Motorcycle Record Breakers Part 1

 

PART ONE- A Brief History 

The last couple of years has provided time to reflect on some of the pioneer motorcyclists who put larger and larger engines in what were no more than bicycle frames, and set off to the nearest available track to compete in the race to become the fastest motorcyclist in the world. Sometimes "The World" was just the available network of the time, but soon more official records were being recorded over precisely measured distances. This series looks at the people and bikes and locations that made history.

The Home of Land Speed Records

The banked Brooklands Circuit today © Fenlandclassics

In Britain Motor-bicycles moved from the compact Velodromes of the 1800's to the wide open space of the 2.75 mile oval circuit at Brooklands in Weybridge, to the south west of London. The 100 ft wide circuit with banking nearly 30 ft high, launched in 1907 for Cars was opened up to motorcycle racing in 1908. Although primarily built as as Britain's first purpose built race track, to sidestep the legislation banning racing on the public road it quickly became a proving ground for both cars and motorcycles.

Weekends and some weekdays motorcycles were to be seen racing on the track using a handicap system. Whilst somewhat haphazard at first and open to regular objection, the system quickly settled down to introduce some exciting racing. 

Soon manufactures were setting up workshops around the site among the Aircraft sheds that were growing in number from 1910. Weekdays saw testing of motorcycles and pre-arranged sessions for speed records. 

Brooklands had been equipped, from its opening with a State of the Art timing system which consisted of a contact breaker strip placed at the start and measured distances around the track with telegraph communications to the Judges timing box. The systems were constantly updated, until by the time track closed in 1939 light beams had replaced the timing strips.

Brooklands Museum Motorcycle Team members discover a Timing
 strip in Series2 Ep2 of "Secrets of the Transport Museum 
©Fenlandclassics

Riders were rewarded well for their achievements and could make a good living from record-breaking with sponsorship from the Manufactures as well as tyre suppliers and oil Companies. 
The autumn of each year was especially busy with all concerned, eager to be able to claim a record at the annual Motorcycle Show at Olympia.

The intense completion brought with it some mischief! Whilst the outright two wheel speed record would no doubt be the goal of an elite few, the records for different size engines over different distances, with or without sidecars is likely to have provided an opportunity for many to claim a particular record. While there seems to be no evidence that manufactures colluded, there is  stronger evidence from riders that there was an "unspoken rule" not to break any record by a large margin meaning a greater opportunity to earn more sponsorship money.
 
The Need for "Straight-line" Speed
Even during the first couple of years the Brooklands was open there was a suggestion that the large "V" Twin giants would be just too powerful for the track and the outright land-speed record for Cars and Motorcycles outgrew the Surrey speed bowl with the cars choosing Pendine Sands in South Wales and the motorcycles headed to the long relatively smooth roads in Europe such as Arpajon in France and the Autobahns of Germany before settling at Bonneville in the USA, a salt flat with a seemingly endless flat surface. However, in recent years the onset of global warming means that the dried lake-bed is increasingly re-claiming its right to be called a lake!

Current Record Holder Ack-Attack (Wikipedia)

 As at Feb 2022 the current 2-wheel record stands at 376.363mph set by Rocky Robinson piloting the 2600cc Twin Suzuki powered Ack-Attack at Bonneville in 2010. So far attempts to better that speed, and aiming for the elusive 400mph have failed. Maybe someone forgot to send the memo!! Joking apart, huge effort and resources continues to be put into pushing the boundaries of speed, and today there continues to be seemingly countless numbers of official world records (648), many in reach of the ordinary person, with a spare wad of cash, to have a try.

Burt Munro's Record breaking 1000cc Indian (sicnag)

Just incase you fancy a go; I hear the only one you can't compete for is Burt Munro's 1000cc Streamline modified Indian of 184.087mph set in 1967.

If you liked this, why not have a look at this related books in our shop:

 

Next Time: PART TWO The Pioneers 1900-1908

Publication Date: 10 April 2022

The Brooklands Virtual Motorcycle Show Highlights Showing Here

Brooklands Museum is now open to the public Thursday to Sunday each week with Vehicle Demonstrations every day weather permitting. We are proud to be supporting the #lovebrooklands campaign and were one of the channels streaming the Virtual Motorcycle Show in July.

You can still catch the Highlights below. The Virtual event features some past Brooklands events, Test Hill action and the Brooklands Motorcycle Team on Tour in France and at the Chateau Impney Hill Climb.

Book your timed tickets to visit the museum now at www.Brooklandsmuseum.com

October 2019 Update

After a long break the blog is back. A busy schedule both in the workshop and out on the road means that it is often difficult to also get stuff down on paper. I recently asked Rick Parkington how he manages his seemingly endless record of activity. His answer was " I don't". Whilst on the subject another prolific practitioner is  artist Martin Squires. Just how he manages to produce so much material is beyond me. I put the same question to him whilst he was launching his Banked Track Heros project and the answer was characteristically modest. More on Martin's Project in a future Blog, but in the meantime  I intend to fire of a few words when I can and leave the rest to be picked up on the Instagram and Twitter feeds at @Fenlandclassics 

Hollis Motorcycles

The Hollis Type 'A' Motorcycle

Jumping right back to the beginning of the year, I was getting to know the team behind the Hollis Type A Motorcycle. 

Steve Hayes joint owner explained that he met Custom Bike builder and business partner Steve Lowe a few years ago and they got talking about re-creating something old, but built using modern techniques. It started out in theory as an Edwardian pioneer motorcycle, but as these idle thoughts moved to more serious discussions about the feasibility of producing a machine more relevant to the current market, the Hollis Type ‘A’ was born.

An early Type 'A' taking shape in the Hampshire Workshop

Sketches became drawings, and the detailed drawings slowly became a concept build. That, it transpired was the easy bit.  They soon realised that if they were serious about going into production they would have to get involved with the DVLA. However, their intention was always to bring the vintage classic up to date with the latest state of the art suspension and brakes, so the rigorous standards applied by current legislation in these areas was unlikely to cause any concerns.

The Steve’s were clear about the goal, which was for a practical bike for the twenty-first century. Something stylish to run down to the pub, whilst not compromising on the heritage styling which was inspired by a 1930 Model 18 Norton. Steve Lowe recalls Steve Hayes’s obsession with the design detail, such as the straight line of the exhaust and the subsequent challenges of manufacturing the pipe’s exit from the engine. “We would send out the pattern, only to get it back in the post a few days later with a can’t do it note” Steve Lowe went on to explain how nobody seemed to be able to achieve what manufacturers had done as a matter of course back in the day, so they decided to fabricate it themselves. Steve Lowe’s modest “can do” attitude is built on a solid foundation of good old fashioned craftmanship and knowledge built up over 20 years of experience creating custom motorcycles.

The completed bike earns its place on the iconic Brooklands Race Track

Castle Coombe

The AJ leads the pack as Camera Bike, during a filming session

In April I got the Model 22 AJS out on track at Castle Coombe, Its only 250cc, but it was an opportunity to see what happened when it was given its legs. Well the result was predictable, and I was overtaken a few times! However, I had planned ahead and fixed a rear facing Go-Pro which made for some interesting footage on what was a specially organised track session for eight vintage and classic bikes. 

Vintage Revival Montlhery

The Auto-jumble is full of Veteran Gems

In May I was proud to represent Brooklands Museum as on of the Motorcycle Team at the Montlhery Vintage Revival. We were planing the trip against the background of a Brexit in March, but that didn't happen and the Journey was much more straght-forward than expected. 

We arrived for scrutineering on  Friday 11 May setting up the Brooklands Paddock before retiring. Following biblical rainstorm overnight we were greeted by a collapsed Gazebo. Luckily non of the 10 bikes we had bought were damaged and the organisers quickly stepped in with a replacement  and the offer of further shelter if required.


As one of the riders who had attended  the last event on 2017 I was worried that this was going to be another wet event. However, the sun quickly broke through and although we lost the Saturday morning sessions, there was time for an impromptu photo-shoot and interview session with The Vintagent (Paul D'Orleans) before getting everyone out on the track after a bit of creative accounting.


All in all a fantastic weekend and the opportunity to ride a diverse range of bikes ranging from a 1921 ABC to the 1930's Cotton Jap. See Tim Huber's piece on the event on the Vintagent Website

Paul D'Orleans with the Brooklands Zenith, whilst we wait for the surface water to clear on track

Brookland's Perry (Pezpix) Barwick takes a chicane on the Freddy Clarke Tribute Triumph

Martin Gegg keeps it low and slow on the Brooklands ABC

An impromptu photo shoot after the Cotton JAP decided to stop half way into the session for the second time

Bikes prepare for another session at the iconic track

Banbury Run 2019

Bikes in the Gaydon Car park after the Run

In just over a months time we were at Banbury. But not on the 1928 Model 8 Sunbeam, which was still without wheels as I had planned. Instead I supported my co-rider Tony Baxter on a 1927 Sunbeam, whilst I filed a report from the event for Old Bike Mart, a summary of which appears on the OBM Website (12 July2019) This years event was cloudy with a few scattered showers, but the roads had been affected by very heavy rainfall over the previous days. As for the 28 Sunbeam, the wheels are almost done and it should be on the starting line for 2020. 

Competitors out on the Road just outside Banbury

Tony Baxter has just dodged a shower with a light lunch at the Brasenose Arms, Cropredy

Next Time:

Brookland's Motorcycle Show, Goodwood Festival of Speed, Shere Hill Climb and More.

Old Timer

February 2018 UPDATE

The Winter months have given me a chance to do a bit of reading and catching up on biking DVDs, but I should really be out in the workshop getting my hands dirty. Anyway this month we have a review of the recently restored 1957 film I Fidanzati Della Morte.

Kempton Bike Jumble

20^th January was an early start as I crawled out of bed and into the van for a 7am start at Kempton. The back to back December/January Jumbles are always the most difficult for the sellers as we set up in dark freezing temperatures. Some also brave an overnight stay, but we are lucky to only have a 40-minute drive to the venue. With rain forecast for most of the day this was set to be an uncomfortable time. However, the rain was lighter than expected and the people who had made it out were keen to snap up a bargain, so we had a great day catching up with news of winter projects.

One Man and His Cub: James Crosby's Epic Journey

The Cub revisits its birthplace: Site of the Meridan Works

The London Motorcycle Museum, located in Greenford is the home of many unique bikes and well worth a visit if you have not already done so. As is the case with so many privately-run museums the LMM continues to run into funding challenges. This has also been compounded by a constant risk of losing their home.

In 2017 museum’s Chairman James Crosby decided on an ambitious plan to gain publicity and raise funds for the Museum. James explained that the plan was to emulate leading Triumph designer Edward Turner’s Gaffers gallop trip made in 1953 on a Triumph Terrier. However, James intended to also visit the most easterly and southern parts of Britain in addition to the Lands End John O’Groats trip undertaken by Turner. James was also going to attempt the journey unsupported on a Tiger Cub which is the bike that evolved from Turner’s Terrier. So with only an AA Membership for company he was off.

The Tiger Cub was rebuilt and prepared for the run, and on 7 October he set off from the Museum. You can read how he got on next month. 

In the meantime please support the work of the museum by visiting James Crosby’s Just Giving Page at: https://www.justgiving.com/fundraising/one-man-and-his-cub He really does deserve more for his mammoth efforts…..and the museum needs your help.

I Fidanzati Della Morte (Engaged to Death)

I Fidanzati Della Morte (Engaged to Death) is a tale of love rivalry and passion set in the 1950s it’s a drama which also documents Motorcycle Racing during the 1950’s. Shot in colour and released in 1957 it provides a unique insight into what many regard as the golden age of motorcycle racing.

Using actual footage of the last ever Milano-Taranto and the Monza Grand Prix. Contemporary racers Geoff Duke, Stanley Woods, Reg Armstrong, Dickie Dale, Ken Kavanagh, Bill Lomas, Enrico Lorenzette, Pierre Monneret and Walter Zella all appear in the film which also features bikes with their period iconic “Dustbin” fairings which were due to be banned in Italian racing the year after the film was released.

After distribution across Europe in 1957 it was consigned to oblivion until Alessandro Marotto and Silva Fedrigo rescued and restored this masterpiece in 2017 as part of a crowd funding project supported by Fenland Classic Motorcycles.

Having eventually got to see the film I was amazed by the race sequences. These days we have become used to very quick flashes of the action in films. However, this was made at a time when the viewer could become immersed in the moment; given the time to understand what was happening. The opening sequence filmed at a moto-cross circuit would never be this long if the film was made today. This is no ‘Trick shots with bikes on trailers’ film. The camera angles during the road race scenes place you right in the action and for Italian bike aficionados there are also shots taken in the Moto Guzzi factory and wind tunnel at Mandello del Lario. As for the bikes, the film features the Gilera four cylinder posing as a fantasy marque and the ZV motorcycles are quite clearly Moto Guzzis.

The DVD pack also includes a 50 page booklet (Italian with English translation) which contains informative articles such as Luigi Rivola’s piece The Battle of Innovation, covering the development of 1950’s race bikes.

Click Here to visit our shop and see clips and Journalist, Author and Biker Melissa Holbrook Pierson talking about the film. 

Bikes out again at Brooklands     

Brooklands Test Hill in Use

Our friends at Brooklands Museum have just announced another event featuring bikes. The British Marques Day will Celebrate the best of British manufacturing on 4 March 2018.  Alongside Austin and Morris there will be a whole host of British-built cars, motorcycles, vans and commercial vehicles from pre-War Alvis, Sunbeam and BSA right through to the latest Jaguar model. Motorcycles will be taking part in the action on Test Hill in the afternoon and other vehicles will be taking to the Mercedes Benz World track.

Advance tickets available HERE at the discounted rate of £11.50 until 2 March 2018.

Old Timer

June 2017 UPDATE

Montlhѐry Vintage Revival 2017

The Montlhery Pits

There can be no better feeling than getting an old bike running; or so I thought until I got an old bike back on a banked track with some 300 other 1920 & 30s vehicles at the Montlhѐry Vintage Revival on 6-7 May.

Waiting with Tony Baxter Brooklands Museum (L) & James Hewing (R) Nat Motorcycle Museum

The event is held every two years at the Montlhѐry Autodrome, a Brooklands type oval, banked circuit just outside Paris. So it was particularly fitting that I was part of the Brooklands Motorcycle Team who were there to showcase the ABC Marque as guests of the organisers Vincent Chamon & Jean-Frѐddѐric Frot.

The sun was shining as we unloaded the bikes on Friday, but this all changed on Saturday morning when the rain appeared. I was riding the Brooklands OK Supreme in the Motos GP and Racing class and we took to the drying track for a sighting lap behind the safety car, before being left to our own devices. 

The Racing circuit peels off outside the main oval after the Start/Finish straight and Turn one was a bit damp but ok on what was an excellent tarmac surface more used to providing a test-bed for modern French cars. Oil flags were waving as I approached Virage du Fay a sharp hairpin, behind a smoking Brooklands Earle Cotton Jap. The wet and oil soaked surface had been spread with sharp sand which only added to the drifting sensation we felt as we tip-toed both bikes round.

Found some grip on the Start/Finish Straight

I found the grip as I accelerated down the straight into the chicane that led out onto the banked section of the circuit which only really works at high speed. The height of the banking is awesome, but mindful I was on a borrowed bike and the state of the weather I kept it sensible as I continued the session.

Fred Wade (BSA Empire Star) & Mike Digby (Triumph L2/1) of Brooklands Museum
wait in the pits for their Run

It was a truly memorable experience despite the challenging conditions and I hope to be back in better weather for the next Revival in 2019.

The Banking has to be seen to be believed 

Old Timer

April/May 2017 UPDATE

As the clocks go forward and the sun appears from behind the clouds; Bikers start to emerge from their sheds after a long winter hibernation. 

We are starting to think about this year’s events and how we can bring you closer to the action. For example, last year we had some stunning action clips but there were just not enough hours left in the day to get them uploaded. The answer we think is to go for shorter highlight clips and expand later into a review of the year.

The Banbury Run

Brooklands Motorcycle Team Member at last years event

Last year saw the first road event for the 1927 Sunbeam light Tourist owned by Brooklands Museum. This bike had some issues even before it reached the start line in the shape of a worn kick-start quadrant. However, with the aid of a mechanical starter and a few pushes it performed very well. In-fact so well that it was the only Brooklands Motorcycle Team related entrant to finish the course.

The Sunbeam has been entered in the 2017 Banbury Run. There is little prospect of getting the quadrant fixed for June so we will be relying again on the starter and a push start if needed out on the course.

The preparation continues during May with some adjustment to the 1927 Sunbeam’s forks before a pre-Banbury independent check in the form of an MOT Test. The test gave Banbury entrant Tony Baxter about an hour road time. Now the paperwork is completed we will carry out some final adjustments including an oil change nearer the Banbury Weekend.

Montlhѐry

L’autodrome de Linas-Montlhéry, located about thirty kilometers south of Paris

We will shortly be off to France for the 3^rd Biennial Vintage Revival. Check in later for Images and film. 

Warbike Project

I would like to take an opportunity to say thanks for all those people who have bought the bike and continue to support the project with information. Sales worldwide have exceeded expectation, but please continue to contact us with information about Military Motorcycles from 1919 to 1945 which is the next phase of the research. Please contact warbike@fenlandclassics.co.uk

MAY 2016 Update

March has been spent working on the Online shop. Photos to be taken and items to be described. This is likely to take a while before it is ready. At least the weather is not good, so it is easier to stay in the warm and keep tapping away.

Steve Parrish Shoot

Steve Parrish and Brookland's Empire Star

I managed to get out for a publicity shoot with Steve Parrish. We got him on the Brooklands Empire Star in the middle of a gale and thanks to the talent of Perry Barwick supported by Rob Overy we got some great shots which will be used to promote the Brooklands Motorcycle Event on 3 July 2016. Thanks to Steve for taking time out to drop in and he is looking forward to riding one (or more!) of the bike in July.

 Classic Bike Shoot

Photographer Simon Clay lines up the title shot

As the Calendar clicks over into May we take an opportunity to look behind the scenes of the Classic Bike Photo shoot featured in the last issue. It was back in a very mild autumn of 2015 that Sarah Bradley and Photographer Simon Clay turned up to feature the Motorcycle Volunteers of Brooklands Museum.

Volunteer Perry Barwick lines up the bikes on the Banking

Whilst Sarah expertly tracked down each of the volunteers to their own particular working space to gather their stories, Simon gathered others with motorcycles to create the group shot. After several other location shots, Museum bikes were taken up to the banking for the iconic title shot. Here the BSA Empire star, Rudge “Brooklands” special and Ex Denis Jenkinson Norton International sat in front of the Members Bridge.  The title for the piece was “Banking on the Future”, little did they know this title proved to be prophetic, because as Bauer Media’s presses began to roll, the Chancellor of the Exchequer rose to his feet and announced that no less that £1m of Banking fines received by the Government would be gifted to Brooklands Museum to help complete the new Aircraft Factory Exhibit already under construction.

Volunteer and Facebook page editor Tony Baxter with his Triumph

This project, whilst aimed primarily and providing a safer environment for many of the exhibits, will also provide a bonus for the motorcycle team, as the existing WW2 Hanger will be moved, opening up the iconic start/finish straight for the first time since 1939. I for one look forward to being one of the first in nearly 80 years to ride over this hallowed ground.

Brooklands Sunbeam

We began to prepare the Brooklands Sunbeam for this year’s events, by looking at a dragging clutch and improving the front brakes. After the brakes are relined and the clutch plates have been cleaned up the bike will get an MOT test. This will enable the bike to get an independent check before it takes to the Road and Track during the Summer. Check future updates for more news.

Warbike Review

We were also proud to be mentioned in dispatches by Pete Kelly who wrote a nice Warbike review. In-fact he even rang me up to personally congratulate me on providing such a concise view of the early history of Military Motorcycling. We are now being asked about other periods, and yes there will be a volume two, but gathering the data does take a lot of time.  For now Warbike: British Military Motorcycling 1899-1919 is still available at www.fenlandclassics.com  If you get in quick you may get one of the last few copies available at the discounted launch price.

We now look forward to the Kempton Park Southern Bike Show and Jumble. We will be in our normal spot Stand No: 181 and making an appearance on the Brooklands Show Stand.

Old Timer

AUGUST Update

Ton-up Day

It was back down to Brooklands on 7 July for the annual Ton-up day organised by Brooklands Museum in association with the London Ace Cafe. Once again hundreds of riders mingled and sharing stories of bike builds and days gone by. There were also two Test Hill sessions which included a diverse range of bikes from Bantams to Tritons. We were privileged to get cameras onto the hill and will soon be putting together a short film of the event for the Brooklands Motorcycle Volunteers facebook page and Fenland Classics TV.

A Diverse Range of Bikes for Ton-up Day at Brooklands

Shere Hill Climb

On 6 September petrolheads will be heading down to Staples Lane in Surrey for the Shere Hill Climb. This is a non-competitive event in aid of local charities that has attracted some interesting vehicles over the last few years. For the first time this year, the organisers have invited motorcycles to take part. We will be there with our 1935 Sunbeam. Following our research into ethanol, we will also be using the event to test the bike on ethanol free fuel from Aspen. Watch out for more new on twitter @fenlandclassics


September also happens to be the centenary of a motorcycle hill climb at nearby Newlands Corner (A25) run by by the Streatham & District Motorcycle Club in 1915. In those days the road was not much more than a dusty track. Nevertheless motorcyclist gathered on 25 September 



to compete on the road that remained open to traffic! It is thought that the marshals held back any passing traffic as the riders launched themselves leaving a trail of dust and burning oil behind them. Contemporary reports of the event explained that the location on the north side of Newlands Corner was not particularly challenging with the steepest portion being 1 in 8.


Contemporary reports of the event explained that the location on the north side of Newlands Corner was not particularly challenging with the steepest portion being 1 in 8. After the field of 80 entries had ascended the hill they adjourned to the nearby Onslow arms for prize giving.  


This event was a welcome interlude from events across the channel. It was not long before all competitive events came to an end as petrol was becoming scarce and conscription began in 1916. 

Brooklands Great War 100

Serpentine Race "The Motor Cycle" 1915

We are currently working on a project to recreate some of the "Services" motorcycle events put together by Lt Frank Houghton at Brooklands in 1915. These demonstration runs will be part of the Brooklands Great War 100 commemorations to be held at the Museum on 27 September 2015.

So far we have a few period motorcycles, and we are working out the size of the course required for the Serpentine Race.

This event is essentially a motorised version of the slow bicycle race and involves the rider completing a zig-zag course without putting a foot down. Quite easy on a modern trials bike, not so easy on a 100 year old bike. We have yet to test if any of the bike would be capable of getting up Test Hill.  Although do know from reports of the original meetings that only one bike failed to make it first time!


Our picture show Brooklands Motorcycle Volunteer Tony Baxter contemplating the tuning sheds that were used as part of the Serpentine course in 1915.

Fenland ClassicsTV

This month: Jay Leno's Brough; to episodes of Bike world a run up Brooklands Test Hill and more....