Today in motorcycle history, December 19, 1918

 

  

  An article entitled, "The ABC Motor Cycle. A New Development", written by Alvin Higgins, appears in 'Motor Cycle' magazine's December 19th, 1918 issue.

   Produced between 1919 and 1925, the ABC 400 had a 398cc horizontally opposed flat twin-cylinder overhead-valve four-stroke motor* with a four-speed tranny. Fitted with Claudel-Hobsob carburetor, it was capable of a top speed of over 70 mph.

  Founded in 1912 by Ronald 'Ronnie' Charteris, it was originally called Tthe All British Engine Company Ltd. of London. The company changed it's name to ABC Motors LTD. in 1914, then along with his friend and chief engineer Granville Bradshaw, they built a wide-range of engines throughout the First World War.


  ABC had always had a close association with the Sopwith aircraft company, which included producing the famous Sopwith Camel.  In December, 1918, ABC transferred the rights for manufacturing and selling motorcycles to Sopwith Aviation Co. Ltd. This would allow Bradshaw to focus on his designs. In 1919 they co-exhibited the Sopwith 390cc horizontally opposed twin-cylinder overhead valve  machine at the annual 'Motor Cycle' show. It was the talk of the show with it's innovative front and rear leaf springs and "expanding" brakes, wet sump lubrication and a four-speed transmission. It was also one of the first motorcycles with a duplex cradle frame. Curiously, it had no starting mechanism (hello, Granville?!), the rider actually had to jump start the engine to get going. The ABC 400 was made under license by the Sopwith Aviation & Engineering Co. in Kingston-upon-Thames and 2,200 were produced. Later models had improved valve gear, speedometers, and electric lighting. And a kick-starter. 

  The shift from producing aircraft to making motorcycles was more difficult than ABC expected and they ceased producing motorcycles after 1923.

*Several years later BMW adapted the design. Bradshaw challenged BMW's use of his patented design in 1926.

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

Today in motorcycle history, December 17, 1970

  

  

  A special factory built Husqvarna 395cc, 8-Speed engine is shipped to one, Malcolm Smith.

  The story goes, that one afternoon in 1965, Malcolm Smith was working in a shop in San Bernardino, California, owned by Rush "Pappy" Mott, when a gentleman came in and asked to talk to Malcolm. That man was Edison Dye. He was importing a kinda odd-looking, Swedish-made motorcycle called Husqvarna and he wanted him to race the bike. At the time Malcolm had a "sponsored" ride with Greeves and was reluctant to accept Dye’s proposal. But, two things changed his mind, one: after riding the Husky he was blown away by it's supreme power and handling and two: Edison Dye promised to pay Smith’s way to participate in the International Six Day Trials (ISTD), something Smith had been dreaming about for years (haven't we all?!).



  Smith was successful on the Husqvarna from the getgo, so much so that his name would become synonymous with the Swedish manufacturer.


  In 1966, Smith participated in his first Six Days in Sweden. Being strictly a Southern California rider up to that time, Smith had never ridden in the conditions that awaited him in Sweden, complete with mud, rocks and roots. He crashed what felt like a hundred times and nearly damaged his bike beyond repair. But he persevered and earned a silver medal.


  The next year the ISDT was in Poland where Malcolm would earn his first gold medal, something he would do seven more times during his racing career, making him the most successful American rider in the history of the Six Days competition to that point.





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

Today in motorcycle history, December 16, 1955

   

  

   

  

  It's a solemn day in Stevenage as the last Vincent Black Prince rolls off the assembly line.

  The Black Prince was described by Phillip Vincent as a “two-wheeled Bentley”. One of two Series D models designed to revitalize the brand's styling, the nearly fully enclosed Black Prince featured a number of design changes, not least of all, the innovative enclosure offering weather/road grime protection to the discerning rider, allowing them to wear proper business attire rather than those cumbersome riding leathers. Another feature was the center-stand, which could be foot-operated from the rider's seated position, making it easier to dismount.


  The Black Prince was launched at the 1954 Earls Court motorcycle show, together with the 998cc Vincent Black Knight and the 500cc Vincent Victor (which never went into production as only the prototype was ever built). There was a lot of interest but much of it was critical, and the Black Prince was termed the motorcycle you either love or hate. "The Motor Cycle" road tested a Prince and concluded that it handled as well as the Black Shadow, but with better gas mileage.

  Failing to generate the sales they had hoped for, the Series D models would prove to be Vincent's swan song and the last Black Prince rolled off the assembly line on December 16, 1955. Only 120 were produced.

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

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