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Bert,
as the whole world must know, hails from bonnie Scotland and proud of it
too, so proud that he takes any opportunity of showing us his knees,
courtesy of his elegant kilt. He and some of Scotland’s other speedway
stars make a colourful appearance at many of the W.S.R.A’s events
putting their English cousins discreet lounge suits and dinner jackets
into the shade. This
long-term servant to the sport of speedway says he first rode in 196?
Seems that so much has happened since he is unable to recall which year
during that decade he first took to the Old Meadowbank track in
Edinburgh, mind you the 60’s were a bit like that for a good few of
us. When asked which tracks he had ridden for and he replied that it was easer to list those that he had not ridden for. However he recalled in particular, Edinburgh at both Meadowbank and Powderhall, Coatbridge, Cowdenbeath, Wembley, Wimbledon, Sheffield, Milton Keynes, Bakersfield Bandits (USA), he also rode for Scotland (of course) Great Britain and Various ‘Rest of the World’ teams. Bert
lists as his best achievements the winning of the Victorian Championship
on his first trip to Australia and adds being captain of Scotland and
Wembley was pretty amazing too. Asked
what he was most proud off he says, “I suppose riding for Scotland as
reserve. Then as second string, heatleader and then captain, finishing
it off as Team Manager before Scotland was unceremoniously dumped out of
world speedway (I am still trying to get us reinstated with the FIM) Oh
yes, as Scotland, Jim McMillan and I qualified for the World Best Pairs
Final in Malmo, Sweden, so we DID make a World Final! His worst memory from his riding years was breaking his back at Wimbledon in an unimportant end of season cold, wet, second half and lying in hospital listening to the jumbo jets taking off from Heathrow. He had been due to fly to ride in Australia the week after the accident so obviously the trip was put on hold. He
says he sort of retired from riding in 1980 but then again he sort of
didn’t as it did not take too much arm twisting to persuade him to
take part in a few of Briggo’s Golden Greats meetings. He is still
very much involved in speedway, he is a member of the World Speedway
Riders Association committee and he “also writes wee columns for
Speedway Star, Vintage Speedway Magazine and the WSRA Opposite Lock
magazine, plus still campaigning for the return of Scotland to the
International stage. And I am lead to believe sponsorship of speedway
riders and events, in particular the Bronze Helmet for the Conference
League. Most
will know that Bert also founded and is now managing director of Bert
Harkins Racing, an organization sourcing, importing and supplying
specialist equipment to the motorcycle fraternity in general and
sporting motorcyclists in particular. (Briggo,
for those who have wandered into this site by accident or a misplaced
click, refers to Barry Briggs, a very distinguished rider who, like
Bert, has given back to the sport as much if not more that they took
from it) |
Bert
(Haggis) Harkins not only boasts many years connected with speedway but
also having two nicknames, the second being ‘Bertola’ (sounds more
like ice cream to me).