Take a look: Barry Watson's Italjet
By John Dickinson on 7th Jun 17
This 1983 Italjet 350T was supplied by Colin Appleyard motorcycles in Keighley, Yorkshire, for Barry Watson and Ron Suttill to contest the British Sidecar Trials Champs.
Although its final outing was with Adrian Clarke driving and with Ron in the chair it won the 1984 Manx Two Day.
It was then sold to Wil Utley, the engine blew-up in 1985, and it then stood in a shed for 27 years.
The sidecar was sold separately.
Andrew Naden bought the derelict Italjet for a song in 2012 and set about restoring it.
But Andrew then fell ill and its original pilot Barry Watson took over the restoration, and Andrew saw the completed bike fired into life in February 2013.
It looks great and Barry says it is virtually all original, Andrew even stripped the wheels and spokes to re-paint them black.
Andrew sadly passed away in June 2013 and gifted the bike to Barry who is proud to have carried out the work and to keep the bike. Barry would have liked the sidecar to go with it but that is now gone.
Great story and a great bike.
