Today in motorcycle history, October 19, 1971

  

  

  Steve Mcqueen purchases his first Husqvarna motocross bike from Edison Dye's Med-International in a Mesa, California.

  Steve McQueen bought his first Husqvarna, a 250cc Cross, from Edison Dye's Med-International and soon after became a regular customer, along with his friend, legendary motorcycle stunt-man Bud Eakins ("The Great Escape"). McQueen would return to buy two Husqvarna 400 Cross bikes that would wind up being used in the 1971 motorcycle film "On Any Sunday".


  Edison Dye is considered by many to be the father of motocross in the United States. In the late 1960's, Dye brought over many of Europe’s top motocross stars to race against the scrambles racers of America. It was no contest. The European riders totally dominated. The Europeans, who had been racing motocross since just after World War II, were far superior in both their riding techniques and training methods. He had a vision....






  Born in Iowa on May 10, 1918, Dye would move to San Diego shortly after the war and ran a successful trucking business for over ten years. Needing something more, he left the trucking business and in 1960, decided to take some time and tour Europe. He did so by opening a motorcycle touring business, running tours to the Isle of Man TT races.


  His travels would eventually expose him to motocross. It was love at first sight. Always eager for new opportunities, Dye called and made an appointment to meet with Husqvarna officials about selling motocross bikes in the US. He took a couple of bikes to the States and asked Malcolm Smith to try one out. Smith told him he only rode Greeves, but he finally agreed to ride the Husky to give Dye his opinion of the bike.


  "We went up in the hills," recalled Dye. "Malcolm was gone a long time and when he came back he had this shit-eating grin on his face. He told me it was a great bike and that he’d like to try it out in a desert race that weekend. He went out won that race by over 22 minutes. After that, Malcolm became one of my best riders. He rode for me for six years and I consider him the best long-distance rider in the world."


  Throughout the late 1960's Dye would bring some of the best European riders to America to race, which led to him forming the influential Inter-Am motocross series. Motocross racing in America was well on its way to its boom years of the 1970's. He finally retired in 1986.
  "I had spent the biggest part of my life racing on the weekends, selling bikes during the week. I was ready for some rest," he says.


  His style and personality seemed a bit out of place in the cow pastures of America with his custom-tailored jackets, often accompanied by impeccably dressed and beautiful women and his trademark 'stroker' cap. Dye was often described as eccentric. He was certainly unconventional.


  Edison Dye will go down in history as one of the most influential figures in U.S. motocross. In the process of trying to sell more Husqvarnas, Dye brought motocross racing to the United States.

  









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Today in motorcycle history, October 16, 1960

    

        




  

  Mansfield Maun Motorcycle Club puts on it's much anticipated annual 'Autumn Scrambles' at Coombes Farm in Farnsfield, Nottinghamshire, UK.

  The 1960 'Autumn Scrambles' attracts nearly 100 entrants, from Hull to Stratford-upon-Avon, riding all marques of machines from  BSA, Cotton and Greeves (including 2 unrecognizable home-built bikes!), thru muck, mud and gravel. The 500cc Class is led by the Tate brothers from Northallerton with Doncaster's John "Winky" Simpson wearing No. 1 in the 250cc Class.


  Mansfield Maun Motorcycle Club was founded on August 20, 1937 by Tom and Vera Crabtree and their close friend George Morris. They initially used to run trials at 'Amen Corner' which was "like a sand bowl" near Clipstone, 10 miles away.

  Mansfield Maun MCC is still going strong today, with family-oriented Trials races (start 'em young!). Upcoming Trials: November 15, 2015 is the Reynolds Cup - Longcliff Tops and on December 6, 2015, the Miller Blacknell Trial - Carsington.

  Support Trials races everywhere!







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

Today in motorcycle history, October 15, 2000

  


    

    

  Motorcycle rider/author Ian Falloon's 'The Kawasaki Story: Racing and Production Models from 1963 to the Present Day' is published.

  A bit about 'The Kawasaki...', the book covers the history of Kawasaki from Day One, from the legendary machines to the not-so-legendary. Falloon chronicles the early racing days; those leg-wettin' two-strokes, the Mach III H1 500 and the Mach IV H2 750; the highly successful Superbike and Endurance racers of the 1970's; and the bikes of the 1990's which ushered in a new era of performance up through the ZX-12R introduced for 2000.


  A bit about Ian Falloon, despite the other brands that he writes about (rent money) Falloon has a life long passion for Italian motorcycles, and Ducati in particular. In the 1980's Ian moved to Australia from his native New Zealand and began writing for bike magazines as a freelance journalist. Years of hoarding documents and information on Ducati's eventually led to his first book, 'The Ducati Story'. Originally published in 1996, this work has since appeared in five editions, six reprints, as well as translations to German and Italian. The success of 'The Ducati Story' has led to the publication of a further fifteen books on Ducati, and fifteen on other motorcycle marques including BMW, Moto Guzzi, Laverda, Honda, and Kawasaki. An avid rider, restorer and collector of vintage Italian motorcycles, Ian Falloon is considered by many to be one of the world authorities on Ducati.







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

Today in motorcycle history, October 14, 1899

  



  

  The Automobile Bicycle.

  I came across this early motorcycle race review and thought someone might find it of interest. It's from The Literary Digest, XIX (No. 16), October 14, 1899.



  Science and Invention - Automobile Bicycle.




  From 'Le Nature' (Paris) by M. H. de Graffiguy, "A new type of automobiles, or to be more modest, of motorcycles, has begun to come into use. The bicycle with petroleum motor has had its trial and has shown valuable qualities that has insured a favorable future. It has been recognized that this form of mechanically propelled vehicle presents peculiar advantages, and in consequence many builders have given study to it. Furthermore, the race organized by 'Le Velo' for two-wheeled automobile cycles has brought them into prominence.


  "Seven systems of motor-bicycles were represented in this contest but in the end it was narrowed down to a race between Werner motorcycles, of which four reached the goal, and a Pernoo bicycle, ridden by Labitte, who was the winner. The speed of this did not exceed 38 kilometers (23 1/8 miles) an hour, and that of the Werner motorcycles 26 kilometers (16 miles), altho their riders pedalled continuously.

  "We may conclude that the motor gave only insignificant aid, these speeds would have been easily reached and exceeded by ordinary bicycles, simply operated by the legs and ridden by trained cyclists."

  In 1897 the Werner brothers created a moto-bicycle called the 'Motocyclette' with a De-Dion Bouton engine mounted on the front steering head that achieved some success. But their most significant success came in 1900 with the New Werner used a patented frame design in which the engine was mounted at the bottom of the frame. The brothers were building their own engines rather than buying them from De Dion-Bouton as had been up to that point.




  Check out this gem of Werner motorcycle history - on September 13,1902, Alfred Nipper of Prospect Place, Weston Super Mare, was riding his 1898 Werner Motorcycle on Bristol Road, Worle, Somerset when he was reported for the following offense.

 As written on the summons, "Then being the driver of a certain carriage on a certain highway there situate called Bristol Road unlawfully did ride the same furiously thereon so as then to endanger the lives and limbs of passengers on the said highway"


  This is believed to be the first summons issued in Somerset for a motoring offense. Mr Nipper was fined Seven shillings and Six pence. And it's also believed to be the first example of cops harassing bikers.









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Today in motorcycle history, October 13, 1982

  

  

  Seemingly moments after exiting 'Salon de la Moto' in Paris, the German motorcycle magazine 'Motorrad' beats it's rivals to the presses and covers the new Honda dual-sport XLV 750R first.

  The XLV750R was Honda's first two cylinder dual-sport motorcycle. It featured an air/oil-cooled V-twin engine with hydraulic tappets, three valves per head (two inlet valves / one exhaust valve), two plugs per cylinder and the crankshaft with off-set pins. A dry sump lubrication system with the main frame acting as an oil pump and shaft drive. Eye-catching air scoops mounted below the fuel tank on either side of the bike to increase the cooling to the rear cylinder.

  Speaking of eye-catching, initially the XLV's paint scheme was offered in the colors of the Honda racing team, namely blue, white, and red, with a red engine, red fork lower-legs and red hubs.

  The XLV750R was manufactured from 1983-1986 and was initially intended for the European market only (with the exception of the UK), but from 1985 on, it was also sold in Australia and New Zealand.  The XLV was the forerunner of both Honda's Transalp and the Africa twin.

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

Today in motorcycle history, October 12, 1971

  




  

  While visiting his dad in California, Gene Vincent dies from a ruptured stomach ulcer.

  Vincent Eugene Craddock drops out of school at 17 and, with his parents blessing, enlists in the Navy in February of 1952. Planning on a career in the military, he re-ups, takes the $612 he gets for a re-enlistment bonus and buys a brand-new 1954 Triumph Tiger T110. Then in 1955, during a July weekend, while still in the Navy, he's out riding his Triumph when...Version A) a young woman in a Chrysler 300 runs a red light and broadsides him, or Version B) he's out drinking and tries to sneak back on base, while attempting to ride underneath the security gate he dumps the bike on his leg...An ambulance rushes him into the Naval hospital with a severely smashed (technical medical term) left leg. By all accounts Craddock's doctors were considering amputation but he begged his mother not to allow the operation. He was released from the Navy and was to spend the rest of 1955 in and out of the hospital. His leg would be fitted with a steel brace. The "leg iron" would be a source of pain for the rest of his life.







  Gene Craddock became involved in the local music scene in Norfolk, Virginia. He swaps his name to Gene Vincent, and forms a rockabilly band called "Gene Vincent and His Blue Caps" (a term used in reference to enlisted sailors in the U.S. Navy). The band included Willie Williams (rhythm), Jack Neal (upright bass), Dickie Harrell (drums), and Cliff Gallup on lead guitar.

  In 1956 he wrote "Be Bop A Lula", which would draw comparisons to a fellow-motorcycle rider and future King, Elvis Presley (Rolling Stone magazine lists it as No. 103 on it's 500 Greatest Rock 'n' Roll Songs list).

  Originally released as a "B-side" and aired locally but, soon the quarters began to pour into the slots of juke boxes and it caught fire on national radio stations (obscuring the original "A-side" song), and became a hit and launched Vincent as a rock 'n' roll star.

  His influence continues to be felt as evidenced by bands such as Red Pharaohs "Gene Vincent Rides a Triumph" and the BSA riding Big Tractor's "D-Cup A Lula". In London (his much loved second home), the world famous Ace Cafe holds an annual "Gene Vincent Night".





  Gene Vincent factoids;

  He was the first inductee into the Rockabilly Hall of Fame upon its formation in 1997 and the following year he was inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame. Vincent has a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame at 1749 N. Vine Street. In 2012, his band, the Blue Caps, were retroactively inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame by a special committee, alongside Vincent. On Tuesday, September 23, 2003 Vincent was honored with a Norfolk's Legends of Music Walk of Fame bronze star embedded in the Granby Street sidewalk. 

  The Norfolk rockabilly legend is interred at Eternal Valley Memorial Park located in Newhall, Santa Clarita, California.

  Parts of this post appeared in 2013 on Vincent's birthday.

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

Today in motorcycle history, October 9, 2015

  

  

  

  The Brittens are coming! The Brittens are coming! The 11th Annual Barber Vintage Festival, at Barber Motorsports Park in Leeds, Alabama, kicks off today and runs through Sunday so there's still time to make it. 

  60,000-plus vintage motorcycle enthusiasts are expected on Barber’s beautiful 740-acre park. Of course, it doesn’t hurt having the world’s preeminent motorcycle museum in your backyard (with over 1400 bikes), but the festival’s popularity doesn’t hinge just on the museum. The key to success is the Barber organization’s enthusiasm for this vintage jamboree. It starts at the top with founder George Barber and extends to every member of the staff from what I've seen, with everyone making sure the event goes without a hitch, from food and drink to music and bikes.


  This year a major highlight is 9 of the 10 Britten motorcycles ever produced will be on display. These hand-built, water-cooled 999cc, 60 degree V-Twin quad cam, 4-stroke, 188 mph New Zealand bad boys are a must-see. Also returning is the Ace Cafe (for all things cafe), the 'Century Race' for bikes 100 years old or older, (I'm not kidding, Dale Walksler won in 2013 riding his 1912 Indian!), the American Motor Drome 'Wall of Death' will be there, with daredevils on vintage Indians and Harleys riding the wall of a 14-foot tall, 30-foot diameter wooden drum. Cool-ass stuff. In need of a few odd-ball parts for your pre-war BSA? Then spend some quality time rummaging thru the huge 24-hour swap meet.


  Need more reasons to go? Throw in vintage racing from the American Historic Racing Motorcycle Association, Legends of Motocross, observe some leg-wettin' trials from Speed & Sport and Penton Cross Country and you have a weekend of vintage motorcycling that beats the hell out of boring conversation with Coffee Guy (sorry Jim) and a slow bartender.






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