Dicko’s view

After years of writing about other works riders, our man recalls the day he too enjoyed the fruits of works backing.

A surprising revelation from our man this issue… what did he do? Why did he do it? Read the column.

I noticed the HUGE, red, on/off rocking switch mounted in the centre of the bars. Could it really be...?❞

Always a sucker for something left field, I couldn't help but smile when, in the last issue of this fine publication, editor Tim featured the RTX twinshock trials weapon of Cumbrian character Paul 'Wobbler' Norman. A reminder of the 'real world' away from immaculate 2020 rebuilds and replicas...

The Wobbler always has something oddball in his locker to be honest and has previously been a class winner in the KIA series on a Fantic 80. Only to be outdone by his diminutive Devonian pal Martin 'Fuji' Gilbert who went one better on his even more diminutive Honda TLM 65!

Yes, I've digressed already, so back to the mighty RTX. For once I can speak with total authority, as back in the day – and it was indeed for just one day – I was a fully supported RTX factory rider and flew the flag in the Bootle club's round of the SEBAC National Twinshock Championship, run at Fell Green. Which, as most of you reading this will know, was the very same venue of the one and only KIA National Twinshock Champs staged in 2020 before Covid-19 brought a halt to the fun.

First things first, to quash a much quoted quote, the RTX is not Russian. The main components, including the two-stroke Minsk engine, hail from Belarus, imported by an irascible character called Nev Mason who ran a motorcycle shop at Barrow upon Humber, near Hull.

To digress again, I once spent a memorable day with the late Nev at the shop in the shadow of the Humber Bridge and it was a revelation – he showed me a shed full of two-stroke singles from all over the world – including one from Cuba – with the quote, "Don't tell me there are no inexpensive engines around!"

Nev was a 'can do' sort of chap and when he had the idea of a cheap and (hopefully) cheerful trials iron he just went and did it. The flaw in the plan was that no one actually wanted such a low-rent model. As we all know too well, in this age of £10,000 Bantams, he was actually at the wrong end of the scale...

However, back to the RTX. I don't even recall how I ended up on the start ramp at Bootle on the little smoker. I do know that I was getting plenty of stick from the Northern centre crew who were of course mounted on their favourite Bults and Yams and Fantics and well-sorted stuff...

A manic voice in my head was jabbering big time: 'You just know this stupid thing is going to break down and you'll look a right tit...why did you do this?'

So I decided to get away at the front and just ride on my own. Through the first group of hazards and then onto the open fell, so far so good. I was giving it beans in my escape attempt, not concentrating and suddenly BANG! – front wheel into a deep boggy hole, stopping the bike dead and sending me spectacularly over the 'bars.

I was up and had it on its wheels before they'd stopped spinning, kicking frantically – kickkickkickkickkick – to get it going before someone came along... no chance. 'I knew this was going to happen!'

Out with the spanners and just as the plug emerged along came the gang right on cue, laughing, jeering and pointing. Just as I would have! 'It just stopped!' I lied. At which point the red mist cleared and I noticed the huge, red, on/off rocking switch mounted in the centre of the bars. Could it really be...?

Sooo, I had to coolly draw attention to the plug while sliding my hand over the switch which had clearly been knocked from on to off as I exited gracefully (in my mind) out the front door. 'Hey look, she's sparking now... what luck.'

Much as you expect me to slag the RTX off, the truth is that, especially on the second lap, once I'd stopped panicking, it was actually good fun to ride. True, it didn't have the power to pull the skin off a rice pudding and was hopeless on hills. but wedged firmly in bottom gear it handled nicely in the becks and I ignored the 'soft' brakes and lack of suspension – no damping up front and the rear twinshock springs were so hard not even my 13 stone (yes, it's gone up a bit since) could budge them.

I did politely suggest a few mods to Nev, post trial, like softer springs at the rear and some damping up front – stuff that would have cost next to nothing to improve – but he brushed this aside. "What do you want soft springs for, it's fine!"

A note on that Minsk motor. Gutless it may have been but the factory knocked out some six-and-a-half million units (Google is your friend!) over the years, so it can't be all bad. It is, like the BSA Bantam, based on the German DKW design that was filched by the Allies after the Second World War. The bonus with the Minsk version is that you can strip the motor armed only with a large flat-bladed screwdriver as flat head screws are utilised throughout...

Anyway, hats off to Wobbler for giving it a go, life isn't all trick Fantics and Bultacos!

Oh, and finally, I can't swear to this, but I think I scored Twinshock Championship points that day on the RTX... and until someone comes up with a set of results to disprove this I am clinging to that thought...!