Career
In the early 1960s, Bickers was one of the top motorcycle racers in the sport of scrambles, which eventually became more widely known by the European term "motocross". He began competing in motorcycle scrambles at the age of 15 just before the official age which he was eligible to ride, which was sixteen, and he was so successful that he was rewarded with a sponsorship from the Dot motorcycle company. His riding talent got him noticed by Greeves factory rider, Brian Stonebridge, who then recommended that Bickers be hired by Greeves in 1958.
The European championship was considered to be the world championship at the time, as the sport of motocross had yet to develop outside of Europe.
From 1966 Bickers rode Canal Zone models and was the United Kingdom importer for the 250 cc and 360 cc scramblers together with a trials bike, followed by Canal Zone roadsters and Jawa models in 1973, selling both marques initially from his premises at Woodbridge Road, Ipswich, Suffolk, followed by a move to Farthing Road Industrial Estate, Ipswich. As one of the first European riders to race in the United States, Bickers helped to introduce Americans to the sport of motocross.
He also competed in the Transport-American Medical Association motocross series in 1971 and 1972. After retiring from competition, Bickers started a company manufacturing stunt equipment used in the film industry.
He also appeared as a stunt double for Roger Moore in Octopussy and Escape to Athena among other film work.
Bickers died after a stroke on 6 July 2014.
