In 1953, Cycle journal touted its 1000-mile highway check of the most recent 350cc single-cylinder swinging-arm Velocette on the entrance cowl, full with a leggy movie-star mannequin. The rear swingarm with adjustable shock mounting angle was a brand new factor for Velocette that 12 months, so the corporate took the chance to coordinate a full-page commercial with the looks of the highway check.
That was massive information for the advertising efforts of Velocette, however the actually massive information that may nonetheless have an effect on issues 70 years later didn’t even make the quilt.
Chas Suter’s article, “Daytona Out to Sea,” was buried again on web page 33, and it contained a scoop that may have gone unnoticed. But, its topic would change the granddaddy of all motorbike and inventory automobile races perpetually.
“Racing promoter Invoice France proposes {that a} million-dollar speedway be constructed to retain racing in Daytona Seaside, Florida. France urged that both a governmental company or non-public enterprise assemble such a plan in order that this may increasingly nonetheless be referred to as ‘The World’s Pace Capitol,’” said the article’s first paragraph.
The article goes on to inform of France’s assembly with the Daytona Metropolis Fee and a Volusia County legislative delegation. The Daytona Seaside Chamber of Commerce determined to promote its intent to cross an area act that may permit the issuance of income certificates to construct the proposed speedway. Development of the speedway would transfer auto and motorbike racing off the outdated course, which included a stretch of seashore and required closure of a stretch of a state freeway. It had long-posed important security issues.
Development on the two.5-mile tri-oval course with 31-degree banked turns started in 1957, and Daytona Worldwide Speedway hosted its first inventory automobile race in February 1959. The primary Daytona 200 motorbike race on the Speedway passed off in 1961. Harley-Davidson mounted Roger Reiman was the winner. The remainder, as they are saying, is historical past.
One more historic milestone was featured in that very same concern—the primary motorbike drag racing occasion formally sanctioned by the American Motorcyclist Affiliation (AMA) / and the Nationwide Scorching Rod Affiliation (NHRA). The NHRA had solely been shaped by Wally Parks in 1951, and the collectively sanctioned occasion with the AMA was its first official occasion. Parks additionally helped manage the Southern California Timing Affiliation (SCTA) in 1947.
Of their article, “The First Quarter Mile,” John White and Jerry Weinberg inform of the primary collectively sanctioned motorbike drag racing occasion held at Pomona drag strip, 40 miles east of Los Angeles.
“The Pomona drag strip was chosen as the positioning of the primary sanctioned quarter-mile drag race ever held within the historical past of drag racing, with the hope that different tracks all through the nation would observe go well with and eventually crown a nationwide champion,” they wrote. Certainly, different tracks did observe go well with; right now, NHRA drag racing occasions occur at 120 strips.
Among the many winners at that first sanctioned occasion was 13-year-old Bobby Sir Kegian. Using Triumphs, Kegian received Class A (30.5 c.i.) with a terminal velocity of 96.52 mph and Class B (40 c.i.) at 99.86 mph. On the prime of the displacement scale, Lloyd Krant blasted via the quarter-mile on “Brute”, his fuel-burning 80 c.i. Harley-Davidson, at 123.71 mph to win Class E.
For extra of our protection of bike historical past that was written because it occurred, verify these tales out:
There was a variety of different cool stuff occurring in 1953 lined in that concern of Cycle:
The rising curiosity in helmet use by motorcyclists was showcased in two articles. “Cease Chipping these Curbs” checked out analysis performed within the U.Okay. on the advantage of utilizing cork as an impression absorption layer and laminated material overlaid with plastic leatherette as shell materials in crash helmets. That info led to the London Metropolitan Police adopting the “Corker” helmet, because it turned identified, for its motorbike patrol officers. British curiosity in head safety for riders was spurred on by knowledge displaying there have been 426 critical motorbike accidents in only one county within the U.Okay. in 1951. There have been 38 fatalities, all of which had been attributed to go accidents.
U.Okay. correspondent, RAB Prepare dinner, weighed in on the helmet query in an opinion piece. In it, Prepare dinner stated the anti-helmet camp loses just a few followers “every time some unlucky rider bangs his head in opposition to a truck fender.” True to British type, the Every day Specific newspaper had some enjoyable with the entire thing, providing a prize of a brand new motorbike to anybody who submitted a greater title than “crash helmet” for the gear. We now know the origin of the time period “skidlid,” which was the winner.
Editor Bob Greene lined a variety of subjects in his “Behind the Strains” column. One among which was the truth that BSA examined every accomplished 40 c.i. (650cc) Tremendous Flash engine on a dynamometer, and every needed to produce an precise 40 brake horsepower (BHP) earlier than it might be permitted to be used. That’s not all. BSA Tremendous Flash homeowners might get hold of the BHP and torque curve reviews from the check on their motor by contacting their BSA seller with the body and engine quantity. BSA would additionally present the carburetor mannequin, jet measurement, choke [venturi] measurement, ignition timing, and different tuning knowledge from the check!
Greene additionally reported that German producer DKW had an operational 500cc four-cylinder two-stroke racing bike engine that might flip 16,000 rpm–not dangerous for 1953.
A widely known title reveals up in race occasion outcomes. Bud Ekins took third place aboard a Matchless behind Vern Robison and Vern Hancock within the Southern California Bike Membership Discipline Meet at Crater Camp. Ekins additionally rode his Matchless to victory within the 17-mile Costa Mesa Scrambles Open Class occasion.
Bike land velocity racing bought some ink. A characteristic by Bert Martin documented Aussie Jack Ehret’s try to interrupt the Australian motorbike land velocity document of 139.39 mph held by Les Wharton on a Vincent Black Lightning. Ehret needed to struggle New South Wales police in court docket to have the ability to make his timed velocity runs because the try was going to be made on a public highway that must be closed for the hassle.
The presiding decide determined in Ehret’s favor, offered the try was made on a Sunday between 4 a.m. and seven a.m. Why Ehret wished to make use of the part of highway he did is a thriller. The full size of the course was solely 2.2 miles, with a timed part of solely 1 / 4 mile and a wood bridge that must be negotiated on the return run at some extent the place the velocity can be about 130 mph!
Ehret’s first tried two-way common was 138.50 mph—not adequate. After altering the ultimate drive ratio, his second makes an attempt netted a two-way common of 141.509 mph, setting a brand new Australian document, although not eclipsing Marty Dickerson’s Class C document of 141.720 mph, additionally set on a Vincent.
The Earles main hyperlink entrance suspension system, then a latest innovation by inventor/motorcyclist Ernie Earles, was lined in a characteristic by Ray Biddle. The article extolled the technical benefits of the Earles fork, asserting that Ariel would offer the Earles fork on the 1000cc four-cylinder 4G Mark III Royal Hunter, the twin-cylinder KHA Mark II Hunt Grasp, and single-cylinder VHA Mark II Hunt Marshal.
An illustrated technical characteristic by Bud Wright referred to as “Spring Fever” explains find out how to convert your hardtail chassis to a twin-shock set-up.
There’s far more on this 70-year-old journal, with pages yellowing with age. This concern of Cycle was a very nice discover resulting from its protection of what can be vital milestones in motorbike racing historical past. It’s a gem for any motorbike historical past buff and made it nicely price my whereas to take a cautious look inside a cupboard at an vintage store.
Cycle journal was printed by R. E. Petersen (dba Pattern, Inc.) from April 1950. After a number of possession adjustments, Cycle World journal proprietor CBS purchased Cycle in 1985. In 1993, after each had been acquired by Hachette-Filipacchi Media, publication of Cycle was discontinued.
