Devon TRF Group Forum

Matd · Clubman B

Trail magazine front cover November 2011

doh ! · Clubman A

yeah i thought that i can see why they have done it as it shows you can ride anything on green lanes but doesnt really encourage new members who may be under the impression the TRF is out of touch with modern motorcycles . Fair play to the rider with that front tyre and having to cope with hand gear change aswell

Steve H · Devon's Best

Is he an unshaven Cubber confuse biggrin biggrin

Matd · Clubman B

Well quite, i didn't think it portrayed us in the best light at all really.. Yeah that front tyre looks very similar to something you might find on a Honda C90 - very brave!

Lost · Expert

ahh a panther that will be the 600cc ?thud--------thud--------thud---------thud or lamp post--------lamp post---------lamp post i tried to start to one once it didnt happen when i was a lad in commerfords in London big dealer in its day dad bought a second hand ural 650cc ? cossack to you [mongolia ring a bell lol ]salesman told dad dont worry about any rust its built like the forth bridge

Cubber · Expert

Cheeky of you Steve furious - it's not me, honest, but I do know the picture was taken at this year's Beamish Trophy Trial - and I know the location of the shot.

Beamish Trophy Trail

The event is run by the South Durham Section of the VMCC.

If you remember September of last year the Devon TRF (Pete Bull, JT, Doug and me) took a possy all over our trails for three days (Fri-Sun) and on the last day one Durham lad broke his leg. doh

Martyn

jt · Powermonger!!

Matd wrote:
Well quite, i didn't think it portrayed us in the best light at all really..

Why?????

Sorry lads don't get it - it made me smile, (just like trail riding does) - do you think he should be mounted on a 'monster energy' stickered full on enduro machine and clad the lastest multi coloured 'must have wannbe' riding attire?

Week after week the cover is adorned with more modern bikes - so why do you think " it doesnt really encourage new members who may be under the impression the TRF is out of touch with modern motorcycles" To me it shows what you say yourselves "as it shows you can ride anything on green lanes".

Can't say I see that the modern stuff is 'outnumbered' on any ride or event by fantastic old machines like this old fellas fabulous Panther.....And I for one would love to see more stuff like it out on the lanes biggrin

My son is 16, just has his 1st Bike, will sortly join the TRF and he laughed out loud when he saw the pic and said "man that dudes a legend Id love to go on a ride with him" (and so would I) so it doesn't seem to have discouraged him wink

So Mr Paul Farley, I think your a star and if ever you fancy bringing that beautiful Panther down to devon I would love come out and spend the day with you - Ace!

TTR · Powermonger!!

Totally agree with jt - made me chuckle when I saw it. I love the squiffy pudding basin helmet and flying goggles biggrin

Fred can only print what he is sent and I think this month's cover pic was a great choice wink

Pete · Devon's Best

I remember the panther sloper 650 single as a beast to be reckoned with that could go anywhere, and the photo made me laugh out loud.

V Twin Funster · Expert

I used to love my M100. I was sad to see her go. But I only rented a garage at the time. No electricity and the walls were running with water.

I used to ride her everywhere. Went to the Panther Owners Club rally in Bridgnorth, Shropshire and took the scenic route using just the A roads. She never missed a beat.

Craig

philsil · Clubman B

A great snap.

Remember my mate pulling a Ford Anglia out of Eynsford ford with his Panther sidecar one Sunday afternoon. It used to do about 50mpg (or 350 revs).

Nige · Expert

Its not what you ride, its that you ride that counts.

The more the bike is unsuitable for the terranie the more respect they deserve.

Matd · Clubman B

This is what it reminded me of

FBF · Clubman A

jt wrote:
Matd wrote:
Well quite, i didn't think it portrayed us in the best light at all really..
Why?????
Sorry lads don't get it - it made me smile, (just like trail riding does) - do you think he should be mounted on a 'monster energy' stickered full on enduro machine and clad the lastest multi coloured 'must have wannbe' riding attire?

Week after week the cover is adorned with more modern bikes - so why do you think " it doesnt really encourage new members who may be under the impression the TRF is out of touch with modern motorcycles" To me it shows what you say yourselves "as it shows you can ride anything on green lanes".
Can't say I see that the modern stuff is 'outnumbered' on any ride or event by fantastic old machines like this old fellas fabulous Panther.....And I for one would love to see more stuff like it out on the lanes

Surprising where some TRF magazines turn up, saw two in the doctor surgery recently.

I think it should be said and kept in mind that the TRF is a non competetive organisation so a competetive trial really has no place in the magazine and certainly not on the cover, that said it would have been a nice feature to read within the magazine maybe.

The TRF magazine does seem to have some interesting stuff from time to time but seems to continously drift away from its prime topic which is the riding of legal lanes. In fact I remember one issue that didn't seemed to have anything much at all about trail riding.

I think the picture seems to portray a rather comical scene, its not about the bike but the choice of headgear and biggles googles which seems to be either to deliberately appear comical or to portray some daft attempt at authenticity. Either way safety has been sacrificed, a good quality open faced helmet would have looked okay without looking too out of place but instead he is wearing something he found in the back of the garage propping up the rear of his lamberetta.

Don't get me wrong the bike and the rider is fine, just the dumb helmet and googles I disagree with

-- Edited by FBF on Saturday 19th of November 2011 03:39:36 PM

Cubber · Expert

FBF obviously thinks the Beamish Trophy Trial is a competitive trial! blankstare smile

If he looked at the link I gave before he would see it is a trial run by South Durham section of the VINTAGE Motor Cycle Club - i.e. all entrants MUST be on a machine at least 25 years old, clothing is to rider's choice.

The event is run to a great extent on the route originally used by the Travers Trial of the '20s.

The competitive element comprises ascents and descents of green lanes and rock strewn trails and tracks - no more dangerous or competitive than a load of Devon green lanes.

Entrants are stopped at certain points and asked questions about safe riding technique, highway code, bike history, bike maintenace, etc.

It is not a Trial as the Scottish or Scott - it's a whole day Sunday saunter with a lunch stop at Allenheads where there is a glorious pub selling real ale and reasonable meals.

The bike that Paul Farley is riding on the front of Trail is a 250cc Red Panther - not the 600cc sloper that was used as a family saloon substitute.

Mr Farley obviously rode an old bike (1934 it says in the Trail mag, but the Panther is in fact registered as 1937) and chose to wear the attire of a period motorcyclist - except for the camelback. biggrin

Martyn

Husky Steve · Sportsman

philsil wrote:
A great snap.

Remember my mate pulling a Ford Anglia out of Eynsford ford with his Panther sidecar one Sunday afternoon. It used to do about 50mpg (or 350 revs).

Eynsford Ford............now that brings back memories of my childhood

Steve

jt · Powermonger!!

Should that be just Eynsford? - IE the Ford at Eyns, the river Ford I mean not the Ford (anglia)...this could get confusing talking about the Ford in the Ford at Eyns.......Ford. Would get really bamboozled if the Ford (Anglia) belonged to an Ian as then we would be talking about Ians Ford, in the Ford at Eynsford....Whys it called Eynsford anyway (the place not the anglia - as thats Iansford) cause its a Ford (not the car the river crossing) on the river Darent Innit? Perhaps a bloke called Eyn built a Ford (river crossing - not the car) on the river Darent? Maybe for complete clarity we should say we are talking about Ians Ford in Eynsford which is a Ford (river crossing not car) on the River Darent......

Yea, I think I have cleared that up now smile well in my mind at least.....

Husky Steve · Sportsman

jt wrote:
Should that be just Eynsford? - IE the Ford at Eyns, the river Ford I mean not the Ford (anglia)...this could get confusing talking about the Ford in the Ford at Eyns.......Ford. Would get really bamboozled if the Ford (Anglia) belonged to an Ian as then we would be talking about Ians Ford, in the Ford at Eynsford....Whys it called Eynsford anyway (the place not the anglia - as thats Iansford) cause its a Ford (not the car the river crossing) on the river Darent Innit? Perhaps a bloke called Eyn built a Ford (river crossing - not the car) on the river Darent? Maybe for complete clarity we should say we are talking about Ians Ford in Eynsford which is a Ford (river crossing not car) on the River Darent......

Yea, I think I have cleared that up now well in my mind at least.....

You forgot to say that Anglia, East that is, is somewhere past Essex, where Ford, not river ford but car, was made.........

And anyway, me being pedantic now, its the River Darenth wink

Steve

-- Edited by Husky Steve on Monday 28th of November 2011 10:24:15 PM

danfulford · Clubman B

i dont think he'll be doing the devils steps on that bad boy!

Pete · Devon's Best

danfulford wrote:
i dont think he'll be doing the devils steps on that bad boy!

Don't be so sure.

After I had tumbled back down one of the Moor to Sea hillclimbs the observer pointed to his 1952 rigid framed Cotton with a sprung saddle and said he had just gone up there no trouble. The right rider, one with experience, can get the most inapproriate machinery to out perform your expectations. I quite enjoy watching wannabees with the latest enduro missile crashing and burning whilst ancient machines with even older riders make it look easy.

Telboy · Sportsman

Must have had about 4 of those panthers but they all had double adult sidecars on, of course I chopped off the top of the car, they were heavy beasts, with advance retard timing for starting; (I think the retard was me).

GRAY · Clubman B

Matd wrote:
A rather unusual choice for the front cover of Trail magazine?....

Is it compo,from last of the summer wine ?

Matd · Clubman B

Just received a preview of the front cover for next months issue :

I did point out that might not be 'Trail' enough, so suggested this :

-- Edited by Matd on Thursday 1st of December 2011 04:18:59 PM

Cubber · Expert

Mr P. Farley, the rider on the front cover, won the T.W. Walton Trophy on the 39th Beamish Trophy Trial 2011 for the best performance by a 1931-1940 motorcycle under 450 cc on his 1937 Panther 250cc.

Here are the results - CLICKY

Martyn