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Braintree & District Motorcycle Club www.braintree-mcc.co.uk
TAIL LIGHT October 2017
OFFICERS OF THE CLUB FOR 2017 Chairman: Steve Butcher 01376 516051 [email protected]
Secretary: John Yearley [email protected] Treasurer: Chris Cook 01376 328602
Auditor: Andrew Thain Membership & EC Gazette Secretary: Stuart Penfold [email protected]
Competitions Recorder: Wes Butcher 07949 031343
Tail Light Editor: Wes Butcher 22 Newland St, Witham. CM8 2AQ [email protected] EC Board Reps: Eddie Wass and Chris Cook
Committee: Andrew Thain 01376 339226, James Yearley 07734 801066, Wes Butcher, Adrian Parker 01371 850508, Allen Collier 01371 850609,
Chris Cook, Sam Cook 0777087643, Phil Read, John Yearley Trustees of the Club: Dave Clark, John Yearley, Eddie Wass Bob Maiden
DIARY
Saturday 4th November – Junior Academy for Electric bikes only at Spansey Wood.
17th December – Turkey Trot Trial – Beazley End – Best festive fun you can have on a motorcycle! Lots of fun – all classes and ages catered for including youth riders on electric bikes.
Let’s get riding... Welcome to the final edition of the year. Lots been going on as usual and difficult to report on all of it (Particularly as I haven’t been to most of it)! Thanks to everyone that sent me some news to include in this edition. Enjoy your wet and muddy riding throughout the winter and hope to see as many of you as possible at the Turkey Trot! Enjoy the edition…
Turning 60… The latest Sexagenarian to join this exclusive club in the Braintree DMCC is often now heard to shout Kanreki before his attempt on a massive rock step - some considered this to be a copy of the colourful Fujinami but no this was just to celebrate his new found joys of passing the milestone of 60 and his knowledge of the Japanese language - with new enthusiasm for 2018 our competitor is staging one of the biggest come backs of all time even remaining undaunted whilst colleagues around him accept their white route fate as time takes its toll on ageing limbs and minds. Overheard on a recent trip aboard it seems secret discussions have already been taking place between our competitor and a previous eastern centre champion to see if terms can be agreed for extra training and assistance as a minder for the massive eastern centre logs and rock steps , there is concern however as during the same trip away the newly formed team of 2 stood admiring a near vertical Funicular railway until our keen eyed competitors son had to tell them it was a pipe line ( should have gone to spec savers ) . Beta have been contacted and you will marvel @ the sponsorship deal and all will admire the new high glow green tyre dust caps which have been given free of charge, early signs for his sponsors are very promising as our eastern centre man received a well fought 3rd at Purls Hill and will now seriously press on to take the 2018 Intermediate championship. Happy Birthday Chairman
Obituary – Cecily Hibbard
It is with much sadness that I have to report the passing of Mrs. Cecily Hubbard. Cecily was the wife of the late Jack Hubbard (probably the most well known member the club has ever had). Mrs Hubbard presented us with a magnificent trophy to be raced for at our annual scramble on Jacks passing and also presented it to the winner of the event. She also helped the club behind the scenes in promoting the scramble and will be greatly missed by all those who knew her. John Yearley
Obituary – Phillip Dusty Miller The last founder member of BDMCC passed away on 23rd May aged 89. Phillip Dusty Miller attended the first meeting in January 1946, a total of 14 attended. Motorcycles in those days after the war were old girder ridgid road bikes. When new bikes began to reappear dusty purchased a new competition 350cc matchless with telescopic forks. This was purchased from Jim Hazelwood garage in Coggeshall road, who had an agency for amc motorcycles , which were made in Plumstead. Phill road scrambles for many years with success at centre level. Practice in those days incorporated a club run from Braintree to Beazley End Pitts. At the end of practice a stop at a local hostelry and a return to Braintree. John Yearley
Langford Show 2017 The annual bike meet at the Museum of Power was held on the 6th August and without a doubt was the most successful for the club yet with the Junior Academy creating a big buzz and a lot of interest all day. The kids (and Roy of course!) put on a great show of their skills in our designated area and Dave Clark then took them all into the main arena to get an even bigger audience. Thanks for all the club members for coming along to help out and to the kids who put on a great show!
Below – Roy was a smash hit as usual despite not wanting to ride the concrete pipes this year!
Below – In the main arena under Dave Clarks watchful eye.
Below – Young Jack gave it full throttle as always and bounced back from a big crash off a vertical drop off! Well done Jack!
Below – Roy taught Maya how to go through the pipes…
Below – Chairman gives his two Granddaughters some tuition
Long Distance Trial 2017
This was a fantastic success again with some tremendous feedback given by some of the riders. Big thanks must go out to Cliff for organising and the TRF club very kindly donated their share of the proceeds towards the clubs new electric bikes. Somewhat embarrassingly (as if the chairman hasn’t been featured enough in this edition) the event was won by Chairman who put the win down to having watched Adam Raga’s new techniques on his recent trip to the Italian world round. Well done to everyone who could understand the road book and got round to the finish and to all the club helps. See some of the rider quotes below…
Thank you for a great day on Sunday!
Please thank all observers and everyone who helped out on the test and make this day happen.
We had a great day in our group of 5 ,it makes a nice change to racing enduro. I certainly need more feet up practice!.
A bit stiff in the hips but what an awesome day! Amazing experience, loved flying through the lanes and such a great bunch. Martin and Spencer were so kind keeping my back and it was an education following you and Ian!! 😬😬
I have honestly seen more countryside today in back yard than the last 30 years, just on phone telling my old man - he's very jealous! Definitely next year and so good to have the confidence to go out...though I could do with a bit more power and softer boots! Thanks again mate, it was brilliant 👍👍
Great day, thank you all again
Below – Graham Smith enjoys the ride at Beaxley End…
Below – Familiar face at trials Bob Wreathall looks to be enjoying it…
Below – Enduro star Paul Belton is thankful the section doesn’t incorporate going over the infamous “Roys Logs”
Below – Sean Goddard produces some smoke!
Junior Academy As I’m sure you will all know the club suffered a big blow during the summer shortly after the last edition of the taillight when the cubs Oset bikes were stolen from Stuart’s house on the night of the 10th July. This was obviously very traumatic for Stuart and his family but luckily no-one was hurt. If you did miss it here was our official statement:
It's with great sadness that our next junior academy trial on the 22nd July (and all future events for that matter) has been cancelled after the clubs OSET BIKES WERE STOLEN from one of our committee's houses in Halsted overnight. The bikes stolen were a 16 racing and a 20 racing model. Serial numbers etc to follow. Can we please share this posting far and wide and keep eyes and ears peeled for any information that may lead to the recovery of these bikes. As you know these bikes were for the youngsters of our community to use and ride for just £10 a go and these thieves have robbed not only the club but all of the children in our community who could come and ride them. We are dumbfounded by these thieves selfishness. Please contact anyone at the club if you see or hear anything suspicious. Thank you.
Frame numbers –
- 16.0 Racing 2016. Frame number – OSET16R5H402
- 20.0 Racing 2016. Frame number – OSET20R5H574
Unfortunately to date we have not received any leads on their whereabouts and doubt we will ever see
them again. We have spent the summer deliberating what to do next and we’re pleased to report that following our most recent committee meeting it has been decided to purchase 2 new bikes and with an aim of fundraising for a 3rd. Paul Nash Motorcycles has kindly provided very good deals for 2 mid-sized Mecatecno’s which some of you may have seen in action at the Langford show. We have two events coming up. On Saturday 4th we have a youth only academy day at Spansey wood. Youths with their own electric bikes are most welcome and we will have a suitable for all abilities course set up. Finally to finish the year we will run the academy alongside our annual Turkey Trot trial at Beazley end. If anyone would like to help out and volunteer please do get in touch with a committee member. As you can imagine the running of these events is fairly labour intensive but at the same time its super rewarding watching the kids progress so please help out if you can.
Purls Hill 2017
Our Purls Hill trial in September was another successful event. Many thanks to Paul Belton for the use of this fantastic piece of land. James took on the clerk of the course duties and put on a great event enjoyed by some 70 riders from across the centre. Rain was expected so the course ended up riding a little easier than James had hoped for with winner Julian Harvey making mincemeat out of it to drop just a solitary mark. James couldn’t ride because of his duties so the club had no one riding in the experts. Fresh off the back of winning the expert B’s at the Colchester trial a week earlier I had hoped for a good ride but the brother in laws birthday meal the night before put pay to that (!) and I was down in 5th in the B’s. Next up was Squeak who wanted an easier day by just riding the red route and had a good ride to only drop 8 marks. Chairman meanwhile had another great ride only dropping 9 on this route which would leave him on 3rd in the Inters. Fairly embarrassing for the Centre that the over 60 can do that at a championship round. Sam dusted the Mont down having hardly rode all year to still finish in 6th and great to see Richi Penfold back in Essex finished 12th. Roy would have won the Inter B’s had he not somehow selected the wrong gear and collected a single 5 which dumped him down in 8th! Cookie was 12th and Barry 13th. All 3 electric bikes youths done fantastic with Eddie taking a clear win ahead of the ever improving Jack and Fin – well done lads.
Below – Richi looked stylish
Below – Sammy enjoying getting out on the bike.
Blast from the Past… Beazley End trial February 1948 rider Eric Grice
Italy 2017 The annual BDMCC pilgrimage to northern Italy took place in September. We have been attending the Italian round of the world championships now for around 15 years and have enjoyed a different venue every time. This year was no different and we flew into Verona and then drove about an hour to a town on the northern tip of Lake Garda – Arco di Trento. Usually the trial is based in the town centre with the paddock occupying the central square. This always makes for a very relaxed atmosphere and a few beers can be had whilst still in the general vicinity of the trial. This year was a little different in that respect now Jake Miller and his promotions company has taken on the job. He had found the purpose built Metzler off road centre a few miles up the road and could contain the trial onto a very small area and charge admission etc. This made for watching the sections quite easy but it lacked the atmosphere of previous events where buses where used to move spectators round the course. The sections were also very man made and club veteran Allen was not amused at the man made nature of the course. The qualifying on the Saturday was a complete joke – if any of you have ever watched this on facebook etc I can report its as boring in the flesh as on your phone/tablet. It was quite simply one of the worst sporting spectacles I’ve ever endured consisting of the riders spending about 30 seconds hopping and bopping over some rocks on a flat piece of ground trying to go faster than the next guy. Apart from some free practice this was all that the spectators enjoyed on the Saturday. Not great considering the effort you have to make to get to the trial. 30 seconds of the top riders in the world who had gone to great expenses and effort travelling thousands of miles for. This format needs to be seriously rethought by Jake and his team as if us hardcore trial fans found it boring imagine what the average guy on the street would think?! Anyhow the Sunday trail was good and Britain’s James Dabill had a very strong ride to finish in 4th. We enjoyed the usual Italian hospitality and food and
Adrian and Allen were big fans of the sauna and steam room; remember to ask them about it next time you see them… Here are a few pics to enjoy: Below – Jamie Busto was spectacular as usual and ended up in third.
Below – The Metzler centre has an awesome mx and enduro track on which many international events have taken place.
Below – on the Friday we climbed up the old fortifications in Arco. My fitbit went crazy and the 2 old boys needed a pint at the top. Allen decided to drink beer in town instead!
Below – Adrian enjoying the action
Below – If we could just insert some hand rails like this in the turkey trot sections they pondered…
Below – Allen was not amused with the new format of world trials and is seen here queuing up in the rain to see the promoter of the event – Jake Miller - who just so happened to have been Allen’s page Boy at his wedding!
CLUB TRIALS CHAMPIONSHIP 2017 There were 3 trials counting towards the club championships since our last edition. With just one more trial to go there are several classes with lots still up for grabs. In the Inters it looks like Chairman is going to add yet more silverware to the 2017 haul. Only Sammy is in striking distance of him but it will be some turnaround if he manages it! In the novices it looks like Paul will take the honours but again Graham is in striking distance and could still turn things around. Any of the 3 Pre-70 riders could still take the title with just 5 marks separating them all. It really is a question of who turns out on what machine as Allen could end up with both the pre-70 and twinshock titles or just as easily end up winning neither of them if he gets his bike choice wrong! Phil and the Palmer brothers have tough decisions to make as to what to ride at the Turkey Trot if they are to take any of the championships. Let’s see how it all pans out!
1 2 3 4 5 6 7
BRAINTREE COLCHESTER CHELMSFORD BRAINTREE BRAINTREE COLCHESTER BRAINTREE SPANSEY WOOD THORINGTON BEAZLEY END SNAQUE PIT
PURLS HILL ALPHAMSTONE BEAZLEY END
13/03/2016 23/04/2017 13/05/2017 22/07/2017 10/09/2017 08/10/2017 17/12/2017
Position at Snaque Pit
Position at Purls Hill
Position at Alphamstone
Total Points
Expert A James Yearley 3 N/A N/A 17 Expert B Wes Butcher 1 5 N/A 87 Graham Palmer 2 11 N/A 45 Inter Stephen Butcher 2 3 N/A 54 Richard Penfold N/A 12 N/A 13 Sam Cook N/A 6 N/A 30 Kevin Palmer 1 N/A N/A 25 Roy Palmer N/A N/A N/A 10 Inter B Chris Cook N/A 12 N/A 14 Martin Baker N/A N/A N/A 0 Barry Harber N/A 3 10 9 Novice Paul Jefferies 1 n/a n/a 50 Graham Corker 3 n/a n/a 34 Mark Hale 6 n/a n/a 10 Carl Turner n/a n/a n/a 0 Nathan Baily n/a n/a n/a 0 Paul French n/a 4 n/a 14 Craig King n/a n/a n/a 0 Pre 70 Allen Collier n/a n/a n/a 25 Phil Read n/a n/a n/a 20 Roy Palmer n/a n/a n/a 20 Twinshock Graham Palmer n/a n/a 2 44 Allen Collier 1 n/a n/a 39 Kevin Palmer n/a n/a n/a 16 Martin Baker n/a n/a n/a 9 Roy Palmer n/a 8 4 34 Youth Finn Penny n/a 3 n/a 17 Jack Holmes 1 2 n/a 45
