller labour costs as well as larger research and design budgets to those of Dalesman. Dalesman production finally ceasing towards the end of 1974 as American demand for the models dwindled. Wassell motorcycle production would only last another year.

Today, due to both their rarity and to the interest shown in these well made British motorcycles from enthusiasts especially in the United States, Dalesman motorcycles still remain sought after and as such, deserve a place in the history of British motorcycle production. Any examples of the marque that have survived forty or more years of off road use deserve preservation.

[Andy]

Where did the above come from? It looks like is copied and pasted from somewhere and therefore possibly copyright. Unlike certain others we could mention, we don't do theft of copyright on TC

[pro sport]

Where did the above come from? It looks like is copied and pasted from somewhere and therefore possibly copyright./quote]

Andy, I might be wrong but I believe that Yam 22 could be the original author of the above Dalesman piece, he has been talking with Deryk re Pete Edmondson and Wassell / Dalesman developments.

Cheers

Dave

[yam 22]

Thanks 'pro sport' for your support and sorry to confuse 'andy'.

Yes the above article was researched and written by me so the copyright is mine. Totally happy to have it shown on this site for others to read. Just researched the subject as own both a Wassell & a Dalesman but couldn't find any detailed article written about the subject so tried to do one myself. Many thanks to Peter Edmondson, Bill Brooker and all the others who kindly spent their own time speaking to me and giving information.

Since writing mine though, I notice that there's been a much better article written recently and published on line.

cheers, Jez

Edited December 4, 2014 by yam 22

[charlie prescott]

Hi Guy's.

 

Just been reading the above Interesting,  and thought anyone considering riding in OTF's New Peak Classic series should take a look.

 

OTF's Post is on the Classic Page.

 

Regards Charlie.

 

 

[charlie prescott]

Hi Guy's.

 

Just want to get this page back up, has OTF has not done his home work on the Classic Page.

 

He has asked what a                    "British Rival"                is?

 

Ask Ken Sedgley OTF.

 

Regards Charlie.

[old trials fanatic]

Ok Charlie but I have never heard of the "British rival " Dalesman and Wassell of course I remember them well and that is precisely what the forgotten era class is about. Be great to see them riding at our events.

[hulmie]

Does anyone have any pictures of one of these ''British Rival's'' I've searched the interweb and cannot find any

[charlie prescott]

Hi Guy's.

 

Hi Hulmie.

 

There Is a page on my website now.

 

And I have one in the garage.

 

I will try and get some shots done of this shortly.

 

Regards Charlie.

 

 

 

[old trials fanatic]

Come on Charlie gizz a look.