spen

Check your messages.......

I'm 56. I look a lot older as I had daughters! I'll have to drag the bikes out of the shed and let you have a play. The last trial I did was about 2001 on my old Greeves Scottish, although any chance I get to have a play with a bike off road gets taken. Can't get on with the modern 'gymnastic' stuff, an age thing, no doubt. I had a Beta, Gas Gas and an Aprilia Climber (which had been designed by somebody who has shares in gravestones, the bloody thing tried to kill me and two of my mates). ;>) I've been running a few classic racing bikes over the last few years, great fun. BHR and CRMC Championships.

I will speak to Bill as soon as he comes past on his tractor.... Arnie was indeed a rep' for the biscuit company and Dougie was the parts man at Walkers Vauxhall in Worksop. Bill still lives at and runs the farm next to me. I've still got two MAR's, (and a Bultaco), sadly not the one shedhead1950 has had since 1975..... What's your proper name? I'll tell Bill. Were you from the Worksop area originally?

Hello, I found this site by accident the other day, see the thread about Mick Andrews' OSSA. Arnie Taylor is the chap who sold my dad the '70/'71 SSDT winning bike, Dougie might be Dougie Haslehurst and Bill might well be my next door neighbour Bill Milner, tall farmer who collects OSSA's.

'Ere y' go....

We were talking about Steve Henshaw last night. A few motorcycling mates come round on a Tuesday night and we discuss all things two wheels over a cuppa or two. I live just outside Worksop if ever you're passing. I'll get my old mum to have a look in my dad's old photo's and see if there's anything in there relating to your OSSA.

RAC van orange is a close colour match.

The bike......

https://www.theimagefile.com/?Action=VF&id=12229660602 Run your 'mouse' over this and it'll show you more detail....

Look at the lower link I posted, there's 20 seconds of Mick on the bike.

https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=pnJt8vA4AaM

https://s-media-cache-ak0.pinimg.com/originals/27/e9/34/27e934c782fdcf10f7bf30f30be17752.jpg

PS) It won the SSDT in 1970 ....

It was a lovely machine to ride, I did a few schoolboy trials on it. Arnie Taylor bought it from the chap on the log book and my dad bought it from Arnie. There was some awful green 'Fablon' sheet stuck to the lower part of the tank/seat unit to protect it from further boot damage, I hasten to add I didn't put that on..... Highest place I ever got was a third on it. I was at a trial at Netherthorpe Woods, Thorpe Salvin, (my old local course), once and I fell off, the bike turned upside down and screamed itself to a standstill and made an awful noise before it stopped. I feared the worst, but it was just the Woodruff key on the rotor had sheared. The key will show signs of hurried filing to make it fit. Another time I fell from it and the tank landed on a fallen tree, the fibreglass was pushed in and then popped back out with no leaks. I absolutely loved that bike. My dad sadly died in 2008, he would have been delighted to know it still existed. Superb bit of kit. Yes, the swinging arm was reputedly extended for the hill climb excursion. If I can be of any further assistance, let me know. Cheers, Spen.

That was my dad, Bill Spencer (senior), he lived on Creswell Road, Clowne, just up from the old bus depot.

I've just been scouring the internet for info' on the bike and dropped on this thread. My dad bought it in 1973 from a chap called Arnie Taylor, he lived in Woodsetts near Worksop, Arnie did a bit of wheeling and dealing with trials bikes. He later moved to the Mansfield area. It was known as the Candy Stripe OSSA. Quite a few trick bits on it, twin coils. It had UK registration as well as Spanish and US documentation. It had been used by Mick for a hill climb event in the US of A once. Which he won. My dad sold it on in 1975/76. I believe the reg' number was something like BRA 270L but can't be sure. I still have two MAR's and a 325 Bultaco, but my time is mostly taken up with classic racing. Cheers, www.spencerracing.co.uk