Scottish Six Days Trial
Encyclopedia
The Scottish Six Days Trial is an internationally recognised Motorcycle trials
competition, which has been running since 1909 (with breaks for the two world wars) making it the oldest motorcycle trials event in the world. Motorcycle riders from all over the world compete in this extreme sport
, covering as much as 100 miles a day on road and off-road routes around Lochaber
on each of the six days. The event is a trial of the skill, consistency and endurance of the riders, as well as a test of the specialised motorcycles used.
, going to John O'Groats before returning to Edinburgh. It aimed to be the most challenging motorcycle trial ever held. By 1912 the event was known as the "Scottish Six Days Open Reliability Trial" and by 1914 rules were agreed together with a marking system and time penalties for machine faults. The outbreak of the First World War halted competition but the Six Days Trial returned in 1919. Problems with following the route were solved by marking the course with yellow ochre from a barrel mounted on a car (a system which stayed in place until the mid-1970s, when the present system of marker arrows and orange flags for off road sections was introduced). The scoring system was updated in 1926 to allow for condition, hillclimbing and brake testing but the event was still a test of motorcycle reliability. From the 1930s factory teams became more prevalent and in 1932 the results system was further amended to identify an outright winner. In 1938, Fort William
was chosen as the central point of the trial although, it still started and ended in Edinburgh. The outbreak of World War II
stopped competition until 1947, when 108 competitors took part. In 1977, the event broke its link to Edinburgh and the event started and finished in Fort William. During the 1970s and 1980s, the Scottish Six Days Trial grew in popularity and was established as the most important event for trials motorcycles.
and was formed through the amalgamation of several motor clubs in 1911. It is the organising body for the Scottish Six Days Trial.
was ideal for the Scottish Trial, with modifications including upgrading the frame to a welded duplex tubular frame with an engine cradle to reduce weight and redesigned exhaust and footrests to improve ground clearance. In 1957 it was further redesigned to increase clearance from 7 inches to 10 inches. Hugh Viney led the AJS works team in the post war years and won the challenging 1947 Trial on an AJS 16MC at his first attempt - then repeated the achievement the following year and made it three in a row in 1949. In the 1950s this record was beaten by another AJS Works Team rider Gordon Jackson, who won the Scottish four times.
and is so popular that there are usually over 500 entries for the 270 places available. Of the 270 places, 30 are reserved for factory teams and a further 50 for allocation by the Club. The remaining places are allocated through a draw. The future of the SSDT was at risk in 2008 when the Army were no longer able to provide a refuelling service. The SSDT was still able to continue through 2008 although the army couldn't offer refuelling services.
Motorcycle trials
Motorcycle trials, also termed observed trials, is a non-speed event on specialized motorcycles. The sport is most popular in the United Kingdom and Spain, though there are participants around the globe....
competition, which has been running since 1909 (with breaks for the two world wars) making it the oldest motorcycle trials event in the world. Motorcycle riders from all over the world compete in this extreme sport
Extreme sport
An extreme sport is a popular term for certain activities perceived as having a high level of inherent danger...
, covering as much as 100 miles a day on road and off-road routes around Lochaber
Lochaber
District of Lochaber 1975 to 1996Highland council area shown as one of the council areas of ScotlandLochaber is one of the 16 ward management areas of the Highland Council of Scotland and one of eight former local government districts of the two-tier Highland region...
on each of the six days. The event is a trial of the skill, consistency and endurance of the riders, as well as a test of the specialised motorcycles used.
History
The first Scottish motorcycle trial was held in July 1909. Originally, the trial started in EdinburghEdinburgh
Edinburgh is the capital city of Scotland, the second largest city in Scotland, and the eighth most populous in the United Kingdom. The City of Edinburgh Council governs one of Scotland's 32 local government council areas. The council area includes urban Edinburgh and a rural area...
, going to John O'Groats before returning to Edinburgh. It aimed to be the most challenging motorcycle trial ever held. By 1912 the event was known as the "Scottish Six Days Open Reliability Trial" and by 1914 rules were agreed together with a marking system and time penalties for machine faults. The outbreak of the First World War halted competition but the Six Days Trial returned in 1919. Problems with following the route were solved by marking the course with yellow ochre from a barrel mounted on a car (a system which stayed in place until the mid-1970s, when the present system of marker arrows and orange flags for off road sections was introduced). The scoring system was updated in 1926 to allow for condition, hillclimbing and brake testing but the event was still a test of motorcycle reliability. From the 1930s factory teams became more prevalent and in 1932 the results system was further amended to identify an outright winner. In 1938, Fort William
Fort William, Scotland
Fort William is the second largest settlement in the highlands of Scotland and the largest town: only the city of Inverness is larger.Fort William is a major tourist centre with Glen Coe just to the south, Aonach Mòr to the north and Glenfinnan to the west, on the Road to the Isles...
was chosen as the central point of the trial although, it still started and ended in Edinburgh. The outbreak of World War II
World War II
World War II, or the Second World War , was a global conflict lasting from 1939 to 1945, involving most of the world's nations—including all of the great powers—eventually forming two opposing military alliances: the Allies and the Axis...
stopped competition until 1947, when 108 competitors took part. In 1977, the event broke its link to Edinburgh and the event started and finished in Fort William. During the 1970s and 1980s, the Scottish Six Days Trial grew in popularity and was established as the most important event for trials motorcycles.
The club
The Edinburgh & District Motor Club is based in EdinburghEdinburgh
Edinburgh is the capital city of Scotland, the second largest city in Scotland, and the eighth most populous in the United Kingdom. The City of Edinburgh Council governs one of Scotland's 32 local government council areas. The council area includes urban Edinburgh and a rural area...
and was formed through the amalgamation of several motor clubs in 1911. It is the organising body for the Scottish Six Days Trial.
The AJS Works Team
The rugged and reliable AJS Model 16AJS Model 16
The AJS Model 16 was a British motorcycle made by Associated Motorcycles at the former Matchless works in Plumstead, London.-Development:The rigid framed AJS Model 16M 350 cc single was developed in 1945 from the military Matchless G3/L World War II motorcycle...
was ideal for the Scottish Trial, with modifications including upgrading the frame to a welded duplex tubular frame with an engine cradle to reduce weight and redesigned exhaust and footrests to improve ground clearance. In 1957 it was further redesigned to increase clearance from 7 inches to 10 inches. Hugh Viney led the AJS works team in the post war years and won the challenging 1947 Trial on an AJS 16MC at his first attempt - then repeated the achievement the following year and made it three in a row in 1949. In the 1950s this record was beaten by another AJS Works Team rider Gordon Jackson, who won the Scottish four times.
Present day
The "Scottish" is now based out of Fort WilliamFort William, Scotland
Fort William is the second largest settlement in the highlands of Scotland and the largest town: only the city of Inverness is larger.Fort William is a major tourist centre with Glen Coe just to the south, Aonach Mòr to the north and Glenfinnan to the west, on the Road to the Isles...
and is so popular that there are usually over 500 entries for the 270 places available. Of the 270 places, 30 are reserved for factory teams and a further 50 for allocation by the Club. The remaining places are allocated through a draw. The future of the SSDT was at risk in 2008 when the Army were no longer able to provide a refuelling service. The SSDT was still able to continue through 2008 although the army couldn't offer refuelling services.
SSDT winners
(No outright winners were identifiable prior to 1932)| Year | Name | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| 1932 | Bob MacGregor | Rudge (First Scot to win the SSDT) |
| 1935 | Bob MacGregor | Rudge |
| 1938 | Fred Povey | |
| 1939 | Allan Jeffries | Triumph works team |
| 1947 | Hugh Viney | AJS Model 16 AJS Model 16 The AJS Model 16 was a British motorcycle made by Associated Motorcycles at the former Matchless works in Plumstead, London.-Development:The rigid framed AJS Model 16M 350 cc single was developed in 1945 from the military Matchless G3/L World War II motorcycle... |
| 1948 | Hugh Viney | AJS AJS AJS was the name used for cars and motorcycles made by the Wolverhampton, England, company A. J. Stevens & Co. Ltd, from 1909 to 1931, by then holding 117 motorcycle world records, and after the firm was sold the name continued to be used by Matchless, Associated Motorcycles and Norton-Villiers on... Works Team |
| 1949 | Hugh Viney | AJS Works Team (First SSDT "Hat trick") |
| 1950 | Artie Ratcliffe | 350cc Matchless Matchless Matchless is one of the oldest marques of British motorcycles, manufactured in Plumstead, London, between 1899 and 1966. A wide range of models was produced under the Matchless name, ranging from small two-strokes to 750 cc four-stroke twins... |
| 1951 | John Draper | 350cc BSA Birmingham Small Arms Company This article is not about Gamo subsidiary BSA Guns Limited of Armoury Road, Small Heath, Birmingham B11 2PP or BSA Company or its successors.... |
| 1952 | John Brittain | Royal Enfield Royal Enfield Royal Enfield was the name under which the Enfield Cycle Company made motorcycles, bicycles, lawnmowers and stationary engines. This legacy of weapons manufacture is reflected in the logo, a cannon, and their motto "Made like a gun, goes like a bullet". Use of the brand name Royal Enfield was... |
| 1955 | Jeff Smith Jeff Smith (motorcyclist) Jeffrey Vincent Smith MBE is a former world champion motocross racer.His achievements include two FIM 500cc Motocross World Championships , two British Trials Championships, multiple British Experts Trial wins, four individual race wins in the Motocross des Nations, one Scottish Six Days Trial win... |
500cc BSA Gold Star BSA Gold Star The Gold Star is a motorcycle made by BSA from 1938–1963. They were 350 cc and 500 cc single-cylinder four-stroke production motorcycle known for being among the fastest bikes of the 1950s... |
| 1956 | Gordon Jackson | AJS |
| 1957 | John Brittain | 350cc Royal Enfield Bullet Royal Enfield Bullet The Royal Enfield Bullet was originally a British overhead valve single cylinder 4-stroke motorcycle made by Royal Enfield in Redditch, West Midlands, but now produced by Royal Enfield Motors, the successor to the British company, at Chennai , Tamil Nadu in India... |
| 1958 | Gordon Jackson | |
| 1959 | Roy Peplow | 199cc Triumph Tiger Cub Triumph Tiger Cub The Triumph Tiger Cub is British motorcycle made by Triumph Motorcycles at their Meriden factory. Designed by Edward Turner and launched at the Earls Court show in November 1953 the Tiger Cub competed well against the other small capacity motorcycles of the time such as Villiers... (First time a small capacity motorcycle won). |
| 1960 | Gordon Jackson | 350cc AJS |
| 1961 | Gordon Jackson | 350cc AJS |
| 1962 | Sammy Miller Sammy Miller Samuel Hamilton "Sammy" Miller, MBE is a championship winning motorcycle racer, in both road racing and trials. He was awarded an MBE in the 2009 New Year Honours.-Career:... |
500cc Ariel Ariel Motorcycles Ariel Motorcycles was a British motorcycle manufacturer based in Bournbrook, Birmingham. It was one of the leading innovators in British motorcycling, and was part of the Ariel marque. The company was sold to BSA in 1944 and the name was discontinued in 1970... |
| 1963 | Arthur Lampkin | Factory 250cc BSA |
| 1964 | Sammy Miller | 500cc Ariel |
| 1965 | Sammy Miller | Bultaco Bultaco Bultaco was a Spanish manufacturer of two-stroke motorcycles from 1958 to 1983.-Origins:The origin of the Bultaco motorcycle company dates back to May 1958. Francisco "Paco" Bultó was a director of the Montesa motorcycle company founded in 1944. After several years of steady growth and road racing... two-stroke |
| 1966 | Alan Lampkin | 250cc BSA |
| 1967 | Sammy Miller | Bultaco two-stroke |
| 1968 | Sammy Miller | Bultaco two-stroke |
| 1969 | Bill Wilkinson | 250cc Greeves Greeves (motorcycles) Greeves Motorcycles Ltd is a British motorcycle manufacturer producing motorcycles mainly for the trials and off-road market. Owner Richard Deal bought the rights to the Greeves name in May 1999. The original company had been producing motorcycles since 1952, funded by a contract with the... Anglian |
| 1970 | Mick Andrews | Ossa Ossa (motorcycle) Ossa was a motorcycle manufacturer based in Catalonia, Spain which was active from 1924 to 1982. Founded by Manuel Giró, an industrialist from Barcelona, Ossa was best known for lightweight two-stroke-engined bikes used in Observed Trials and Motocross... |
| 1971 | Mick Andrews | Ossa |
| 1972 | Mick Andrews | Ossa |
| 1973 | Malcolm Rathmell | 250cc Bultaco |
| 1974 | Mick Andrews | Works Yamaha Yamaha Motor Company , is a Japanese motorized vehicle-producing company. Yamaha Motor is part of Yamaha Corporation and its headquarter is located in Iwata, Shizuoka. Along with expanding Yamaha Corporation into the world's biggest piano maker, then Yamaha CEO Genichi Kawakami took Yamaha into the field of motorized... |
| 1975 | Mick Andrews | Works Yamaha |
| 1976 | Martin Lampkin | Bultaco |
| 1977 | Martin Lampkin | Bultaco |
| 1978 | Martin Lampkin | Bultaco |
| 1979 | Malcolm Rathmell | Montesa Montesa Honda Montesa Honda is the Spanish subsidiary of Honda, which assembles several models of motorcycles, bicycles, and parts at its Barcelona plant. The company exports 75 per cent of its production to Europe.-Permanyer and Bultó:... 310 Cota |
| 1980 | Yrjö Vesterinen | Bultaco |
| 1981 | Gilles Burgat | 280cc SWM SWM (motorcycles) SWM was founded in 1971 by Piero Sironi and Fausto Vergani and was based in Milan, Italy. SWM manufactured Observed Trials, Enduro, Motorcross and off-road motorcycles in the 1970s and 1980s. They started with small capacity Sachs engined enduro bikes and began making Rotax engined trials bikes in... |
| 1982 | Bernie Schrieber | 280cc SWM |
| 1983 | Tony Gorgot | Montesa |
| 1984 | Thierry Michaud | Fantic Fantic Motor Fantic Motor is an Italian manufacturer of motorcycles. The company began in 1968, manufacturing and exporting enduro motorcycles, mini-bikes and go-karts... |
| 1985 | Thierry Michaud | Fantic |
| 1986 | Thierry Michaud | Fantic |
| 1987 | Jordi Tarres | Beta |
| 1988 | Steve Saunders | Fantic |
| 1989 | Steve Saunders | Fantic |
| 1990 | Steve Saunders | Fantic |
| 1991 | Steve Saunders | Fantic |
| 1992 | Steve Colley | |
| 1993 | Steve Colley | |
| 1994 | Dougie Lampkin Dougie Lampkin Douglas Martin "Dougie" Lampkin, MBE, also known as Doug, is an internationally renowned English motorcycle trials rider. Born into a family steeped in motorcycle sport—his father, Martin Lampkin, was the first FIM Trial World Championship winner in 1975, and his Uncle Arthur was also a regular... |
|
| 1995 | Dougie Lampkin | |
| 1996 | Dougie Lampkin | |
| 1997 | Steve Colley | Gas Gas |
| 1998 | Graham Jarvis | Bultaco |
| 1999 | Graham Jarvis | Sherco |
| 2000 | Steve Colley | |
| 2001 | No SSDT | Due to Foot and Mouth Disease the Scottish Six Days Trial was suspended |
| 2002 | Amós Bilbao | Montesa |
| 2003 | Joan Pons | Sherco |
| 2004 | Graham Jarvis | Sherco |
| 2005 | Sam Connor | Sherco |
| 2006 | Graham Jarvis | Sherco |
| 2007 | James Dabill | 300cc Future TRW Montesa (First four-stroke win since Alan Lampkin in 1966) |
| 2008 | Dougie Lampkin | Factory 270cc Beta Rev-3 |
| 2009 | Dougie Lampkin | machine |
| 2010 | Alexz Wigg | machine |
| 2011 | James Dabill | Beta |