At the March 10th prizegivng at the Wanganui Greyhound Clubrooms Bruce Fergusson picked up the coveted ‘Good Barstard’ Award for his contribution to the sport during the season, always there doing it in the dirt having fun. There were a few jokes about not needing any engine cleaner as it would spoil the look of his bike but jokes aside, Bruce just loves riding his old ‘pom bomb’, as he affectionately calls her. He went down to the 18th ‘Old Thumpers’ meeting and rode in 9 races and a number of flasher B50MX riders came home after him in the main ‘All British’ race, much to their surprise as its a bog standard 441cc motor. Read More….

Mark ‘The Eel’ Ellen in fine form today on the Suzuki 400 at the new Upukongaro track above the Wanganui River and SH4. It was a bit dusty but a brilliant rolling country track with many riders enjoying the big speedbowl style banked turned 3 & 4 and the flowing nature of the track. It was a very hot day with only a puff of a gentle sea breeze after lunch to help blow the fine stuff away. Read More….

A photo of Darryl Dowman on the Suzuki SP370 on the outside of Tony Wood CZ400 with Mark ‘The Eel’ Ellen close behind on the Suzuki TM400 (a bike just finished in time for the meeting)

The racing all day was close and exciting with Bryan Wade loving the venue, the atmosphere and the enthusiasm of the riders. The ‘Kildare’ venue certainly has an English feel about it with oak trees and willows in the pits giving riders a good shady pit, or a place to have  picnic lunch. Read More….

In March 1993 I ran a grasstrack meeting at Solway Showgrounds Masterton in an attempt to resurect the North Island 1/4 Mile Grass Track Championship but ACU/MNZ officials scuttled that idea and only issued a permit for the meeting on the race day. The race meet included MX solos, Classics, speedway solos and sidecars. Read More….

Ross Mckenzie in action at Upper Hutt on his ’79 CR 250 Honda. He rode exceptionally well all day to eventually take out the Twinshock 250 Trophy – Photo by Tiffany Cochrane.

Special thanks to all the riders who were able to come to this event from Hawkes Bay, Taupo, Taranaki and Wanganui, plus the Wellington lads- your support was greatly appreciated. We created something special together and Big Mac, Tiffany and I are keen to go back next year. A different date is a must but we have the basis of a very good track with unique location and pits. Read More….

John Nelson receiving a signed event poster from Bryan Wade plus a set of elbow protectors courtesy of Kiwi Rider. It was John’s first trial and he had just won the B Grade Sunday trial. All the trials riders on Sunday were in the draw for a new Mitas rear trials tyre, and John’s name came out the hat so a new 400 x 18 rear will be couriered to him shortly for his Suzuki RL250 machine. Read More….

Bryan Wade on the 1971 Husqvarna 400 in action at ‘Kildare’ on Sunday Feb 19th. Bryan loved the track and the meeting and said it reminded him of the fun he had in his early days of racing before it all go real serious and the ‘money’ got in the way. DJ and TM Bill have thanked Tiffany & I and the team in their forum posting and we both thank the riders who were able to make it. With full twinshock classes available in Upper Hutt you are in for a ripper weekend down there. Read More….

 Points up this soon after an event ??? Can it be ???

Must be the womens touch ! Yes… Thats right… Many thanks to Debbie Ritchie (Neils much better half) for doing such a great job..

For those of you who don’t know, Debbie is probably one of the last professional manual lapscorers left in the country so we are lucky to have her help out (a dying art in the world of transponders)…

Click here for – Rnd 4 Points

We are looking forward to seeing you all at the Rnd 5 Final & Prizegiving.

Ian Pike having a blast on Saturday on his CZ250 – Photo by Tiffany Cochrane

A great weekend in Taranaki with lots of things happening. The Pre ’76 & Twinshock day on the Saturday, Steves Private Man-Shon (as opposed to man Cave) opening on Saturday evening plus twinshock trials at the Burts property as well.

Some aspects of the track were not to everyone’s liking but the venue location and hospitality of the Burt Family was second to none, the weather was hot and dry and I am sure (like me) you all went home will a well exercised heart and a sore body. Round 4 results will be posted in the future as Lloyd outlined.

This Sunday Feb 19th I am running a Pre ’76 and Pre ’78 event at ‘Kildare’ in Wanganui, a much shorter and easier track than Burt’s one.  Same Track as the Suzuki 50th but running in reverse direction and there is thick grass over the venue so no dust problem. Rider Entry on the day $50. The venue is SH3 just north of Wanganui, just past BP Autodrome. Venue will be signposted. Sign on from 9am. There will be practice at 10.30am and Racing starts at 11am

Come to Wanganui and ride with International Motocross GP Star Bryan Wade, the only person to ever win the British 125cc, 250cc and 500cc Championships. This is a Pre ’76 meeting on the old Bob Coleman ‘of Colemans Suzuki fame’ famlet at Kildare just north of Wanganui a couple of kms. If there are 5-6 of you who want to front on the day I will allow Pre’78 machines to have a run also.

I was at the track last night and the ground has dried out well and the venue is in great shape. Riders will now cross the famous bridge and go up the hill with the track in reverse order to the ‘Suzuki 50′ year event. Rider sign on $50 on the day and ride as many bikes as you can. Any questions you can email on robertc@amcom.co.nz, Ph 06-343-7585 or txt Tiffany 022-023-1192. Look forward to seeing many of you in Taranaki this weekend – its going to be a ripper – Cheers Robert C

Three World Champions having a Blast.

All twinshock riders are invited to join in the track ride time on Saturday from 10.30am to 4.30pm. Classes will have 15min of track time on a rotating class format just like a VMX meet. This is tailored in the spirit of the VMX Mag ‘Classic Dirt’ event in Australia, the largest meeting down under.

The entry fee is $50 on the day and included the BBQ Museum opening. Steve is providing the BBQ food at no cost (those who have pre-paid will get a refund in the mail) and it is BYO alcohol.  The BBQ starts at 7pm and is at 1895 Egmont Rd, Kaimiro which is 6kms on the left up from Egmont Village. If you are only doing the Sunday VMX and want to come to the BBQ, that’s okay but please notify us of the numbers who are coming by Thursday October 9th 9pm. robertc@amcom.co.nz or Ph 06-343-7585

Sign in on the day is from 8.30am to 9.30 am, Briefing at 9.30, – no briefing= no ride, Practice 10.00, Riding from 10.30am to 4.30pm. The venue is at Burts Property 267 Tariki Rd just South of Inglewood.

No race faces, dogs or bar bashing. Product prizegiving at BBQ. The farmers wife Cheryl Burt will be running the food tent and coffee for the weekend so please support her charity. Free camping on site.

Please note that the Saturday track is in a different part of the farm to the Sunday Track.  - Cheers Robert Cochrane

Lloyd McKenzie making a splash on Section 5 on Sunday 29th on his TY350 mono Yamaha. He had a very enjoyable day and adapted quickly to log hopping, creek crossing and climbing steps in the B Grade to soundly beat me on my Montesa 247. Twenty-two riders enjoyed the day with sections 1-3 in the house paddock and the other seven across the stream in the second paddock, we just had to ride past a couple of alpaccas on the way back and forth. Top rider in Expert was Fred Carter Fantic 200 followed closely by Glen Bullock on the TLR200 while Gerald Bull took the A Grade from Colin Richardson and his Montesa 200 with Grant Bullock 3rd on his Honda TLR200. In the B Grade Adrian Barnes Montesa 242 took the win from Oscar on his XL125S Honda by 1 point, with Halden Mudway leading his dad Phil home to 3rd, both on Yamaha TY250A models. Next event is the Mick Andrews Twinshock Trials Series Round 2 on Saturday 11th Feb at Burts property in Inglewood. See you there………..

Steve Roberts wheels out his friends circa 1971 Husqvarna 400 Motocross machine that has been offered for Bryan Wade to ride at Wanganui and Upper Hutt. Steve’s friend in the UK is delighted that ‘Wild Wade’ will be riding his machine.

I delivered the bike to Malcolm at Joe Lett Motorcycles today for a full service in preparation for Brian’s arrival. Bryan Wade won the British MX Championships Five times and was the first and only rider to win the 250cc, 500cc and 125 cc Championships. His first works professional contract was for Greeves, then Husqvarna, Suzuki and also Honda in the very late 70s. He also set up very successful MX training schools with Honda in UK in late 1970s.

In case you hadn’t heard the news, due to his mother (in her 90s) deteriorating health problems Mick is unable to travel to New Zealand. During his 2011 trip wife Jill had to return home early due to her mothers ill health. She has since passed away and recently Mick was at his Aunties funeral. He said ‘its just terrible the way they keep them hanging on in these homes with just enough food and vitamins to barely keep them alive. Mum and Auntie have both been up and down in recent months and Auntie went first, it could so easily could have been mum. I don’t want to come over to NZ and then disappoint you guys by having to leave early. That wouldn’t be fair.’ Mick is still keen to come so has put NZ in his 2013 diary and we will continue dialogue. He just wants to say a big hello to the many great friends him & Jill made on their last trip and are looking forward to catching up next year.

This is a bit of a mystery shot from the Tim Gibbes Collection from the Woodville MX GP and looks like two Honda riders charging hard. Year?

Have a great New Year and I look forward to catching up with most of you at Taranaki Vintage Dirt in Feb, for the Pre ’76 scramble, the Twinshock Trials, The VMX Museum Opening or the Kiwi VMX Series 9 Round 4, going to be the dirt weekend of the year and one to not miss. Any questions drop me a line at robertc@amcom.co.nz and yes, the first Trials and Scrambles entries were in two weeks ago so keep them rolling

The late Joe Cochrane QSM (centre) with mates in the Middle East at the the end of WW2 on peacekeeping duty in the Trans Jordan – Despatch Rider machine is the BSA M20 500cc sv.- also used inter Battalion Scramble events against the Matchless G3L 350cc and Norton 16H 600 sv army mounts.

The series is dedicated to Joe who received the Qeens Service medal in 2010 for 50 years service to the community via junior soccer, Lions, Special Olympics and a host of other charity works. His community work touched many thousands in the Upper Hutt and Wellington regions and he received numerous Lions and Civic Awards. He taught me many skills for running events and the key ingredient was to never give in, to follow what you believe in and just do it anyway. My passion for Pre 76 scrambles started with events in Wellington in 1990 and now every one of you who were thinking about having a ride in the Upper Hutt Twinshock Dirt event gets the chance to play ‘Steve McQueen’ for a day and ride on a real movie set. The Series starts at the ‘Old Thumpers 18th’ event at the beginning of Feb, NZ’s longest running Pre ’80 scramble. In Taranaki the following weekend the Pre 76 scramble is the Saturday prelude to the Kiwi VMX 4th Round and Steves MX Museum opening, and then its off to Wanganui to Bob Coleman’s old track @ ‘Kildare’ before travelling to the former ‘Masons Valley’ Country GP movie set (also used by Cloud 9 for the UK TV  Series – The Tribe). I expect very few of you can make all rounds and it was never my intention that you would, but I encourage each of you to make the effort to ride at least one of the events, and especially to the Twinshock riders to help the establishment of this key event at the end of February in the Capital. Entry forms @ www.legendsofdirt.co.nz

Photo of the Legendary Mr Tim Gibbes, the original ‘Mr Motocross’ of NZ at the Manawatu-Orion 100 year Dinner with a 1956 AJS Competition 500cc (longstroke) model.

Tim and his brother-in law Ken Cleghorn started NZ’s first MX meeting in 1961 at Woodville and the event still runs at the same venue on the last weekend of January each year, and now has over 600 riders.

Picture is of the Beamish RL250 Suzuki that was produced in the UK from mid to late 70s. If candoerjohn could email me at robertc@amcom.co.nz or ph 06-343-7585 I may be able to point you in the right direction. The owner of this machine has a standard model also and has some spares so could be a good start. His neighbour has some trials guards for sale also but not sure of stock. These enthusiasts will be a good starting point

British Champion Bryan Wade (30) Greeves and future World Champion Roger De Coster (3) CZ battle for the lead at an International in Europe circa 1969 – Photo from the Bryan Wade collection

Mick Andrews will be at the Taranaki event ‘Tarananki Vintage Dirt’ and Bryan Wade will ride at Wanganui and Upper Hutt. The legendary Steve Roberts is preparing a 1969 Husqvarna for Bryan to ride at both these meetings. So flamboyant was Bryan’s riding style in the UK that he picked up the monica, ‘Wild Wade’ and these days with his ‘Borneo Biking Adventures’ business he goes by the ‘Wild Man of Borneo’ nickname.

A special social evening is being planned in Wellington prior to the Upper Hutt ‘Twinshock Dirt’ weekend and details to follow. Brendan Keogh @ Motorad is arranging for a machine so Bryan can do some trail riding and other riding activities while in the Capital. For further details on his history go to www.bryanwade.co.uk