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
