1:Quick-action
Domino throttle,
anotherindicator
theGreeveswas
initiallyrebuilt
tocompete.
2:Fold-upfootrests
areamustfor
modernpre-65trials.
3:Riderand
developerBrian
Stonebridgewas
responsiblefor
thecrossover
exhaustsystem.
Below:There’s
adefinite
attractiveness
totheGreeves’
distinctive,
ruggedlooks.
1
2
3
his bike. Myfirstoutingwas the localSouthampton
Vikingclub’s noviceevent, and Ican’t remembermuch
aboutthe trialitself ,but Irecall wefitted theJameswith
apair of ‘bobbydodger’lightssoIcould ride itto and
from thestart and, amazingly, whentheresultsarrived
the following week, Icould hardly believe it to see that
I’dwon the premierawardinmyfirstevent. By that
timeI’dstartedworkasanapprentice printer at nearby
Caustons,sosoonmanaged to scrape enough money
togetherto buyapukkacompetit ion Francis-Barnett
trailer fromJack White.”
TheBarnettincludedsomerathercrude modifications
to thesteerin ggeometrybyWhite, affectedbyusing a
blow torch playedliberallyontothe frontdown-tube,
and whenthe cherry redglowwas deemed ‘right’the
bike wasforci bly wheeledintoawall,but in th ehands
of theberet wearin g‘Cully’ wassoonaregularwinnerin
the Southern centre, includingthe tough1958Talmag.
Often accompanied by hisgoodpal Dave Freemantle,
Chriswasstill ridingthe biketoall of his trials.After
acoupleofseasons theBarne tt begantoloseits edge
andChris decided to buyanew 197ccGreevesScottish.
It wasalsotimetotraveltothe events instyleina
MorrisMinorpick-up,boughtfromDave’sbrother,and
although this periodcoincidedwith Chris’ National
Servicecall up papers,thisdid li ttle to curtailhis trials
riding talents...
Chris added:“Alongwith Dave Rowlands and
Gordon Coppock –who laterdesi gned James Hunt’s
McLarenFormula 1racing car–Iwasbased at Boredon
instr uctingofficersfromSandhurst to ride motorcycles,
whichmeantevery weekend Icould ride my little 150cc
Fra ncis-Barnettroadster home toSouthampton to
compete in allofSouthern centreevents.
“When the Army teamwasannouncedfor th e1962
