RGM

[G JONES]

Superb picture - superb thread - just reading back through some of it - and agree Dick Hawes should write a book - what a memory - and here's me can hardly remember me name
The expression on the passengers face is begging for a caption though....I know

[alan_overton]

...The expression on the passengers face is begging for a caption though....I know

Yep, with Nick Boret's bum about an inch off the tarmac rushing through a left hander at about 80 mph, my facial expression would be one of worry, rather than enjoyment, too, LOL!

There was another guy who raced an RGM outfit, Paul Wright I think? Smashing bloke, and quick. His passenger's name escapes me at the moment, but he was a great guy too. Paul was a Snetterton specialist, (living not that far down the road in Foxton, Cambs).

If you can imagine a similar picture to the above, of a fast left hander, (say at the original Esses), then Paul's sidecar wheel would have been 2" above the tarmac, and his passenger's arse would have been scraping leather off, trying to keep it from flipping...

[alan_overton]

Found a better picture of the almost-finished outfit we took to the Brighton show. Another difference between my builds and those of Rob North is in the tubing used for the swinging arm. I used round 1 3/16" dia tubing, while Rob used square or rectangular section tube.

Thought I might as well do an avatar while I was about it. Full pelt round Coram Curve, Snetterton in 1973 on my ex-Keith Heckles Norton Thruxton 750cc Commando proddy racer.

Cheers- AL

[Bob B]

Possibly a tad confused due to the mists of time but did Ian McGhee not race an RGM at one time?

[666]

YES He did Bob,after which he rode a 16" wheeled bike with a kneeler tray on the s/c wheel arch that I helped Jack Rook build (JSR). It was one of a pair. the second went to Steve Downes (without s/ c kneeler tray)

[Bob B]

Cheers John

[Bob B]

Ian Mcghee & RGM Triumph No 26 and Ron Waters ex Grass champion, Brands 1967

[alan_overton]

Another google turned up a smashing bit of YouTube footage of an RGM outfit on what looks to be a practice day at the Circuit Carole, north east of Paris, in 1993. Quite a long video clip it is, too.

http://www.google.co.uk/url?q=http://ww ... izGcdGBmUQ

But during the opening scenes, I can click pause, and then turn on the Zoom button on my mouse, look at the top yoke on the front forks, and say without any doubt or hesitation whatsover- "I built that, and 25 years later, two guys are still tear-arsing around a road race track on it".

Also discovered this morning that Arthur Teasdale and Nick Boret made up for their disapponting retirement from the 1969 IOM 750cc Sidecar TT, by finishing the following year's race in 1970 in 32nd place, on the same RGM outfit! Cool...

Cheers- AL

[Kev&Sara]

What a great string of posts.........so funny that what goes round comes around spotting the sidedraft Weber 40DCOE hanging off the back of the motor....exactly what we've fitted to the 500.

[liquidlenny]

I bought a Trident Metisse frame from John Judge back in the early ninetys, I would like ask John a question about it
so if he reads this, can you get in touch John?
tel 01770302164
Lenny

[Bob B]

IIRC Team RGM used to run three outfits in the '60s, anyone remember who the crews were please?

[alan_overton]

Yep! Answers (or most of them) tomorrow guys. Along with some more memories of what it was actually like working at 54 Windsor Walk, Luton in the late 60's

Cheers- AL

[steve-e]

Windsor walk?

Alan, I live in Luton. When you were talking about Pulloxhill I know the place well, my lodger Goldie moved in to run the Compasses at Greenfields, just up the road from there and I go through Lilley most mornings on my way to work. And the world shrinks again

[steve-e]

Windsor Walk, that's up Farley Hill way? near where the HA used to drink at the Forresters

[alan_overton]

Windsor Walk, that's up Farley Hill way? near where the HA used to drink at the Forresters

Hiya Steve! Nah, Windsor Walk is a back alley in a part of Luton that used to have a Pub on almost every street corner. It's in a 'block' formed by Windsor St, Wellington St, Dumfries St, and Hastings St. So Windsor Walk splits this block in half, with Windsor St and Dumfries St at either end. Despite the name, it was wide enough to drive down and park.

John's premises were rented from the guy who ran a Flower shop in Hastings St, and were old Victorian stables forming the original rear entrance to the shop. No toilets, no heating, no running water... But it did have leccy and a phone. Oh, and it was haunted, too! Working late some nights, on my own, I often heard footsteps creaking across the old wooden mezzanine floorbards above me, an area which we used for storage, but which would have been the hay loft in the old days. Rumour had it that someone hung themselves from the rafters back in 1800 and something.

Frightened the life out of me, I can tell you!

As for the three 'Works' outfits, this was a bit of a misnomer. Each team had bought their machines from John, probably on a break-even basis, in the hope that good results with the RGM banner prominent on the fairing would get the orders rolling in. Arthur Teasdale and Nick Boret from London have already been mentioned. Then there was Paul Wright and A. N. Other from Foxton Cambs, and finally Terry Tremble and me from Luton. Sorry, I can't remember who took over as passenger from me, nor who passengered for Paul.

But they weren't factory teams in the usual sense... And to be frank, despite it being over 40 years ago, I definately remember that Steve Sinnot's visit was a fishing trip, sniffing out the possibility of a sponsored 'Factory' drive. John had to reluctantly tell him that he was already helping enough guys out, and couldn't really afford to take on any more responsibility. Hope Jim doesn't mind me saying this, as I don't have any axe to grind.

George O'Dell (from Wheathampstead) was a regular visitor, and I'm sure he used some of our f/g on his own outfit. He made World Champion in 1977, and wrote a good book. But sadly, he took his own life a few years later. Tragic.

Ron Wittich also lived in Luton and visited regularly- he was a great laugh. Sadly, he was killed at Zandvoort on the factory Laverda production racer. Dane Rowe also popped in one day to buy a nose cone, and I met her at Luton Station to walk her back to the workshop. Then escorted her back to the station afterwards. Crikey, she was a stunner!

Forgot to mention, in the early 70's, the owner of the Flower shop in Hastings St retired, so John took over the shop until he too retired. So John probably then had water, toilets and heating. I think Charlie Sanby took over the old workshop at the back.

Cheers- AL

ps- Steve, I used to drink in the Silver Lion, Lilley late 80's / early 90's