Building a Works Replica Honda

The Honda RTL300 (305)

Rob Shepherd on the long-stroke Honda RTL300 – Photo: Rainer Heise

Most trials riders hold a dream to own a factory trials machine, but of course few are sold on by the factories after use. But sometimes components come your way and it’s just possible with a lot of effort, skill and time you could just construct one very close to what the factories made for selected riders. Here is the story of one man’s passion that turned a dream into a reality – RTL300.

Words: Alan Taylor

Photos: John Moffat; Alan Taylor; Jean Caillou; Heath Brindley; Sammy Miller Museum; Mervyn Smith; Rainer Heise.

Main photo: Heath Brindley

It was late summer 2019. Myself and my son Cameron were watching the comings and goings at our local car and bike Mecca, ‘Caffeine and Machine’. My friend and Cotswold legend Dave Moy arrived. ‘I’ve got something on the back of the pickup that you might want to look at. Shall I drop it off at yours on the way home?’ It was clearly a quite special Honda engine in a slightly strange home made frame. Also present were some ex-works hubs, brake plates and a large capacity aluminium ‘Scottish’ tank from an RTL360. The forks and wheels appeared to be of Motocross origin. ‘It’ll need a frame’ said Dave. ‘I’ll make one’ said I, little knowing what I’d let myself in for!

Sketches were made to determine what was required. Photo: Alan Taylor.

After corresponding with Jean Caillou in France, who is simply a mine of information regarding the Honda trials history. The engine was identified as being one of the works ‘long-stroke’ 305cc engines that were built in a batch of probably less than twenty in December 1974. The engines were sent to both the American Honda trials effort and of course to Sammy Miller MBE, who was running the UK team at that time.

One of the engines used by Sammy Miller during his time with Honda – Image credit: Sammy Miller Museum.

I asked Sammy how many long-stroke engines he was allocated. ‘Five or six’ was the reply. Interestingly, all the engines have the same engine number, which is cast into the top of the crankcase, RTL300E1204. ‘E’ denotes engine. The date configuration is the old Japanese way of doing things. For further identification it appears that the UK engines had a hand engraved number on the rear of each crankcase half. This one is marked ‘3’. The engine in Sammy’s bike at his excellent museum is marked ‘1’.

The first step was to see if the engine would start and run. It would start but not run for any length of time. After some investigation, I concluded that the ignition coil was breaking down when it got hot. An initial big fat spark when cold was reduced to nothing when hot, although just to confuse things, sometimes even when cold there was no spark! The coil was sent away for re-winding but got lost in the post and never reached its destination, turning up nearly a year later having been to the lost parcels office in Belfast! In the meantime I decided to fit an electronic ignition from a well known provider, an XL350 version seemed to fit the bill. This was not the easiest of fitments, new mounting holes had to be drilled in the stator base plate due to the works engine being of different configuration to standard. Once fitted and a healthy spark was confirmed as being present, the engine was started, only to fail again when hot, same symptoms – no spark! A lot of head scratching followed. Could it be that the flywheel needed re-magnetising, what with heat not being a magnets best friend? Interestingly, the flywheel has a welded on ring around its circumference. Villiers Services re-magnetised it with the warning that there was a danger that all magnetism could be lost during the process. Luckily this proved not to be the case. With the flywheel re-fitted the engine was started, frustratingly with the same symptoms! Speaking to the ignition providers technical department, I was given various parameters to check, which all proved to be within tolerance. After walking away from the problem for a week or so, I had a eureka moment, deciding that there could be a dry joint inside the encapsulation on the ignition system. This was proven to be the case! After I repaired and refitted it the engine ran like a sewing machine, very mechanically quiet. A first ride on a factory Honda was taken around the garden and all the gears where there, so a result!

The Susans’ frame jig:

It seemed that the best approach to the frame issue was to gather as much information as possible from as many people as I could think of that may have been associated with the Honda trials effort, social media making things slightly easier than it might have been. It’s surprising how one conversation can provide just a snippet of information that can be very useful down the line. One such conversation led to Jim Susans, of Bikecraft fame, the builder of many Pre65 frames who is sadly no longer with us and whose story can be read on Charlie Prescott’s excellent ‘BSA Otter’ website.

Jim Susans’ Bikecraft company fabricated a small number of frames to house Honda TL250 engines, based on the works frame of Rob Shepherd. There are several ‘Replica’ machines worldwide.

I knew that some years ago a works Honda and parts had passed through his hands and that Jim had taken the opportunity to copy the frame geometry into his rather rudimentary jig. I phoned him, mainly to ask if he still had any works bits left. Luckily he had been friendly with my dad Gilbert when they both rode Pre65 trials, so I wasn’t a complete stranger to him. Unfortunately all the works bits had been moved on. I explained my dilemma with the frame. His reply was that he was unlikely to build another bike on his jig and would I like to come and see it? Yes please! I took a trailer with me down the M40 – just in case! After a long and interesting conversation talking about bikes, his jazz band and his younger days in France working as a war graves mason, he said he’d like me to have his jig, on the strict proviso that I didn’t pass it on to anyone else. We came to a financial agreement and onto the trailer it went! He also supplied some very useful photo’s of a replica works Honda frame plus some T45 tubing. Now work could start in earnest!

The first version of the RTL300 frame which was later modified to have a full loop rear mudguard bridge fitted – Photo: Alan Taylor

I also made contact with John Moffat of Trials Guru website who also has a Jim Susan’s built Honda ‘Works Replica’ machine and he kindly let me have some photographs as a guide. His machine has a 305cc engine, but that is a TL250 engine bored out.

Trials Guru’s John Moffat owns this Jim Susans’ Bikecraft framed RTL replica, bought from England speedway star, Malcolm Simmons, fitted with a bored TL250 Honda engine to 305cc – Photo: John Moffat/Trials Guru

In the background things had been progressing, with the acquisition of a set of ex-works forks, yokes and fibreglass tank/seat unit which were swapped for the big aluminium tank.

Alan Taylor’s Honda RTL300 WR is a fine looking machine – Photo: Alan Taylor

After repairing the fibreglass tank, which had split down one of the seams, I lined the interior to protect it from ethanol, although Aspen 4 is the fuel of choice and appears to be safe with fibreglass. The fork stanchions needed a re-chrome and were duly dispatched to a well known company but took far longer than expected, due, I’m told, to the taper in the uppermost part of the tubes. Two or three attempts were made at this with the final result not as good as was hoped. The yokes needed only a clean. The top yoke being magnesium and the lower aluminium, which was missing the steering stem, so I had to turn one up.

The tank finish was inspired by Marland Whaley and Rob Shepherd’s factory Hondas – Photo: Alan Taylor

The fork sliders were a different story and needed a fair bit of work because the brake plate retaining lug had been removed and the spindle thread had been bored out to take a through spindle. Also, one of the mudguard mounting lugs had been drilled out to accept a bigger bolt for the mounting of a torque arm. The sliders were originally machined from solid stock.

Detail of the front fork slider, a factory component which had to be re-instated after being modified to fit an SWM front end – Photo: Alan Taylor

As pointed out by Martin Matthews there’s a pretty good chance that the forks are the ones pictured on page 117 of Don Morley’s Spanish Trials Bikes book, fitted to Sammy’s SWM, having been modified to accept the Grimeca hub. The picture also shows the valves in the fork tops which were a later addition. A new lug was welded on and a threaded bush was fitted to replace the missing thread for the spindle. I made a new spindle.

Close up of the clutch side of the RTL300 WR – Photo: Alan Taylor

With the forks finally assembled it was time to start the frame. Ultimately, I wanted to re-create a bike that had the appearance of Rob Shepherd’s mid 1977 machine with black engine, red and white tank, unpainted fork sliders, red mudguards and with the big “one off” exhaust tail pipe. The engine was already black and although showing signs of ‘patina’ was left as it was. I’m told that the black finish was applied in the UK, the engines having come from Honda finished in silver. Once you re-paint something you lose the history.

‘Works Trials Bikes’ is now an international club on social media.

At the 2020 Classic Off Road show, Jean kindly allowed me to take lots of detail photo’s of his ex-Marland Whaley long-stroke machine, so armed with Jim’s jig, lots of photo’s and lots of guesswork, I started frame building, posting progress on the ‘Works Trials Bikes’ facebook group.

The inspiration for Alan Taylor’s Works Replica, the Honda of the late Marland Whaley. (Photo: Jean Caillou)

Happily, some of the important dimensions were dictated by the jig and the tank-seat unit, namely the head angle, the top triangle, the swinging arm pivot point and the rear shock absorbers top mount. Using known measurements from the engine and blown up photo’s, it was possible to deduce other critical dimensions but this was difficult. To be as authentic as possible, the frame needed to have the tapered square section front down-tube and the flat side oval side tubes. The down tube wasn’t too difficult to fabricate but the side tubes were tricky, being a size that cannot be bought. I’m told that Honda started with round tube then squashed it, ending up with a non standard size.

After posting lots of facebook photo’s showing my progress or otherwise, Jean started to whole-heartedly support the project. I couldn’t have achieved the final result without this support.

French Honda enthusiast, Jean Caillou is a Trials Guru VIP.

There was a huge amount of fabrication to do, all of which took more than four hundred hours. Apart from the obvious, other items made from scratch were the airbox and exhaust tailpipe.

The airbox was made to accept a Yamaha TY air filter – Photo: Alan Taylor

The airbox is pretty much the correct size and shape but I made it to accept a TY mono airfilter. The exhaust system is not entirely correct because the tailpipe should be welded to the exhaust middlebox with a detachable front pipe. Swinging arm bearings and spindle are TLR 250. The works bikes used a few standard TL250 parts, some of which I sourced from the USA. Thanks go to Olivier Barjon for his support also and for providing the correct footrests and a decent TL250 middle box and carburettor.

This magnesium carburetor has been located recently – Photo: Alan Taylor

I’ve since obtained an ex works magnesium carburetor. TL250 kick-start levers are hard to find, luckily Jean had a spare.

Progress was being made with attention to detail of primary importance – Photo: Alan Taylor

Jean also supplied a set of correctly proportioned period replica Izumi and Duckhams stickers, plus the ‘Sammy Miller’ stickers to fit underneath the Honda wing. The rear shocks were sourced via Facebook, as were a pair of DID rims, which look correct for the period but were originally on a later Seeley Honda.

Detail of the magnesium top yoke and the gold anodised Renthal handlebars, two decals indicate a pair issued to a factory rider! – Photo: Alan Taylor

A set of gold Renthals was a lucky find at an autojumble. Shedworks supplied a red front mudguard. The rims and magnesium hubs were sent away to be laced together and on return were re-united with the brake plates.

The front brake plate made in Magnesium, a work of art – Photo: Alan Taylor

I replaced the magnesium brake shoes with standard TL type. The attention to detail is amazing, with the brake plate bushes being titanium and with a phosphor bronze cam which is mated to a hand made alloy lever. The action is silky smooth. Titanium fasteners are used extensively in the engine.

Mervyn Smith of Honda UK discovered this historic Honda RTL305 resting against a wall – Photo: Mervyn Smith Archive.

With the frame fabrication eventually complete, it was time for paint. After undercoat, three or four coats of Citroen Geranium Red were applied, this matches the red on the tank perfectly.

Detail of the exhaust rear section – Photo: Alan Taylor

Final assembly could now be pretty much completed, after which I turned my attention to the big rear silencer. I’d managed to buy a rotten TL250 triangular box from ebay which I cut open to examine the internal configuration so that I could replicate it on a slightly smaller scale. The works silencer dimensions were scaled from photo’s. It took a couple of attempts to end up with something that looks pretty close to the one off original and I’m told sounds as it should.

The offside view of the Honda RTL300 Works Replica – Photo: Heath Brindley.

Throughout the project I’ve tried to determine the history of engine number 3 but there is little recollection by the major players as to who used what and when. It would be nice to think that it was used by Rob Shepherd in his British Championship winning year, a year in which he won my local National, the Colmore Cup and also the Finnish round of the World Championship. I was aware that during his racing days at Honda, Mick Grant was loaned Rob’s old championship winning bike by Gerald Davison, with Rob having moved onto the 360. I phoned Mick to ask what he knew and of course whether he had any works parts left over! He told me that during his use the engine developed a cylinder head issue which was rectified by someone local to him and will of course still bear evidence of this repair. Further to this, I phoned Rob and asked what he could recall. During a very interesting conversation one of the things he told me was that one of the 305 engines that he used performed better than the others, it had bigger valves, so, if ever the cylinder head needs to come off!

Alan Taylor’s Honda RTL300 Replica at the 2026 Stafford show – Photo: Alan Taylor

The culmination of the project was displaying the bike on the ‘Works Trials Bike Owners Group’ stand at the Telford Dirt Bike show, where it attracted a lot of attention and positive comments with an invite to join the group ‘Works Trials Bikes’.

Cameron Taylor sits astride Alan’s Honda RTL300 works replica – Photo: Alan Taylor

Thanks are in order to those who helped out with either information or parts, or both, particularly Jean Caillou, Olivier Barjon, Rob Shepherd, Mick Grant, John Lampkin, Mervyn Smith, John Moffat, the late Jim Susans, Sammy Miller MBE, plus of course Tommy Sandham’s ‘Four Stroke Finale?’

Who is Alan Taylor? “I’m a Midland Centre chap from near to Shipston on Stour, Warwickshire – Colmore country. I actually rode in the Midland Centre team in their Pre65 team trial a couple of times when Wrighty (Alan Wright) was manager. I won the Sammy Miller series unit construction class in 1999. I’ve been riding modern and classic bikes constantly since 1977 apart from nine months after a car accident. I qualified as expert in South Midland Centre in 1980. My Dad competed during National Service in the 1950s so I had an interest that was passed on to me. In the early to mid 1970s we’d spectate at various Open to Centre and National trials, so I got to see the top riders on works machinery and later on ride in the same events. The atmosphere around the Colmore back in the day was amazing with huge numbers of spectators. As a kid I liked Malcolm Rathmell, but my favourite was Rob Shepherd and the Honda – wishing I could have one! He won the first Colmore I witnessed in 1977. The Hondas were almost mystical to me, hence my interest!”

A proper endorsement by 11 times British Champion and Honda Trials Team Manager, Sammy Miller MBE – Photo: Alan Taylor

‘Building a Works Replica Honda’ is the copyright of Trials Guru and Alan Taylor.

Photographs are the copyright of the photographers named in the captions.

Slideshow of the RTL300 WR:

Apart from ‘Fair Dealing’ for the purpose of private study, research, criticism or review as permitted under the Copyright, Design and Patents Act, 1988, no part of this article may be copied, reproduced, stored in any form of retrieval system, electronic or otherwise or transmitted in any form or by any means, electronic, electrical, mechanical, optical, chemical, photocopying, recording or otherwise without the prior written permission of the author as stated above. This article is not being published for any monetary reward or monetisation, be that online or in print.

Walwin – the alloy wonders

Words: Ross Winwood

Photos: Ross Winwood Collection; Terry Maynard; Eric Kitchen; Hans Maiditz; Walker Brothers Archive; Ian T. Robertson; Olivier Barjon.

Many motorcycling enthusiasts will no doubt remember two incredibly special machines being scrutineered for the Scottish Six Days Trial when it started and finished in Edinburgh in the late 1960s and early 1970s. Two brothers had entered on machines described in the official programmes as ‘Walwin BSA’. These were no ordinary BSAs either, they attracted quite a bit of attention, and comment, as their frames were not made from the usual steel tubing, but flat Dural plates. But there was much more to the Winwoods’ creations than trials machines.

Who is Ross Winwood?

Ross Winwood, one of the creators of the famous Walwin BSAs is a ‘Trials Guru VIP’ and rightly so. The bikes were made using Dural plate for the frame and other innovative ideas. Dedicated To Trial.

Born on 15th July 1945 when the Second World War was about to cease, Ross and his older brother Michael, born 1941, were the sons of Ray and Gwen Winwood from the village of Wythall, Worcestershire, near Birmingham.

Gwen and Ray Winwood

Ross became a Technical Illustrator at the mighty BSA factory in Birmingham, the author responsible for illustrating and writing the BSA Rocket 3 manuals and anything between 1966 through to the firm’s closure in 1972.

The 1969 BSA Rocket 3 – Photo: BSA Motorcycles Ltd.

After BSA’s demise, Ross Winwood worked as the Publications Manager at W.E. Wassell and did some development work with Pete Edmondson on their trials and scrambles machines. After leaving Wassell’s, he worked as a test driver for Lucas petrol injection, before going back to print and design until 1996 when he bought a Post Office and convenience store until his retirement in 2010. His wife Paula was the Post Mistress; they married in June 1976.

How it all began:

Ross Winwood: “After the first world war, money was scarce. My father, Ray Winwood and most sporting motorcyclists could not afford to buy complete motorcycles, so they cobbled together parts from a variety of manufacturers. In my father’s case, this became the norm.

Moving on to the 1950s, my Dad was running my late Grandfather’s business called Walwin Engineering Ltd, Grandfather’s first name was Walter, hence the name WalWin.”

My older brother Mike and I became interested in motorcycles when a friend of our Dad, asked if he could try out his scrambler in the field next to our house, which he did and then he let us have a go on it. From then on, the building of motorcycles became an obsessive hobby.”

Ross and Mike Winwood – Photo: Ross Winwood Collection.

My Mum was very active in organising events and observing in any weather. My father Ray apart from bike building, was clerk of the course for many big trials, scrambles, and grass track events. My brother and I were born in Castle Bromwich. When I was five, we had moved to Wythall and then to Hollywood a few miles away.”

One of the events Dad organised was the King’s Norton boxing day trial, which meant marking out on Christmas Day. Our long-suffering mother would wait patiently for us to come home in the dark for our Christmas dinner.”

Ross Winwood on the 150cc Villiers Bantam – Photo: Ross Winwood Collection.

In 1957, Dad built a bike for Mike, a ‘Bitsa’ using a New Imperial frame, an Ariel engine and rear wheel, BSA front end, plus other parts obtained from Vale-Onslow’s in Birmingham. Then my Dad built a bike for myself, which was a BSA Bantam fitted with a 150cc Villiers engine as I was only twelve at the time. My first trials bike was a BSA C15T when I was sixteen years of age.”

Ross Winwood on his first ‘proper’ trials machine, the 249cc BSA C15T.

My Dad got involved in designing a tubular trials chassis for car trials for his good friend, Ron Kemp, from which they had remarkable success. This was a sport in which Gordon Jackson also became successful when he retired from motorcycle trials.”

Ray Winwood developed a chassis for car trials – Photo: Ross Winwood Collection

From the late 1950s and early 1960s, apart from the Ariel frame, we used frames, engines, and ancillaries from other makes to make ‘Bitsas’. My brother Mike’s first scrambler was a 500cc Ariel engine in a BSA Gold Star chassis. I had an underpowered 250cc Velocette engine in a Gold Star chassis for my first foray into scrambling, bringing us up to the end of 1962.”

The first true Walwin scramblers:

The Walwin Velocette scrambler used by Mike Winwood.

In 1963 using experience of building frames using 531 tubing for trials, we designed a duplex frame to house a 500cc Velocette engine for Mike to ride. This frame housed the oil tank, which became the norm for all four-stroke Walwins thereafter. There needed to be fancy engineering with the Velocette to achieve the correct chain line, without offsetting the engine. A Norton gearbox was married up by using an outrigger bearing on the engine crankshaft and a Royal Enfield chaincase.

During 1964 and taking note of the handling characteristics and some other improvements, we built a second Velocette engined Walwin for me. As a decent front fork was not readily available at this time, so we used the standard BSA legs, but fitted a Girling damper between the fork legs. This gave much better damping and control.

After a couple of successful seasons and the emerging success of the BSA Victor 440cc engine, combined with the problems of the crankpin breakages on the Velocette engines, we decided to retire the machines and my best friend Ian Turner continued to race one until Velocette parts were no longer readily available.”

The BSA Walwin scramblers:

The Walwin BSA 441cc Victor engined scrambles machines – Photo: Ross Winwood Collection.

In 1966 we designed and built a frame kit for the BSA 440cc engine for me as Mike was racing a standard BSA Victor at this time, but he was unhappy with the handling. We did make six frame kits to order but due to some manufacturing problems, we decided to shelve the project. These bikes were ridden to some success before we packed in scrambling in the early 1970s.”

The first true Walwin trials bikes:

Ross Winwood at the start of the 1966 SSDT at Gorgie Market in Edinburgh on the duplex framed BSA C15T.

In 1962 we designed completely new duplex frames to house the BSA C15 engines. These were a vast improvement on the standard C15 frame, being much lighter and so more suitable for trials. We both had satisfactory results from them. We developed these frames over the next few years, building new bikes for the SSDT every year we rode.”

The Alloy Walwins:

The Dural Walwin BSA with 175cc Bantam engine, the registration number borrowed from Ross’s BSA C15T. (Photo: Ross Winwood Collection)

In late 1968, I along with my father Ray, developed an idea we had for a completely new trials frame to house a 175cc BSA Bantam engine, and in 1969 the alloy plate frame was born.

The Bantam engined, Dural framed Walwin in 1969. Photo: Ross Winwood Collection.

This radical design, which was cut out by hand, from aircraft quality Dural, was extremely light and very stiff. The bolt on steering head was turned from a solid billet and was bolted to the frame plates, thus enabling different head angles to be achieved, without manufacturing a completely new frame.”

Detail of the steering head on the Dural Walwin – Photo: Ross Winwood Collection.

The engine was a fairly standard 175, built with some support from the BSA factory in the way of parts, including a trials gear cluster used in the factory trials bikes. The whole bike with a gallon of fuel weighed in at 160 pounds (73 kgs). This bike was by far the most successful Walwin trials machine. I had many great rides on it.”

The Motor Cycle of 26th February 1969 reported on Ross’s machine:

Most unusual machine at Sunday’s Victory Trial is likely to be Hollywood, Worcs engineer Ross Winwood’s 175 BSA special. The machine’s engine is near standard Bantam but its frame is made up from ¼ inch thick duralumin plate and has a steering head turned from solid dural. Except on the steel-tubing rear fork there is no welding anywhere, the plot being held together by countersunk socket headed bolts and nuts. It was designed and built by Ross’ father, Ray, who admits that it could not be a commercial proposition. “In material cost there is not a lot of difference between duralumin and conventional tubing, but the handwork is much more. Building this frame has taken up somewhere about 100 hours,” he said. “We have certainly saved weight over a tubular frame – our unit weighs 14 lb excluding the rear fork. It is structurally quite stiff, comparable with a tubular frame of equal weight,” he added. The finished machine will have a Ceriani front fork and a Honda fifty front hub. A sheet-duralumin undertray will form part of the frame by completing the stressed assembly and relieving the power unit of any frame loading.” [1]

At the Inter-Centre Team trial in April 1969, the Suzuki works rider Dennis Jones borrowed Ross Winwood’s 175 Walwin and came home a creditable third best individual performance on 16 marks on the machine. Jones’s Suzuki was on display at the Brighton motorcycle show. Jones reported that the Walwin handled exceptionally well in comparison to tubular framed machines that he had ridden.

Ross Winwood on his 250 B25 BSA powered Walwin in the 1971 SSDT – Photo: Ian T. Robertson

Winwood: “In late 1970, we designed a frame to take the BSA B25 ‘Starfire’ engine unit, this would be my 1971 Walwin 250cc four-stroke bike for the Scottish was again a special machine.

Detail of the BSA B25 ‘Starfire’ engined Walwin in 1971. The flat Dural plates had to be annealed to allow them to be bent to the correct profile. – Photo: Ross Winwood Collection.

Registered as a Walwin carrying the number AUY23H, it had a BSA four-stud front end, BSA conical hubs, the B25 engine was fitted with B40 flywheels and C15 gear cluster. Some of the cylinder fins had been removed like the BSA scramblers of the period. It was fitted with a 24mm carburettor and a B50 motocross fuel tank. It weighed in at 200 pounds (91 kgs). It was robust enough for the SSDT, my only claim to fame was cleaning ‘Pipeline’ on the last day. It was a particularly good bike in a straight line.”

SSDT photo from 1970, Gorgie Cattle Market, Edinburgh. Walther Luft (kneeling) is inspecting the 175cc Walwin BSA of Mike Winwood (BAB6H). The person to the right looking down is Austrian Peter Bous. the gent with the trilby hat is SACU Secretary and former rider, T. Arnott Moffat. On the far left is John Graham, SSDT Clerk of the Course that year. Walking away to right is Bob Paterson, former SACU President. (Photo Hans Maiditz, Graz)

The Walwin-Mickmar:

The 1973 Walwin Mickmar – Photo: Olivier Barjon

In 1972 we became involved with designing a frame to house the prototype MickMar engine designed by Michael Martin. We built a complete machine with some advanced features. This included a detachable rear subframe assembly which housed the air-cleaner, silencer, and seat in one monocoque unit. We were by this time recognised by the DVLA as a manufacturer and we decided to enter a Walwin team in the 1972 SSDT. My bike was to house the new Mickmar, Mike was to ride a 250cc Bultaco engined version and Ian Turner was to compete on the alloy 250cc BSA engined bike.

1973 SSDT – Mike Winwood – 250cc Walwin, in fact a 250cc Bultaco Sherpa on ‘Altnafeadh’ (Photo: Walker Brothers Archive)

Unfortunately, the Mickmar needed much more development for it to become a viable trials engine and with very little time available before the Scottish, we were then faced with the problem of what engine to use with a similar exhaust outlet and engine dimensions.

The only unit available was the very good 250cc Ossa. I purchased an ex-works Ossa and we installed the engine along with some of the running gear. This bike turned out to be quite successful and probably influenced another manufacturer with their subsequent designs.

We did consider producing this bike as a production trials machine, but the lack of an available proprietary engine at the time scuppered this plan. We rode these Walwins until we retired from solo trials riding in the late 1970s. The whole bike with the Ossa engine weighed in at 165 pounds (kgs).

Ross and Paula Winwood competing on the Walwin Ossa – Photo: Ross Winwood Collection.

I had ridden the Walwin Ossa and retired on the second day with mechanical problems, it was the last time I rode in the Scottish Six Days in 1973. I did buy a 325cc Bultaco in 1974 but hated it and wished that I had never sold the Bantam. I packed up riding in1976 and then bought the Ossa Walwin back and put a sidecar on it and did a couple of seasons with Paula as passenger, until on a ridiculously steep section in the Colmore, I turned the plot over landing on Paula’s back, she ended up in intensive care with four broken ribs and a punctured lung, and that put paid to our sidecar partnership.”

The Walwin Grass machines:

Midland Centre ACU 500cc grass track champion, Ross Winwood and the Walwin BSA grass track machine – Photo: Ross Winwood Collection.

In 1973, I fancied a go at grass track racing, so I started out on an ElStar fitted with a BSA B50 engine. The first thing I realised was that the standard rubber-band type forks were not for me. Later that season I designed and built a new frame with MP front forks and an alloy plate subframe, with oil carried in the top tube.”

The 500cc Walwin BSA built by Ross Winwood for grass track racing in 1975.

“The standard B50 engine tweaked by my Dad who was a wizard on cylinder head shaping, so along with an unbelievable 19:1 compression ratio and a squish head design, we achieved probably the fastest BSA in the country, and I was proud to win the Midland Centre 500cc championship in 1975, I also met my wife.”

Ross Winwood in action on the Walwin BSA.

The Walwin machines today:

It is quite interesting to note that some, but not all, Walwin machines have survived. This is not in any way surprising as they were well designed and built. However, there is even a ‘replica’ Walwin BSA C15, created by Steven Pritchett out there in trials world.

Ross Winwood was lucky enough to be offered one of his machines from trials enthusiast Paul Ray from Bagshot in Surrey in 2024. Paul at first didn’t know what the machine was, as he only wanted the engine, a four-stroke BSA C15 for a build project of his own. Happily, Paul found out in time and Ross quickly snapped up the rolling chassis with the intention of giving it to his son for posterity.

Paul Ray: “I can’t tell you much I’m afraid, I bought the bike off Mark ‘Watty’ Watmore as a donor for the Drayton C15 project I was building. I sold the rolling chassis back to Ross Winwood but kept the engine and the registration number, I thought I had a bad deal as I actually wanted a B40, but it turned out that the engine is a competition department experimental engine, and after a top end rebuild it pulls like a train, so happy days.”

Mark Quinn from Carnforth, Lancs aboard the Walwin BSA Bantam when it was owned by his father Keith – Photo: Eric Kitchen.

Keith Quinn and Terry Maynard have both owned Walwin machines, Quinn owned Ross’s Bantam powered version and the 250 four-stroke version from 1971. It was on the 250 that Keith Quinn from Carnforth won the Sammy Miller championship in the ‘Specials’ class. Terry’s is a BSA Bantam engined Walwin (BAB6H) the one used by Mike Winwood in the SSDT of 1970.

Terry Maynard with ‘BAB6H’ the ex-Mike Winwood BSA Bantam engined Walwin from 1970.

Ross Winwood: “Paula and my son Adam very kindly bought my Walwin Bantam from Keith Quinn, so we have both my Alloy Walwins back in the family. Of the other Walwins, the Walwin Ossa is now owned by Olivier Barjon in France who has installed a later much more developed Mickmar engine, bringing it back to its original design. Mike’s 250 Walwin was last seen in Derbyshire.”

Happy to have his Walwin Bantam in his possession, Ross Winwood at home with one of the ‘alloy wonders’.

With special thanks to Ross Winwood for his co-operation and assistance in preparing this article.

Bibliography:

The Motor Cycle – 26th February 1969 [1]

‘Walwin – the alloy wonders’ is the copyright of Trials Guru and Ross Winwood.

Photographic Copyright: The photographers named in captions to the images.

Apart from ‘Fair Dealing’ for the purpose of private study, research, criticism or review as permitted under the Copyright, Design and Patents Act, 1988, no part of this article may be copied, reproduced, stored in any form of retrieval system, electronic or otherwise or transmitted in any form or by any means, electronic, electrical, mechanical, optical, chemical, photocopying, recording or otherwise without the prior written permission of the author as stated above. This article is not being published for any monetary reward or monetisation, be that online or in print.

Ed Stott – The SSDT Historian

Ed Stott (left) observing B. Checklin (Greeves) at the 1959 SSDT at ‘Loch End’, near Drumnadrochit – Photo: Ed Stott Collection.

Ed Stott was a true motorcycling enthusiast who earned his living as a graphic designer. He became a wealth of knowledge on trials and the Scottish Six Days Trial in particular and was highly respected by the committee of the SSDT.

Ed Stott in the 1947 SSDT on a Triumph twin. (Photo: Ed Stott Collection)

Ed Stott lived at 44 Rodney Gardens, Pinner, Middlesex and was well known in the local motorcycling circles. In the 1970s, his vast collection of photographs were made into slides for his around the country talks on the Scottish Six Days Trial. Ed gave these talks with slide shows to various motorcycle clubs and associations over the years.

Ed Stott (350cc Royal Enfield) with friends Mike Vangucci (998cc Moto Guzzi) and Tom Mooney (175cc Honda) at the Onich Hotel with Loch Linnhe in the background – Photo: Ed Stott Collection.

Stott was a ‘superenthusiast’ of the SSDT and trials in general, he was a rider, official and spectator at the SSDT. Stott earned the respect of the SSDT committee of the Edinburgh & District Motor Club Ltd and it’s clerk of courses over the years.

Blackie Holden (Cotton) on ‘Creag An Eilein’ in the 1964 SSDT – Photo: Ray Biddle.

Ed wrote a number of articles for the Classic Motor Cycle, one of which he wrote in 1984, detailing the discovery and use of the SSDT section named firstly in 1953 as ‘Inchriach’, then ‘Creag An Eilein’ just south of Aviemore on the Rothiemurchus Estate, owned by the Grant family. The name in Scottish gaelic means ‘Hill of the Island’. Stott had observed this group of sections as ‘Team Leader’ during the SSDT and had a good knowledge of the area surrounding the hill.

Ed Stott on his 348cc BSA on ‘Bay Hill’ during the 1949 SSDT – Photo: Ed Stott Collection.

Shortly before his death, Ed entrusted his motorcycling archive collection and notes to Deryk Wylde prior to his death. Deryk Wylde then passed this collection on to John Moffat of Trials Guru, gifted on 19th May 2025 and delivered in early October 2025.

Ed Stott (Centre of photo) was the doyen of SSDT history, seen here with his friends, John Barnes, Derek Murdoch and Geoff Murdoch and Tom Mooney on the right. (Photo: Ed Stott Collection)

Ed Stott had collected a significant amount of information on the SSDT, his first attendance as a rider was in 1947 and he rode until 1953. He attended every SSDT from then until 1995. Ed had been a competitor, an official and a spectator at the annual event.

Ed Stott on his 348cc BSA, tackles ‘Town Hall Brae’ in Fort William during the 1950 Scottish Six Days Trial – Photo : Ray Biddle.

Ed compiled information and photographs for a book detailing his time as a competitor, observer and spectator at the Scottish Six Days Trial. Entitled ‘Lochaber Rich Mixture’ it was published by Ariel Publishing and is a fascinating account of the life and times of the SSDT.

Ed Stott compiled information for this book which was published by Deryk Wylde’s Ariel Publishing.

Ed Stott had struck up a friendship with Charlie Rogers of Royal Enfield and this was to be a very useful relationship over the years. This gave Ed access to information and advice when he owned and rode Royal Enfield motorcycles.

But it was the SSDT records that Ed Stott compiled and maintained that are of great historical value and significance. He kept many of the old reports and results of the SSDT, dating back to the very first Scottish Trial, a five day event in 1909. These were stored in lever arch files and have been hidden away for many years. Now they are in the public domain on this website, Trials Guru available free of charge for all to read and study.

Ed Stott recorded a vast amount of history on the Scottish Six Days Trial, our aim at Trials Guru is to share it with a wider audience.

Here are the links to the Ed Stott SSDT Results Archives:

Volume 1 – 1909-1932

Volume 2 – 1933-1969

‘Ed Stott – The SSDT Historian’ is the copyright of Trials Guru.

Photographic Copyright: The photographers named in captions to the images.

Apart from ‘Fair Dealing’ for the purpose of private study, research, criticism or review as permitted under the Copyright, Design and Patents Act, 1988, no part of this article may be copied, reproduced, stored in any form of retrieval system, electronic or otherwise or transmitted in any form or by any means, electronic, electrical, mechanical, optical, chemical, photocopying, recording or otherwise without the prior written permission of the author as stated above. This article is not being published for any monetary reward or monetisation, be that online or in print.

To Folgaria on the Highland Camel

The adventures of Alfred Wagner on an SWM road trip.

At Trials Guru, we are always on the lookout for unusual articles and we think we have found one here. Alfred Wagner is a trial super-enthusiast from Willendorf in Austria who has had many trial adventures. Here is one of them.

Words and photographs: Alfred Wagner.

It should have made me think, all my friends thought the project idea was great! Most of them had already ridden this mountain on their motorcycles. But no one wanted to accompany me over the Stelvio Pass in the way I had imagined. The Stelvio Pass is a road, with a summit elevation of 2,757 metres above sea level, and is the highest paved mountain pass in Italy and, after the Col de l’Iseran, the second-highest pass in the Alps. Both the summit and the impressive panorama of this road, with its demanding hairpin bends, are a magnet for many motorcyclists. “Buy yourself a little 400cc soft enduro—then it’ll be easy!” That was the sort of advice my friends gave me.

The 1978 SWM Guanaco used in the adventure – Photo: Alfred Wagner

But I wanted to make the trip on a trial motorcycle, an SWM 320 Guanaco, from the year 1978. I love the sport of trial. This is about overcoming difficulties. For me, my enthusiasm for the classic trial is the logical continuation of the trial idea from a sporting point of view.

The previous year, travelling to all the Austrian rounds of the Classic Trial Series A-Cup by SWM.

When riding historic motorcycles, the advantages of the technical development of recent decades are dispensed with. Inspired by stories told by the Austrian trial pioneers, I travelled to all six events of the Austrian Classic Trial Series A-Cup on the road of my SWM Guanaco the year before. That means I arrived directly on the competition motorcycle, i.e. on my own wheel. Until this project, I had no experience with motorcycles on the road. I was and am not a mechanic either. The SWM came fresh from the restoration and was untested.  With the active support of some trial friends, all technical problems that had arisen could be solved and my self-help skills improved. At the end of the previous year, six completed two-day trial events, 1800 kilometres of road including crossing the Grossklöckner High Alpine Road on the seat of a historic trial motorcycle were recorded.

Preparation! – Photo: Alfred Wagner.

As the reason for the trip I chose the “2 Giorni Trial Folgaria – Alpe Cimbra”. A classic trial event located about 45 minutes by car south of Bolzano in the South Tyrol area. The date, at the beginning of September, was to ensure that all pass roads should be free of snow and passable. I began to think about a route. In eight days I wanted to drive the “old roads through the villages” to Folgaria and back. A route of 1800 kilometers was planned, which included some highlights.

On Tuesday morning, 2.9.2025, it finally started. With a daily distance of 300 kilometers, I wanted to get started right away. Everything was carefully prepared and checked several times. But only a few hundred meters after the start, the engine began to stutter and stopped. A simple movement of the fuel tap was the solution to the problem. It wasn’t worth a big speech, but I understood it as a reminder to stay as attentive as possible every second. The slightest mistake could cause the project to fail.

Already after the first few kilometers I took a small detour, but it was important to me. At the church in St. Lorenzen, I was stopped by technical problems on two rides last year. But when I was able to drive past the church without any problems, I wanted to understand it as a “blessing from above”.

Passing the former Trial World Championship venue, Spital am Semmering, we went to the first planned refuelling stop after 70 kilometers. The tank of the SWM holds 5 liters of gasoline. Using the app kurviger.de, I clarified the question right at the beginning of the planning whether there was a continuous fuel supply for this trip at all. I refuelled with just 3.5 liters of fuel. For me, this was a reassuring initial feedback. The engine ran cleanly. The planned stages between the refuelling stops were a maximum of 80 kilometres long. In addition, I had a canister with a liter of gasoline in the tank bag as an emergency reserve.

At the refueling stop at the town square in idyllic Oberwölz, some nervousness arose. The next stage was only 55 km long, but led over the Sölkpaß up to an altitude of 1788 m above sea level. This is an exposed mountain road that I have great respect for, as high altitudes and rugged slopes cause me problems. I tackled the first meters of the climb athletically within the scope of my possibilities. Unfortunately, I was ashamed to learn that I also needed a sign to show consideration for the residents living here. It would have been stupid of me to load the engine with high revs for a long time, I really wanted to get home safely. Fog, drizzle and masses of gravel on the ascent allowed only low speeds even by my standards. When I reached the top of the pass, the weather improved abruptly and the sun gave me a view of the Enns Valley in front of me on the descent.

Maybe I was paranoid. But during the whole trip I was constantly worried about the engine lubrication during long descents. With the two-stroke engine of the SWM, the engine brake was not allowed to be used for too long. This would interrupt the fuel supply, the oil film could tear and cause engine damage. The so-called lubricating gas would provide oil supplies. Too much of it increases the speed downhill and puts a strain on the brakes. In my case, it’s brakes that are designed for trials. They can also be easily dosed in wet and dirty conditions, but are not designed for high speeds or high loads. I therefore decided to drive down the mountains slowly, very slowly and not to disturb the flow of traffic too much.

Arriving back in the Enns Valley, it was already 3:30 pm. An advertising sign at the nearest gas station invited people to coffee and apricot cake. The perfect offer for the first break for the driver since the start at 9:00 am. At all the stops so far, I was constantly busy with tasks for the trip. Based on my experience of the previous year, I knew that long stages would take up to ten hours. So it was also important to pay attention to my personal energy balance. On the other hand, I wanted to keep moving all the time if possible to have time reserves for any problems that might arise. Due to the weak 6V lighting of the SWM, I wanted to avoid driving at night at all costs.

With the composure of a Buddhist monk, I reeled down the rest of the route through the Enns Valley, partly in the rain and over unsightly milled roads to the stage finish in Wagrein.

The accommodation was already booked for the whole route. That was important to me. After long day drives, I didn’t want to go on a “hostel search” somewhere. There was also an inn in the hotel, but it was closed that day. I was hungry and tired. The keys to the room were ready at self check-in. Kitchen noise showed me the way to the “source”. A woman was busy with preparations. For the next day, grilled chicken was advertised, but today it was closed. So I asked if I could get a ham toast or frankfurter sausages, for example. No, unfortunately! There would be no ham, no sausages either. But if it were okay with me, she could quickly prepare a Wiener schnitzel with French fries. A thousand roses, I felt epicurean in seventh heaven!

Wonderfully rested and well strengthened, we went into the second day with a destination in Oetz in Tyrol with a daily distance of 254 km. This stage included some sections of the route that demanded great respect from me for various reasons. On the other hand, I had also planned some highlights that I was really looking forward to.

Only a few kilometers after the start, the route led through the idyllic Salzach Valley. At the bottom of the narrow valley, the road follows the meanders of the river for a while. After some time, the road leads straight up a mountain slope and then leads back into the valley in long curves. While many participants still had to exercise patience in the winding section, they let their vehicles run free here. For me, however, this meant that I had an unpleasant amount of traffic from behind. Both uphill and downhill, I had a truck behind me that would have liked to drive faster and made this known by driving closely. This situation was so demanding for me that I made a short stop at the end of this passage to be able to lower my stress level again.

With Christian Schneider, four times Austrian National Trials Champion – Photo: Alfred Wagner.

The reward for this stress followed immediately after the next refueling stop. I had arranged a visit to Bramberg am Wildkogel.  Petrol conversations from yesterday and today over coffee and cake with Christian Schneider, the former four-time Austrian Trial National Champion, quickly directed my thoughts back to the essentials: the tour, the beautiful landscape and the sunshine!

The spectacular Krimmel Valley – Photo: Alfred Wagner.

Passed the Krimml Waterfalls we went over the Gerlos Alpine Road into the Zillertal. In sections, the road through the villages looked like a backdrop from homeland films from the 1950s or 1960s. All that was missing were a few VW Beetles and coaches with panoramic windows.

Meeting with Gunther Schick, Austrian SWM importer – Photo: Alfred Wagner.

Once in the Inn Valley, it was not far to Schwaz. This is where Austria’s longest-serving active trial motorcycle dealer is based. And besides, it was he, Günter Schick, who had imported my SWM to Austria in 1978. Of course, I also wanted to visit him on this tour. This was followed by talks about yesterday and today over coffee and cake. In the end, I was quite happy that I only arrived on two wheels and that storage space was extremely scarce. Günter had made motorcycles palatable to me until I also said about one model: “yes, that would be an exciting moped!” Günter Schick is a motorcycle friend and dealer, with heart and soul! And luckily I didn’t have a cargo space.

Then it went through the city of Innsbruck. The heavy traffic gave me a headache in advance. There are no turn signals mounted on the SWM. I have to indicate changes of direction by hand. Turning right was therefore difficult, because the throttle immediately went to idle throttle when I wanted to indicate the change of direction. I helped myself by sticking out my right foot. In the crouched seating position on the SWM, however, this signal is quite clear, you can understand that or not. However, driving through the city was not a problem. However, I got off the planned path. Twice I had to ask about the further course of the road. Twice I looked into visibly amused faces. With the unfamiliar sound of the hiss of the decompressor to turn off the engine, attention was immediately focused on me. Dressed in a vintage jacket, trial helmet with motorcycle goggles and scarf in front of my face, as well as the large backpack on my back, I came probably dabbled like a forest rat and finally asked for directions in a dialect that was not typical of the area.

The last fifty kilometers of the day were really tough. The climb to Kühtai, 2000 m above sea level, was pleasant to ride, especially since I had hardly any traffic. I noticed how confidence in the stability of SWM increased. I got used to the required driving style better and better. But I hadn’t gotten used to the pain in my butt. In this context, I continued to practice Buddhist equanimity. “Ohm!”.

If you want to go high, you have to go far down again. From the apex at Kühtai, it was now 600 meters of altitude over a distance of sixteen kilometers constantly downhill. On the one hand, I was in constant worry about the engine due to my “two-stroke lubrication paranoia”. On the other hand, the front brake expressed its thermal load with a clear squeak. Last but not least, the SWM was equipped with a seemingly comfortable double seat. The foam rubber support was at least twice as high as on the trial single seat. But the foam rubber was also almost 50 years old, and the seat tilted diagonally forward. On descents, I tended to slide forward into the narrower foam rubber area. The already uncomfortable seating position became even more uncomfortable.  What was shown here would be confirmed at every opportunity: descents from pass roads were extremely unfun and exhausting to drive.

In Oetz I had prepared the overnight stay with my sister. The tour plan generally stipulated that I always refueled before the stage finish. After each arrival, I checked whether everything was right on the SWM. But I didn’t change the cheat sheet with the current day tour until the next day, immediately before departure. If someone damaged or tore off last day’s tour plan overnight, I wouldn’t have cared. However, if the planning for the next day was missing, I would have had a big problem.

Gavia Pass – Photo: Alfred Wagner

Compared to the previous stages, the third day’s program was short at 205 kilometers. But now it was time to get down to business! The Reschen Pass, the Stelvio Pass and the Gavia Pass were ahead of me. I was excited. So excited that I didn’t open the fuel tap completely at the start and I came to a stop in an unpleasant place in terms of traffic. What had I planned to do: “Stay focused!”

Stop at the Reschensee – Photo: Alfred Wagner

After the moment of shock at the beginning, I quickly found my rhythm again. Crossing the border to Italy, shortly after Nauders, triggered the first feelings of happiness in me. Parking is prohibited at the photo hotspot to the church tower of Altgraun in Lake Reschen. Countless motorcycles were parked all around in the parking lots. I wasn’t interested in a selfie, I wanted a photo with the SWM and the church tower in the background. So I drove straight to the fence in front of the lake, posed the moped, took my photo and was gone again before the tourist on the side could lick his ice cream a second time.

From here it was only thirty kilometers and one turn to Prato allo Stelvio, where I could fill the tank again. There was a lot of traffic up the mountain. The column was slower than I could have driven. So relaxed I rolled up the mountain with the traffic. I had watched countless videos of Kanyar-Foto on Youtube. The photographer often analysed the beginner’s mistakes, which led to many crashes in the demanding hairpin bends. I was also a beginner, but I didn’t want to be one of those who failed at the curves and were filmed. With the lightweight and agile SWM, however, the hairpin bends were easy to ride. With my trial experience, I once even followed a cyclist in first (trial) gear into the narrow radius of a right-hand bend. For me, the experience of how long the road led up the mountain above the tree line was particularly impressive. The last section was extra steep and demanding. A crowd of people, many in motorcycle clothes on and next to the road, indicated that the pass was directly in front of me. On the left side of the road, on a small hill, stood the sign indicating the Passo di Stelvio. Again, I took the opportunity to use the skills of the SWM to drive directly in front of the board and take a souvenir photo with the moped. She had done all the work up the mountain. I only had to sit out the ride and be careful not to fall off the moped. At the parking lot, however, I did not miss the opportunity to celebrate this moment for myself. In 1978, the Italian motorcycle manufacturer SWM presented its first trial model and called it Guanaco. Guanacos are a wild species of camel that can be found in South America up to an altitude of 4000 m. My little Guanaco has now climbed with me to the Stelvio Pass at 2757 m above sea level!

The further route down to Bormio can be briefly summarized for reasons that are now known: 21 kilometers downhill. Unfunny for me to drive.  Shortly before Bormio, two cars seemed to have brushed against each other at a bottleneck. Traffic came to a standstill. However, those who were on the road with a slim two-wheeler could easily weave their way past.

In Bormio it was time to fill the tank again. Because immediately after the gas station we turned left, in the direction of Passo Gavia. The driveway felt unspectacular. Maybe my senses clouded me, because I had just come from the Stelvio. Nevertheless, I particularly enjoyed this trip, as I remember very few other vehicles. In contrast to the Stelvio Pass, I was almost alone here. On a high alpine pasture, the road meandered until I reached the sign with the inscription “Passo Gavia m. 2652”.

My dearest Andrea was very worried at home during my tour. She wasn’t used to me riding a motorcycle on the roads. She knew the peculiarities of this trip. During the preparation period, she once asked me: “What are you going to do if you have a problem?” I couldn’t answer this question seriously, because that would depend on the nature of the problem. In the event of technical problems, however, I would always have the option of calling my traffic club and requesting breakdown assistance. 

Planning is very important on such a journey – Photo: Alfred Wagner.

Of course, I also took the obligatory souvenir photo with the SWM in front of the sign at the Gavia Pass. However, when I wanted to share it via social media, I realized that I had no reception up here. I went into myself and briefly summarized the facts: No cell phone reception, hardly any road traffic, no equipment for overnight stays in the high mountains. I looked at the motorcycle and thought: “Dear SWM, please at least bring me back down this mountain”.

It was the route to Ponte di Legno, which is why this pass road is considered challenging or even dangerous. We are simply no longer used to driving on single-lane mountain roads without fall protection and with passing bays for oncoming traffic. On the small SWM, oncoming traffic on narrow roads feels less stressful than with a 300kg steamer. But I also rode a section of the route with a “consistent view of the left side of the slope” because the mountain flank on the right led steeply into the valley for what felt like 1000 m with an unobstructed view.

At the stage finish in Ponte di Legno, I had mistakenly booked a 4* hotel. Of course, I also wanted to eat something for dinner. For such “civilian” situations, I had a set of street clothes in my backpack. To save weight, I packed a few replicas of Crocks garden slippers. I had appeared in the restaurant on time for opening time and was assigned a table. There I was, in a T-shirt with a trial motif, in jeans and those green garden slippers, sitting alone in the middle of a restaurant hall. Around me scurried six well-groomed waitresses and waiters, a head waiter and one who was probably responsible for the bar.  The feeling of displacement only dissolved when the restaurant filled up with other guests.

The following morning I fixed the fourth roadbook on the handlebars. It was Friday, at the end of that day I wanted to reach the finish in Folgaria after 183 km. After only 15 kilometers, the apex of the Passo Tonale was climbed. The route was extremely idyllic. But it couldn’t evoke much emotion in me. This was probably due to the sensory overload of the previous day. I felt as if I had already looked the tiger in the eye and grabbed the alligator by the tail. One would remain calm if a fox were sighted.

As already described, SWM’s 6V lighting system was better to look at during the day than it worked in the dark. Therefore, it was important to me to plan a time reserve of 2-3 hours for possible problem solutions before it would get dark on the day tours. In the same way, I avoided driving through tunnels as much as possible. Many an unavoidable unlit tunnel made my stress level rise to the limit.

A tunnel around Madonna di Campiglio kept through traffic out of the village. I wanted to save myself the tunnel, especially since a refueling stop was planned in the village. When planning the route, however, I missed the fact that the old thoroughfare through the town centre was now designed as a pedestrian zone. The opposite district was only accessible to motor vehicles via the tunnel. So I decided to push the SWM through the short pedestrian zone. At that moment I was quite happy not to have been on the road with such a fat hummer. But the local planners did not mean well with me. For the onward journey I still had to go a short distance through the tunnel.

Although the following part of the route led over local and unlabeled side roads, my “analogue navigation system” worked perfectly and led me unerringly over some small passes, such as Passo Daone (1308 m above sea level) and Passo Durone (1015 m above sea level). While I was taking the usual photo at the Passo del Balino (763 m above sea level), a cyclist approached me. Based on my license plate, he realized that we lived in the same district. He comforted me that you would get used to the pain in your butt. I agreed with him, you get used to it, but the pain wouldn’t get any less.

Refuelling at Riva di Garda – Photo: Alfred Wagner.

There would have been a shorter distance for the finish in Folgaria. However, I wanted to treat myself to another highlight: “With the motorcycle to Lake Garda and eat an ice cream here”. Since the Passo Daone, i.e. for about 30 kilometers, I seemed to be constantly riding on the edge of a rain front. I was still on the road in sunshine, but behind me the sky was covered with dark gray clouds. At the refueling stop in Riva di Garda, I decided to continue driving in order to reach my destination in the dry if possible. I was only 60 kilometers away from Folgaria. Eating ice cream alone is not much fun anyway, I could well make up for that another time in pleasant company.

There was a lot of traffic in Riva di Garda. As a defensive travel tourist, I dutifully rode along in the conflagration traffic. But at some point I became aware of the situation that I was riding a two-wheeler in an Italian city. So it was my job to use free traffic areas and not to be deterred by “misleading” road markings or oncoming traffic. So the rush hour was also an easy exercise for the agile SWM.

Shortly after the end of the village, the road led up an ascent. Due to the course of the route, I was able to keep up comfortably with the flow of traffic. However, it seemed strange to me that I was not overtaken for quite a while despite the low speed. The cause was quickly found. Through the city, the engine usually ran at low revs or at idle speed. On the mountain, the exhaust came back up to temperature. The combustion residues that had accumulated during the city passage were now burned out. The exhaust emitted a cloud of smoke like a Trabant from the GDR at a cold start. Nobody wanted to dive into this fog of horror. Even though I knew that this would subside quickly, this situation was extremely unpleasant for me.

Without any problems, we went over side roads through the mountain villages to Rovereto, and then finally reached Folgaria via Serrada. As usual, my first way led to the gas station. Now, however, the additional 5-liter canister, which I previously had with me in an empty state in the backpack on my back, has also been refilled. It would have been easy to have the fuel for the competition organized by friends. But I wanted to realize the project completely autonomously. In addition, I also had to take care of the tank logistics myself. The backpack now had a total weight of 16 kg. Fortunately, it was only two kilometers to the Fondo Grande, a valley station of the ski area of Folgaria. After four days and completed 950 kilometers, I had reached the finish in Folgaria! The first third of my project – the journey, was done.

Ugo Alberti – Photo: Alfred Wagner.

I already knew the trial event “Due Giorni di Folgaria” from previous visits. I knew it would be just to my liking. This is a hiking trial that leads around 30 kilometres on Saturday and 40 kilometres on Sunday on hiking trails through the mountains. The sections were spacious and wonderfully set into the terrain. Each section was only to be ridden once. I love that! The siblings Barbara and Ugo Alberti give this event a special magic. Both gave each participant the feeling of being a VIP guest. Every problem was read by the two almost from the eyes and solved immediately. An atmosphere of friendship could be felt everywhere in the paddock.

Traditionally, numerous guests also came from Germany and Austria. I immediately had my social connection in an entertaining round. With my Austrian trial buddy Uwe Schwarzkopf, I tackled the circuit together on both days. That felt brilliant to me. We both rode at a comparable level and also found a good rhythm together. Good mood was our predominant state of mind, even with the most unfavorable dissection experiences. This serenity was particularly important to me. I was off-road with my “street motorcycle”. Even though the license plates and lights were removed for the competition, I could not allow myself to damage the motorcycle. The motorcycle had to remain intact in any case. I hadn’t prepared a plan B for the return trip. I only followed plan A.A., like Arriving!

I had promised my dear Andrea that I would be back home the following Tuesday. To do that, I had to make 127 kilometers home on Sunday right after the event. In fact, Uwe and I got through the circuit quickly and were well in time when we reached the finish. After an initial emergency refreshment at the snack stand, I prepared SWM and myself for road operation again. The successful completion of Phase II of my project, the trial event, smoothly transitioned into the start of Phase III, the trip home.

From Folgaria (1530 m above sea level) we went over mountain roads over the Passo del Cost (1290 m above sea level) and Passo Vezzena (1402 m above sea level) to Asiago and further east via Enego to Fonzaso. From here I took the SR50 in a northerly direction to my overnight accommodation in Transaqua. The list of places I passed through reflects my perception of this stage. Primarily, it was important to ignore the tiredness and to continue navigating in a concentrated manner in order to take every single kilometer in equanimity as it comes.

On my last evening in Italy, typical spaghetti with ragiù was supposed to make it easier to say goodbye. I was really tired. A glass of beer seemed as if I had injected the alcohol intravenously. I had forgotten my helmet and gloves at the check-in at the reception, where I didn’t collect them until the next morning. 

Well rested and full of energy, I started day 7. In Ferlach (Carinthia), 301 kilometers away, the next accommodation was booked. Via the Passo Cereda (1370 m above sea level) and Forcella Aurine (1299 m above sea level) we went to the refueling stop in Agordo. I was thrilled by the route and landscape, as well as the wonderful weather. Only eight kilometers later, this enthusiasm had evaporated again. At the turn to the planned Passo Duran (1605 m above sea level) a sign stopped the continuation of the journey. A total closure had been in effect for three hours for a period of two days. I got an overview of the situation with the help of the available road maps. The route would already be crisply calculated at 65 kilometers including the Passo Duran. Now this mountain had to be bypassed via Belluno and Ponte nelle Alpi. On the map, the detour seemed much longer than the actual twelve kilometers. In addition, I now had to find my destination for almost two hours without navigation support on a busy state road. But there was no alternative. Fortunately, however, the two places were constantly signposted, and the SS51, which then cut narrowly into the valley in a northerly direction, allowed hardly any navigation errors. However, the tunnel passes on this route felt very unpleasant for me.

It was also not easy to find the connection to my roadbook. Exactly the intersection area where I should have turned was just being rebuilt. Due to my detour, I came from the wrong direction and could not see any suitable signs. Therefore, I continued in the wrong direction for a good distance until I reached a place that I had entered in my roadbook. With this I had found my exact position and my navigation via the roadbooks again.

Anyone who knows this region knows exactly: motorcycling in the middle of this landscape is a dream! I had prepared a fantastic route: Laggio di Cadore, Sella di Razzo (1760 m.a.s.l.), Sella di Rioda (1801 m.a.s.l.), Tolmezzo, the Tagliamento, the Fella, Sella Nevea (1195 m.a.s.l.), Lago Predil, Tarvisio. This enjoyment can only be spoiled by a pronounced “two-stroke lubrication paranoia”. This worry accompanied me all the way home. In this matter I could not find a solution that felt good to me until the end and I always had stress on long descents.

But the time had come to say goodbye to Italy. I crossed the border into Slovenia. My first kilometers on two wheels on Slovenian soil led me via Podkoren to the Wurzen Pass (1073 m above sea level). And with that I had arrived back in Austria! However, I had expected more from the Wurzen Pass. That was just a driveway up a hill. That’s what I thought until I saw those signs warning of a gradient of 10%. It now went 500 meters downhill to Finkenstein. That was not to my taste at all. But I learned from this that the Wurzen Pass should best be approached from the Austrian side. Just in time before the kitchen of the inn closed, I reached my overnight quarters in Ferlach.

On Tuesday morning, i.e. on day eight, I felt little of the enthusiasm of the first few days. It was clear to me that the final day would not be comparable to the previous stages in terms of landscape. The route was mostly familiar to me. Nevertheless, 300 kilometers still had to be completed. It was important to stay focused so as not to make any mistakes. At Lavamünd I decided not to drive over the Soboth, a well-known motorcycle route. Instead, I had planned another short visit to Slovenia. Via Dravograd we went over the tranquil border crossing to Austria at the Radlpaß (661 m above sea level). Not far from here, I had grown up on the Austrian side. For me, however, it was the first time that I crossed the Radlpaß. So it became a bit emotional for me when I made a refueling stop in my former hometown of Großklein. I didn’t have the time to visit friends or relatives and now also the energy. Just like E.T. (the alien), I just wanted to say “Home!” Via Kirchbach id. Stmk, Gleisdorf and the Wechselbundesstraße, it was only a matter of not making any more mistakes. My thoughts revolved exclusively around the topics: My butt hurts and I can’t break the engine. So I reeled off meter by meter of the final stage. The last day was just as important for my travel project as day two or three. However, the personal requirement was quite different. I didn’t really feel much fun anymore. It was probably primarily a question of will. Now it was clear to me why none of my motorcycling experienced friends wanted to go along!

I had arrived home, finally!

It’s quite possible that my “two-stroke lubrication paranoia” or other considerations were exaggerated. But due to a lack of personal experience and better knowledge, I had to find plausible solutions to get home safely. The fact is: I did it!

1800 kilometers total distance in eight days on a SWM Guanaco, a trial motorcycle with 280cc and 16 hp from 1978. On a route that led over the Stelvio Pass, the Gavia Pass and the Kühtai and much more. I was on my own, without a service car or other protection, without a plan B. Plan A worked. A, how to arrive!

Austrian trial enthusiast, Alfred Wagner is a Trials Guru VIP, seen here with his Norton and BSA Bantam Pre65 machines.

‘To Folgaria on the Highland Camel’ is the copyright of Trials Guru and Alfred Wagner. Photographs copyright: Alfred Wagner

Trials Guru at the 2026 SSDT

Trials Guru attended the 2026 Scottish Six Days Trial (4-9 May) at Fort William, when website founder, John Moffat donned a press pass and was guest presenter on the local ‘Nevis Radio’ morning show which was exclusively covering the event live from the Parc Ferme.

There were interviews with riders and officials, landowners and we even had Eric Faulkner from the Bay City Rollers on air, all live as it happened.

Nevis Radio’s John Weller (left) with Trials Guru’s John Moffat (centre) and former Bay City Roller, Eric Faulkner (right) during live broadcast at the 2026 SSDT (Photo: John Weller)

Here is a link to all the broadcasts which last around 3 hours. The show was sponsored by Michelin and Gavin Cairns Roughcasting Ltd.

Presenters were Nevis Radio’s John Weller and Simon Abberley with John Moffat adding the trials knowledge to the show. Support from Robbie Mackay, Dan MacLeod, Jack Richardson, Jacob and David Green during the broadcasts.

Special thanks to all the 2026 Nevis Radio sponsors: Michelin; Gavin Cairns; Comms West; Thistle Access; Ness Highland Catering; Pit Stop Tyres and Trials Guru for supplying the knowledge!

(Some recordings have some background interference which was resolved during the week, when music was playing on the radio broadcasts, it was necessary to play Michelin and other adverts to avoid copyright breaches)

Here are the Daily links:

Day One – Monday 4th May

Day Two – Tuesday 5th May

Day Three – Wednesday 6th May

Day Four – Thursday 7th May

Day Five – Friday 8th May

Day Six – Saturday 9th May

Photos: Robbie Mackay Photography

Barrie K Rodgers 1936-2026

It is with deep sadness that we confirm that Barrie Rodgers has passed away aged 90 years.

(All photographs, copyright DON MORLEY)

We are indebted to his close and dear friend DON MORLEY for his assistance in penning this obituary.

Born at Mickleover, near Derby, Barrie Rodgers was just seventeen years of age and still a Engineering Apprentice when he commenced  his competitive motorcycling career having joined The Pathfinders and Derby MCC and also having acquired a 197cc rigid trials James which he used to good purpose for scrambles and even for road racing, competing at such as the old Osmaston Manor short circuit and Alton Towers.

He was in good company too, with such fellow Pathfinder members and likewise all rounders as Bill (W. A,) Lomas, John ‘Mooneyes’ Cooper, David and Jon Tye and so many other lesser beings including even myself, Don Morley.

1990 Talmag action with Barrie Rodgers on his 350cc Royal Enfield – Photo: Don Morley.

After doing his National Service in the Army, again alongside John Cooper, Barrie joined his fathers haulage business in 1962 marrying his beloved Pat Flaherty in the same year 1962. I did the wedding photos. By then Barrie had also long dreamed of opening his own motorcycle shop which with wife Pat’s help and partner Trevor Smith, he eventually opened in Derby during 1963.

1995 Pre65 Scottish Trial – Photo: Don Morley.

Trevor was also a useful road racer riding and racing Bultacos and although he later pulled out of the business, the duo soon became agents for Bultaco, Montesa in addition to Greeves, Cheetah, MZ and Yamaha, all of which Barrie also competed on at various times, and what had been Rodgers and Smith became massively successful not least due to such well publicised exploits as ‘Barrie Rodgers Motorcycles’ and of course Nationally as ‘BKR’.

2002 Pre65 Scottish Trial – Photo: Don Morley.

Barrie’s major interests away from motorcycling ranged from his being a massive keep fit fan, swimming, skiing, and a love of vintage Model T Ford cars of which he owned several, but trials riding was always his first love and later on included riding in such as Deryk Wylde’s National Pre65 Championships on either a 350 Royal Enfield, which I built for him, and the ex-works 250 Royal Enfield which was registered ‘250RE’ which I used to own. 

As a trials rider, Barrie won 653 trials including such as the National Greensmith Trial and was runner up on 301 other occasions including his winning The East Midlands Trials Championships five times towards his incredible total trials award tally of 1520 gathered over his competitive career covering 66 years.

Barrie will be much missed by his many friends and especially by his dear wife Pat, who sadly has suffered dementia and been in a care home now for many years, and his eldest daughter Mandy, who used to work in the shop, and was one of the foreign language commentators at the Road Racing British GP before emigrating to Australia many years ago.

Rest In Peace my friend, I will miss you – DON MORLEY

The First Lady of the SSDT

Now we know, many years after information was hidden away, the first lady competitor of the Scottish Six Days Trial was in 1912, 114 years ago, Miss MURIEL HIND, riding a works prepared REX motorcycle!

Information has just come to light with the transferring of Tommy Sandham’s archive of scrap-books, paper reports and photographs of the SSDT and trials in general to Trials Guru.

It had been reported in Motor Cycle News with a suitable photograph, penned by the late Ralph Venables, the doyen of off-road motorcycling journalism, that Muriel Hind had been overlooked in the history books and indeed she had taken part in the 1912 SSDT.

On checking the results from 1912, it transpired that Muriel achieved a silver medal in the event on her 6hp REX machine.

Muriel was born on 27th May 1882 in Dorest and died on 3rd May 1956 at Whitley Hospital in Corley. In 1950 she was given a life membership of the Motor Cycle Club.

More nuggets of information will be forthcoming once Tommy’s archive has been fully assessed.

Tommy Sandham wrote a series of books featuring the SSDT and the Pre65 Scottish Trials and was Production Editor of Trials and Motocross News in the late 1970s and early 1980s, when it was produced at Morecombe.

Credit: Motor Cycle News.

April 2026 and so much has happened

It’s only April and Trials Guru has already covered much ground since the beginning of the year!

Pipeline!’ the first full history of an iconic hill of the annual Scottish Six Days Trial with unique photos when it was first introduced to the SSDT in 1964, never before seen!

The ‘Douglas Bald – Story of a lifetime‘ published in March, a fascinating article on a life in trials of a former Scottish Trials Champion (1968).

Sadly, we recorded the passing of Arthur Lampkin; Neil Gaunt and Jeff Smith MBE.

We also celebrated a number of nominees to receive their Trials Guru VIP caps, George Sartin; Steve Colley; Colin Moram and Jack Dance, it’s more than a cap, it’s a badge of honour!

We also launched the SSDT Results Archive in memory of both Ed Stott, the doyen of SSDT history and Jim McColm, the SSDT Secretary from 1970-1994, now the early SSDT results are all in one place from 1909 to 1994 and we may yet go further if we have time!

Not only that we created even more surprises of Trials Guru caps to Peter Race and Mike Hann, plus a host of other enthusiasts of the sport, all ‘Dedicated To Trial’.

Plus we launched the Walker Brothers Photo Archive, some brilliant photos never seen before!

We also discovered who won the 1961 Meteor Challenge Trophy at the SSDT!

Trials Guru’s John Moffat with the official results sheet from the 1961 SSDT

Trials Guru, there is so much in it, check out ‘Trialpedia‘ or the Index, or the Rider Index to find more!

Trials Guru – Dedicated To Trial – and – BRINGING THE PAST TO LIFE!

Scottish Six Days Results

A new feature only on Trials Guru!

Historical results of the Scottish Six Days Trial have been sporadic for many years, over 100 to be exact, not any more!

Thanks to the availability of the Ed Stott historical archive of papers, reports and results of this historic event, the results are now more accurate than previously available.

The SSDT Results Archive is free to view and covers 1909 from the first ‘Scottish Trial’, a five day event, right through to 1994.

Now all the riders are mentioned who took part in the SSDT stretching back over a century.

Go straight to the results by using these links, please note that due to the volume of input and accuracy checking, some years are still to be added.

Volume 1 – 1909 – 1932

Volume 2 – 1933 – 1969

Volume 3 – 1970 – 1994

Neil Gaunt 1961 – 2026

It is with deep sadness that we announce the passing of trials enthusiast, Neil Gaunt, aged 65 years.

Born on 22nd January 1961, the son of Peter Gaunt the renown special trials motorcycle builder and rider, it was natural that Neil would ably follow in his father’s tyre tracks.

A national trials rider, Neil Gaunt was a well known face at the Scottish Six Days Trial in which he rode numerous times and usually finishing high on the results.

He then took up Pre65 riding and his aim was to win the Pre65 Scottish Trial, which he achieved on a 500cc Royal Enfield in 2004, a machine similar to the make his father rode for the Reddich factory. Two years later he had built an Ariel and took victory once again, with runner up spot in 2007 and 2011.

Neil was the main sponsor of the Scott Trial with his business Riverside Quarry Ltd at Knaresborough.

On 30th December 2025, Neil suffered a stroke, but then contracted pneumonia in late January 2026.

On Friday, 10th April 2026, Neil passed peacefully with his wife Carol Gaunt by his side.

Neil always had a friendly attitude but was also a serious competitor, he will be sorely missed in the trials paddocks across the country.

Neil’s funeral will take place on Tuesday, 19th May at 12:20pm, at Stonefall Crematorium, Harrogate HG3 1DE.

Followed by food and drinks at The Pavillions, Harrogate, HG2 8QZ.

Any donations made at the Crematorium will be sent to the Yorkshire Air Ambulance, as this is was what Neil would have wanted, raising funds for a worthy ‘Yorkshire’ charity.

We are celebrating Neil’s life and all that he loved.

Our sincere condolences are conveyed to the entire and extended Gaunt family at this very difficult time.

(Photos: Iain Lawrie, Kinlochleven)

The Premier Trial Website – Recording the History of the Sport 'Established 2014'