Classic Dirt Bike — Autumn 2017

suchaselectronicignition,lightweighthubs,

suspensionandframedesignideassoeven

thestandardbikecouldbemadetowork

beyondBSA’s hopes.

EnterthelikesofJimPickering,whounder

theDraytonFramesbannerhasbeensteadily

developingwhatcanbeclassedasthe

ultimateBantamandhisproductsarenoted

fortheirattentiontodetailandbuildquality.

WhichiswhywhenMartinMurphy, he’sthelad

inthebluejacketinourpics,wantedapre-

BantambuildingforsonTy ler,hewentalongto

seeJimatDrayton.

Theresultisthissuperbbitofkit which

nevermissedabeatallthroughtheScottish

andbroughtthefirsthomewinfornorthofthe

borderandallGaryhastodoisdoit allagain

nextyear.

Giventhe numberof decenttrialsridershailingfrom Scotland,it is perhapssurprisingit’s

taken so long for thereto be aScottishwinnerof the ScottishPre-65TwoDay Trial. It

almosthappenedlast year whenthreeridersfinishedthe trial on the samenumberof marks,

unfortunatelyfor the Scottishlads ACUrulingon suchties went againstthem.However,

therewasnosuch decisionto be madethis year,asGaryMacdonaldcameout the clear

winner–and he’salocal lad too, livingin Kinlochleven.

As we took pics of his winningbike, in the cold wind of the Ice Factor car parkin

Kinlochleven, IquizzedGaryabout his backgroundin trialsriding.The 33-year-oldjoinerwas

still in that euphoricstatewherehe knewhe’dwon the trial but still couldn’tquite believe

it, but wastrying to focuson the forthcomingsix daytrial wherehe hopedto repeatthe

performanceand carve his nameon the AlexanderTrophy.

Garyhas beenridingtrialsfor 24 years, sincehis parentsprovidedhim, and his brother,

with aYamahaTY80to share.The little YambecamesolelyGary’swhen his brother

showed no real interestin ridingit. Garyonthe otherhandthoroughlyenjoyed the Yamand

it spurred him on to biggerand betterthings.Influencedby his fatherand unclewho, he

says ‘messedaboutin trialsabit and did the SSDTafew times’,Gary’strials careersoon

improved and he can now claimto have riddenthe SSDThimselfsince 2002 with the yellow

leaderboarddenoting‘trial leader’on his bikefour times,includingin 2017.

As for trialsriderswho have inspiredhim, Garywas abig fan of Japaneserider Takomi

Narita:“whenIwas ayounglad, Takomi wasabit of ahero of mineand it wasgreat to ride

with him in the SSDTonceIstarted.”

On the Bantam,Iasked if he’driddenit alot beforethe trial. “No, not really,probably

aboutfive hours’ worth of practiceon it, madeafew tweaksand just wingedit really.”

Some‘wing’we say. He went on to sayhemust thankMartin and Tyler Murphy–the bikeis

actuallyTyler’sand wasonloan for the trial –for allowinghim to ride it. Ithink by winning

the trial on it Garyyou’ve repaidtheir generosity.

GaryMacdonald

Well,ifI’vegottostandherethenMartinhasto

aswell –afterall hehadthebikebuilt.Tyler–

whonormally ridesthebike–hadvanishedin

casewegothimuptoo.

Left: Just

whenhe

thoughtit

wassafe

tocome

back,we

caughtTyler

Murphywith

hisbike.

Notsure

if Garyor

Tylerwill be

ridingthis

nextyear...

GaryMacdonald,still lookingsurprised,onthe

podium.Heknewhe’ddonewellbutwasstill

amazedtobethewinner.PreviouswinnerJames

NobletooksecondspotandbestnewcomerDan

Thorpewasthird.

Sidepull throttlesaregreatforkeepingthecable

runclosertothebars,whichis agoodthing.Ask

anyonewhohasevercaughtacable onabranch...

Tankfrontfixingis simpleandlight...seethe

problemwithpolishedalloy...all sortsofthings

arereflectedinit.

Billethubs,fromAlanWhitton,aremadeto

TriumphCubdesignbutmuchlighterthanksto

thembeingaluminium.

Drayton

Bantam

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