A short by Austalian standards 220kms trip West from Donnington Race Track had me at the 4th Llan Bike Fest held at Llongollen in Wales.

I was not sure what to expect as this was on;y the fourth unning but it was billed as Wales premier Classic bike show. John McGuiness was the special star making his second appearance.

Parking I walked in and very soon was stunned by what was sitting in front of me.

I was at the Indian display,and there stood without any real signage or fanfare a Indian FT750.

For those who are not motorcycle fans in the past two years in the AMA Dirt Track Championship has undergone a revolution. Since the 1950's this event has been dominated and won annually by XR750 Harley Davidson motorcycles.

Last year for the first time a team of Indian mounted riders entered and promptly won the Championship. This year the team of three again rode their Indian's and won again.

The Indian motorcycle they rode was a 750cc Flat Track model. Apart from TV I had never seen one, infact very very few are made and they have been allocated to the Wrecking Crew. That name pays tribute to those riders of Indian's in the 1950's whp swept past the HD bikes.

I had to ask about this bike in front of me fearing it was a replica, so rare they are and the fact that while I was at a motorcycle show it was a Classic bike show and in Wales.

I was assured by the PR Manager for Indian (UK) that not only was it genuine but yes it is the only privately owned (non factory) FT750 in Europe. The reason it was sold and how it got to Europe was not revealed.

I asked if photos were ok and then I was invited to sit on and check out the controls. The photo's show the evidence. I noted that this was not offered to others in fact signage clearly stated DO NOT SIT ON!

This event showed up many unique motorcycles ,constructors & riderse and being a classic event we the paying customers mixed freely with them both informally and during the chat sessions on stage.

A select group of motorcycles were moved to the GP bike start up area and after a brieft chat with the owners,riders & constructors they fired up in the best possible sounds of unsilenced racing bikes be that a deep throated growl of the 500cc four stroke Manx Norton or the whailing of the Kawasaki two stroke.

I had the chance to chat at length with some of these people and as usual they were only too happy to pass on their information and experiences.

one such talk was with wheelchair bound Gary Bryan a result if a accident he suffered while racing sidecars in 1971.

Gary decided to then concentrate on the developement of four stroke twin racing bikes under his RGB Racing banner.

This came about during his hospitalisation where he was in contact with Mike Hailwood who held a passion for racing 500cc AJS singles in the 1960's.

Gary saw that despite ongoing developmental work on existing Triumph engines could not cope with the powe needed to compete with especially the Japanes at international levels. Likewise the Norton frames had not the capacity so Gary turned to manufacting his own frames especially the compact frame needed for hos top rider,Bob Smith.

Now powered by British Weslake modified engines many sucesses have followed including wins over Tony Rutter and the works Ducati's.

Gary is now well into a brand new 500cc twin model that he wishes to "take on the world at the TT"in the near future.

Listening to the current model it was mechanical perfection.