As part of the day job, I've been researching a feature based around Steve McQueen (stop muttering at the back). Almost inevitably, Malcolm Smith comes up here and there but I'd never seen this pic of him before, except, I realised later, on the Troy Lee Designs helmet that was released a few years back, with artwork by Tom Fritz. Anyway, I just love the photo. He's on what I reckon is a 400 Cross and it's pinned. Mud flap on the front mudguard bent back, Smith's cheeks wind-rippled.Smith was instrumental in getting Huskies imported to the States after testing one for motocross pioneer, promoter and subsequent Husqvarna importer Edison Dye. And Smith rode a 400 Cross in those closing beach sequences in On Any Sunday, but in this shot he's not messing about for the camera, he's got his race face on. If anyone knows who the photographer is, please shout. Loads more on the Husky, Malcolm and On Any Sunday at the excellent The Selvedge Yard, where I'm sure I first spotted this photo, but now I can't find it there. MP
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5 comments:
If I'm not mistaken, that bike has a special dual range transmission just for Baja. Meaning, after doing the normal 1-4 shifting it would get shifted to "high" range and have 1-4 all over again for extra top speed.
That takes me back a few years when Roy Smith (no relation) rode a dual range gearbox Husky to some success in the UK. Roy Smith Motors shop was in Surbiton, Surrey and i often rode over there on my Tiger Cub to have a look at his Huskys and later i bought a Torsten Hallman Replica and a later 250 which was sometimes known as the Arne Kring Replica.
The front mudflap comment brought back memories as the original Husqvarna one soon broke and fell off to usually be replace by a piece of innertube that flapped around up front!
High Side is that the shop just down from the Ace of Spades roundabout? there was Meeton and Ward down the other side neater the river. If it is the one they always had something interesting like CZ Enduro in orange and cream a real sleeper, looked so innocent and went like stink
Hi Nick, Roy Smiths was nearer Kingston College but the shop you may be thinking of was (and still is) Motorite Comp Shop. They were a hundred yards or so down Hook Road from the Ace of Spades. I spent most of my Saturdays in there during the 70s drooling over the latest KTM strokers and Bultaco Pursangs. Happy days!
Ah, Bultaco Pursang Mk5, first bike I ever rode, went straight over the handlbars and it land on top of me, Happy days riding on the Walton Gallops
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