1970 EX-JIM SANDIFORD, ISDT CHENEY TRIUMPH
Chosen by: James Stensel, head of motorcycles UK
Sold at: The Banbury Run sale, 2011 Sale price: £12,075
This Cheney-framed 504cc Triumph Tiger was ridden by Jim Sandiford in the 1970 ISDT, based in Escorial, Spain that year. Sandiford, who was a works rider for both BSA and Greeves, rode as part of the sixman British Trophy team that year and the ACU had arranged for frame-building wizard and former motocrosser Eric Cheney to provide rolling chassis for the Triumphsupplied engines. The oil-bearing frames were nickel plated, forks were Cheney items and both wheels were quickly detachable. Three engines were built to 504cc capacity to contest the 750cc class.
Sandiford finished the event unpenalised to claim a Gold Medal and help Bill Wilkinson and Ken Heanes take the 750 class. The British team (with 500 class riders Malcolm Rathmell, John Giles and John Pease) took sixth overall in the Trophy event.
Sandiford’s bike was sold after the event (along with the other team bikes) and reappeared in Kent in 1978. It was offered in good condition and largely as ridden by Jim Sandiford. A real survivor.
“Growing up on an expansive farm in Rydedale, North Yorkshire I was exposed to trials and motocross from a very young age. That has left me with a huge soft spot for off-road machinery. Jim Sandiford was competition motorcycling royalty and enjoyed an impressive career, not just as a rider but as a dealer and importer. His contributions to the development of off-road machines, including Montesa’s trials bikes, were significant and many a schoolboy or novice rider started their motorcycling career on one of Jim’s Montesas.” James Stensel