Meet the GoldRiver riders…. Mr. Paul Higginbotham

Paul Higginbotham.

VIME: Paul Higginbotham, thank you for agreeing to this interview. Can you tell us a little about your motorcycling career to date please?

PH: “I was drawn into motorcycling when a neighbour gave me a non-running 1945 Norton 16H. I was 14 years old and of course I could only ride off road. 17 bikes and 56 years later, I'm still riding. I joined Dualsport BC in 1995 and rediscovered off road riding with founders Tom and Ted. For some inexplicable reason I was strictly a road riding from 2002 until two years ago. During a month long ride to Baha Mexico I realized I missed the dirt. I currently have a DR 650 and a Yamaha Tracer 9GT.

Yamaha Tracer 9GT

VIME: This year was your first GoldRiver Rally, was this your first involvement in motorsport?

PH: I raced vintage bikes in my teens mainly AJS 7Rs. The races were bump start and my elderly uncle could not run. He fettled, I raced, it was a great arrangement.

VIME: You completed the 2025 GoldRiver Rally on your DR, have you done any modifications to your DR for the event specifically or more generally?

PH: The DR had all the usual mods before I bought it: wider pegs, LED headlight, an FMF muffler, carb re-jet and air box mods plus racks. I replaced the stock seat with a Seat Concepts Commuter. For the Gold River Rally I used a 14 tooth sprocket, added aluminum hand guards and wired in a USB so I could run 2 devices on the bars. The suspension is stock and, for the speeds I ride, perfectly adequate.

Norton 16H - motorcycle solo light

VIME: And to conclude our mini interview, based on your previous motorcycle motorsport experiences, how appropriate would you say the GoldRiver rally is for first-time Motorsport riders?

PH: Is the GoldRiver Rally appropriate for for first time Motorsport riders?

Before you follow my questionable example and sign up for a GoldRiver Rally—despite having been away from off-road riding for nearly 25 years and not having competed in over 50—it’s worth decoding a bit of the organizer's “unique” terminology.

A section described as “leafy” may not test your balance so much as your hedge-trimming skills.

A “little hill”? Better start looking for a Sherpa.

If something is called “a bit challenging,” expect a brief existential crisis—but you’ll get through it, probably with your dignity (mostly) intact.

Now, let’s be clear: the GoldRiver Rally isn’t exactly a beginner-friendly bunny slope. If you’ve never ridden a dirt bike off pavement, this might not be the best place to start. But—if you’re comfortable cruising decommissioned logging roads, and you can balance along an 8-foot 2x4 laid flat on the ground without toppling over—then consider this rally a perfectly reasonable (and slightly unhinged) way to push your skills.

Despite my long break from competition and the fact that I’m no spring chicken, I made it through every leafy, slippery, “challenging” bit without falling off. The crew is wonderfully supportive of newcomers, and there’s always a no-shame bypass option for any gnarlier sections that make you second-guess your life choices.

In short: it’s not for total beginners, but for those ready to stretch their off-road legs? It’s a (slightly) wild, rewarding ride.

Paul, thank you!

Jonathan