Mick Andrews, multiple winner of the Scottish Six Day Trial (among other successes) is in NZ doing a series of training days. The word went out that he wanted a day of scrambling - you know, what they used to do with big ol' Brit bikes that had been shod with knobby tyres and a straight pipe. So the boys from Kiwi Rider magazine organised a day out the back of Riverhead for Mick and some friends. It was a great relaxed day with a whole bunch of interesting machinery, new and old. People swapped from bike to bike and through it all Mick Andrews was a class act - great to talk to, enjoying a couple of coldies, and just magic on a bike. Mick enjoying a ride on a Metisse Matchless And on another Matchless - these big old thumpers make a great noise. A more modern bike but still nearly 30 years old - an RM370 Suzuki. A sweet little Trumpy 250 trials bike
And more.. Old and new, a study of RM Suzukis. The ultimate British classic set up - a Jag tow car with a couple of Metisses and a Matchy on the trailer.
Not a classic but an interesting purpose built trials bike from Gas Gas.
C'mon....wheres the Peril...
I'll be going to the Aircooled trial at Te Pahu on sunday,and Mick Andrews will be there.He's been doing some trials training days around the country.I remember when he came out in the early '80's sometime,I was riding a TY175 then,and someone gave him a TY250 to ride - I bet he was embarrassed he had anything to do with it. Those Rickmans look nice - I once missed out on a white Metisse with a pre unit T100 by a few minutes.It was only a couple of miles from home,so thought I'd have something to eat first,as no one was liable to want a Rickman....I rolled up as it was being wheeled away.I hope it wasn't that one...the BSA gearbox and primary case are a nice touch,and I see the one high,one low pipes,all the details..I didn't miss out on the next Rickman that came up for sale.
C'mon....wheres the Peril... Safe at home in the garage .... I went out with a mate in another fine piece of errr, English engineering, the Landrover Discovery complete with an Eyetalian diesel injun (rumoured to be made out of melted down and reconstituted Moto Guzzi indicator stalks). I'm with you Motu, something about the Metisse looks so right. I had a play with a professional Canon EOS 1 camera - pushed the go button as the RM lifted its wheel over a bump and by the time I'd lifted me fat, slow-moving finger again I had about 75 photos of the bike. Man that thing was fast. Expect an upgrade in photo quality soon - the point and shoot is being supplemented by a proper digital SLR camera, looking forward to getting that (not an EOS1, I don't have a kazillion to spend). The Peril has another chance to shine tomorrow, as I meet a mate for a fish and chip lunch at Mission Bay.
