Today in motorcycle history, December 15, 1943

  

  Motorcycle riders finally get their own Virgin Lady.

  Dr. Marco Re, a chemist from Castellazzo Bormida, and a member of the Motorcycle Association in Castellazzo begins his quest to have motorcycles blessed with their very own patron saint. At every Castellazzo Motorcycle Association meeting Marco would bring it up, finally getting Italo Lurashi, the editor of  "LaMoto" magazine, to write on December 15, 1943, “When the war has finished and peace will rule again even on the tortured ground of Our Land, the motorcyclists will be able to start again their running, organized and sporting activity; the “Madonnina dei Centauri” will inspire their action, will guide their steps, will protect their ascent.  And once a year, on the commemorating day of the Saint Protector, the motorcyclists from all over Italy will meet in the warm atmosphere of Castellazzo, in the famous Sanctuary, to thank the “Madonna” and to impetrate with virility and conscience her holy grace, like men devoted to a sport of battle and greatness.  And it will be a worthy show to see the phalanges of the modern riders of the mechanical civilization, riding their steel mounts, while approaching the altar with their flag to repeat the rides of the ancient riders in the Crusades, who on their fiery steed, invoked the holy grace before fighting against the barbarians and misbelievers”.  


  Thanks to Dr. Re’s perseverance and with the approval of the Italian Motorbike Association, over a thousand bike riders from all over Italy would attend the first 'Motorbike Meeting of the Madonnina dei Centauri' on September 8, 1946.  The event stirred interest in Italy's national newspapers and magazines. On February 11, 1947 Pope Pio XII proclaimed Madonnina of Castellazzo (Madonna of the clay) “ primary patron of the motorcyclists".



  Now every year bikers all over Italy party with the blessing of Madonnina of Castellazzo.

  Today in motorcycle history proudly supports the National Association for Bikers with a Disability (NABD). www.nabd.org.uk

Today in motorcycle history, December 12, 1908

  


  

  Harold 'Frank' Milton Arthur, international Speedway racer and promoter is born in Lismore, New South Wales, Australia.

  When the Australian entrepreneur A. J. Hunting opened 'the world's first' quarter-mile Speedway in the arena of the Brisbane Exhibition Ground in 1926, eighteen year-old Frank Arthur jumped at the chance to race there.  A natural talent, Frank, along with Vic Huxley and Billy Lamont, soon became the three top riders in Australia.  Arthur would win the coveted Golden Helmet in 1927.


  One of the pioneers of Speedway racing in England moving there in 1928 and winning the first Overseas Star Riders' Championship, the forerunner of the Speedway World Championship, in 1929.


  Frank rode for the Harringay Canaries in 1929 and then the Stamford Bridge Pensioners from 1930 until their demise in 1932.  He would then go back to his homeland to ride in, and promote, the sport he loved.  Returning to the UK in 1934, he would once again ride for Harringay.

  He also represented Australia in test matches against England from 1930 to 1934.  Frank promoted Speedway at Sydney Royale before losing the lease in 1938.  Not to be deterred he solved the problem by building the Speedway track at the Sydney Sports Ground next door!

  Harold Frank Milton Arthur was one of the inaugural 10 inductees into Australian Speedway Hall of Fame in 2007.

  Today in motorcycle history proudly supports the National Association for Bikers with a Disability (NABD). www.nabd.org.uk

Today in motorcycle history, December 11, 1966

  

  

  On a seemingly cloudless, but cool, Sunday afternoon in Deming, New Mexico, Evel Knievel makes his final jump riding a Norton. 





  At Deming Dragway in Deming, New Mexico, Evel Knievel successfully clears ten various Dodge automobiles on his red 1965 750cc Norton Atlas for the last time.  On March 9, 1967 in Gardena, California, Evel will debut his new ride, a 1966 T120 Triumph Bonneville.  The Triumph proves it has more than enough power as he jumps fifteen cars.


  Power or not, Knievel will drop Triumph in April of 1970 for a Laverda American Eagle 750cc.  The affair with the Italian will be short-lived though, as on December 12, 1970 he climbs aboard a Harley-Davidson XR-750.


  The Sportster will become the bike he will be best known for.  The Harley-Davidson relationship will last until 1977. 





  Deming Dragway went the way of Evel's Atlas, it was replaced with the building of Arroyo Seco Raceway.  A complex consisting of a road course and a 1/4 mile dragstrip that opened on May 22, 2005.






  Today in motorcycle history proudly supports the National Association for Bikers with a Disability (NABD). www.nabd.org.uk

Today in motorcycle history, December 10, 1967

 

     

1. 

  Jim Morrison is arrested during a concert at New Haven, Connecticut. While Jim was backstage with a girl, a cop, not realizing who he was, told the couple to leave. Jim resisted and was maced by the cop. During the show, he began to recount the story about “the little blue man, in the little blue cap”. The police got pissed-off, stopped the show and arrested Morrison.

  Brian Hubbs', owner of Big Pimpin’ Cycles in Schenectady, New York, recent project, a 1983 Honda CB650SC Nighthawk he calls the“Lizard King” pays homage to the late Doors frontman.

  Not running and destined to be used as a boat anchor, Brian paid $250 for the Nighthawk.  After borrowing his friend and his pick-up, Hubbs cracked a beer, put on a Doors CD and grabbed a wrench. He then stripped the bike, fitted his own hardtail, re-ported the engine, polished the head, added a 6Sigma Jet Kit and new Accel ignition coils. He then fit it with custom-bent "double-barrel shotgun" exhaust pipes. 

  Hubbs designed  the stainless-steel seat and did his signature one-off leather work. He also did the leather wrapping on the speedometer and reservoir covers as well. One of the only pieces to be ordered were the Deadhorse Custom Leather handgrips. They hand-tooled “Mojo” on the left and “Rising” on the right, adding another tribute to Morrison.


  The modified Sportster tank and fender were painted Rootbeer Candy over silver nugget base with 24k gold flake and lime accents. Then he covered it all in House of Kolor Urethane Show Klear.

   A Colt .45 hollow point shifter peg and custom taillight made from a surplus hand grenade sum up the attitude of this "fuck you" bike.




  German custom bike builder Dirk Metzer, owner of  Dime Design Custom Cycles in Monchengladbach, Germany, was commissioned to start planning and fabricating a Jim Morrison-themed bike by long time Doors fan and author Jochen Maaben.


  This Jim Morrison tribute bike began life as a Suzuki Intruder. Everything was shit-canned except the 1400cc motor.  The Intruder mill was fit into an AME "old skool" frame,  using a Harley 21" front wheel and an AME 16" rear wheel. The handle bars, stretched tank, air filter, and fender were all custom designed by DIME. Pouring over old bike magazines, Maaben and Metzer tried to keep as close to the sixties chopper-style as they could. 

  The two added numerous Doors references all over the bike, like "Blue Lady", "Strange Days", "Break On Through", "The End", "Mr. Mojo Risin'", Jim's signature and, of course, Jim's airbrushed portrait on the tank.

  The coup de grace was the brake light in the sissy bar. It's a "king snake" with red LED eyes.





  Due to piracy laws I am not able to show you the DIME bike.  Arrr!

  

  Today in motorcycle history proudly supports the National Association for Bikers with a Disability (NABD). www.nabd.org.uk

Today in motorcycle history, December 9, 1902

  Gladiator Cycle Company introduces it's first motorcycle. 

  Gladiator Cycle Company, a French bicycle manufacturer, was founded by Alexandre Darracq and Paul Aucoq in 1891 at Le Pré-Saint-Gervais in northeast Paris.  Adolphe Clement, owner of rival Clement Cycles, was a large investor.


  In 1895 Gladiator introduced its first internal combustion engine, a naphtha powered tricycle.


  After numerous, and at times nearly fatal, failed attempts, in 1902 they finally offered a motorized bicycle with a 142cc engine bolted to the frame. The motor used overhead valves and a detachable cylinder head; the inlet valve was automatically controlled by the engines suction, the exhaust valve was mechanically operated. A coil-and-battery ignition was used, and a two-barrel carb was controlled by small levers attached to the frames top tube. An external flywheel kept the crankcase very small, and a long belt from the engine pulley to a rim on the rear wheel was tensioned by a small pulley on the seat tube. The front brake pressed direct on the front tire, the rear was a coaster brake activated by back-pedaling. 

  The bike was sold under both the Gladiator and Clement marques.



  Today in motorcycle history proudly supports the National Association for Bikers with a Disability (NABD). www.nabd.org.uk

Today in motorcycle history, December 8, 1972

  Australian Speedway 'Legend' Jack Biggs is killed when he crashes his 500cc JAP machine on Bendigo's (Victoria) Golden City Speedway.  It was the same bike he'd been racing for twenty-four years.













  Today in motorcycle history proudly supports the National Association for Bikers with a Disability (NABD). www.nabd.org.uk

Today in motorcycle history, December 5, 1951

    

  

  

  Ernest Richard George Earles applies for a patent for his leading link fork.  Filed under "Motor Cycle Front Wheel Forks", the Earles Fork is born. 

  The Earles fork was a variety of leading link fork where the pivot point was aft of the rear of the front wheel — this was the basis of a patent for the design.  This triangulated fork actually caused the front end of a motorcycle to rise when braking hard — the reverse of the action of a telescopic fork.



 Possibly the greatest benefit of the Earles fork in sidecar use was its adjustability for rake and trail. The swinging arm pivot had two positions. Moving it to the forward position reduced trail, allowing the bike to turn with less effort when a sidecar was attached.




  Several motorcycle manufacturers licensed the Earles patent forks for racing motorcycles in 1953, such as MV Agusta and BMW, while other companies such as Douglas used the Earles design on their roadsters or off-road machines. BMW is best known for their use of Earles forks, as from 1955 to 1969 they were featured on every BMW motorcycle.








  Today in motorcycle history proudly supports the National Association for Bikers with a Disability (NABD). www.nabd.org.uk