Kool Transition Model

Despite the UK team having its best result in the ISDT for many a year in 1973 and doing it mounted on machines created from the fully road-equipped trail type Triumphs there was little doubt it was a swansong for our home industry. Something more suitable for the changing face of the ISDT, which had become a six-day enduro rather than a shop window for production machines, was needed. Such a statement was no real revelation; it had been clear for some time the rest of the motorcycle world was more concerned with being seen winning on machines often only loosely related to ones which could be bought than promoting their home country products. When the post-event discussions were in the press there was much talk of the smaller, lighter machines used by the Eastern Europeans – however until the rules were relaxed and Trophy teams could be mounted on machines not made in the home country they were stuck. It didn’t stop the team riders trying other machines though.

Once the rule changed and opened up the manufacturing world to the Trophy squads – the Vase teams had enjoyed such freedom for a while – the problem was what to choose. Jawas, MZs and such were available but were not quite the same as the respective factory riders would be using. There were others of course, Husqvarna being one with a good track record