World champions support event for late Robbie Allan

Robbie – who died of lung cancer aged 72 last August – had successfully competed on motorbikes for decades and made headlines around the world in 2007 when completing two thirds of the infamously tough Dakar Rally as the event’s oldest ever competitor. Robbie loved blasting his Honda motorbike over sand dunes up to 200 feet high, as he completed more than half of the 5000 mile course.

“Robbie was like a bulldozer with no reverse gear,” said his widow Margaret (72), of Boghead.

“Doing the Dakar was a terrific thing for him to take on at that stage of his life. But if he put his mind on doing something, there was no going back.

“Competing in that tough environment for two weeks was an incredible achievement.”

Robbie’s Dakar bike will be on show at the two-day show at Tinto Park Moto next month, as his granddaughter Jennifer will collect the vehicle from an Aberdeenshire museum before riding it between the races in Wiston. The 200 riders present over the action-packed weekend will include former world champs Graham Noyce, Dave Thorpe and Neil Hudson, who will perform parade laps on an action-packed day two.

For more on this story pick up a copy of this week’s Carluke and Lanark Gazette which is in the shops now.