British Bike Bonanza
Last minute saviour.
Will it? Won’t it? They were the questions on classic scrambles fans’ lips when news broke traditional home of the British Bike Bonanza was being sold. In the end Adrian Moss found a suitable location not too far away from the original course and for the 2016 event Hailey Farm at Sapperton near Cirencester became the event’s new home.
Though the venue changed there was still a trial on Saturday for which CDB has to thank Ken Wallington for the loan of an immaculate BSA B40 which puts the editor’s version to shame. The going was traditionally Cotswold though – thankfully reasonably dry so not too slippery. Given that Adrian Moss is unashamedly a fan of the bigger and pre-unit bikes in our scene it is perhaps no great revelation the Bonanza trial is designed around these bikes, and there were a good selection in action.
Ponderosa Farm at Sallywood Park was always a brilliant and traditional course, and the Hailey Farm venue provided a different challenge... but most importantly of all, it meant the event could go ahead and the landowners could see we off-road riders are responsible people.
As the event progressed rumours grew that an even better course was to be made available on the other side of the valley – though still part of the same farm – for the end of this year. There may have been a few issues with stones, and the track may have been flatter than some would have liked, but racing went on and big four-strokes diced with European two-strokes.
Typically there were a number of past masters invited to attend and Adrian has a way of teasing these sometimes reluctant superstars along to the Bonanza each year. Sometimes it seems it’s easier to just agree to Adrian Moss than trying to explain why you can’t come. Of the many guests invited and put in front of commentator Dave Stallworthy’s microphone Byan Goss went under the title of Guest of Honour. ‘Badger’ related tales of his early grass track exploits, then his scrambling career with Greeves and Husqvarna.