Cycle News is a weekly magazine that covers all aspects of motorcycling including Supercross, Motocross and MotoGP as well as new motorcycles
Issue link: https://magazine.cyclenews.com/i/126512
Aboard the :i!lO'pound BuItaco, Miller able to adopt new riding techniques previously unworkable on the cumber· some thumpers. But Sammy Miller was not just a trials specialist. A factory road racer for NSU, he finished as high as third on the world championship chase. He won six ISDT gold medals. The Scott Time Trial, a unique event combining trials sections with CTOlIlI·country racing, was his a record seven times. And he still holds a share for most career wins in the Scottish Six Days - five. Now basing in southern England with his own shop and development business, Miller still competes on the local level at age 47. His career victory log shows over 900 wins. To put that figure in pelSpective, it's the equivalent of one win every single weekend for 18 years. Miller has written two instructional books, Sammy Miller on Trials and Clean to the Finish. There's also a biography, The Will To Win. After developing bikes for Ariel, Budaco, Honda, SWM and Hiro, Miller was busily engaged in developing his own trials machine, the Miller. However, Miller and Hiro parted com· pany in 1980 and the Miller project was put on the back burner. The following conversation took place during the 1980 Scottish Six Days Trial. W3ll You worked with Honda for f9\lr ,an, departing at the end of 1977. What', the ItOry there? The Honda thing was a bit of a mystery. I son of brought the bike along and we won the British championship with it. ADd the American championship threetima. Yes. Then Honda son of cut back on the trials program. They've kept Rob Shepherd on with the bike we did several years ago. It's still reasonably competitive, but not super competitive. II there any development work ,till beiDgdone? I don't know who's footing the bill, but with Honda it doesn't really matter, you know. Rob's bike is maintained in England, but minimal development work is done on it. Colin Seeley is now making the TL200, but it's very ex· pensive: 1400 Pounds (Sterling). For that son of money it will be interesting to see how it takes off. After Honda I worked with SWM during their first year in competition, 1978. There's quite a bit of potential, but 1 have my reservations about the disc valve (Rotax rotary engine) for trials. Then I had the opponunity to work for the Hiro factory in '79 to help develop a trials engine. That led on to building a complete Miller motorcycle. (The project Ia4s since been postponed ... Editor.) Dos it IooIr. like Italy may take over Spain', poRtion .. the dominant trialI maoufacrurer? It's difficult to say what will happen. I think it is very serious at BuItaco. The Italian motorcycle industry is very bouyant. They're very go·ahead. I hope they can avoid the industrial problem that Spain has. Their accessory deliveries are very bad at present. But a good bouyant market with trials taking off there is the basis for any success. So you see Japan ever gteUiDg back in? 1 don't think the market's big enough for Japan. They could do the trials market, but they sort of think it's diplomatic to leave one branch of the spon to the small manufacturers. Take all the trials bikes in the world Honda's production line would have that many cracked off by coffee time Monday morning. At fint you announced your retirement after your 900th career victory. And then you kept riding. Do you ,till have 1000 victories in the back of your mind? 00 0') ofOUll IlACES EACH 100 hi. -CLOTH PAIlTICIPATlON PA PINS -OISTR1CT 37 &: JI POINTS REQUIRED -NO PLAY BlICES • ] WiLL IE IN ATTENDANCE -w" SCO....NG • . - SANCTlONED PROOFING RECOMMENDED -VIEW· ANoeas "LEGENDAaY WATERJUMP" WIU BE \Ii AlTlNG! -RIDER NUMIERS paOVIDED -2,,000 RIDERS EXPECTED -ENTRY INCLUDES RIDERS ADMISSION TO RACEWAY -VIEWFINDER C.P. DECALS -MOTORCYCLES MUST BE IMPOUNDED PIlIOll TO IlACE. . IMPOUND TIMES FRIDAY - 6 P.M. til 11 P.M. SATURDAY·6 A.M. tiI'7:30 A.M. SATURDAY·6 P.M. til 11 P.M. SUNDAY·6 A.M. til 7:30 A.M. SPECTATORS • $5 PER PERSON (includes ovemiebt r_ parking) • CHILDREN UND€'R 12 FREE. NO PLAY BIKES. FOR ADDITIONAL INFORMATION, PHONE (213) 708-1381 or (2131 7lI&4I35 • FOR ADDITIONAL ENTRY FORMS. MAIL SELFADDRESSED, STAMPED ESVELOPE: VIEWFINDERS M.e. Jeen Ortal; 8!l28 Rhea ReNda. Ca. 91335 SATURDAY 9:00 A.M. START 100.cLASSIFIED, ALL 12S.cLASS1FlED, ALL 175-CLASSIFIED, ALL WOMENS CLASS. ALI. -- eo. t1DlI ATURDAY l:00P.M. START 100 TO ~ OPEN ,} SPORTSMEN (ALL) +30 YR. +40 VR. DIST. 38 (ALL) VJ.wfi~.C. CZUl _ _ SUNDAY A !/: M.START 50 . REG., NOV., SR.. VETS. P.:~ . BEe.. NOV., SR., VETS. ). OPF.!I: MX· BEG.• NOV.. VETS l!!~i'3D4 213 U8-1IM 1:00 P.M. START 2SO·EXP., INT., 'sR.• VETS . OPEN-EXP., INT., SIl., VETS MX EXP., INT., VETS -- SJDEHACKS MAIL ENTRY TO: .....IL·ENTRV TO: IlLUL EN1WY 1&. _ ...c. _ * irg;'CLM27I f2131542·7HIO .. (213 37lI-2335 MAD.. lIN"I'W:y TO: _ ...c. ;:0~ _ (2131 7115-483& THE ONLY 1981 DISTRICT 37 EVENT AT RIVERSIDE IN11.. RACEWAY AMA National Stone Mountain Enduro West Armuchee, GA Overall Mike Melton Husqvarna on Dunlop More cvdes ride on DUlllop ..... cmyother tlrelntheworlcl. ~ DI7N.£OP p.o. Box 1109. 8uffakI, NY 14240