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 | Those were the days!Written approx. Oct. 1998 & updated 2004 Tim Who? Who is Tim Gibbes ? Not to bore you, but perhaps to answer the reason why! Born in Specialising in what is now known as motocross & enduro, I also rode many other disciplines including road race, observed trials, grass track, desert races, film stunts, motorcycle design, building circuits, coaching riders, what ever, which spilt over to car rallying & racing for a time. From 1963 for some years I visited During the period 1955 to 1963 I won six Gold Medals & one Bronze at the equivalent to the Olympic Games of motorcycling, the International Six Days Trial, (the term “trial” later being dropped in favour of the modern buzz word “enduro”), as well as competing reasonably successfully in World Championship Motocross events. I spent a few years as a motorcycle test rider for various English factories, and later during the mid 80’s, tyre testing cars & motorcycles for a Japanese company. When first arriving in this country to marry Joan in 1961, I was aware of the hunger of riders in motorcycling sport to have events along similar lines to those overseas. In 1965 I bought an existing motorcycle shop in Palmerston North, during which time it became one of the largest retail stores in NZ, with various franchises, at its peak selling 100 motorcycles per month. I sold the business to ANZA Motorcycles in 1984. We sold 10,000 motorcycles in the 20 years of operation Probably one of the better known events in which I became involved was the Woodville Motocross Grand Prix, now NZ’s largest competition event, which in 2004 attracted about 750 riders! I should add that I no longer “front” this event, & it continues to draw large crowds & rider numbers. Also for some years I fronted the Central Enduro Series as well as becoming involved both Nationally & Internationally with this form of motorcycle sport. Arranging and taking Another series in which I have been coordinator, is the Winter Motocross Series, now (in 2004) 25 years young. It attracts 1,200 riders with an average of 175 riders per round. I resigned from coordinating this series at the end of 1997, but it continues. Again an unbounded market. Turning more of my attention to the road race discipline over the past few years, I find again the hunger and willingness for riders to race their bikes. In the background I see a resistance from traditionalists who, while well meaning, tend not to have fronted major events or tried to pass on the motorcycling message to the outside world, nor keeping up with inevitable changes in life style, technology, markets, demands & controls. From 1997 I fronted the annual six round Suzuki Road Race Series at Manfeild & Taupo circuits, which catered for as many different disciplines as possible, attracting an average of more than 150 riders per event, something rarely heard of in motorcycle road racing. I withdrew from this fronting this series at the end of 2002 as I felt I was no longer giving it full attention, tended to be taking shortcuts & found fronting events became a “steeper hill to climb” with age creeping on. Regrettably this series has fallen by the wayside, as has this discipline of the sport, but there are recent signs of a resurge of interest & new sponsors coming on board. Road racing has a place in NZ motorcycle sport, with huge potential of rider talent, media profile, & market investment.
For a few years around 1990 I was on Motorcycling New Zealand Executive that was an experience in involvement that enabled me to learn a lot about character building and assassination. Not always "PC", and conscious of the need to provide good events for our riders, I was not acceptable to MNZ hierarchy. Nevertheless I will continue to do my best for motorcycle sport. However, despite my shortcomings, in 2003 I was elected a life member of Motorcycling New Zealand, & in 2003 was awarded the “John Britten Innovation & Service to the Industry Award” at the New Zealand Annual Motorcycle Awards. Moving to the background from there, in 2002 my wife & I invested in an AMB transponder lapscoring & timing system, which is now used widely in motor & motorcycle sport throughout the country. This has enabled us to maintain contact with our life within motorsport – motorcycles & cars. Results & points of events we have timed (which in 2010 are now "Live results & timing) in the past several years or so maybe viewed on my website www.motorcyclesport.co.nz under “MyLaps.com” while up to date information, photos, race reports both International & local, are on the site under different headings. Any person interested in motorcyclesport may attach their own information (but not commercial advertising) under the heading “OnLine Talk” free of charge. On this same website are updates of events happening in NZ & around the world, plus a special section called “Those were the days” where I’ve tried to provide stories & illustrate the “golden days” of times gone by. This website averages more than 20,000 hits per month, so obviously serves a purpose. Tim Gibbes. 100 Years of Motorcycling In One part of the birth of New Zealand International Moto-cross Series The South Canterbury Motorcycle Club held its first Gold Leaf International Motocross round on
The cream of NZ off-road talent was there, locals Ivan Boorer (NZ MX Champion) on his CZ, Ray Johnstone (NZ MX Champion in 1968 on the first Rickman in NZ), Dave Burns (DOT) – son of the Vincent land speed world record holder Dave Burns, Ken Cleghorn (Cheney/AJS) NZ Champion, etc. plus International rider Tim Gibbes (AJS) Australian and NZ Champion and six time ISDT Gold medal winner. The Gold Leaf International series ran from 1964 to 1970 and included many International stars such as Arthur Harris – Harris/Triumph (UK), Paul Hunt - Metisse (USA), Max Morf - CZ (Switzerland), George Hauger - Waheba (Germany), Keith Hickman (GB) BSA, Frank Underwood (GB), Freddie Postman (Austria), Bert Lundin (Lito, Sweden), John Burton (UK BSA), “JN” Roberts (Husqvarna-USA), Gunnar Lindstrom (Husqvarna, Sweden) and finally in 1970 Dave Bickers – CZ (GB) and Jeff Smith -BSA (GB).
Various cigarette companies such as WD & HO Wills & Rothmans under different badge names, backed International moto-cross series that evolved from the 1964-1970 series, will have included many more New Zealand club riders as the motocross scene developed and boomed through the 1970s, but overall it lacked the panache of the Tim Gibbes “Moto-cross Enterprises” organised series.  Peter Ploen (CZ) & Tim Gibbes (Yamaha DT-1) battle it out at an International MX Uploaded 24 Nov., 08 - Archers of Aldershot, Most recently represented by Les Archer who won the World 500cc MX Championship in 1956 riding especially built Nortons, comes from a very famous heritage.
 Here we see "LJ" Archer, Grandfather of Les on a New Imperial on the right, "LJ", Les's father, on the left, again on a New Imperial, flanking Grandmother Archer & their twin daughters, Thelma & Joan, all mounted on Ariels, with the the then mod motorcycle clothing! Both Joan & Thelma were racers & there's a photo of Thelma on our front page during a record breaking ride at Brooklands in 1932. Joan recently died aged 92, not long before the recent Centenerary celebrations of the now defunct but well remembered Brookland race track, after which so many legendary cars, motorcycles, mufflers, models, & people have been named. Very few will remember Brooklands, but modern motorists & motorcyclist should acknowledge those who loved the challenge of speed on this very early machinery which was in no way perfect, but a hotbed for technical development of the earlier cars & motorcycles. Our modern generation take for granted when they buy off the floor nowadays, but would you ride one of these bikes at over 100mph (160kph)?
 Les Archer - The trophy is the Brooklands famous Hutchison 100 Trophy which Dad won there in 1932 and Les won in 1947 at Dunholme on Joe Erhlich’s EMC
20 Oct., 08 If you like pictures of what was happening around the motorcycle scene of Southern California during the 60's & 70's click on this website or copy the address into your web browser & reminisce for a while. http://www.flickr.com:80/photos/bcgreeneiv/sets/72157600755463552/show
16th October, 2007 To the family & friends of the Late Bud Ekins – from a friend Tim Gibbes. You probably don’t remember or know me, but I used to be one of Bud’s friends, especially when he was racing in the So Cal desert & when he rode in the International Six Days Trials in Europe.
I am an Australian, now living in New Zealand with my wife Joan. I raced motocross & enduro in Europe for a few years & about 1959 to 61 travelled to USA twice to escape the European winters to just race motorcycles, whatever was going. I met Bud possibly at a Six Days in Europe or when I first visited USA. I’m enclosing some photos. #1 is typical of Bud & his workshop, possibly taken during a later visit maybe late 80’s or early 90’s. There were about 50 very wild cats that used to gather at the workshop door for food each day, which he befriended, plus of course all his motorcycles & immense knowledge of older cars & motorcycles inside.
 He was very good to me & we went training desert racing out there quite a bit, plus I visited Bud & Betty’s home in N. Hollywood quite often, even in later years when I was passing through LA on my way to or from Europe. Both Bud & Betty were very hospitable despite my being a loner travelling the world just loving to race off road motorcycles.
An exclamation I remember very well from Bud was once when we were training in the desert. We’d be going for miles, frequently along a sandwash (dried up creek bed). After about 20 or 30 miles of side by side flat out stuff, both wrestling with the writhing & tossing of the big ill handling English 650’s Bud pulled up & said “Yer know Gibbes man. This riding is better than F**??ing”! It was just so much fun!
The 2 other photos were taken at the ISDT 1963 in Czechoslovakia. That year Bud & I were riding on the “same minute” & as usual we enjoyed each others competitive riding. Bud’s bike #240 (Triumph Bonneville) & mine #237 an AJS 600. On the back of the original photo is >>
Photo # 2 : The legendary American, Bud Ekins, from North Hollywood, California. Known as the “Desert Fox”, in his heyday won most “Hare Scrambles” & “Hare & Hounds” in USA. For many years Bud travelled to the ISDT, to ride a Triumph “Bonneville” supplied by the Triumph factory for his annual foray. Usually the bikes supplied by the factory were almost standard road bikes, which Bud would wrestle around the ISDT to the admiration of everyone who knew him. Bud was tough & the enormous blisters on his hands & backside as the 6 days wore on, were just a part of his resistance to pain, dedication & strong character.
 Tim Gibbes frequently used to pick him up from a European airport, take him to the ISDT somewhere in Europe, often ride on the “same minute” during the ISDT as Bud. For a couple of years Tim would leave the European winter to race in the Californian desert races, as well as stay with the Ekins family.
Photo #3 : Bud is flanked by friends Australian Tim Gibbes (left of pic) & Stan Cerney (right of pic). Stan was an extremely devoted & friendly Czechoslovakian who worked for Motokov, the marketing arm of Jawa & CZ motorcycles at that time.
After this ISDT there was the usual celebration evening. Bud & I went along & the locals filled him up with the local brew, as well as them selves. I was a non-drinker. As the evening wore on everyone was dancing & larking about. Bud exclaimed to someone who must have understood a little English, but didn’t understand American slang - “You son of a bitch”! Meaning of course in the American slang of the day – you’re a great mate. But the room went quiet as the American slang was translated into local lingo. So a local asked him to repeat it. Bud could see & feel a little heat from more than just curiosity about him, so quickly thought up an alternative to ease the feelings. “Na” Bud said “I said Sunny Beach you’ve just misunderstood me. We get lots of Sunny Beaches in California & that’s where friends meet. So the evening went on with even more frolicking!
Another great memory I have of Bud was one day Edward Turner, the chief designer & a director of Triumph Motorcycles in England at the time, visited Bud’s workshop in the Hollywood area. Bud was a Triumph dealer & of course sold a lot of Triumphs, & ensured Triumphs appeared in various Hollywood films, earning great respect from the “limeys” (English). Bud heard Edward was coming for a visit, so took the gas tank off his new model Bonneville that he was preparing for the “Big Bear” desert race.
Edward, dressed in the traditional English suit & tie, walked in & received the usual casual greeting. Bud was preparing the bike, so Edward was priding himself with the new model Bonneville he had designed, changing the steering angle, castor & frame to his own “bright ideas”. Bud’s timing was as usual perfect. As Edward walked towards Bud & the new bike. Bud had hacksawed through the top frame tube, removing about an inch of length, then was welding it up again. Edward’s eyes popped out & asked the reason. “To make the god dam thing steer, Edward, & I’m going to strengthen up that stupid frame around the swinging arm area so it doesn’t ride like a snake”. Edward got the message!
Bud’s casual, friendly way won him many friends worldwide. With his passing we have lost a legend, a great friend & someone who I admired very much. Our condolences to Bud’s family & friends, Joan & Tim Gibbes
 Bud Ekins (Bike 3) left & Les Archer (bike A1) right, on their MX bikes after an International MX near Paris. Bud used to stay with well known French MX-er Jacques Charrier in Paris while he was riding there in the early 50's
 The fore runner of Yamaha's bigger trail bikes, followed the DT-1, & both grew up together.
 Remember this bike - Yamaha's DT-1 250cc Trail bike, but with the GYT kit, very competitive in MX - about 1968. One of the Russell Burling Collection
Made from the "tuff stuff"!! Loaded to this site - 23 July, 07 CONGRATULATIONS TO ALL THE KIDS WHO WERE BORN IN THE 1920's, 30's 40's, 50's, 60's and 70's !! First, we survived being born to mothers who smoked and/or drank while they carried us and lived in houses made of asbestos. They took aspirin, ate blue cheese, tuna from a can, and didn't get tested for diabetes or cervical cancer. Then after that trauma, our baby cribs were covered with bright colored lead-based paints. We had no childproof lids on medicine bottles, doors or cabinets and when we rode our bikes, we had no helmets or shoes, not to mention, the risks we took hitchhiking . As children, we would ride in cars with no seat belts or air bags. Riding in the back of a Ute on a warm day was always a special treat. We drank water from the garden hose and NOT from a bottle. Take away food was limited to fish and chips, no pizza shops, McDonalds, KFC, Subway or Red Rooster. Even though all the shops closed at 6.00pm and didn't open on the weekends, somehow we didn't starve to death! We shared one soft drink with four friends, from one bottle and NO ONE actually died from this. We could collect old drink bottles and cash them in at the corner store and buy fruit tingles and some crackers to blow up frogs with. We ate cupcakes, white bread and real butter and drank soft drinks with sugar in it, but we weren't overweight because...... WE WERE ALWAYS OUTSIDE PLAYING!! We would leave home in the morning and play all day, as long as we were back when the streetlights came on. No one was able to reach us all day. And we were O.K. We would spend hours building our go-carts out of scraps and then ride down the hill, only to find out we forgot the brakes. We built tree houses and cubby houses and played in creek beds with matchbox cars. We did not have Playstations, Nintendo's, X-boxes, no video games at all, no 99 channels on cable, no video tape movies, no surround sound, no mobile phones, no personal computers, no Internet or Internet chat rooms.......... WE HAD FRIENDS and we went outside and found them! We fell out of trees, got cut, broke bones and teeth and there were no Lawsuits from these accidents. Only girls had pierced ears! We ate worms and mud pies made from dirt, and the worms did not live in us forever. You could only buy Easter Eggs and Hot Cross buns at Easter time.......no really! We were given BB guns and sling shots for our 10th birthdays, We drank milk laced with Strontium 90 from cows that had eaten grass covered in nuclear fallout from the atomic testing at Maralinga in 1956. We rode bikes or walked to a friend's house and knocked on the door or rang the bell, or just yelled for them! Mum didn't have to go to work to help dad make ends meet! Footy had tryouts and not everyone made the team. Those who didn't had to learn to deal with disappointment. Imagine that!! Our teachers used to belt us with big sticks and leather staps and bully's always ruled the playground at school. The idea of a parent bailing us out if we broke the law was unheard of. They actually sided with the law! Our parents got married before they had children and didn't invent stupid names for their kids like "Kiora" and "Blade" This generation has produced some of the best risk-takers, problem solvers and inventors ever! The past 70 years have been an explosion of innovation and new ideas. We had freedom, failure, success and responsibility, and we learned... HOW TO DEAL WITH IT ALL! And YOU are one of them! CONGRATULATIONS! You might want to share this with others who have had the luck to grow up as kids, before the lawyers and the government regulated our lives for our own good. And while you are at it, forward it to your kids so they will know how brave their parents were. Kind of makes you want to run through the house with scissors, doesn't it?! PS -The big type is because your eyes are shot at your age
Loaded to this site 5th October, 2006 With the International Six Days Enduro coming to New Zealand from November 14-19, it's probably appropriate to add a few ISDT (or ISDE as it's called nowadays) stories to this site ISDT – Tim Gibbes – see also this website www.motorcyclesport.co.nz > “Those were the days” > "Short stories of Yesteryear". International Six Days Reliability Trial (I.S.D.T.) It needs to be remembered that in those days, all the Commonwealth countries – Australia, New Zealand, South Africa, etc. were not affiliated to the FIM, but to the “Auto Cycle Union of Great Britain” (A.C.U.).
So all “Colonials” had to ride with British Competition Licences, & represent Britain rather than their “homeland”. This was not always a satisfactory system, as obviously the “real Brits” would get more favours, so the Colonials, whether they competed in road racing, moto-cross, trials or enduro, had to be outstanding before being considered for a “British Team”!
Fortunately that has now changed & countries are all represented & directly affiliated to the F.I.M.
In those days the ISDT rules said all parts of the motorcycle were marked & could not be changed, disqualification being the penalty. So any parts needed during an event like a rear chain, spare cables, etc. had to be carried all the way. The bikes & rider were like a Christmas tree! Trials tyres were the only tyre eligible for a few years, but later replaced by a knobbly rear, to the detriment of the sport, when the tracks were dug out into battlefields, so many good off road sections were lost forever.
Also at the end of the ISDT of those days, there was a one hour “Speed Test” on a road race or street circuit, which the competitors had to complete at a pre-set high average speed to be classified as a finisher. It wasn’t infrequent that a medal was replaced by a DNF at this final reliability test. Nowadays this is replaced by an MX test. Tim Gibbes involvement with the ISDT & ISDE >> 1956 : Rode Scottish 6 Days Observed trial won first class award on a 350 Matchless purchased from the factory for 95 pounds. Later added to with a 50 pound 500cc scrambles bike. AMC Team Manager Hugh Viney saw my potential for speed work so loaned me a 350 Matchless for the Welsh 3 Day Trial a little later, where I won the 350cc Class. This led to AMC giving me an AJS factory ride in the ‘56 ISDT at Garmisch Partenkirchen in Southern Germany. Won a gold medal, the first of 6, plus one bronze & one DNF.
 Tim Gibbes ISDT bike 500cc "works" AJS, which won his first Gold Medal of 6, & one of his only other possessionat the time, a 1949 Austin A40 pick-up, which also served as sleeping quarters when it was too wet to sleep out under the stars, a workshop, cookhouse & secretary's office!
The other possessions were a 500 ex-factory Matchless Scrambles or MX Bike & a 350cc ex-factory Matchless rigid framed trials bike - the one that scored him a first class award in the Scottish 6 days, that later earned him a factory ride in the ISDT & British Championship "Scrambles" or MX as they're now called.
1957 : First Australian ISDT Team competed in ISDT in Czechoslavakia. John Rock (WA) Tim Gibbes – SA (250 Jawas), Les Fisher – NSW, (175 CZ), & Roy East as Team Manager. VERY hard event - John & Tim finished with bronze medals, Les DNF’d.
 The very depleted field of survivors on the last day of the ISDT 1957 British factories boycotted event as they sold no bikes in Eastern zone.
There’s a separate story about this event under this heading further down & some of the “challenges” we overcame!
1958 : Moved to Birmingham : worked as test rider primarily with the Ariel “Leader” & “Arrow” models & rode International MX 500 GP & many other moto-cross a round Europe as well as ISDT for Ariel 500cc factory. For the ISDT that year, I took the place of Sammy Miller in the British Trophy Team, moving up from the Silver Vase Team, at the last moment, when Sammy fell ill just before the start. #2 Gold Medal. Spent the European winter racing in Australia & visiting friends & family.
1959 : Went back to Europe, this time riding again for AMC 500cc plus tried to race the “new lightweight 250cc” in World Championship MX - a terrible thing, plus riding all sorts but much more in Europe with a few “guest rides” on 250 DOT, Greeves, & what ever. Rode an AJS in the ISDT & by memory in Eastern Czechoslavakia. This was my only DNF, when a lower fork triple clamp broke, so the front of bike basically “fell off”.
At the end of ‘59, I sailed on the “Queen Mary” to New York, found the Indian Factory at Springfield Massachusetts , who had just been bought out by AMC to start another new life (Royal Enfield had preceded them) as Matchless Indian. After winning a race with a funny story on a 500 Enfield I bought a $US75 Chev & drove to California, working & riding for the Matchless Indian Co at Burbank. Rode quite a few desert races with reasonable success, trials, road races, TT-Scrambles, etc. Moto-cross as we know it now, hadn’t started in USA at that time! plus a new word “enduros”, 1960 : Back to UK & Europe - spent most time in Europe riding WC & international MX with other motorcycle sport disciplines at times, & of course the ISDT as a member of the British Trophy Team in Austria. Gold medal #3 on a Matchless. End of 1960, I went back to LA again for more desert races, enduros, plus a few road races, TT-scrambles, etc., often racing with Bud Ekins.
1961 : Back to Europe for another year of International MX & enduro. ISDT on an AJS 350 with 7R bore & stroke - #4 Gold Medal, this time in Wales. But there was more to it than that. Read the following stories!
An incident that caused the ISDE Jury some debate & grief, happened during this week. It didn’t happen often, but sometimes the very parochial spectators would cover or remove the ISDT course marking arrows, & show them only to riders from their own country – Wales being “their own country”. This happened in a small village along the route & several riders missed the arrows including myself, obviously getting lost. It took a few minutes for me to realise I was “off course” & spun around to get on the correct course again. By now I was possibly behind time, so the 3 minute time allowance of those days was well used up. As I raced along the tracks trying to make up time, I also worked out my strategy! I arrived at the time control yelling blue murder, sliding sideways into the time check table, on which the time “official stamp clock” was placed. My aim was perfect! I knocked the clock for a “6”, well out into the paddocks. By the time, the officials had found the clock, more time was lost. The penalty in those days, lose any time at all & you lost your gold, so I was now “on silver”. However, working with our astute British Team Managers, we complained to the ISDT Jury firstly about the route marking, & secondly about the fact the “official time stamp clock” had been lost for several minutes! Possibly because it also involved other foreign riders, the Jury agreed that the lost time should be credited, & I was put back “on to Gold”. After that the ISDT organisers took a lot more care to keep their “official time stamp clocks” well protected from “cunning Aussies”!
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I also had a problem with a new front brake & hub design that AMC had designed & fitted to my ISDT bike. The “lip” on the brake plate was so effective that the water could enter into the brake, but not get out again. With almost no front brake after the first puddle, drastic measures were needed!
Being in the British Trophy Team, I was under close scrutiny by other countries & key officials. All tools & spare parts except tyres had to be carried on the bike or rider, throughout the event. Out of my Barbour jacket, I “found” an enormous rasp or file – a good 2 feet long & with big rasping teeth. I filed a hole in the brake plate big enough to let the water out – lots of it, then dropped the enormous rasp back into my jacket, but it “accidentally” fell on the ground! The officials dug into their rule books in & insisted I carry the enormous weapon for the rest of the event! They were flabbergasted when I broke the rasp into little pieces, putting all the bits into my jacket pocket! I was still “carrying the rasp” which they checked several times later, so another “International incident” was resolved! 1962 : After marrying in 1961, Joan & I returned to European MX scene. The ISDT that year, in Garmisch-Partenkirchen, Southern Germany - #5 Gold Medal riding a Matchless.
 The luxuries of married life - we now owned a Camper Van - based on a 1962 Commer van with a Perkins Diesel engine, which was not really a British masterpiece, but nevertheless was more comfortable than the ground to sleep in!
1963 : Last ISDT for Tim, this time the 6th Gold Medal. Venue was Czechoslavakia riding an A.J.S. We returned to New Zealand at the end of that season, with the idea of staying there - which we have, but itchy feet frequently took me away to other countries riding, such as Japan, USA, New Caledonia, Australia, etc. in the intervening years. On our departure from UK to return to New Zealand, the AMC factory presented me with my factory ISDT bike that I’d ridden for them for several years in different forms. The bike now belongs to the Thomson Motorcycle Museum, near Palmerston North. Footnote : AMC was an English motorcycle company producing 5 brands – A.J.S., Matchless (more or less the same bike with a different badges), Norton, James & Francis Barnett. -----------------------------------------------------------------------
After living in New Zealand for some years, the ISDT name changed to ISDE – picking up on the new American “buzz” word – “enduro”, considerable interest was being shown by some of our leading enduro riders & in 1982 the first New Zealand Club Team rode the ISDE, this time in Czechoslavakia. As the NZ Importer for Husqvarna at the time, I was able to arrange to hire suitable enduro bikes from the factory for our riders – Darryl August, Mark MacDonald & Graham Harris, who did very well under the circumstances to all win Bronze Medals at the 1982 ISDE in Czechoslavakia.
This hiring arrangement with Husqvarna lasted several years, & to try to alleviate the cost of the teams airfares & considerable expenses to the event, our enduro riders also rode the MX des Nations – beating the Aussies by doing this first – which although their performances were not highly placed, our riders gained some valuable experience as well as some starting money from the event, to pay some bills! ------------------------------------------------
There’s also an Englishman – Fred Billot, who emigrated to New Zealand some years ago, now living in Palmerston North, who rode in the ISDT, gaining at least one Gold Medal. He was employed by AMC & rode one of their products. -----------------------------------------------------------
The legendary American, Bud Ekins, from North Hollywood, California. Known as the “Desert Fox”, in his heyday won most “Hare Scrambles” & “Hare & Hound” in USA. For many years Bud travelled to the ISDT, to ride a Triumph “Bonneville” supplied by the Triumph factory for his annual foray. Usually the bikes supplied by the factory were almost standard road bikes, which Bud would wrestle around the ISDT to the admiration of everyone who knew him. Bud was tough & the enormous blisters on his hands & backside as the 6 days wore on, were just a part of his resistance to pain, dedication & strong character. Tim Gibbes frequently used to pick him up from a European airport, take him to the ISDT somewhere in Europe, often ride on the “same minute” during the ISDT as Bud, & for a couple of years Tim would leave the European winter to race in the Californian desert races, as well as stay with the Ekins family. -------------------------------------------------------------------
Loaded to this site - 29 August, 2006 3 World MX Champions meet again - Les Archer (England) - 1956 , Sten Lundin (Sweden) - 1959 & 1961 & Jeff Smith (England) - 1964 & 1965. At the annual "Bonanza" 2006 meeting in England, & exactly 50 years after Les Archer won his World 500 cc Title, the bikes & greats were reunited.
 When Les won the Championship, Archers of Aldershot employed Ron Hankins to build 4 long stroke Manx Norton engined MX bikes. It seems only one has survived & was found in Canada. The British National Motorcycle Museum paid 20,000 pounds for it then completed a very expensive but comprehensive rebuild just in time for this years Bonanza. At that time Les had the great but late Eric Cheney as his race team partner. Eric was also a very good engineer. Les said "It was just wonderful to see the old bike again, as it was 50 years ago when I won the Championship." Les & wife Claire pose with "A1"
 A1 - the only one known existing long stroke Manx engined Norton Special Les rode to victory. 4 were built, plus later a short stroke "double knocker" which has been beautifully restored in USA by Fred Mork & is now on display/loan to a museum. On the right of the picture is one of Jeff Smith's BSA "Victor" that he used to win 2 world championships, 1965 & 1965. Those who rode at the recent World Veterans MX Championships in Western Australia will know that Jeff Smith is still awfully quick on a bike at over 70 years of age! And in the background of the picture is a Rickman "Metisse" frame kit & clothing - the great ambition of many in the 60's, & probably one of prettiest looking MX bikes of all time!
 A real oldie photo of a very youthful Les Archer road racing on a 500cc Velocette, at the British Eppynt Circuit. At that time he was following in the his father & grandfather's footsteps with road racing. Loaded to this site, 11 July, 2006 The 1957 ISDT saw the first ever Australian Team took part in the “Olympic Games of Motorcycling” – the International Six Days Trial (nowadays called the ISDE – enduro being the new word for trial).
 Hero of the '57 ISDT, John Rock carried his front mudguard over his shoulder for 3 days, as it was marked part
Tim Gibbes Story : I can’t remember how, but 2 Jawa 250’s & one CZ 125 bikes had been made available to us for the event, with factory support. The bikes were made in Czechoslavakia – so it was good propaganda for the regime. The Australian team comprised of John Rock from Western Australia & Tim Gibbes from South Australia riding the 250 Jawa’s, Les Fisher (NSW) on the CZ, while Roy East (NSW) was the Team Manager. The event was held in the North of Czech near the Polish Border, based in the mountain town of Spindleruv Mlyn. That year the British had decided not to support the event, as they sold no bikes behind the Iron Curtain, but the Brits really didn’t like me being there, as I was already on of their ISDT team riders. I had been riding Jawa’s for the South Australian importer a few years before, so had a bit of an idea what the bikes were like, & with the local support as more than just helpers, it all looked good. The bikes were really just standard production street bikes with upturned exhaust pipes, cross bar on the handlebar, & knobbly tyres. The tyres were locally made Barum, which were not of high quality, as most Iron Curtain goods were in thos days, almost like cardboard, they wore so quickly. Certainly the bikes were nothing like the factory units the Czech & other “friendly Communist State” riders had, which were very impressive. Before we arrived at the event, we had “slight” transport problems. All 4 of us travelled all the way from England in my 1949 Austin A40 pickup, a distance of nearly 2,000 Kms. As the front seat was really only wide enough to fit 2 people, the 4 across was a bit of a squeeze, necessitating a revised driving format – driver #1 pushing the accelerator & foot brake, plus some of the time steering, driver # 2 the clutch operation & shared steering duties, driver #3 or #4 who sat on #3’s knees, the gear change & general observation.
 Just in case the readers don't remember the size & shape of a 1949 Austin A40 pickup, one of many "race transporters" of the famous "old days"! Try fitting 4 big guys into one of these & driving 2,ooo kms each way!! We’ll come back to that later & it’s in the “Short Stories” section of “Those were the Days” of this site. Eventually we got to the ISDT HQ of the event at Spindleruv Mlyn, put the A40 up on blocks, so we could strip it as we got time. We’ll get back to that story 6 days later – after the ISDT. The ISDT itself was very, very wet, stormy & plenty of fog – possibly one of the toughest of all ISDT events. Spindleruv Mlyn, in the Krkonose (Giant) Mountains, is in the north of what is now the Czech Republic, almost on the Polish border, and well known as a winter snow ski resort & recreational area. In those days the chalets were all “Trade Union” run, so people from each area of an industrial town would holiday together, also an ideal way of having “Big Brother” keep watch!
 The weather wasn't exactly the best! The crates of bikes in the middle were ours ready for us to assemble & prepare for 6 days! We were told by some friendly locals, that the normal population of the then Czechoslavakia was 16 million Czechs & Slovakians, & 48 million Russian soldiers, KGB police etc. That’s 3 “Big Brothers” to every “local” – not very comforting when “Big Brother” keeps order with an AK47 over the shoulder. We hardly saw any views as the cloud & rain blotted out any chance of that for the whole 6 days. Many of the marquees & tents had been blown down by the wind & rain, so conditions were unpleasant. Our local Czech support group (Mr. Plachta, Stan Cerney & Dr. Zimmer) were particularly helpful to us. Any problem they would talk us through the repair routine, as well as set-up “pickup points” out in the bush, when our bikes needed more than just maintenance. In those days all parts of the bikes were marked so officially it was not permitted to change any thing, even though “illegal running repairs” had been going for years, & in fact is still very rife in the ISDE. They also taught us how to shake hands frequently, so we could be passed “illegal” parts from hand to hand during the handshake. We realised quickly why so many Europeans shake hands frequently, especially during a major sporting event! John Rock was a trials rider mainly, but relished the muddy conditions. The metal these bikes were made of was very low quality. His front mudguard brackets broke off, but as it was a “marked part”, had to carry it over his shoulder for 3 days, (see the photo with this story) getting all the mud & slush spat off the front wheel in his eyes & face. A tribute to the tenacity of the man, & he was rewarded with a well earned Bronze Medal. Les Fisher’s CZ was not to get too far. The rear chain adjuster on the rear sprocket side broke, allowing the rear wheel to pull forward on that side, throwing off the chain. Regrettably a rare DNF for Les. My 250 Jawa also suffered electrical problems & metal fatigue. But we sorted our way through those, the electrics with good advice from our support crew – The ignition switch & main wiring loom were housed in a nacelle type compartment screwed into the top of the petrol tank, so some of the replaced wires from the generator & ignition system ran up the outside of the petrol tank. As well, the battery & tool box bolted to the rear left side of the bike’s frame, broke off from metal fatigue, another case of very poor metal quality. Another marked part, as also was the battery. The battery was a very necessary piece of equipment, as the bike was coil ignition.
 Tim Gibbes & his 250 Jawa used in the 1957 ISDT which had a "few problems" described in this story. But a bronze medal was the reward. One of the several rubber bands to hold the battery box in place can be seen above the "181" riding numer! The flowers were possibly a fitting memorial to a long suffering bike that had much attention!
So I wrapped the battery in a plastic bag, put it down the front of my jacket, took leads from there to the aforementioned switch & wiring loom on the petrol tank, & carried on, with varying degrees of pain from a “big bust” & an occasional acid burn from the battery, till I was able to repair the box with help from “behind the bushes”! Thanks to my very clever support crew & their helpers I got to the end & achieved a Bronze Medal, which possibly should have been more of a bravery award for the crew! Our first ever Australian Club Team at least finished the event with 2 out of 3 riders, & under the conditions, with distinction.
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