Arthur Lampkin (born 30 May 1938) is an

English English usually refers to: * English language * English people English may also refer to: Culture, language and peoples * ''English'', an adjective for something of, from, or related to England * ''English'', an Amish ter ...

former professional

motorcycle A motorcycle (motorbike, bike; uni (if one-wheeled); trike (if three-wheeled); quad (if four-wheeled)) is a lightweight private 1-to-2 passenger personal motor vehicle Steering, steered by a Motorcycle handlebar, handlebar from a saddle-style ...

racer. The oldest son in a Yorkshire motorcycling dynasty, he competed in a variety of off-road motorcycle events such as

observed trials Motorcycle trials, also known as observed trials, often called simply trial or trials, is a non-speed event on specialized motorcycles. The sport is most popular in the United Kingdom and Spain, though there are participants around the globe. Mo ...

motocross Motocross is a form of off-road motorcycle racing held on enclosed off-road circuits. The sport evolved from motorcycle trials competitions held in the United Kingdom. History Motocross first evolved in Britain from motorcycle trials competi ...

and

enduro Enduro is a form of motorcycle sport run on extended cross-country, off-road courses. Enduro consists of many different obstacles and challenges. The main type of enduro event, and the format to which the World Enduro Championship is run, is ...

Motorcycling career

Born in

Kent Kent is a Ceremonial counties of England, ceremonial county in South East England. It is bordered by Essex across the Thames Estuary to the north, the Strait of Dover to the south-east, East Sussex to the south-west, Surrey to the west, and Gr ...

, England, Lampkin's father moved the family to

Silsden Silsden is a town and civil parish in the City of Bradford in West Yorkshire, England, on the River Aire and Leeds and Liverpool Canal between Keighley and Skipton, which had a population of 8,390 at the 2021 Census. The parish includes the ham ...

West Yorkshire West Yorkshire is a Metropolitan counties of England, metropolitan and Ceremonial counties of England, ceremonial county in the Yorkshire and the Humber region of England. It borders North Yorkshire to the north and east, South Yorkshire and De ...

in 1941. He began riding his father's BSA motorcycle even before he was old enough to have a licence. Lampkin purchased his first motorcycle from money he had earned from his paper route, and by the age of 18 he had won the British trials national championship. In the 1960s, Lampkin became a member of the BSA factory racing team along with his brother Alan. Lampkin, along with

Dave Bickers David Geoffrey Bickers (17 January 1938 – 6 July 2014) was an English professional motocross racer from Coddenham, Suffolk. He competed in the Motocross World Championships from 1959 to 1969. Bickers won two European motocross championships ...

and Jeff Smith, were part of a group British motorcyclists that dominated the sport of motocross in the early 1960s. In the 1961 European motocross championships, he won the Italian, German and Swiss Grands Prix, placed second five times, and finished the season in second place behind Bickers. Lampkin actually scored more points overall than Bickers, but fell victim to FIM scoring rules which only recognize the top seven of thirteen results. The following year, the championship was upgraded to world championship status and Lampkin finished the year in third place behind

Torsten Hallman Torsten Hallman (born 17 October 1939) is a Swedish former professional motocross racer and business entrepreneur. He competed in the Motocross World Championships from 1959 to 1971, most prominently as a member of the Husqvarna factory racing ...

and Jeff Smith. He was also a member of British motocross teams that won the 250cc Trophée des Nations events in 1961 and 1962, as well as the 1965 500cc

Motocross des Nations The Motocross of Nations (MXON), also known by its original French name (''MXDN'') is an annual team motocross race, where riders representing their country meet at what is billed as the " Olympics of Motocross". The event has been staged since ...

event. Lampkin continued to compete in other off-road motorcycle competitions, winning prestigious events such as the 1963

Scottish Six Days Trial The Scottish Six Days Trial is an internationally recognised Motorcycle trials competition, which has been running since 1909 (with breaks for the two world wars) making it the oldest motorcycle trials event in the world. Motorcycle riders from al ...

, and the

Scott Trial The Scott Trial is a British motorcycle trials competition dating from 1914 run over an off-road course of approximately . One of the most challenging trials events in the UK, its appeal is to clubman riders as well as international professional ...

in 1960, 1961 and 1965. He also competed internationally in enduro events, representing Great Britain and earning a gold medal in the 1966 International Six Days Trial held in Sweden. Lampkin won 8 individual heat races and 7 Grand Prix victories during his world championship racing career. He won the 500cc British motocross national championship in 1959 and the 250cc British motocross national championship in 1961, the same year that he was the 250cc World Vice Champion. He was a member of two victorious British Trophée des Nations teams (1961, 1962), and five consecutive victories as a member of the British Motocross des Nations team (1963-1967). Lampkin's younger brothers, Alan and

Martin Lampkin Harold Martin Lampkin (28 December 1950 – 2 April 2016) was an English professional motorcycle competitor. He competed in a variety of off-road motorcycle events, but specialized in observed trials competitions, winning the inaugural FIM Trial ...

also experienced success in motorcycle competitions. Alan won the British trials championship while Martin became a British trials champion as well as winning the 1975

FIM Trial World Championship The FIM Trial World Championship and FIM X-Trial World Championship are the most prestigious motorcycle trials tournaments of the world, organised by the Fédération Internationale de Motocyclisme. The outdoor championship is held since 1964 and ...

Later life

After retiring from competition, Lampkin took over his father's engineering business. Lampkin's nephew, the son of Martin Lampkin, is twelve-time trials world champion,

Dougie Lampkin Douglas Martin Lampkin MBE (born 23 March 1976) is an English former professional motorcycle trials and endurocross rider. He competed in the FIM Trial World Championships from 1994 to 2006. Lampkin is notable for being a seven-time motorc ...

References

External links

Article on Lampkin Engineering
{{DEFAULTSORT:Lampkin, Arthur Living people 1938 births People from Silsden Sportspeople from the City of Bradford Sportspeople from Kent British motocross riders Enduro riders Motorcycle trials riders