Mote control

The Jack Thompson Classic Bike Trial at Canada Heights in Swanley on April 4, 2021, saw a return to competition for many eager riders, with the Mote brothers taking the honours.

Colin Mote (Ariel HT5) secured his first Jack Thompson Trophy at Canada Heights on Easter Sunday. His brother Steve made it a family double by getting his less-modernised 500cc Ariel around the easier Red Route. Neither rider dropped a mark.

For the organising Sidcup & District MCC, it was the third time of trying to hold this always-popular trial. Covid regulations had made the traditional December date impossible and a late January alternative likewise, so it was Easter Sunday before the ‘2020’ event all came together.

Government regulations also meant the regular crowd of spectators could not be admitted, and further colour was missing with the contingent of continental riders unable to make the journey. Nevertheless, more than

100 entries were keen to grasp the first opportunity of competitive motorcycling for a long time. Among them was Bob Onley (Velocette), now the sole rider with the impressive record of having ridden in all 31

Jack Thompsons.

The ‘Pre-65 Class’ used to be a popular feature of many local trials, but the investment market has driven the prices of genuine British trials classics to levels where they are hidden, not ridden. The class was dying on its remaining wheels. The Jack Thompson took, and takes, a more pragmatic approach with anything pre-67 welcome to enter, even the original insistence on ‘British’ has been set aside. Virtually all of the bikes take advantage of modern technology to a greater or lesser degree. Frames have been subtly altered, fuel tanks shrunk, suspension units offer sophisticated damping and longer travel, front forks internally altered, and engine castings conceal some quite ingenious modifications.

The course on Easter Sunday had 20 sections to be ridden twice. All were within the Sidcup club's own land. Much of this is a west-facing hill with plenty of trees. The sections, with three levels of severity, offered twists and turns, climbs and drops. On the usual December date, the sandy ground has a good layer of damp leaf mould, often putting grip at a premium, but this time the leaves were either gone or dried. No less than 10 classes were won with clean sheets.

Having secured the premier award for the last three Jack Thompsons (although he shared his 2019 win with Daniel Carter), Phil Wiffen looked good to add to his tally. He started at number one, with his 400cc Matchless G3 as immaculate as ever. After a clean first lap, he needed a steadying dab in section seven. A minor slip, but enough to pass the crown to Colin Mote.

With 30 entries, the unit four-stroke sprung entry was the largest numerically. Luke Hora got his Triumph 5TA around for two laps clean, while Cub-mounted Gary Baker’s solitary dab on his second lap made him runnerup. The result was similar for the Red Route riders. Michael Baldock (BSA) was clean but Neil Cozens (BSA C15) single mark was lost on the tricky drop and climb at the side of the pond on section 11.

Riding rigid-framed bikes, Adrian Mountain had three previous class wins and this time he topped the rigid/ girder category on his 350cc Triumph 3HW. With limited ground clearance and suspension, even the easiest

Yellow Route is quite a challenge on such machinery, but he was another to ride all 40 sections without a single mark dropped, leaving runner-up Dave Blanchard

(250cc Triumph Tiger 70) 19 marks in arrears.

Trophy Jack Frearson on his way to the Vinall AJS. for a clean ride on his rigid/tele 410cc

After lockdown modifications, Martin Gilbert said he was “Trying out” his Drayton Bantam. A class win obviously proved a point. Luke Hora (Triumph 5TA) was the only rider with a zero score to take premier in the four-stroke unit sprung class.

1: Dave Shave almost took to flight to preserve a firstlap clean sheet on his 350cc Grumph (Greeves Triumph).

2: Spot the differences? Like most of the Jack Thompson entry, Michael Baldock’s class-winning BSA C15 has been updated to keep it competitive in modern classic trials – if that makes sense.

3: The evergreen Geoff Cornes on his Matchless G80 took sixth place over the Red Route.