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The 1964 International Six Days took place in Erfurt. Dave Ekins, brother of Bud Ekins and member of the US team, recalls:
“The ISDT is truly an international event for those countries manufacturing suitable motorcycles. The vast majority of nations do not have such a thing and can only enter Silver Teams or Club Teams. It seems strange because the very first ISDT held on the Isle of Man in 1913 had a single American entry who participated riding a 4-hp Indian motorcycle. This was probably the only time a U.S. manufactured motorbike did compete. The rider’s name was Ted Hastings. There were one or two other adventurous sportsmen from the U.S. who tackled the Six Day’s over the years but the idea didn’t catch on until the U.S. entered two Silver Vase teams for the 1964 event held in Erfurt, East Germany. This was during the height of the cold war and East Germany was a wholly communist controlled country. And, as Americans representing capitalists from the west, we were well scrutinized by our hosts. We could feel it in the air.
On top of the political worry were the ‘out of the shipping crate’ Triumphs we were to race, far below the standards of the machines we had to compete with. My TR5 was at least 100 lbs heavier than S.H. Miller’s 500cc Ariel. And while riding on the same minute the performance differences were amazing. Still, Sammy led me to a Gold Medal and fifth in class. Not bad for a ‘first time’ competition. S.H. Miller finished 2nd in the class and was part of the British Trophy Team. He finished behind the German ‘spoiler’ F. Williamowski and his ‘fantastic’ 352cc MZ. During the final special test road race I led the first lap then beginning the second Cliff Coleman motored by me on his 650cc Triumph as Williamowski sailed past Coleman then disappeared riding a 350cc two-stroke that sounded a lot different from the machine he had ridden the previous five days.
This is when I realized the ‘Same for everybody” rule was for the visiting riders only. The home teams could stack the deck heavily in their favor. I later found certain non-competitors would stand in front of ‘Turn’ sign posts in order for a competitor to miss the arrows and lose his way. Then find his way back well off pace and never able to make up for time lost. There are many ways to ‘bend’ the rules: it is almost like a game. And for a visitor like me it was disheartening to watch all this happen.
The most memorable saga I witnessed in Erfurt happened the evening before Day One. Nearly 300 contestants were seated in a giant dining hall looking down at the plate of food just served: whole eel with cold-cuts. Now, I don’t eat something that is still looking at me. There were about ten Americans assigned to this table; Steve McQueen asked our waiter where the Jury members ate. The American team, British team and Swedish team left the dining hall and proceeded to the Erfurt Hof for a more palatable dinner. The East German sponsors changed the menu for the remainder of the Trials.”
