Okay so I rode over to Lee Quarry yesterday and there was a Citroen Berlingo van with a trailer unloading three trials motorbikes. I have seen the sign which states motorbikes are forbidden but I am confused because these guys had keys for the gate on the fire road climb and also the flattish area by the second climb (where you hairpin left). They had unlocked the padlocks and generally seemed to be staying off the mountain bike trails themseleves, although I can't be certain because they did seem to be getting pretty close to them at times. I have taken down their vehicles registration and will gladly forward them to TonyL, or anyone else including the rozzers but am just wondering if these guys had some sort of permission??

iirc they have access to the quarry .there are events held there. I think these are the good guys who stick to the bits there allowed.

Were they playing in one area and bikes look similar to this?

Hora: I'm no motorbike expert but no they weren't like that at all. They looked quite "old fashioned" bikes, almost like ordinairy road going bikes from the sixties or something. They were mainly riding round the area where the new bit of trail is that leads off to the left of the fire road climb, but they were also riding around by the side of the new berm lines. I did wonder that they must have some form of permission as I say because they'd unlocked the gates.

Scramblers?

Why didn't you ride over and ask? I'm sure they wouldn't have bitten you.

more like

I tried…. twice

And they ignored you? Or what?

No. When I first saw them, I was on the fire road climb and they were unloading their bikes and thought I'd go and ask them politely. By the time I reached their van, they were on the very top of the new bit. I got to the top of the new bit and briefly one of them passed by me. I stopped to speak to one of them but they were riding about six feet below me to my right and may well not have noticed I was looking. I continued round to the berm lines and when I was at the top of there, noticed one of them off to my right, about 40 yds away. like I have said, they were not causing me any problems at all and I did wonder whether they had permission so I wasn't going to go chasing them round. I thought I'd ask here first.

There's been a bit of discussion on the unauthorised riding of mx bikes there recently Bregante – see here for your interest… Like you say, it sounds to me like these have more genuine permission.

yeah I have seen that thread and having just re-read it I am even more confused: see this

TonyL – Member
Motor bikes are not allowed in the quarry except as part of an organised event. If you see them there please inform the Police and get a log number. If you can get a photo and or number plate please pass it on to me or the police

anyone have an email for Tony?

Is there also some sort of gypsy camp breaking out there? Quite a few caravans and trucks there yesterday. They were parked up before anyone asks if there were trucks towing caravans round the red run….

yeah, those guys had classic trials bikes and they had a key to the barrier on the road up so i'd say they had permission to be in there. they hold classic trials events legally up in the quarry; don't worry about emailing tony as i'm sure he'll see this thread and be able to confirm the situation.
and yes snowslave, there are travellers camped at the bottom at the moment.
what time were you up there yesterday? we were there from about 10.30am til 1.30pm; having more than a little bit of fun getting faster and faster down the middle red run on the new lines…

There is a classic trials event in the quarry today (Sunday) so they were probably setting out the course for this.

cheers Tony. that's answered that then

I overtook a few mx'ers today on a descent. That is something considering how slow I am 😆

There was a classic motorbike trial on today they were just marking the course out..

OP there was a motorbike trial (classic) on today. They would have been up there getting it ready.

Xherbivorex – I got there about 1, did a 22 mile ride out towards walsden and back then finished off witha quick circuit of the red about 4 ish