Scottish motorcycle sport will be saddened to learn of the sudden death of Jimmy Morton from Sorn in Ayrshire on Wednesday 2nd March. A keen road racer, trials rider, motorcycle dealer, SACU official and scrambler, Jimmy was a “real” all-rounder.
He was the first trader to take a stand at the Scottish Six Days in the early 1970’s and could be seen with his van at many events throughout Scotland dishing out spares to riders who had phoned him up and “if he was going to the event on Sunday, could he take along the spares”?
Jimmy used a wide variety of machinery over the years from Gold Stars in the Isle of Man TT to Bultaco trials and scrambles bikes to B40 BSA in pre-65 events.
Morton was the Spanish Bultaco main dealer at the time when Bultaco only had a 250cc Pursang on general sale, which limited scramblers who liked to ride in both the under and over 300cc races, more bikes meant more races per meeting. Jimmy wanted a big bore Bultaco, so built his own, utilising two Husqvarna 400cc motors and grafted them into Bultaco Pursang rolling chassis. One for Jimmy himself and the other for his supported rider at the time, Roy Black from Lesmahagow. This was all done at his famous “secret” workshop at the Morton of Sorn emporium.
Jimmy supported quite a number riders in scrambling over the years, some became Scottish champions under the J.D. Morton banner on the Spanish two-strokes. Black was 1969 under 300cc champion and of course Peter Reid, Stranraer and Norrie Lymburn, Dalrymple both SACU Scottish Champions.
There are few people associated with Scottish trials that will not have heard of fun-loving Jimmy Morton, a man that could tell a tale or two.
However, whilst Jimmy was full of fun, when it came to racing a motorbike, he took his sport as seriously as any other.
Whilst Jimmy had not competed much latterly, he maintained a collection of really nice bikes from scrambles Dot to 7R AJS and G50 Matchless.
There is no doubt that the sport will be lacking with the loss of this great character. Jimmy is survived by his widow, Sophia and sons, James Jnr, George and daughters Jane and Margaret. Our thoughts are with them at this sad time.
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