grm rigids

I've been puttering around the woods on my Alpina for the last week in my spare time. This has revived my love of riding off road and has me also looking at trials bikes again with new eyes. 

I have written before about my GRM Trialsmaster designed by the late Bill Grapevine and the Mexican motorcycle company Islo.  I don't know why exactly, but I love these bikes and the story behind the Trialsmaster and Bill himself.  Maybe it's the fact that it was the only North American made trials bike that I know of. When I was a kid I saw a rigid GRM at a trials event ridden by Bob Ginder. I later saw another at another trials event and was really intrigued by these rigid framed bikes. 

I just recently contacted a trials club here in North Carolina about some events and low and behold I received the images above from one of the members of the group. It seems I've stumbled onto Jim Ellis (a former business partner of Bill Grapevine) as he lives in North Carolina. I'm hoping to attend an event of two this year. Check out Jim's rigid Honda Reflex with the oak struts! 

I know this idea of riding around in the woods is a childhood love, but I think I need to send more time in the woods as an adult.