Narberth is a classic motor cycle club
In the 1960s one of the star attractions on BBC’s Saturday afternoon ‘Grandstand’ programme was scrambling, where the likes of Arthur Lamkin and Arthur Browning became household names as they showed their motor cycle skills in negotiating a track which included spectacular leaps and tight corners, often in really muddy conditions.
Apparently those guys are still involved with their bikes from yesteryear and there are plenty of Pembrokeshire folk who also have that nostalgic feel for a motor bike and want to compete in scrambling or trials under the auspices of the Narberth Classic Motor Cycle Club.
Socially the club meets on the first Tuesday of every month at Narberth RFC and they hold three classic scrambles every year and four trials events that cater for classic and modern motor cycles, so that youngsters can also be involved and able to show their skills on modern motor cycles.
Scrambling sets the pace for excitement
It is perhaps the right time to explain the difference in the two events because scrambling involves a mass start and a race around a pre-arranged track, usually over four to six laps and proving to be very exciting since the course is designed to include plenty of slopes and dips to ensure huge leaps, steep drops, good straights and tight corners so that the riders’ skill and courage are tested to the core. Since there is often mud aplenty on the course then that adds to the excitement and large crowds of enthusiasts turn out to cheer on intrepid riders, not only from the county but across the UK and even further afield. The scrambles cater for motor cycles and sidecars, which add even further to the spectacular nature of the events and are divided into distinct classes as follows:
Pre 1960 Matisse class – The real ‘toffs’ of the track
Pre 1965
Pre 1968
Pre 1974
Pre 1984 sidecars
Trials test skill, balance and control
Trials are undertaken on an individual basis with the riders having to go through sections on their own and showing their balance, control and navigational skills. They start each section, which could include going down an old stream bed or across a log, with five points and every time the rider puts his foot down he or she loses a mark.
The local riders range from 12 to 70-plus with boys and girls encouraged and strictly following the code which says that there is no arguing with the section observer when points are deducted. New members are always welcome and given every encouragement and with modern trials bikes starting at about £300 it is within the reach of most youngsters whilst the old-timers tend to have their old favourite from their youth with which to participate!
Superb reputation
Such is the excellent reputation of the Narberth Classic Motor Cycle Club that they invariable are awarded a Welsh Championship round in the scrambling and the club is lucky to have some excellent venues for the Clerk of the Course to utilise. His role is to ensure a good lay out of the track where health and safety must also be paramount, with ambulances there just in case and good crowd control in operation.
Family affair
Club chairman Roy Thomas has been a successful scrambler for many years and keeps a weather eye on race days, whilst the sidecar co-ordinator is Brian Bodfish, whose entire close family are involved, either as riders or passengers. That isthe nature of the club and whilst youngsters are always given the chance it is great to report that Brian Owen is 75 and still going strong!
Much of the nostalgia for the classic motor cycles revolve around their being so open to the onlookers’ senses because not only can you hear them coming but can smell them as well since their exhausts are like organ pipes and they really do like fabulous when they are well set up. They help provide a walk down Memory Lane for motor cycle enthusiasts and those of us who enjoy the sports of yesteryear which were highly competitive but there was an air of camaraderie too.
The Narberth Classic Motor Cycle Club is renowned throughout Great Britain for being a well-organised family club and although we won’t be donning leathers quite yet, pembrokeshiresport.co.uk is looking forward to attending a scrambling day and visiting a trials event too.
Pictures by Jonathan Bodfish
