ISDT 1937 Wales: Route description

19 Tuesday Feb 2013

Posted by Highwayman in Book, Enduro, Europe, Gelände Sport, International Six Day Trial, Internationale Sechs Tagefahrt, ISDT, Manufacturers, Media, Motorcycling, Motorsport, Places, Regolarità, Sei Giorni Motociclistica Internazionale, Six Jours Internationaux, UK, Wales

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ISDT, ISDT 1937, Programme

The route description below is the one provided in the official programme accompanying the event which can now be viewed on this site in its full booklet form via our issuu.com library. More information can be found on the 1937 ISDT event page including detailed mapping from the programme of the actual route taken.

THE ROUTE OF THE 1937 INTERNATIONAL SIX DAYS’ TRIAL

COMPETITORS in the International Six Days’ Trial who took part when the Trial was previously held in Wales in 1933, will find the course this year fairly reminiscent of the earlier event, as a great many of the sections used in 1933 are again included. Indeed, it would have been impossible for the organisers to do otherwise in such an area, which, to those used to the space available on the Continent, must appear somewhat prescribed. Main roads with heavy traffic such as one encounters to the north and south, and in the coastal parts of Wales must be avoided, and, as far as possible, those small towns and villages, where” thirty mile per hour” limits exist have also been left severely alone. Briefly, the plan which appeared best to fit the conditions involves a series of five overlapping loops.

image of pictorial diagram of the route of the ISDT 1937

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ISDT Centenary Rallye & Ride – Carlisle 2013

28 Monday Jan 2013

Posted by Highwayman in Enduro, England, Europe, Gelände Sport, International Six Day Trial, Internationale Sechs Tagefahrt, ISDT, Motorcycling, Motorsport, Regolarità, Sei Giorni Motociclistica Internazionale, Six Jours Internationaux, UK

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Carlisle, Centenary, ISDT

ISDT 1954: Controversial Jury decision strikes out the British Trophy Team’s win

26 Saturday Jan 2013

Posted by Highwayman in Czechoslovakia, Enduro, Gelände Sport, International Six Day Trial, Internationale Sechs Tagefahrt, ISDT, Motorcycling, Motorsport, Places, Regolarità, Sei Giorni Motociclistica Internazionale, Six Jours Internationaux, Wales

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1954, FIM, ISDT, Jury

Common knowledge recognises that with a long involvement with the ISDT and ISDE including its founding in 1913 at an event in Carlisle Britain has won the International Trophy the most of any nation. However it is popular belief, held with some disappointment in Britain, that the last time Britain won the Trophy was way back in the ISDT 1953 held in Czechoslovakia. The following year they lost it in Wales, handing the Trophy back to the hosts of their victorious event in the previous year. However a question remains that was ’53 the last year. Many at the time held out the vbiew that Britain should squeeze an extra year of glory if the decision of the Jury about an accident on the route had not reinstated a Czechoslovakian rider, who many felt should have been excluded for breaching the rules. Below is a picture of the first and second team in the Trophy from Motor Cycling and below that is the text of the editorial that appeared in the post ISDT 1954 issue of Motor Cycling which explains the reason why British Riders and supporters were unhappy about the final result.

Photo of the Victorious Czech ISDT Trophy Team and the second placed British Trophy Team at ISDT 1954

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2013 ~ 80th Anniversary of the First ISDT to start in Wales

20 Sunday Jan 2013

Posted by Highwayman in Enduro, Gelände Sport, International Six Day Trial, Internationale Sechs Tagefahrt, ISDT, Motorcycling, Motorsport, Regolarità, Sei Giorni Motociclistica Internazionale, Six Jours Internationaux, Wales

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events, ISDT, Llandrindod Wells, mid Wales, Motorcycles

In the year where we see the celebration of the 100th anniversary of the very first ISDT. For many, especially in Wales, it is also going to be noted as the 80th anniversary of the fifteenth ISDT event which took place in Llandrindod Wells, Radnorshire, now Powys in 1933. We have a page dedicated to each year the ISDT took place but also its another anniversary as the ISDT changed its name in 1981 to the International Six Days Enduro (ISDE). In 1983, 30 years ago this year, the ISDE rolled back into Llandrindod Wells / Builth Wells, the last time the Six Day spectacular has occurred in Great Britain. During this year I hope to produce a page to commemorate the 1983 event, of which video clips of a Welsh Language TV Show on S4C can be viewed in our ISDT Tube page.

Originally the awarding of the following years event was an honour bestowed on the National Governing Body for the country of the sport whose team won the trophy. However this became increasingly difficult because of the limited number of countries eligible to compete for the International Trophy, which could only be won by a team riding on motorcycles made in their own country. Later on the cost of this restriction limited the number of potential host nations and finding a host with adequate suitable terrain and resources became harder. The Trophy requirements were abandoned teams could ride on what they wanted, and it was later opened up to parties to bid for the rights to hold the event rather than winning the right.

The history of the Welsh Events in 1933, 1937, 1938, 1949, 1950, 1954, 1961 can be followed on their own pages.

As part of the 1933 celebration we have purchased an original copy of the ‘Motor Cycling‘ report on the week long event which we will be making available on the 1933 page. Below are a couple of images from that report and an extract from the editions forward piece on the ISDT of 1933.

Photo - ISDT 1933 (from Speetracktales Archive)

Photo – Victory and vanquished, the German and English Trophy teams get together for a friendly chat after the speed test. L to R, Stelzer, in white suits, Rowley seated on BMW, Tetstall Bradley’s passenger, bo-peeping over Rowley’s shoulder; Mauer-Mayer’s passenger; Bradley seated; Mauer-Meyer; Perrigo and Ernst Henne ISDT 1933 (from Speedtracktales Archive)

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Jim Alves’s 1953 Gold Medal saved from anonymity.

08 Tuesday Jan 2013

Posted by Highwayman in Czechoslovakia, Enduro, Gelände Sport, Internationale Sechs Tagefahrt, ISDT, Regolarità, Sei Giorni Motociclistica Internazionale, Six Jours Internationaux

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1953, British Team, Czechoslovakia, Gottwaldov, ISDT, Triumph, Trophy

A lucky Google search in 2012 identified friends of the late Jim Alves were selling off a number of his ISDT souvenirs. Photos of a number of these can be found on this blog but of particular interest was the FIM Gold Medal Jim won at the ISDT in 1953.

The importance of the 1953 win was that despite the British Team being, what Americans describe as the “winningest” when it come to the International Trophy, this event marks the last year an ACU team won it. Maybe this is one of the visual milestones that pointed towards the end of domination of British Motorcycle Brands. For another 10 or 15 years individual British riders imposed there brilliance on the ISDT results but by 1970 this was either on non British machines or custom workshop handbuilds like the Cheney or TriBSA

For now the 1953 we had never had it so good and this was our last best win of the ISDT, with the team now gone this is an important piece of the tale of the legend they left.

After brief negotiations the vendors were very keen to ensure the medal remained connected to the ISDT and agreement was quickly made for its acquisition by Speedtracktales. The collection grows.

The Peoples Collection – P. B. (Percy Benzie) Abery – Photographer, 1877-1948

29 Thursday Nov 2012

Posted by Highwayman in Enduro, International Six Day Trial, ISDT, Photography, Wales

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Aberystwyth Mountain Road, Allt y Badi, Enduro, Geoff Charles, ISDT, Motorcycle Trials, National Library of Wales, PB Avery, People's Collection

I was lucky to find the Geoff Charles collection whilst browsing the National Library for Wales Online Photo Collection where I also found these images.

Photo by P B Abery titled ‘Motorcycle racing in Rhayader on the old road to Aberystwyth’. The image may be from the ISDT 1933 with riders #124 A P Van Hamersveld 499cc Rudge Holland - Rtd #128 J Moejas 597cc Ariel Holland - Silver #129 H Kelly 497cc Ariel GB - Rtd. (Image Courtesy of the P B Abery Collection, National Library of Wales)

Photo by P B Abery titled ‘Motorcycle racing in Rhayader on the old road to Aberystwyth’. The image may be from the ISDT 1933 Day 1 with riders #124 A P Van Hamersveld 499cc Rudge Holland – Rtd #128 J Moejas 597cc Ariel Holland – Silver #129 H Kelly 497cc Ariel GB – Rtd. (Image Courtesy of the P B Abery Collection, National Library of Wales)

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The Birth of the ISDT

11 Thursday Oct 2012

Posted by Highwayman in Enduro, England, Gelände Sport, International Six Day Trial, Internationale Sechs Tagefahrt, Motorcycling, Photography, Regolarità, Six Jours Internationaux, UK, Video

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ISDT

The following post is from an article in a 1984 edition of Classic Motorcycle written by well known Lake District Historians Percy and Margaret Duffy, the prints coming from a collection of antique magic lantern slides:

Photo – With his 750cc Rudge Multi outfit, W.D.South corners at Tow Top in the 1912 One-Day Trial

THE urge to demonstrate in some practical fashion the advantages of one particular machine over its rival came very early in the life story of the motorcycle, and it was in 1903 that the newly formed Auto Cycle Union adopted the idea of a Six Days Reliability Trial involving a series of daily tests, the event to be run annually. When it became known that for the Eleventh Annual ACU Six Day Trial, in 1913, the Lake District was being considered as a venue, the ACU made contact with the two local club – Westmorland CC, and Cumberland County MCC – with a view to electing suitable hills.

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Appeal: Help us find the Pre War ISDT BSA’s

26 Wednesday Sep 2012

Posted by Highwayman in Austria, Enduro, Europe, Gelände Sport, Germany, International Six Day Trial, Internationale Sechs Tagefahrt, ISDT, Italy, Manufacturers, Motorcycling, Motorsport, Regolarità, Sei Giorni Motociclistica Internazionale, Six Jours Internationaux, UK, Wales

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BSA, Gold Star, ISDT

I can thank Dave Giles from the VMCC for providing all the content for this Blog which is very much an appeal for help in trying to locate any of the team or other BSA’s that were ridden in the immediate Pre-war period.

Photo of British Army Team Motorcycles #156 Sgt O. Davies Matchless 350cc #113 Pte. JL Wood BSA 496cc [EOG 22] #75 Cpl A C Doyle BSA 496cc [EOG 20] #68 Lt. J. F. Riley with Norton 500cc at ISDT 1939

I have been provided with a list of the last three events of the ISDT prior to the outbreak of WWII in 1939, an event which for the second time interupted the ISDT. If anyone is able to help us identify any of these bikes by providing a registration or other ID and if they are aware if any collectors have one of these bikes kept under wraps somewhere we would be grateful if you could contact us here by messaging on this post Continue reading →

The First International Six Day Trial 18 ~ 23 August 1913: A centenary anniversary 2013

22 Saturday Sep 2012

Posted by Highwayman in Enduro, England, Gelände Sport, International Six Day Trial, Internationale Sechs Tagefahrt, ISDT, Motorcycling, Motorsport, Regolarità, Sei Giorni Motociclistica Internazionale, Six Jours Internationaux, UK, Uncategorized

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ACU, Centenary, FICM, FIM, ISDE, ISDT

With the 100th anniversary of the holding of the first International Six Day Trial less than 1 year away, as the event was hosted by the ACU in England before becoming one of the most truly international of top class motorcycle events. Which, with the toughness of the six days of effort quickly saw the event being likened to the ‘Olympics of Motorcycling’ a name that has stuck with it ever since as it has been hosted on most of the worlds continents.

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Two German Giants of the ISDT ‘Bull Rider’ Class

23 Monday Jul 2012

Posted by Highwayman in Europe, ISDT, Motorcycling, Motorsport, Uncategorized

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BMW, Germany, ISDT, Scheck, Witthoeft

German riders Rolf Witthoeft and Herbert Schek were legends in their riding era which was partially due to the longevity of their time riding and also they became best known for riding some of the largest bikes to ever, later known as the Bull Rider Class. These bikes over 750cc may not have had the greatest power to weight ratio but they were powerful and it took a good rider to get these items of heavy metal around a typical ISDT course.