laird387

Who? What? When?

The post number was useful - but if the riding number is visible that would be equally useful to quote in the answers........

Hi Mike, Nigel Birkett in the Red Rose definitely looks right, and there is a second shot as corroboration - but what year?

We reckon this is Rob Shepherd and the reg. says 1972, the bib looks very much like the Ilkley Grand National - but what do you think

OK, I know it is Mick Wilkinson and the registration suggests 1971 - but anything else anybody can add?

Hi cleanorbust, try the 'Dust off your anorak....' postings, there are just over 1800 images in that particular unidentified pile, so I shall be busy putting them out for public scrutiny whenever I have spare minutes.............

Who? What? When?

Who? What? When?

Who? What? When? Hillary says Nigel Birkett in World Round at Wetherby?

Who? What? When?

Who? What? When? Bultobill says Joe Duckworth?

Who? What? When? Hillary says Mike Skinner?

OK, sleuths, what can you tell me about this?

Keep 'em coming, bothfeetdown said, so here's a technical question. Is this what they mean by LAID DOWN SHOCKS ? Enjoy.

Now I need a set of honest answers, it is abundantly obvious that I personally was not particularly interested in the 'current' crop of machines in the 1970s, mainly because in 1972 I had organised the first ever trial in the series that were to become known as the 'pre-65' trials, then promptly was inveigled into organising a national series of similar trials that eventually we developed into the Sammy Miller series, in other words virtually every weekend was occupied in the classic scene. But my archive still grew steadily full of images that were not personally all that interesting to me. That archive is still there and could still be made available for all to see - but sadly I get irritated by all the implied criticism that I haven't got a clue and need constant correction - I know I'm not vitally interested in the minor technical variances between the different models - but surely there are people out there who enjoy being able to see actual action photos from that period. So now I need to know - do I bother to keep trying to put interesting photos up for discussion - or should I concentrate exclusively on those models that I have personal knowledge of ????????

Hi cleanorbust, Looking through the archive I have one definite 1975 shot of Malcolm on his Cota, riding in the Jack Leslie Ellis trial, by then his bike is locally registered by Jim Sandiford with a Bury number, as you can see. As far as the queried bike is concerned, I only have Colonial shots from '74 and '77 in the archive - and even if the negative strips have been jumbled, I very much doubt that Malcolm would have been riding on a Spanish registration as late as as '77 - so most likely your thought that it would have been an actual prototype is probably spot on. Enjoy.

Thanks for that, cleanorbust. The Eboracum Colonial was always a winter trial, so there always comes the inevitable point that I raised earlier, what calendar month did the model year begin - usually after the major show in very many cases - and that could often be September-ish with the British manufacturers that I am more experienced with. Malcolm would have had the 'latest' version, hence the Spanish registration (I know about the petrol tank theory - but I also was a personal friend of Jim Sandiford and I know what he told me about prototypes and ownership and Montesa wanting very badly to get some winning results..........)

Malcolm Adams 1927-2017. Malcolm Adams passed away in the early hours of Wednesday, January 11 in Wheatfield’s Hospice after a long battle with cancer. Malcolm had hoped to end his life in St Gemmas Hospice which is opposite his Moortown, Leeds, home. His death ended a long association with the West Leeds Motor Club that prevailed for sixty seven years. He leaves his wife Raye (Renee) and daughter Davina. Ironically St Gemmas was full at the time of his final days. Malcolm’s talents as an organist at Moortown Church were also brought into St Gemma’s social activities. Over thirty years ago, returning to Yorkshire after working at Ford Dagenham as an engine designer, he took over the Yorkshire Post and Yorkshire Evening Post motor cycle columns from Matt Shelley as trials and scramble columnist. Malcolm was not happy about the total lack of any news on motorcycle sport so did something about it, approaching the paper editorial staff and taking on the challenge of reporter. Whatever the task with club or elsewhere, Malcolm was always was present and available but never occupied centre stage. When the Yorkshire Post group ceased paying for the bike sport column five years ago, Malcolm continued providing reports for a further two years without any fees to maintain the column and the presence for the sport. The funeral will take place at St John's, Chapel Allerton at 1.00 pm on Feb 1st followed by Lawnswood Crematorium at 2.20pm. No flowers by request, but donations to the Sue Ryder Wheatfields Hospice or Yorkshire Air Ambulance. In view of Malcolm's long and active participation in his local church there will be a Memorial Service at Moortown Church on April 17. That would have been one day after Malcolm’s ninetieth birthday. Personal note from Barry Robinson. I cooperated with Malcolm Adams for many years swopping information and results to ensure we had all the relevant facts on major events in and out of Yorkshire. He was an absolute gentleman. Always present but never apparent. His passing has shocked many in Yorkshire. My thoughts centre on Raye and Davina at this sad time. BR Personal note from Deryk Wylde As an active member of West Leeds club I was very aware of the value to the club and also to motorcycle sport in general, of Malcolm. He was a wonderful mentor to many of us, always willing to take on any task, never a complaint, just got on with it because he knew it had to be done. I learned a lot from Malcolm not only as a first class engineer but also as a top grade human being. DW

The more you look the more complicated it gets! Looking at the Hodaka in scot tacos posting, particularly at the top mounting of the rear suspension seems to support the story that Pete Edmundson had a hand in the early development, especially when you look at the image of Pete taken when he wanted a blow of fresh air so took one of the production Dalesman models from his works in Otley up on to Otley Chevin. Then compare the rear suspension upper mounting on the works Sprite Goldfinger ridden by Brian Hutchinson. I believe Pete, he has bitter memories of his involvement with Hodaka..............

The confusion, 2stroke4stroke, was that fourex suggested that the images of Cotas from the 1974 season were incorrectly dated since he belived that the gear actuating lever position on the gear casing didn't start until the 1975 models.

To add to the confusion here is an image, also taken during the Enoracum Colonial trial in 1974 of one of the Montesa Cota models being used by the concessionaire, Jim Sandiford, for one of his supported riders, looks like Malcolm Rathmell but I can't confirm that, but the important fact is that it is a factory supported bike still on Spanish registration. Enjoy. CORRECTION ADDED FRIDAY: I now have seen an entry list and this shot - which must be a prototype - was definitely from the 1977 Colonial trial - my apologies for the earlier confusion. PHOTO: ©ORRe

Note of reality for sirdabalot! When we organised the first British Bike Bonanza, visiting trials riders thought the local 'native' riders were very hospitable, offering them copious swigs on their earthenware jugs of local 'scrumpy' cider. That first one didn't go out on the road so the fact that the star visiting riders were having difficulty in deciding which of the three or more sections they could see through strangely blurred vision they ought to try to ride............. So, paracetamol yes, but two litres of water without the apple extract might be preferable.........

No Microsoft problems ever enter my mind - but if you like solving problems, go entirely apple mac like I am (occasional nightmares) but super graphical aids for photography.............

The best benefit I found was that you couldn't worry about the day job and its problems - or even just normal problems - and ride in trials - you had to concentrate on the job in hand or you could fall off and hurt yourself. That in itself reduced strss in a big way.........