WIDELINE Authors
Peter Crawford
has been a regular contributor to the monthly motorcycling press for over twenty years, with Classic Racer magazine his main focus in recent years through a particular interest in motorcycle sport. Prior to this he also wrote, but was able to do so only intermittently, due to the pressures of his day job as an Aid Worker.
From the Rwanda Genocide of 1994 to the Nepal earthquake in 2015 this saw him present at many historically significant events and while it was not his priority - that was running refugee camps, food distribution centres and shelter construction projects – he also wrote about the same. As such his words and photography have appeared in the publications of Oxfam, Save the Children and Christian Aid among other international organisations, highlighting events as diverse as the collapse of communism in the former Yugoslavia, the war in Afghanistan and the 2005 Tsunami.
Even here though, motorcycles were part of the picture.
Indeed an involvement with motorcycles has been a constant. An early apprenticeship saw him despatch riding during London’s burgeoning courier heyday, with his machine ownership reflecting a similar snap shot of the time. Smoking learner 250s gave way to the odd, largely forgettable Japanese-multi and Honda and Ducati v-twins, but big British Twins were in there from the start. Since going ‘Jap’ or remaining British was largely down to which pub/crowd you preferred back then and he fell heavily to the European side of the equation. As such he still has his original Triumph, 40-years on, the same Moto Morini 350 he bought with 750 miles on the clock and has never been without his first love, a BSA A65.
Additional current machines include a BMW R100 sidecar outfit – reliving a teenage flirtation with a leading-link-fork equipped A65, running 16” Dunlop racing tyres on the road – a 1937 Scott, a BSA B31, a Verlicchi-framed Devimead 750 and more Moto Morinis than is healthy - six at last count including the obligatory box of bits. Despatch riding has not been his only use of a motorcycle for work either. Magazine assignments have necessitated rides across Europe, while off-road machines featured as work transport in Ghana and Liberia.
A Royal Enfield Bullet served the same purpose over six years in Nepal and India, after which he made the obligatory ride home, since he knew he’d regret it later if he didn’t. Though choosing the Pakistan-Iran route during the height of the Afghan and Iraq wars less regularly appears on people’s bucket lists.
He is a freelance writer and currently lives in the British Midlands with his lovely, very understanding wife and two children.
Sue Horton
Sue was in many ways the driving force behind team Horton as driver, logistician, accountant, child minder and confidant. She was also at the reigns of Racing Spares (UK), the business which grew out of Clive’s racing involvement. For a generation of riders and racers however she’s probably best known from the Ron Haslam Race school, where she also worked for many years. Sue died in 2020 after a short illness.
Clive Horton
Clive was a top GP contender in the 125 to 350 classes as well as campaigning similar machines in a variety of UK championships. The 1973 125cc TT win probably ranks as his most enduring achievement, though his 1977 Honda 125 title was probably as hard won, when the financially lucrative Championship was contested by GP regulars such as Ron Haslam and Charlie Williams. For many he will be remembered however as a constant thorn in the side of the works Grand Prix teams during several years on the International circuit.
A World title ultimately alluded Clive and Sue, but Clive was always in the hunt and played his part in Silverstone’s famous 1978 Grand Prix, where British riders took 2nd place in every solo class, but failed to snatch a victory - Tom Herron was 2nd in both the 350 and 250 races, Clive 2nd in the 125s and Steve Manship 2nd in the 500s, with Barry Sheene 3rd in the 500s and Jock Taylor 3rd in the sidecars for good measure.
Clive now divides his time between his children, dog Wilson and his current motorcycles, two 1950s Vincents. Which are about as far from his Grand Prix 125s as it’s possible to get.