All posts by johnmoffat1957

2025 Highland Classic

We are already planning for the 2025 Highland Classic Two-Day Trial which will take place on 7/8 June at Alvie Estate.

This year, after the BSA/Triumph edition we picked up on comments made that the B Route was a bit too challenging, so we embarked on a rider feedback where we collected all comments about the event, good and bad.

This feedback was discussed at committee and it was agreed to ease back the B Route and to make some further improvements when laying out the event in 2025.

In short, we listened to rider’s comments and criticisms which helps ensure that the trial is set out at the correct level.

Further, we have decided to have the ‘Laird Jamie’s Challenge’ (named in honour of the Laird of Alvie Estate, Jamie Williamson) where riders can opt to ride a limited amount of sections on both days. We usually have two laps of 18 sections per day, which will continue. However, the ‘Laird’s Challenge’ will be over run over a lap and a quarter per day, so 25 sections (50 in total) will be attempted rather than 36 sections per day (72 in total).

We feel this is an excellent solution, to allow our more mature competitors to take part, without losing the enjoyment of the ‘Friendliest Classic Trial In Scotland’. It also allows the younger competitors to compete for the ‘Ray Sangster Memorial’ award on the A Route (36 sections per day) and all the other classes.

We have now merged Pre65 and Britshock machines to simplify the classes and awards.

New sponsors were brought on board in 2024, including Hodge Plant Ltd and 7even Contruction and this worked well and allowed us to freeze the entry fee and we plan to do the same for 2025. The number plates are already in stock, these have been once again sponsored by Gavin Cairns Roughcasting.

Kudu Products of Leeds have also come on board to supply course marking materials and are our new supplier for the rider’s number boards.

Entries for the 2025 ‘British Two-Stroke Edition’ of the Highland Classic will open on 1st February 2025, online.

Watch This Space!

Many thanks to Classic Dirt Bike (Mortons Media) for their coverage of the 2024 BSA/Triumph Edition.

2024 – Observers Draw

Here are the lucky observers who were prize winners in the Prize Draw – Sponsored by Highland Leisure Sport, Invergordon!

Numbers drawn by our Guests of Honour: Tony Davis; Mike ‘Bonkey’ Bowers and Alan ‘Sid’ Lampkin.

Many thanks to Craig & Chap Middleton of Cromarty Brewing Company for the presentation packs of their products.

Saturday 

Brian Trafford   –    £ 100

Alex Carmichael  –   £ 50

Sheena Mackay  –   £ 25

Sunday

 Adrian Martin   –  £ 100

Carina Gravener  – £ 50

Lorna Dougan   –    £ 25

David Dougan   –   Cromarty beer pack

Donna Summers    –   Cromarty beer pack

Sheena Mackay   –    Cromarty beer pack

Andy Kelly       –     Jitsie Helmet

2024 Final Instructions

Please note:

General Information:

The start is located on Alvie Estate; OS Grid Ref: NH8609; What3Words: ///competing.daytime.driver

Sign on opens Saturday at 08:30 Riders to sign on and off both days.

Observers:

Please sign on both days with Nigel Robertson and Jimmy Jenkins and collect your ‘welcome pack’; packed lunch and observer’s board. Be at your section for 10:00am Saturday and 09:30 am Sunday. You will be given a meal ticket when you return your observer’s board each day. Sections will be closed by back-marker each day.

Riders:

Be ready to start at your alloted time, especially during the first hour. Riders start on Saturday 1-200, one rider per minute, but if we have no queues at sections, we will start setting off riders 2 per minute thereafter. Sections will be closed by back marker each day. On Sunday the start is 10:00 am with Rider 101-200;1-100. We hope to start riders at 2 riders per minute.

Bernie Returns in June

1979 FIM World Trials Champion, Bernie Schreiber, the only American to win the championship, makes a welcome return to the Highland Classic and Alvie Estate this year!

Bernie is celebrating 45 years since his history changing win, having defeated 3 times world champion, Yrjo Vesterinen, also a former guest of the Highland Classic.

Bernie stated on his facebook page: “I am delighted my entry has been accepted to ride the 2024 Highland Classic Two Day Trial – BSA/Triumph Edition.
This will be my third attendance since 2019 on an SWM, 2023 on Bultaco and a BSA for 2024.
Thank you to John Moffat for the opportunity once again to ride one of your unique machines.
My thanks also to the Inverness & District Motor Cycle Club for organising the The Friendliest Classic Trial in Scotland. – See you in Scotland!”

Entries open on Feb 1st

The entry forms for the 2024 Highland Classic Two Day Trial – BSA / Triumph Edition will be available from 8pm on Thursday 1st February.

This year we will keep the entries open for a week, so that everyone that would like to take part can submit their entry. No payment at this point is required, entry fees are collected by bank transfer when the entries are confirmed direct to the entrant.

The entry fee has been increased a little this year due to insurance premium increases and it will be £75.00 per rider.

Over-subscription:

In the event that the trial is over-subscribed, a ballot of 160 places will be undertaken.

New for 2024! There will now be an overall winner of the Highland Classic. This will be the best performance on the A route of a competitor, over the age of 35, entered on either of the following classes:

Winner Classes:

1. Pre’65 Four Stroke*; 2. Pre’65 Two Stroke*; 3. Pre’72 Twinshock*; 4. Pre’77 Twinshock*; 5. Post’77 Twinshock*; 10. Best Britshock* A route.   (* Riders Over 35 in either of these classes 1,2,3,4,5 & 10, riding the A Route, achieving the lowest score over the two days will be declared overall winner of this event, subject to any tie-breaks).

Riders in the following classes will be awarded class wins only:

6. Under 35 Pre’65; 7. Under 35 Twinshock; 8. Best Special (for modified machines out of class – riding for NO AWARD); 9. Best Female Rider; 11. Best Britshock B route.

New Trial Partners for 2024

The Highland Classic has a history of working with our ‘Trial Partners’ who help make the event a success.

This year we celebrate the BSA / TRIUMPH Edition:

This year we welcome back Moto SWM who were our partner for the 2018 SWM Edition.

And welcome on board for 2024, Hodge Plant Ltd:

Along with 7even Construction of Aviemore, a local business near to Alvie Estate:

Plus our existing Partners:

Rockshocks who will supply some prizes.

Highland Temporary Works who provide the display centre at the Trial HQ.

REH Forks Ltd, provide a prize for the best perforamce by a rider using REH forks.

Gavin Cairns Roughcasting who this year will supply the number boards for all the riders and officials.

RAD Decals who provide the event stickers:

and InMotion the Trials Specialist, prizes for the event.

Ray Sangster Trophy

It’s that time of year when motorcycle clubs start making plans for the sporting season ahead, Inverness & District are no different!

We are making some detailed changes to the Highland Classic BSA/Triumph Edition for next year, the main one being that we will have a new trophy to present, named the ‘Ray Sangster Memorial Trophy’ for the best performance in the trial – yes, that’s right an overall winner!

The winner will be the competitor who competes on the A Route and on a Twinshock, the rationale being that Ray Sangster was a founder/member of the Inverness & District club and rode such machines as Moto Gori, Bultaco, hence what we now refer to as ‘twinshocks’.

Ray was also the person who approached Laird Jamie Williamson to run motorcycle trials on Alvie Estate, so we have a lot to thank Ray for.

We are currently discussing the way to address any over-subscription for the entries for the 2024 trial, it may be that we now try the ballot method as we have relied on a ‘first come, first served’ method since the trial became a two day affair many years ago. This would mean that entries would open online at 8pm on Thursday, 1st February as planned and close 14 days later, to give everyone sufficient time to apply.

Entry fees will be due whenever the rider’s entry is accepted/confirmed and is very likely to be £70 – £75 as we have not increased the entry fee since Covid in 2020.
Full details are, as usual be announced on the event facebook page and this website, links as attached below.
Kind regards and have a super festive season when it comes!
Facebook:https://www.facebook.com/groups/HighlandClassicTwoDay

John Moffat Entries Secretary – Highland Classic Two Day Trial 2024 – The BSA/TRIUMPH Edition – 8/9 June
“The Friendliest Classic Trial in Scotland”