As raced
A battle-scared veteran of the comp scene always attracts my attention – we’re talking bikes here rather than their riders – and I’m always intrigued to learn how each scrape, bash or ding appeared on what would once have been a pristine machine. It is a fact of our sport the bikes we ride have a hard life and while every rider wants to keep their machine in tip-top order, if time or funds are limited then it’s the mechanical side which receives the attention.
This isn’t to say a bike is neglected, far from it as a neglected bike will soon fail in its purpose, rather it means a tank which has a slight dent but doesn’t leak, or a mudguard which has been twisted back into place and shows evidence of this but still keeps the mud off the rider may well be acceptable, whereas the expense of a new tank or guard just to look good, but which may be easily damaged in the next event, is not always an option.
The BSA Gold Star in this photoshoot will have been
