1960's classic scramble / motocross event. murry walker comentry. jeff smith dave bickers lampkin and rickman racing greeves bsa triumph 500 250 and 440 machines
Just heard the news of Murray Walker’s passing at age 97 but motorcycling was always his passion and commentating in these BBC Grandstand winter Scrambles is a memory I’ll always remember RIP Murray you were and still are a legend.
Hi Chris, most people don't realise Murray Walker had a passion for bikes as well as F1. I'm looking forward to seeing more on your channel this year 👍👍
I remember jumping up and down with excitement when I knew the scrambling was coming on when I was around five or six years old. Ahhhh can still smell the Castrol R.
It's really great to see these old films! Very early 70's I raced a 380 Greeves in the USA. Lots of grunt from that engine and very few people had ever heard of a Greeves. I had the pleasure of meeting Jeff Smith at Corduroy in Canada and competing with him.
Bickers was my hero as a child i never got to see him live i did see vic eastwood Arther browing,lamkin and a few more at Bamber bridge. i loved watching grandstand, scranbling, speedway rallly cross etc
I've never been a motorcyclist but as a young man I never missed this on Saturday afternoons, loved it. Big pity we don't get on TV now instead of the garbage they shove out. I might even buy a TV licence if they did.
I used to love watching this, especially enjoying the deep rumble of the four stroke engines and the spectacular race action. This features two of my favourite riders and I remember so many of the names even though I was well under 10 years old at the time.
I love the sound of those old engines, especially the BSA 441 Victor four strokes. Those bikes are getting harder and harder to find, but are in great demand everywhere.
Great to see all of top boys from the 80s once again, great game for everyone that loves moto cross? Dennis Tyler ex British school boy acu finerlist 1980
What a fab video, although I'm a bit young to actually remember this I'd have loved it on a Saturday afternoon. I was lucky enough to have raced back in the 70's in my teens. I wasn't very good but enjoyed it tremendously. I started on a twin shock KX125, swapped that for a CCM 580 then swapped to my favourite bike, my ex works FB AJS 360. Happy, happy days.
Fantastic! Those were the days and l was there! Great to see my hero Jerry Scott who died shortly after. Smithy was a real hardman, used to train in his dinner break at BSA by jogging in steel capped boots. Dave Bickers left Greeves and raced a Jawa along with Chris Horsfield after Joel Robert dominated on it.
I have seen this before but what a great race it is. In those days bikes had about 4 inch suspension movement, hence no massive leaps like today. I started racing with similar machines. Then I got a 1974 Bultaco (which I still have) with 8 inch suspension. It felt like I had been riding with square wheels before. I then moved onto 1980's machines with 12 inch suspension. My last race was 1988 at the age of 42. I am still riding dirt bikes off road at the age of 70. My son rides enduro in the US and my three grandchildren race in the junior classes. Great sport.
Saturday afternoons watching Grandstand for the scrambles was my TV highlight of week. I had a 50cc Gillera stripped to the bone for the pitheaps. I lived on that bike from sun up to sunset and dreamed one day I'd have a bike like these bikes. I did eventually and still have.
Wonderful. Bickers, Smith, Eastwood, Horsfield, Lampkin... I remember those BBC broadcasts with great affection. And, those bikes sound like motor bikes should sound.
I used to watch scrambling on grandstand at my grandmas! I was fascinated by the Greeves bikes, and later raced a Qub griffon along with several friends from Holmfirth!
as a kid of 5-6 years old I lived for grandstand Saturday afternoons, scrambles, bickers and Co with Murry Walker doing the commentary, RIP Murry, motorcycle empitness (manics) and the F1 tune by fleetwood mac are his top 2 favourite songs
My this brings back memories if it rained badly on Saturday cancelling football etc the world of sport turned to all kinds of scrambler racing bikes and cars usually in the mud!it was a real treat
When I was a kid, the first time I heard the name of the legend that is big Arthur Browning, was on Grandstand. When I found out he was from the same part of Birmingham, I was chuffed. When he rode speedway for the Brummies, I was double chuffed! Don't ask about the Milk Tray advert! What a guy.
Great video. Didn't get interested in off-road racing until the mid '70s, so I remember Jeff Smith as an older guy on Can-Ams. It's great to see him here in his prime.
The speeds were fantastic considering many of the bikes were basically stripped down roadsters. A popular special was the Tribsa, a 500 alloy Triumph engine in a BSA duplex frame. lt was only into the 60s that the big four strokes got purpose made frames such as Rickman and Cheney. Greeves always had their lightweight frame that gave their 250s such speed . BSA dropped the Gold Star, powerful but very heavy in favour of Smithy's 440 which was developed from their non descript 250 C15 roadster. l was luck enough to be around to see them at it, the noise and smells were amazing. Cheers.
When I was a teenager I lived between Hadleigh Essex and the Greeves factory in Thundersley and spent a lot of time at scramble meetings in Essex/Suffolk area spoilt for choice in those days with the Rayleigh rockets speedway track also close by there was always a bike “fix” to be had Hadleigh was a regular grandstand featured circuit This was a great time in motorcycle sport before the gods of money and commercial enterprise sanitised it
enjoyed watching the scrambling..had 3 uncles that used to ride around Tarporley and Chester areas, Beeston castle was a favorite..included a hill climb...
Nice coverage. Not easy with all those trees in the way. I remember this on Saturdays in the 60s and couldn't believe the racket and the black and white mud.
Must have been great back then getting your dirtbike outta your car and having a great time at scramble clubs with your family, its not like this anymore.
According to Frank Melling in his article "'The $40 Million Motocrosser:' " To appreciate this story, the reader must understand that at one time, spectators used to cheer Chris Horsfield riding a CZ, simply because he broke up the monotony of the factory BSAs filling the first six places in an international motocross; the Birmingham factory's grip really was that tight." 'Memorable Motorcyles: BSA Titanium.' 1/3/2006.
Outstanding photo coverage for this race considering the era. Having owned 2 441 Victors, I can feel for what a beating Dave Smith must have taken manhandling that heavy BSA. Loved this video - thanks for posting!.......
Jeff Smith. . He and Dave Bickers. All time greats. Always will be. The machines were basic compared to today's hi tech nonsense. They were the best of their era.. and any era I say.
Hi Rob,I raced in the early sixties in New England the east coast of the USA,I rode a 250 Dot with the Villiers motor and Alpha racing bottom end,It was a tough bike and not that light which was good frame strength was very important then and being in shape came from constantly riding in scrambles and practice sessions,I also rode BSA,Triumph Cub ,The mighty 250 Bultaco Pursang Mettisse,I started racing when I was 13 on the 250 Dot
This takes me back to watching this with my dad on Grandstand...and those guys in macks, trilbys and wellies jumping up and down on the cars to get traction during hill climbs 😂
Proper MENS motorcycle racing ; no silencers ,crap suspension,lots of mud and dirt and noise and the smell of Castrol R aahhh those were the days.No poncing around in lycra!
My dad came home with one of those Greeves when I was 15yrs old in 1976. It was a proper useable little rocket ship. It was road registered but no lights. AAU 280B. Where is it now? I loved it.
All finishers should have been awarded medals as big as frying pans for chucking those old Brit bikes about with 4" of suspension travel. Not only that...they did it wearing royal air force war surplus flying goggles and helmets more suitable for use if you were employed as the human cannonball at the circus along with welders gauntlets for gloves.
@pmay222 You are fine. Todays bikes suck. 4 strokes w/a 20 hour lifespan? $3000+ for a rebuild? Jumping 20 feet in the air? Quadruple jumps? Why? My bike is "new" It's a '77 Yamaha TT500 w/a 540 kit. Good enough for me and the Mojave Desert. You are not "old and miserable" You got class!
![เจอประจำ ตอน เปิดเทอมวันแรก [EP.29]](http://i.ytimg.com/vi/eFK-B836i60/mqdefault.jpg)
Regular Saturday afternoon viewing for me back in the 60s.
Absolutely fantastic!
Just heard the news of Murray Walker’s passing at age 97 but motorcycling was always his passion and commentating in these BBC Grandstand winter Scrambles is a memory I’ll always remember RIP Murray you were and still are a legend.
Hi Chris, most people don't realise Murray Walker had a passion for bikes as well as F1. I'm looking forward to seeing more on your channel this year 👍👍
Yes I had forgotten how good he was covering the scrambles RIP
Geoff. Smith had no chance the 400 was a slow revving engine but his fantastic riding nearly did it ! A great Saturday race the good old days!!!!!!!
When Scrambling was Scrambling,far,far better than todays motocross....Such great memories..!!!!
Awesome days never to be repeated. So glad i lived through them as a little boy. John Done, even took me with him to Hawkstone park.
Bring back scrambling to Saturday afternoon TV!
i live in brill bucks most sundays there was scrambling
Lost count of how often I've watched this clip. Still brilliant.
Three Legend's of racing
Dave Bickers
Jeff Smith
Murray Walker
As a kid in the 60's I used to watch this most Saturdays .Those names are so familiar ☺
I remember jumping up and down with excitement when I knew the scrambling was coming on when I was around five or six years old. Ahhhh can still smell the Castrol R.
A real shame that the BBC do not reinstate this. Wonderful on winter Saturday afternoons!
Particurly if we could have those wonderfull old tracks .
It's really great to see these old films! Very early 70's I raced a 380 Greeves in the USA. Lots of grunt from that engine and very few people had ever heard of a Greeves. I had the pleasure of meeting Jeff Smith at Corduroy in Canada and competing with him.
Bickers was my hero as a child i never got to see him live i did see vic eastwood Arther browing,lamkin and a few more at Bamber bridge. i loved watching grandstand, scranbling, speedway rallly cross etc
Takes me back to watching this with my Dad and Grandad on a Saturday afternoon, this is what got me into motorcycling.
I've never been a motorcyclist but as a young man I never missed this on Saturday afternoons, loved it. Big pity we don't get on TV now instead of the garbage they shove out. I might even buy a TV licence if they did.
R.I.P. Murray Walker, outstanding man & sports commentator. 13/3/21.
I used to love watching this, especially enjoying the deep rumble of the four stroke engines and the spectacular race action. This features two of my favourite riders and I remember so many of the names even though I was well under 10 years old at the time.
I remember watching this on Saturday afternoons on Grandstand . Thank you very much for posting
I love the sound of those old engines, especially the BSA 441 Victor four strokes. Those bikes are getting harder and harder to find, but are in great demand everywhere.
Utterly incredible race between two incredible riders on bikes that could hardly be more different. Gotta love that Greeves leading link.
Great to see that, I use to really enjoy watching the scrambling on Grandstand in them days.
Great to see all of top boys from the 80s once again, great game for everyone that loves moto cross? Dennis Tyler ex British school boy acu finerlist 1980
I knew Dave Bickers would be in this even before clicking. Shows my age.
What a fab video, although I'm a bit young to actually remember this I'd have loved it on a Saturday afternoon.
I was lucky enough to have raced back in the 70's in my teens. I wasn't very good but enjoyed it tremendously. I started on a twin shock KX125, swapped that for a CCM 580 then swapped to my favourite bike, my ex works FB AJS 360. Happy, happy days.
Jeff Smith was my hero when dad used to take the family scrambling. Great days.
Amazing riding, amazing comentator! Just shows you that it doesn't matter the technology of the bikes. Pure racing
loved this when i was a kid in the 60s great to watch again ...
Fantastic! Those were the days and l was there! Great to see my hero Jerry Scott who died shortly after. Smithy was a real hardman, used to train in his dinner break at BSA by jogging in steel capped boots. Dave Bickers left Greeves and raced a Jawa along with Chris Horsfield after Joel Robert dominated on it.
I have seen this before but what a great race it is. In those days bikes had about 4 inch suspension movement, hence no massive leaps like today. I started racing with similar machines. Then I got a 1974 Bultaco (which I still have) with 8 inch suspension. It felt like I had been riding with square wheels before. I then moved onto 1980's machines with 12 inch suspension. My last race was 1988 at the age of 42. I am still riding dirt bikes off road at the age of 70. My son rides enduro in the US and my three grandchildren race in the junior classes. Great sport.
Howard McKay nice story
I've watched this a few times over the years, still great!
Saturday afternoons watching Grandstand for the scrambles was my TV highlight of week. I had a 50cc Gillera stripped to the bone for the pitheaps. I lived on that bike from sun up to sunset and dreamed one day I'd have a bike like these bikes. I did eventually and still have.
Wonderful. Bickers, Smith, Eastwood, Horsfield, Lampkin... I remember those BBC broadcasts with great affection. And, those bikes sound like motor bikes should sound.
Number 23 was Clive Shaw from Huddersfield. He is 76 years old now, still building em and still racing em. Top bloke ;-)
I used to watch scrambling on grandstand at my grandmas! I was fascinated by the Greeves bikes, and later raced a Qub griffon along with several friends from Holmfirth!
Thay should air some of these races back on tv again that would be fun to watch
Great vid, they used to show this on a sunday morning. I was going to watch it one morning and it was cancelled for Churchill's funeral!
That took me back! Me and my mates used to race around the local park on our pushbikes re-enacting the races.
Thanks for posting.
as a kid of 5-6 years old I lived for grandstand Saturday afternoons, scrambles, bickers and Co with Murry Walker doing the commentary, RIP Murry, motorcycle empitness (manics) and the F1 tune by fleetwood mac are his top 2 favourite songs
Fond memories of watching this as a boy when sports was so varied on a Saturday not like the rubbish now .
Dave Bickers sadly died on 6th July 2014 RIP
Brilliant! Compulsive watching as a kid ,always rooting for Dave Bickers ,heroic stuff ! Thanks for posting ! Any more? Happy memories!
remember this race
like only yesterday
That was a damn good race!
Timeless classic.
Mr lambkin I salute you sir!
i race mx now and nothing like it was back then those men had balls like spacehoppers
Early days of the all conquering 2 stroke, funny how things go around. Now its all 4 strocks again.
My this brings back memories if it rained badly on Saturday cancelling football etc the world of sport turned to all kinds of scrambler racing bikes and cars usually in the mud!it was a real treat
This was part of the BBCs 100 great sporting moments
What a great race from Two legends of the sport🏁🏁🇬🇧🌈
Never tire of watching this.
When I was a kid, the first time I heard the name of the legend that is big Arthur Browning, was on Grandstand. When I found out he was from the same part of Birmingham, I was chuffed. When he rode speedway for the Brummies, I was double chuffed! Don't ask about the Milk Tray advert! What a guy.
Saturday afternoon viewing as a kid! Owned a 441 in the mid 70s!
It is cool to watch this with an actual sound track,excellent !
Great video. Didn't get interested in off-road racing until the mid '70s, so I remember Jeff Smith as an older guy on Can-Ams. It's great to see him here in his prime.
I was in a race with Smith in 1977, he was 43 and I was 22, and he smoked me, he was in such great shape.
WOW, that brought back some memories, thanks!
That's so cool!
amazing the speed they are going considering the machinery..
The speeds were fantastic considering many of the bikes were basically stripped down roadsters. A popular special was the Tribsa, a 500 alloy Triumph engine in a BSA duplex frame. lt was only into the 60s that the big four strokes got purpose made frames such as Rickman and Cheney. Greeves always had their lightweight frame that gave their 250s such speed . BSA dropped the Gold Star, powerful but very heavy in favour of Smithy's 440 which was developed from their non descript 250 C15 roadster. l was luck enough to be around to see them at it, the noise and smells were amazing. Cheers.
My dad is number 23 in this race. Herode the bike to & from the race & used it to go to work on. That was racing in those days.
When I was a teenager I lived between Hadleigh Essex and the Greeves factory in Thundersley and spent a lot of time at scramble meetings in Essex/Suffolk area spoilt for choice in those days with the Rayleigh rockets speedway track also close by there was always a bike “fix” to be had Hadleigh was a regular grandstand featured circuit This was a great time in motorcycle sport before the gods of money and commercial enterprise sanitised it
Amazing footage, thank you for sharing.
enjoyed watching the scrambling..had 3 uncles that used to ride around Tarporley and Chester areas, Beeston castle was a favorite..included a hill climb...
What a wonderfull video, great quality considering the year. true British scrambles at its best.
great footage,even better race,great to see.
Nice coverage. Not easy with all those trees in the way. I remember this on Saturdays in the 60s and couldn't believe the racket and the black and white mud.
absolutely brilliant video. loved watching it, cheers
Must have been great back then getting your dirtbike outta your car and having a great time at scramble clubs with your family, its not like this anymore.
nice to know i have a bsa , great memories , thanks
Makes my L3sore ,from my Elsinore,just watching, memories.
Great coverage!
According to Frank Melling in his article "'The $40 Million Motocrosser:' " To appreciate this story, the reader must understand that at one time, spectators used to cheer Chris Horsfield riding a CZ, simply because he broke up the monotony of the factory BSAs filling the first six places in an international motocross; the Birmingham factory's grip really was that tight." 'Memorable Motorcyles: BSA Titanium.' 1/3/2006.
Outstanding photo coverage for this race considering the era. Having owned 2 441 Victors, I can feel for what a beating Dave Smith must have taken manhandling that heavy BSA. Loved this video - thanks for posting!.......
Jeff Smith. . He and Dave Bickers. All time greats. Always will be. The machines were basic compared to today's hi tech nonsense. They were the best of their era.. and any era I say.
Oh good,real fightin
Hi Rob,I raced in the early sixties in New England the east coast of the USA,I rode a 250 Dot with the Villiers motor and Alpha racing bottom end,It was a tough bike and not that light which was good frame strength was very important then and being in shape came from constantly riding in scrambles and practice sessions,I also rode BSA,Triumph Cub ,The mighty 250 Bultaco Pursang Mettisse,I started racing when I was 13 on the 250 Dot
George Wilm
I've got the urge to go out to my shop and fire up my 1965 BSA250 trials bike!!
Golden age of BBC Grandstand.
Scary move by Bickers on the last corner. Jeff Smith seems to have taken it on the chin tho... : )
proper scrambling how it should be...not huge skylaunch jumps everywhere... aw i sound really old and miserable now..ha ha ha
no your right those big jumps make it to dangerous
alex luckes
Yeah the crashes from these big jumps make it really dangerous
It also breaks up the racing and makes overtaking more difficult
Today, it's boing boing exhibition cross, not racing.
This takes me back to watching this with my dad on Grandstand...and those guys in macks, trilbys and wellies jumping up and down on the cars to get traction during hill climbs 😂
Its funny how motocross first started out it was all four strokes and now they done 360 and now it is all four stroke.
Thanks heaps!!!
Proper MENS motorcycle racing ; no silencers ,crap suspension,lots of mud and dirt and noise and the smell of Castrol R aahhh those were the days.No poncing around in lycra!
Andy Lee gets a number of mentions - dad of speedway rider Michael Lee IIRC.
Un lucky vick , regards your distant family friend Dennis Tyler junior 😀
OMG I would be so scared to do this!
RIP Murray Walker
Aweaome. The hsitory of morotcross is interesting.
watched it loads, Murray was a Star and Bickers and Smithplus remember all tother names/ Rickman Goss et al magic era
R.I.P DAVE
this video is awesome! really captures the spirit of the new book just published by Veloce Publishing - Off-Road Giants - Heroes of 1960s Motorsport.
What a finish
My dad came home with one of those Greeves when I was 15yrs old in 1976. It was a proper useable little rocket ship. It was road registered but no lights. AAU 280B. Where is it now? I loved it.
All finishers should have been awarded medals as big as frying pans for chucking those old Brit bikes about with 4" of suspension travel. Not only that...they did it wearing royal air force war surplus flying goggles and helmets more suitable for use if you were employed as the human cannonball at the circus along with welders gauntlets for gloves.
Magic.
Proper bikes
A mate lent me a tape, it was a grandstand 100 greatest moments TV broadcast.
I'm sure this was in Queens Park in Castleford, Can anyone confirm this ?
I think my dad is probably the last man in that race who's still alive!
sick
Welche MX Strecke war das ?
where did you get that vid from cuz my dad is into scrambalers and whants the vid how could i get it on my computer?
Dirty riding by Vickers Jeff Smith looked pissed.
@pmay222 You are fine. Todays bikes suck. 4 strokes w/a 20 hour lifespan? $3000+ for a rebuild? Jumping 20 feet in the air? Quadruple jumps? Why?
My bike is "new" It's a '77 Yamaha TT500 w/a 540 kit. Good enough for me and the Mojave Desert. You are not "old and miserable" You got class!
Yamaha SR650 not many old type tracks about.a new bike age