The Classic MotorCycle

A brief chat with... GORDON JACKSON

From a visit to a scramble at Brands Hatch circuit, a few miles from the Jackson family farm in Kent, to starring in probably the most famous picture in trials, it hardly seems as though Gordon Leonard Jackson put a foot wrong before retiring from motorcycle sport and making his mark in car trials.

Says Gordon, “I was still at school when dad took me along to Brands and I thought this scrambling seemed fun, so asked if there was anything on the next weekend…”

What was on was a trial and young Gordon learned there were many more trials held than scrambles so, as soon as he could, he got hold of a trials bike and had a go.

Early on in his riding, Gordon bumped into another young lad determined to do well in the feet-up sport and formed a life-long friendship with John Giles. “I met John in 1948, we became good friends and travelled together to scrambles and trials all over the country, and Europe too. In all that time, we’ve never had

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