Terry Beckett

Hi Trevor,

I'm hoping to get together with Terry B. in the next few weeks. I'll give him your best. I'll also try to arrange to get him to a VMCC (Historic) meeting or two this year. It would be fun to see some Bantam racing again.

I don't specifically remember the pea-shooter tail pipe, but if it was used at the end of the 1960s, it would have been me in the saddle. My job was to wring the bike's neck at meetings, and then give Terry a written report on power characteristics, revs achieved, power band etc. It was not so much about racing success (though we had plenty of that), and more about providing feedback to Terry about the results of his various modifications.

I was Terry's dynamometer.

Today I met Terry B. for lunch in Stafford. He is very vibrant and hearty, and still the most excellent company. We had a fine time catching up with nearly forty years of personal history, and recalling the old days.

It's funny the things you remember. Terry mentioned an occasion when we went down to Brands Hatch. We were driving around, trying to find the right road, and I was calling out direction signs, while Terry drove. I shouted out, "Fawkham!" and Terry replied, "Yes, Mate - I couldn't agree more!" Oh, how we larfed!

I passed on Trevor's best wishes, and we have agreed to get together again at one of the Vintage meetings early in the season. So look out, there's likely to be two old crocks in the paddock, sniggering and telling each other how we could have done it SO much better. It's true what they say - "The older I get, the faster I was".

John Colter.

John,
So glad the reunion went well, and you found Terry still to be hale and hearty, and clearly in good humour. we must savour and cherish those memories and individuals from way back, there are not too many of us oldies remaining to carry the banner of those embryonic days.

But be careful, Getting Terry back near to track side might trigger the old enthusiasm and could get him going again!
Well done John, you must have 'made his day'!

Trevor

I`m grateful to John Colter.  He has brought me back into a world long past.  I say that because I cut my teeth on Bantam Racing in 1962 I think my number was 112.  Looking through the messages on the Bantam Racing Forum made my sap rise again.  I had a Bantam on the road which attracted some attention, mostly from policemen who only wanted to know what made it `go like that`. It had a transverse carb (not enough angle to fit a conventional one) fitted to a stub that had been silver soldered on by the local blacksmith. An Itom tank, elasticated on.  Beautiful Ducati forks (almost too heavy for me to lift) and a huge twin leading shoe front brake from a Honda Benly.  Topped by a genuine Honda racing seat bartered from somewhere.  I made an expansion chamber from cardboard, copied into reality by a tin basher from Rolls Royce. It looked good though, better that the odd nine inches or so of standard pipe the majority had.  First race at Snetterton I shot out of the gate and into the opposite bank which spoiled the alignment of the lovely tank and caused me some pain in my nether regions.  I quickly learned what quick meant.  How did they get those RPM.  The general opinion in the paddock was that I wasn`t holding my mouth right.    
 One of the fliers, Jack Machin, (I met him again at the Old Farts Racing Club last year.)was doing some inter race repairs and didn`t seem to mind showing me his cylinder. I could have fallen down the exhaust port.  So much for keeping the contaminating exhaust away from the fresh incoming gas. However, I really enjoyed two and a half seasons racing but with a wife and three children it was risky.  It was then that John Colter came along toward the end of the season.  He was good, very good, I liked his riding style, modelled on Geoff Duke I seem to remember.  We spoke the same language, shared the same kind of humour, learned a lot together and the rest John has told you. I still see interesting motors, race kits my grandsons use, occasionally help with the design but without the research and development or the feeling I am actually helping someone, makes it difficult to compete with my other activities.  However, something I did notice when trawling through the Forum columns.  How highly technical and complicated it has become. If ever there was a philosophy that really worked for me it was KISS. (hence my username.)
Terry Beckett.

Message passed on by John Colter

Terry has joined the forum, but had trouble making his first posted message, so I did it for him, above.

Here's hoping the forum will admit my old buddy ere long.

John C.

"I use the Userword KISS because it has a certain value for me, took a long time to develop. It means, of course, "keep it simple stupid". I have a considerable, thirty five year experience of tuning and racing that is, surprisingly up to date. I joined the forum, encouraged by John Colter and after corresponding with Rex Caunt, to help anybody who is starting out racing in what is the last bastion of the `specials`, my first love. I am not an engineer although it was necessary to have them close by. My most frequent response to them was "Now tell me how it can be done." Their particular expertise was invaluable, of course. The machinery may change but the principles of tuning the twostroke remain he same. The riders still seem to have that wonderful streak of insanity I had and knew well.
Just for background; I will not answer questions about investing in the stock markets, which has been one of my other occupations for the last 40 years, also, for thirty years of them, a Senior Nursing Officer in psychiatry with the NHS. Or Creative Writing as a published author.
My name is Terry Beckett , I am 85 going on 30. Raced, seized and fell off Bantams when such as Mole Benn, Roy Bacon and Fred Launchbury were the stars."

I am posting this message on behalf of Terry B. who had a little difficulty getting onto the forum. Hopefully, Terry can now post under his user name KISS, so if you see that moniker on these pages, you will know who it is.

John C.