The Place

I was at Mallory Park yesterday watching the wednesday testing in the sunshine. A couple of outfits were going around. And who should I find myself talking to whilst admiring the BMW outfit in the paddock? none other than Alan Bedford, Bryan Rust's old passenger. He was still in his old leathers, and same helmet design, passengering for the BMW outfit which was testing. I hadn't seen Alan since building the KGB outfits for Keith Blayney in '74/'75. He even remembered us testing the 500 Mercury engined KGB at the TT, and it failing scrutineering over having the passenger floor as a fuel tank.

The 1000cc BMW looked and sounded superb. And whilst discussing various engine options for an outfit with Alan, it was interesting to hear him say about the BM, "if you can't beat em, join em".

I always thought getting the different crownwheel and pinions to suit 13inch wheels, and maybe different circuits, would be the big problem. No said Alan, you can get them from bike breakers. That BM did look beautiful....

I have a photo of Andy at the Iom TT I think 1977 on the 10" Tyrell wheeled Yamaha and a couple of pics on the KGB IMP outfit (fantastic piece of kit!!!)

I don't remember that fairing on the 'small' outfit Tim.
All I can remember is the original that used to rub on the front trye. Remember Oulton Park where it sliced grooves. By the end of the race it looked like a rain tyre.

from stevek. cheers Steve

Love the bottom 2 pics. Any idea what year they are?

Glad you like them the year was 1977 both at Brands i think one acu clubmens the other a club meeting
regards Steve

Has anyone got any photos of the KGB 500 Mercury engined outfit,also I believe Brian Rust tried one also , Photos with the fairing off would be nice.

whizz wrote:Has anyone got any photos of the KGB 500 Mercury engined outfit,also I believe Brian Rust tried one also , Photos with the fairing off would be nice.

Were you thinking about replicating the Mercury engined KGB? I built this outfit at Keith Blayney's workshop? I have a couple of old photographs I took of it with the chair section yet to be added. Also one of the finished outfit when we were testing it at Sulby on the Isle of Man. Maybe I could get them scanned.

Peter

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whizz wrote:Has anyone got any photos of the KGB 500 Mercury engined outfit,also I believe Brian Rust tried one also , Photos with the fairing off would be nice.

Hi - I think Bryan Rust was the only one to try the Mercury engine at that time. I seem to remember it being tried out at a club meeting at Gaydon, presumably before the TT

andyjackson wrote:Has anyone got any photos of the KGB 500 Mercury engined outfit,also I believe Brian Rust tried one also , Photos with the fairing off would be nice.

Try a PM to Colin Rust - Crusty412 on here.

Great photos SteveK.

Would pic 3 be from Staverton?

I remember going there to spectate with Dad a few times around 76 - 78 era. Andy Jackson was superb, and I think two brothers (who's names i did know - but elude me at moment) on a 750 Kettle were able to give him a run?...................... Keith & Alan Sylvester...... remembered!!

Hi Yangi
pic 2 is Staverton and pic 3 is Gaydon.
regards Steve

Cheers Steve. Never went to Gaydon - some here might disagree, but I protest that white winklepicker boots were fashionable at the time!

Staverton always impressed me because of the sheer speed they were getting to inbetween those pesky left hand corners

Anyway - back on Topic...... When is Mr Jackson gonna have a rebuilt Tyrell Wheeled KGB Imp ready for the Festival/Classic calendar?????? Another machine that needs to be revieved! Cheers Andy, another icon of 'my' sidecar upbringing! (but then again, so was Pete Tyack )

Hi Yangi
Thanks for the kind words, but I've no intention of leaving my comfortable retirement! I haven't been to a race since I finished racing, didn't want to get interested again. I think I got out just before the costs sky-rocketed, although it had already started getting really expensive when the Yams came on the scene.

As for the Tyrell wheeled outfit, that was an awful lot of work that never actually came good - there just wasn't enough grip form the 10" tyres, and the idea of building a very small low outfit that seemed good at the time didn't take account of the driver and passenger getting out of the windstream. You live and learn!! Still we had some good rides after that saga using a more conventional machine.

Best regards
Andy Jackson

I raced against Brian Rust at Croft in 1975 0r 76. I finished 3rd to Mac Hobson Yam and Brian on a KGB Imp. He was a very fast drver. Unlike the Windle Imp that I had, where the engine leaned forward, Brian's engine was canted slightly backward and the steering head was supported by tubes bolted onto the engine so the engine was a stressed member. Would that be the outfit Peter Davis designed? It sure was quick.