Scratching in the Dirt featuring Guy Martin

Mr Porky Presents Dirtquake III: Scratching in the Dirt featuring Guy Martin. Guy gets to race something oddball in the dirt and he’s not the only one. Dirtquake is Guy’s favourite motorbike event and this is a look at why. Film shot in the perfect British summer of 2014. Thanks to Mr Porkys, Sideburn and of course the riders for making a great show.

Akrapovic-full-moon

Vécu : 1er Paris-Dunkerque en Trail

Le déverminage

Après une esquisse en 2013, Antoine Deswarte a lancé avec succès, le weekend de Pentecôte, sa 1ére vraie édition du Paris-Dunkerque. Une première ce n’est évidemment pas une édition sans défaut. Mais l’idée est bonne.

Annonçant « 3 jours de randonnées, par les routes et les chemins, spécialement tracés pour les « Trails » et les « Super Trails », 900 kms - 3 des plus beaux villages de France - 10 châteaux. », ce Paris-Dunkerque était alléchant pour les amateurs de raids qui souhaitaient une autre destination que le sud. De plus sur un long weekend. Pas d’excuse pour ne pas dérouiller sa machine et ne pas développer son habilité hors des sentiers battus…

Les participants étaient éclectiques. De la moto d’enduro, en passant par les gros trails monocylindres des années 80, aux trails modernes et souvent « camionnesques », l’affiche avait attiré près de 100 motards.

Satisfaire un tel plateau est compliqué. C’est sans doute l’ambiguïté de la promesse qui est à clarifier.

1^ère étape / Vendredi 6 juin 2014 : Paris-Venette 317 kms

Un départ au pied de la Tour Eiffel, sur l’esplanade du Trocadéro, pour une traversée de Paris par la place de l’Etoile qui plus est à 9h du matin…cela fait rêver !

Au programme, 317kms très techniques dès les premiers chemins. Les pluies diluviennes des jours précédents le départ n’arrangent pas les choses. L’herbe est grasse et les bourbiers bien noirâtres et piégeux dans les sous-bois. Sur la fin, les grandes plaines - aux chemins à l’herbe haute camouflant les ornières - sont très typées enduro. Chutes et glissades sont au programme et une majorité de pilotes finit par la route… épuisée. L’accueil à Venette (banlieue de Compiègne) par les Macadam Riders redonne le sourire.

2^ème étape / Samedi 7 juin 2014 : Venette-Arras 347 km

Avec 347 kms, cette seconde étape s’annonce comme un gros morceau. Au programme, des forêts, des chemins roulants mais parfois très techniques délicats sans des pneus adaptés. Une grande boucle avec pour commencer le cap à l'est vers l'Aisne et la Meuse, presque à Charleville Mézières, puis remontée au cap Nord Ouest. Des coins perdus, des châteaux, des fermes fortifiées, des paysages bucoliques. L’étape est longue - très longue - et cette fois encore pas mal rejoignent le foirail d’Arras par la route. Accueil convivial et chaleureux par les Ephémères riders avec concert et baraque à frites… pas de doute, nous sommes bien dans le Nord !

3^ème étape / Dimanche 8 juin 2014 : Arras-Dunkerque 319 kms

Au réveil ça tire ! Les hommes sont plus fatigués que leurs machines pourtant boueuses à souhait. Cap au Nord-Nord-Ouest, une alternance de forêts, de collines et de vallées, chemins roulants et petites routes et même une ancienne voie romaine. Les champs à perte de vue parsemés du bleu du lin en fleur, c’est magnifique. Il faut toutefois se méfier des ornières bien boueuses planquées sous l’herbe qui a reconquis ces grands chemins. Arrivée dans le Boulonnais, c'est la route de la corniche avec une vue magnifique sur les falaises anglaises. Le cap Gris Nez, le cap Blanc Nez. Nous traversons les zones portuaires dunkerquoises pour nous regrouper sur la place du célèbre corsaire "Jean-Bart". Photo souvenir avant de se poser définitivement sur la plage de …Dunkerque ! Belle arrivée pleine de symboles obtenue de haute lutte par le SMPS Dunkerque et Les Pavés Roulants !

Quel avenir ?

Un raid dans le nord de la France au départ de la mythique place du Trocadéro est assurément une excellente idée.

Il y a un fort potentiel de motards en région parisienne mais aussi dans toute la partie nord pour qui le désert est bien loin. Le timing, sur 3 jours, est également une excellente idée pour ceux qui travaillent et n’ont pas trop de congés. Enfin, le cout est abordable pouvant être contenu dans les 500€.

L’idée d’associer les motos clubs locaux aux étapes est à conserver et même a renforcer. Merci au Rando Trail Compiégnois, aux Macadam Rider’s, aux Ephémères Riders, au MC les Copains D’abord, Au SMPS Dunkerque et Les Pavés Roulants, ils ont tous donné le meilleur de leurs confréries aussi bien pendant les étapes qu’en amont lors des reconnaissances.

Reste maintenant le rendu de la promesse. Annoncer une belle ballade pour gros trails est un peu usurpé. Relever plusieurs fois une 1200 GS est en effet un exercice de musculation qui – à la longue – peut fatiguer, voire énerver surtout quand, pour passer les difficultés, l’embrayage est soumis à rude épreuve …

Il va falloir choisir entre de longues étapes, le second jour approchant les 350 kms, et des passages très techniques. C’est envisageable en signalant les points délicats et en proposant des contournements. Surtout que dans ces contrées, des pluies peuvent rapidement transformer des chemins praticables en véritable tracés piégeux. Des briefings réguliers permettraient d’informer de ces difficultés et de bien connaître les heures de départ.

Un timing plus orchestré offrirait aussi la possibilité d’organiser les assistances. Si l’arrivée sur la plage de Dunkerque est incontestablement un joli décor, un mot final permettrait de clôturer un raid qui a de l’avenir. En tout cas, c’est le fruit d’un énorme travail de défrichage. Le parcours permet de découvrir un patrimoine exceptionnel et de montrer que la France possède encore un énorme potentiel de chemins. C’est déjà l’attrait de ce Paris-Dunkerque qui a de beaux jours devant lui.

d'ailleurs ça vient de tomber dans les boites mails :

Le nouveau site www.paris-dunkerque.fr est en ligne avec les bulletins d'inscriptions pour les 22, 23 et 24 mai 2015 !!

Les grandes nouveautés :

- Les petits-déjs, les repas du soir pris ensemble dans des endroits sympas, et l'espace Bivouac pour passer la nuit, avec douches et sanitaires !!

- Nouvel itinéraire : Paris-Venette-Bertangles-Dunkerque !

- 2 parcours possibles sur cet itinéraire : "Extrème" et "Aventure" 

Pierre Xavier

Photos Pierre Xavier et Paris-Dunkerque (E.Lebas/E.Charles)

Custom 1970 Honda CT70 Monkey Bike Cafe Racer

Ken Crites of Huntington Beach, California shows us his custom monkey bike cafe racer that he built himself in his garage based on a 1970 Honda CT70. It features carbon fiber seat and fenders, Koni air shocks, upside down forks, 160 c.c. engine (replacing the stock 70 c.c.), clubman handlebars with bar end mirrors, billet footpegs, extended swing arm and numerous other custom touches. It'll do 60 mph in top gear! It's like a Honda Grom

ENID – THE CROOKED-NOSED STRIPPER

You can look but you can’t touch. Obviously. Until the advent of fondle-worthy 3d solid-projection screens (is that a thing?) you’ll have to make do with these soft focus pictures of Pip Davidson’s dancing companion. His ecdysiastical friend is not alone at least, Pip’s garage sounds like certain salubrious establishments where not a single bike is un-enhanced. I remember drooling over his 5 cylinder Millyard-built Kawasaki outside Tobacco Dock earlier in the year. The noise still haunts me.

And his previous build, a natty little Honda CJ423, showed a keen eye for an over bored engines and cool cream colour palettes. So like the inspirational name of this bike suggests, she may have a few visual abnormalities, but boy can Enid shake it with the best of them when you wave a tenner across her fuel tank.

It’s the familiar story. Little Enid grew up as an innocent young Cub 90. Born in 1967, as a city girl she was happiest scooting out and about downtown. When Pip met her in Spring this year, she was a little worse for wear. The mean streets had taken their toll. Perfect then, for some remedial action under the careful choreography of Mr Davidson. Like the CJ423, Enid was stripped and whisked off to the blasters. It soon became evident she had a slightly rusty derriere, so the classic Cub duck-tail was reluctantly bobbed; it’s all weight saving. Chassis parts then received a coating of Pip’s signature cream powdercoat; the spray on tan Enid always wanted. Back in his garage it was shopping time and a whole host of trick bits was soon piling up, ready to fit.

Now Enid had her looks back, it was time to stretch those limbs and find that lost agility. She would be rebuilt, Pip had the technology. She would be better than she was before. Better, stronger, faster. A lot faster, in fact. Pip decided to go for broke, and sourced a Daytona Animal 190cc engine; double the capacity and putting out a frankly frightening 24 bhp. A quick nip and tuck of the frame, had the engine squeezed between her rails. Wisely, Pip fitted a beefed up 428 chain with a Talon 17 tooth front sprocket. Out back, after coming up short on all the normal sources a Dennis Trollope Racing 32 tooth blank sprocket was modified to fit. Feeding her now insatiable appetite, a Keihin PE28 carb was fitted, breathing through a beefy Ram Air filter. To retain some modesty Pip decided to keep Enid’s leg shields, necessitating a custom 90 degree bracket for the carb. Poking out ungainly, her ‘nose’ is a truly distinguishing feature.

However, in addition to the unfortunate facial appendage Enid also suffers from a bit of gastric distress: though it really adds to her performance. Not entirely satisfied with the 500% increase in power and near 90mph top speed, Pip thought a little squirt of NOS would broaden his smile further. They don’t call it laughing gas without reason. Sure Enid has to wear her bottle like a shiny colostomy bag, but she wears it with pride. And when she pulls her party piece and the full 15bhp shot is released you’ll be holding onto those Easton MX bars screaming for your Mother. A night to remember for sure. To make certain Enid isn’t left sitting in a cloud of her own smoke, oversize rubber was fitted to the freshly rebuilt wheels, front and rear. She was back on her feet.

Originally planning for a classic cafe racer look to the seat unit, as the Cub came together Pip soon realised it wasn’t quite work  working. A stylish solo seat and rear rack combo now looks peachy keen, offering a hilarious modicum of practicality should you wish to do some supersonic grocery shopping. Seat leather matches the brown grips, perfect for hiding the likely skidmarks; from the rider, not the bike. To cover the sound of the punter’s screams, Enid now sports a big bore exhaust, clad in pipe wrap and capped with sporty little number of an end can. More critically to ensure she doesn’t wilt when putting on a big performance, Pip wisely fitted a prominent oil cooler. Fixed to front of her leg shield, it should ensure her Animal heart stays cool when she’s asked to dance.

With the key architecture in place it was time for a serious shake of the body glitter and some finishing touches. Like a looming bouncer, a quick action Venhill twistgrip keeps Pip’s wrist in check. Other rider controls are a mix of Fireblade levers, KTM kickstart and some Ebay special switchgear. A mini retro speedo is tucked down under the bars, but quite frankly you should be certified to want to look down while Enid is on song. And sing she does. Her new motor let’s her dance, but it’s the recalibrated CDI raising the rev ceiling to 15,000 rpm that has her hitting the high notes. Built into the new loom, there’s no reason, that with a little respect and some frequent lubrication, that the famed Cub reliability should suffer in any way. And having been treated to a 12V conversion, the lights might now be able to keep up with the darkest of nights.

So to the first ride and, keeping in mind the brakes struggle to contain the original bike’s performance, it’s unsurprising to hear Pip saying Enid is kind of feisty. In fact, it seems relief at being able to stop at all is the overwhelming sensation. Thanks to all that chutzpah and a stumpy wheelbase, she happily lifts a wheel at the twist of a wrist. That’s the kind of performance we can get behind here on the Shed and Pip must be applauded for being utterly bonkers. Once again it shows that you don’t need big capacity to scare yourself witless. Bravo. Sure, as with all the projects there was a certain amount of budget creep, but the old girl deserves it. She’s found the perfect Sugar Daddy in Pip. She may have a crooked nose, but this Cub has a heart of gold.

Pip’s currently having fun nursing a semi while terrorising Porsche drivers on the sleepy roads of Berkshire. Or he’s embedded in a wall somewhere. Either way I bet he’s wearing a smile a mile wide. With this project done and dusted, it’s onto the next, and as is the way, Pip says it will be another Marmite bike.

If Marmite tasted half as nice as his bikes go, then it must be time to snap up some Unilever shares.

via The Bike Shed

Ferrari FF vs. Jensen FF: Fast Forward to St. Moritz - on video

As contests go, it’s a bit of a non-starter. How could anything match Ferrari’s latest 651bhp four-seater, a car with the cleverest of part-time 4wd systems and 200mph+ performance? Quite. But the opportunity of driving two types of ‘FF’ on snow in the Engadin Valley was too good to miss...

The adventure started in Zurich. An original, late-60s FF from British manufacturer Jensen was to be my car for the first leg of the journey: motorway out of the city to Chur and then an invigorating drive across the Julier Pass into the Engadin, with St Moritz the final destination.

For those yet to experience the full-on (original) FF experience, it’s best described as modern Bristol meets 1970s Aston V8. Which might appear overly flattering to the car from the West Midlands but, in truth, it’s really rather good.

When I say ‘good’, of course, I am making all sorts of allowances for age. But it’s roomy, has a nice driving position, generous luggage space under the glass hatchback and occasional seating in the rear. And, whether cruising serenely at the strictly enforced Swiss motorway speed limit, or taking one hairpin after another through Savognin, Bivio and then on to the Julier, the lazy 6.3-litre American V8 is more than up to the task.

At 2284 metres, though, the single carburettor is chuffing a bit. Fuel-injection here would have been a godsend. Mind you, turn the clock back 40 or so years and the latest Weber-equipped exotic from Maserati or Aston Martin would have been in the same boat – or most likely in big trouble with snow on the ground at -10° C, because our car has the famous Ferguson Formula all-wheel-drive system.

‘Ferguson Formula’: ‘FF’. Neat, don’t you think?

At the BP station on the outskirts of St Moritz we meet up with a very different ‘FF’: Ferrari’s quite brilliant ‘Ferrari Four’, meaning four seats with four-wheel drive.

The car was launched at last year’s Geneva Show and, as with any new Ferrari, you’ll have to wait a while to take delivery of one, such has been the worldwide demand for the company’s flagship V12. This is a Ferrari like no other: genuine seating for four adults and part-time 4wd from a patented, two-speed ’box with wet clutches taking power from the front of the engine.

The ECU’s mighty computing power, along with further developments of the E-diff, anti-lock braking and traction control, coupled with the option to add 4wd at everyday speeds, mean that you are still driving a traditional front-engined Ferrari… until you aren’t, when the front wheels receive almost imperceptible help in slippery conditions.

The result is quite amazing. Despite its all-new, 6,262cc V12 producing 651bhp, the FF can be driven with total – and I mean TOTAL – confidence on compacted snow, going places no everyday supercar could go.

As with any Ferrari motor, the engine is just magnificent. While the more track-orientated 458 Italia and 599 GTB deliver more of their power in an exhilarating rush, the FF’s V12 has just the right balance of low-down thrust and non-intimidating, top-end rush. And that’s in conditions that dropped to -12° C at times.

Likewise, the sublime steering – just light enough, but still very direct – matches both the engine’s ferocity and the super-smooth, 7-speed twin-clutch transaxle.

Boy, does this car go. And setting the Manettino (steering wheel switch) to ‘Snow’ means that full-power take-offs in powdery snow are as fun as when on dry Tarmac.

Taking the big Ferrari out of St Moritz and over the Bernina Pass, its virtues of comfort, power and exclusivity became ever more apparent.

The area is in the height of the winter season and the great, good and famous are settling in for a couple of months of sun and snow. Style is all: whether it’s the latest must-have from Moncler or Pilatus, St Moritz will see it before too long.

Joining that list is the fabulous new Ferrari FF and, making an honourable return after a 40-year absence, is that ‘other’ FF – another might-have-been from the British car industry, but now a stylish classic accessory on the slopes.

Production & Photos: Jan Baedeker

Video: Kai Klinke

A selection of Ferrari FFs for sale can be found in the Classic Driver Market.

You can also find Jensen FFs for sale in the Classic Driver Market.

Snapshot, 1960s: Mercedes SL on the piste

No Carver, no Gore-Tex, no Go-Pro on the helmet – in the 1960s, skiing was a purist sport; and the ideal transport for the keen skier was a red Mercedes SL…

Those were the days when the outline of your Mercedes was instantly recognisable at a distance, even without the big, bold star on the grille. The harmonious proportions of the ‘Pagoda SL’ built from 1963 to 1971 have made it a design icon today. Standing out from the crowds of knobbly VW Beetles, the unmistakeable lines of the Mercedes were an indication of the success of its driver in the economic boom of the post-War era – and also hinted at his sporty personality; especially when the Mercedes, rather than sitting freshly washed in the car park of a conference centre, was to be seen on the snow with ski racks on its roof. Whether the driver had equally good style when it came to skiing, however, could only be determined out on the piste. 

Photos: Daimler archive

Many classic Mercedes-Benz SL Pagodas can be found in the Classic Driver Market.

1964 MG B 'Windmill & Lewis'

1964 MG B

'Windmill & Lewis'

Summary

• Year of manufacture 

  1964
• Car type 

  Other
• Competition car 

  Yes
• FIA Papers 

  Yes

• Drive 

  RHD
• Condition 

  Used
• Interior colour 

  Black
• Number of seats 

  2

• Location

  
• Exterior colour 

  Green
• Gearbox 

  Manual
• Drivetrain 

  2wd
• Fuel type 

  Petrol

Description

Possibly to most significant MG B race car that was not directly used by the works department. ‘222 WAE’ was built to works specification and campaigned relentlessly from 1964 to 1970 by Roy Ashford on behalf of the Bristol, MG dealership Windmill & Lewis with great success.

The BMC competition department in Abingdon constructed the ‘works’ vehicles (MG, Austin, Mini) in their ‘special tuning department’ where the cars were given light-weight panels and uprated engine components. MG Bs were then raced in many disciplines to get as much exposure and marketing potential as possible for the popular model, including sports car racing ,both in Europe and America (Sebring), endurance events, such as Le Mans were they scored a class win in 1963 and many rally events.

222 WAE was purchased in 1963 by the Bristol MG dealership Windmill & Lewis, who had previously had some success in 1961 running a MG Midget and a MG A. Under the guidance of their talented workshop foreman, Roy Ashford, the car was built up to works specification over the winter on 1963-4. This included lightening the car - like all early MGBs 222WEA had an aluminum bonnets as standard and added to this was aluminum front wings, doors and boot lid. The engine was rebuilt to homologation specification running an 1840cc block and a 48 DCO Webber among many other changes. As sponsoring on cars was not allowed the car was painted in its distinctive colour scheme of green and orange that became well know throughout the country.

Roy Ashford predominantly drove the car and proved to be one of the most prolific winners for the marque in the early years. Driving mainly in the ‘Chevron, Freddie Dixon STP championship’ he also ran in several hillclimbs each year to keep the Windmill & Lewis name in front of the buying public.

“Roy’s most memorable race was at Thruxton on 24 May 1970 when he finished second, splitting two AC Cobras. Shaun Jackson won in his 7.4 litre model with a race time of 12min, 42.2sec, Roy’s time was 12min, 44.0sec, whilst Ian Richardson, whose car had a 5.4 litre engine was third having completed the ten laps in 12min, 47.0sec. This was an excellent achievement for a 2-litre MGB at Thruxton, which has always been regarded as a ‘power circuit.’ Motoring News described it as ‘The hairiest Motorsport race for many a frantic day!’” MGB The Racing Story by John Baggott.

Lex took over Windmill & Lewis in September 1970 and decided not to continue campaigning the car thus closing the racing program. The MD of Windmill and Lewis, Peter Robinson, offered to sell the car to Roy but he declined and at his suggestion the car was sold to his friend Terry Osbourne. Terry had the car painted blue and he raced the car frequently from 1972 making his race debut in the Chevron Oils Championship at Mallory in March of that year. Initially Terry invited Roy to share the driving of 222 WAE with him but after Terry failed to get a drive due to Roy having problems in his race, Roy decided to take a step back and leave his friend to drive.

Terry raced the car through the 1970s and 80s mainly in the Modsports races and competed in the MGCC Wiscombe Hill Climb every year. He joined the BCV8 Championship in its inaugural year of 1977 and he went on to win the championship in 1978 and 79. He also set records at Castle Combe (July ’85) and Wiscombe Hill climb (September ’90). Richard Longman did the engine work during this period and Roy Ashford continued to maintain the rest of the car with David Franklin.

Having retired from racing Terry sold the car to the well known MG enthusiast and racer Colin Pearcy, who had the car returned to its original ‘Windmill & Lewis’ specification and colours. He then raced the car at numerous classic events including VSCC races, the Pomeroy, MG car club meetings, classic Jaguar meetings and the Goodwood revival in 2001, 2004 and 2009.

The current owner purchased the car from Colin in 2008 and it has enjoyed only light use since. It comes in ready to race condition with a current V5, original buff log book, Historic Technical Passport, British Motor Industry Heritage Trust certificate, RAC competition log book and a wonderful history file. The car is road registered so can be used for road rallying as well. The story of 222 WAE’s is told in detail in John Baggot’s book, “MGB, The Racing Story”.

Spares included:

‘long engine’ in race spec.

5 spare wheels and tyres

Rear differential