When Giants Roamed the Earth - An article for 60s MXers

[Kenneth S (222)]

http://motocrossactionmag.com/Main/News/WHEN-GIANTS-ROAMED-THE-EARTH-THE-THREE-MOST-IMPORT-10337.aspx

[80-85 husky]

Thanks for that. for some reason I always thought BSA triumph and Norton were the mainstays of those early 500 gp's.

couldn't have been wronger. ...more wrong way off from right...

[crs-and-rms]

thats a good read

[VMX247]

Very nice acknowledgment from a modern site ! 

New book out soon by Ian Berry "Motocross On Air" , who last published "Out Front"
More big toys 

Motocross On Air tells the story of the BBC Grandstand Moto-Cross series that was televised in the UK from October 1963 through till March 1970

[GD66]

The only Norton that got it done was Les Archer's, and that had a Manx engine. BSAs in the middle 60s. Great to see not only that these three still exist in great nick, but that MXA saw fit to feature them. If young 'uns aren't shown the origins of the sport, its history means nothing. Hats off !

[firko]

Alan Jones is taking forever to build a 1959 Monark identical to that in the article. It should be finished but he keeps getting sidetracked onto other projects. He's currently getting a Carillo style con rod made for it's Albin motor by a bloke in the Hunter area, once he's got that back Frank Stanborough can finish building the motor. The Monark, Lito and Husky are basically the same bike. .....beautiful things.

[pancho]

The only Norton that got it done was Les Archer's, and that had a Manx engine. BSAs in the middle 60s. Great to see not only that these three still exist in great nick, but that MXA saw fit to feature them. If young 'uns aren't shown the origins of the sport, its history means nothing. Hats off !

I believe it was an International Norton with a Manx head. Imagine man handling that through muddy ups and downs! In his book he wrote "I always hated wet meetings"
cheers pancho.

[80-85 husky]

The only thing I guess is that they had never ridden a yz exc or crf 450!! or they would be pissed with those bikes. similarly in 20 years, people will look back and say how did they ride those camels.....

But yes, what a nightmare on a sloppy muddy track....

[GD66]

I believe it was an International Norton with a Manx head.

Longstroke Manx with originally an Inter head. Later full longstroke Manx , then shortstroke.

[huskibul]

   MXA has as far as i know always had a regular page on vintage bikes called "Classic Iron" probably because of editor Jody  being a racer back in the early 70's, unlike a lot of modern mags they have alway had the nads to tell it how it is which is refreshing these days great article

[Rusty]

A Good read - pun intended.

[firko]

The Archer Manx was actually a series of different bikes, each a slight improvement on its predecessor. Here's a couple of different versions. Archer was a bit different from the usual struggling GP racer of the day, while most racers used Bedford vans or a rudimentary trailer behind a Ford Zephyr or something similar, Les who was an independently wealthy 'toff',  towed his bikes from race to race behind a Rolls Royce.
                                                                                                               
                                                                                               

[firko]

Frank Stanboroughs street legal Manx Norton powered Metisse
                                                                                       

[supersenior 50]

Pre60 is again the Featured class at the 2013 Classic Nats to be held at Queensland Moto Park same date as was set for Canberra.
See main "Competition " thread