Dave Bickers R.I.P.

R.I.P. Dave...

This guy was a household name in the UK back in the 60's and early 70' s , as the winter scramble season was perfect sports TV , even now , when i tell people what we do , the ones old enough to remember those times ,still remember his name...

For me , i will always remember him for the CBR1100R trike that he raced at Weston Super Mare beach race in the 80's.. crazy as ... RIP to an MX legend.

Bickers at Canada Heights

RIP Dave Bickers

Was one of the originals (along with Tibblin, Hallman, Robert and DeCoster) that came to the USA to introduce us Yanks to the sport of motocross.

As you say Phil, Dave was a real household name in the 60s when motocross, or actually 'scrambling' featured on mainstream TV every Saturday through the winter.

Whenever I talk to older non-mx people they always remember Dave, John Banks, Bryan Wade and a few other guys from that era even though they know nothing about motocross.

A few weeks ago he was even mentioned on a mainstream radio show when the conversation had turned to motorcycles.

A sad loss.

Sure looks like one of the OG Badasses.. Hope those close to him can soon find comfort in the memories and legacy he left behind.

Grit, determination and a #1 plate, love the image just hate to lose our champions - Godspeed Racer

R.i.p. to one of my heros

Bickers was a GP name in the US when it was beginning to discover MX in the late 60's and early 70's every bit as much as Hallman, Robert and DeCoster, though more in the Hallman generation who receded a bit as MX exploded here in the early 70's with DeCoster, Robert. Jonsson and Mikkola taking the lead.

R.I.P Donut,a huge part of MX history,a true legend and a great bloke

http://m.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-suffolk-28191762

I remember Dave Bickers from the 1971 and 72 Trans Ams. In 71 we were both riding CZs. He was a great racer and a good guy. God Speed Dave.

Oh my....Dave was one of my first motocross hero's. My dad was stationed in England 1960-1962 right when Dave was the best 250 rider in the world. I was 5 years old and can still remember going to my first motocross races there. Almost the whole starting line was made up of Greeves Hawkstones and MCS 250s.

I always wanted to have a Greeves from that period so when I got older and a little better off financially I started looking for one. They are pretty hard to come by in the states. I found a 1961 Greeves MCS (Moto Cross Special) 250 in Torrence California about three years ago. It was pretty clapped out and was missing a lot of original parts. The engine was completely fried. I got it all done about a year and half ago. I tried to make it look like one of Dave's bikes from 1961 when he won the European Championship. The famous shot of him jumping by the camera man that was posted by another Vital member is the same bike as what I have restored. Here is a picture of mine finished. You can see a little bio of Dave and the picture of that shot on the front number plate.




In tracking down parts I a found a place in England that specialized in Greeves parts. I asked the lady helping me if she new how to get in touch with Dave Bickers. She said my dad is best friends with him. I asked her if I was to send her a number plate could she get Dave to sign it for me. She said no problem. I sent it to her and when she told me she got it, she said Dave had gone into the hospital and was recovering from surgery. It took about six months but she replied back to me and said Dave had signed my number plate and because it had taken so long she put a little surprise for me in the box with the plate. When I received the plate I was excited. In the box with the signed number plate was a emblem off of one of Dave's trophies from 1959. It was a trials trophy emblem (something Dave and many other MX racers did in the winter) but it has Dave's name on it. I couldn't believe it. So now my bike is complete with his signature displayed proudly as it should be. Here is a picture of the plate and trophy emblem.




Here is a shot of Dave back a couple years ago.



Here are a few shots from back when he ruled the 250 class.








Here is a picture of the actual European Championship points when he won in 1961.



I wish I could of met him in person. RIP Dave....

Mark Edwards
Huntington Beach, Ca

Nice one Mumbles

Posted by his son Paul Bickers on Facebook.

"It is with great sadness that I am announcing the passing of my father Dave Bickers he left us peacefully early this morning 6th July. All of his family at his side, his daughter Andrea making it back from Brisbane Australia just in time to be with rest of the family.
The stroke was very severe and he could not win the fight against the damage caused. We plan to have a celebration of his life in the not to distant future.
Details of this will follow when arrangements have been made."

I'll never forget a couple of years ago there was a knock on the front door, I was upstairs painting. I opened it to find Dave Bickers standing there with my friend Rob Poulton and another of Dave's mates. First thing he said was: "Is the kettle on?"
They were in the area looking at buying old bikes.
Spent an hour or more reminiscing with Dave looking at and signing old photo's and his kind words about my paintings. He was a true gentleman who will be sadly missed, but live on in all our memories. Godspeed Dave!

X2

Great story Mumbles, one of my best buds was Nick Nicholson's son Keith (Nicholson Motors). Those two will be showing Dave the fast way around some heavenly tracks.

Thanks Tumblin,

Yea, Nick Nicholson was the main Greeves importer in California in the 60s. They ran a lot of adds during that time period.

I had the pleasure of meeting and racing against Bickers at the 1985 CZ National at Corona Raceway. I even finished ahead of him --- of course he was about twice my age then.

Farewell to a classy man who did what he loved and loved what he did.

That's really cool Bigfoot.

Dave is a guy that was on my list of riders I always wanted to meet. I don't think people realize what a talent he was. He doesn't get much credit for his career as it came right before the MX World Championships really took off in the Hallman and Roberts era.

He won the 60 and 61 European Championships but was such a humble family man, he didn't like being away from the family so much. He decided to stay in England and race locally for the most part only hitting a few GPs and the MX Des Nations. I really think if he would have kept racing the GPs full time he would have had at least a couple Worl titles.

Here is another shot of him at the Goodwood Festival of Speed in England a couple years ago. They had several of the 50s and 60s era U.K. MX riders there on bikes like the rode back in the day. Wish I could have been there for that.

http://ib1959.wordpress.com/2014/07/09/david-bickers-not-a-bad-old-boy/…

Some great words from author Ian Berry on Dave.