Today in motorcycle history, July 8, 1932

  
  



 

  The Berkeley Daily Gazette announces the Berkeley Motorcycle Club will hold their annual hill climb with the best of the Pacific Coast riders in attendance.

  "Roaring motors zoom up the side of Franklin Canyon, near Pinole, tomorrow. Every so often a gasp escapes the thousands of onlookers as a motorcyclist loops the loop, tossing its rider unceremoniously."

  So begins the program for the annual hill climb race sponsored by the Berkeley Motorcycle Club. The race features the "classiest" riders on the Pacific Coast including Walter "Swede" Mattson and Windy Lindstrom from Oakland, Gene Ryan of Seattle, L.A.'s Al Majors and Bob Keller, the San Jose legend Sam Arena plus Bill Rook and Dudley Perkins of San Francisco. Nearly 20,000 people attend.



  The week of July 8, 1932 the Dow Jones Industrial Average reached 41.22, it's lowest point of the entire Great Depression.   





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

Today in motorcycle history, July 7, 1951

  


  

  Bill Doran wins the 350cc Class Dutch TT on a works AJS.

  With his trademark jutting chin and ready smile, Bill Doran was known as "Shropshire's motorcycling ace". His racing career began as a privateer mostly riding Nortons, Bill became a works AJS rider in 1949. Usually more comfortable as a 350cc racer, but to prove they made the right decision he rode their infamous 500cc horizontal-twin "Porcupine" to victory in the 1949 Belgian Grand Prix. 



  Despite a solid racing career, an injury became his claim to fame after a part of the Isle of Man TT course was named after him. He crashed during a Thursday evening practice for the 1952 Isle of Man TT  resulting in a broken leg. The accident occurred on the left-hand bend after Ballig Bridge and was renamed Doran's Bend.  At the time of dedication, he was the only living recipient with a named section. 





  A 1954 AJS E95 Porcupine was sold post-auction at Bonhams in 2011, for $675,000.






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