Today in motorcycle history, April 1, 1986

   Having beaten the likes of Triumph, Bultaco, Maico, Greeves and CZ on the World Motocross GP circuit, Husqvarna thought it seemed it could make an easy transition into the American market where the sport of motocross was seriously lagging behind.  In January of 1966, Edison Dye imported two Husqvarna 250cc machines and gave them to Malcolm Smith and John Penton.  Then in the fall, Dye brought over someone who could fully demonstrate the potential using the proper riding style and techniques.  Torsten "Mr. Motocross" Hallman.  The Swedish Sensation won every race he entered in what became known as the '23-Moto Streak' – an exhibition of superiority that ignited Americans’ imaginations and put Husqvarna on the map in the US. 

 With racing success came sales ($$$) in America and abroad, but Husqvarna’s management was content to rest on its laurels, refusing to make a 125cc machine despite the pleading of Penton and Dye.

 

  Remember kids, management always knows what's right, never question it.

  Husqvarna began constructing a new plant for its motorcycle production, called M73, but the vision was never realized.  Swedish home-goods powerhouse, Electrolux, purchased Husqvarna in 1977.  Electrolux never really wanted the motorcycles and only took them as part of the deal and after realizing the money to be made in chainsaws, it headquartered that effort at M73.  Motorcycles were split off into their own division, Husqvarna Motorcycles AB, and transferred nearly 50 miles away to a woodshed in Odeshog.

  Soon Husqvarna became the target acquisition for CAGIVA, a conglomerate owned by the Castiglioni brothers, Gianfranco and Claudio, which made a habit of purchasing small European brands including Aermacchi, Moto Morini and MV Agusta.  A young company with grandiose visions of its role in the world motorcycle economy, Cagiva purchased Husqvarna on April 1, 1986, taking complete control three months later and eventually moving the entire operation to Varese, Italy.

Torsten Hallman

 

 

  From the moment CAGIVA took over operations of Husqvarna it was obvious that quality was not a prority.  With sales plummeting and their hard-earned reputation fading, Husky was about to enter two of the darkest decades in their history.

 

Fortunately, BMW bought Husqvarna in 2007 and began the long ride to resuming pride and honor to one of the greatest names in off-road motorcycles in history.

Today in motorcycle hstory, March 29, 1983

Tragedy strikes the Bugatti Circuit during the 1983 French Grand Prix.  During a free practice Japanese  rider Iwao Ishikawa is killed when his Suzuki collides with Loris Reggiani's Aprilia at the Virage de la Chapelle.     Sadly, the French MotoGP also claimed the life of the 1982 Champion, Swiss rider, Michel Frutschi when his Honda went down on April 3.  Both riders were in the 500cc class.         Bugatti Circuit or Circuit des 24 Heures, also known as Circuit de la Sarthe, located near Le Mans, France, is a semi-permanent race course. The track uses local roads that remain open to the public most of the year.   Le Mans is a race where up to 85% of the time is spent on full throttle, meaning immense stress on engine and drivetrain components. However, the times spent reaching maximum speed also mean immense stress on the riders.

Today in motorcycle history, March 27, 1979

                                          

 

 

  Philip Conrad Vincent dies in Ashford, Middlesex, England.  Flags are hung at half-mast at garages and racetracks around the world.

 

 

  Philip Conrad Vincent was born in Wilbraham Gardens, Fulham on March 14, 1908.  Seemingly born with an unusually keen interest in motorcycles, so keen that by the time he was 18 he had his own workshop and was designing and building his own machines.   It was there that he developed his first "Vincent Special" and at the age of 20 he had a registered a patent for his design of cantilever rear suspension.

 

  Phil formed his first company with Frank Walker and Australian Phil Irving.  Howard R. Davies, founder of HRD and winner of the 1924 Senior Isle of Man TT, was on the verge of bankruptcy and in 1928 Phil acquired the trademark and remaining HRD tooling and parts for a song. They agreed to change the company name to Vincent HRD Co., Ltd., and the logo appeared with Vincent in very small letters over the top of the bold HRD.

  In 1928, the first Vincent-HRD motorcycle used a JAP single-cylinder engine in a Vincent-designed cantilever frame.  But after the 1934 Isle of Man TT, with numerous engine problems and all three entries failing to finish, Phil Vincent and Phil Irving threw out the idea of using JAP engines and decided to build their own.  A wiser business decision may have never been made.  In 1935 the first Vincent powered motorcycle, the 499 cc Comet model was introduced. It was then followed by the ass-kickin' 998cc Series A Rapide in 1936.  As with a lot of  British manufacturers, production was halted during WWII.  At the end of the war Phil Vincent and Phil Irving designed the seriously-fast Series B Rapide model.

 

 

  Then in 1948 at the Vincent works, Great North Road, Stevenage, Hertfordshire, the liver-quivering Black Shadow was introduced.  With relatively minor modifications, such as enlarged ports, bigger carburetors and increased compression, the Black Shadow featured several other innovations, such as "Girdraulic" front forks – which were girder forks with hydraulic damping, a sprung rear sub-frame, the extensive use of aluminium alloy and a unit construction stressed engine.  It weighed in at a relatively light 458 lb, which was about the weight of a 500cc bike at the time.

 

  In 1949 the HRD logo was dropped to prevent confusion with the "HD" of Harley-Davidson in the all-important American Market.

 

  A little known fact - inspiration for the Black Shadow was Royal Air Force pilots flying over the factory, and soldiers serving in the war.  Vincent and Irving wanted to create a motorcycle that could be operated and maintained by men who had been injured in combat.  The clutch could be operated with just two fingers, and maintenance was made far easier than anything previously available. 

 

 

  1949 The Motor Cycle magazine held a competition for the first successful all-British attempt on the World Speed Record, held since 1937 by BMW at 173.54 mph.  Reg Dearden, a motorcycle dealer at Chorlton-cum-Hardy in Manchester fitted a supercharger to a brand new Black Lightning and made extensive modifications including strengthening and lengthening the frame by about 6 inches (15 cm).  Phil Vincent personally supervised the work. The result increased the World Record to 180.29 mph.

 

 

  Hunter S. Thompson once wrote that, "If you rode the Black Shadow at top speed for any length of time, you would almost certainly die."

     

Today in motorcycle history, March 26, 1971

 

  Everyone's favorite daredevil, Evel Knievel, begins a three-night stay at the Chicago International Amphitheatre.

  Evel is still acclimating himself to the Harley-Davidson XR-750 that he first used for a jump at Lions Drag Strip in Los Angeles on December 12, 1970 and now he finds himself performing 2 shows a day.  Six jumps, each one a little different than the last is what the fans are told. 

  And, once again, Evel Knievel delivers.

  By the end of the third day he clears 11 cars and 2 trucks much to the delight of the Chicago fans.    Especially one particular 13 year-old girl...

  Fortunately the nearby Stockyards are open and he gets a case of rib-eyes to take with him.  Ah, the perks of the job.  Leave some of your meat on the pavement but leave with some of theirs.

  The Chicago Stockyards closed on July 30, 1971.

  The Evel Knievel movie starring George Hamilton as Evel opens on September 10, 1971.

  The Chicago International Amphitheatre was closed and demolished in 1999.

 

The Stockyards. 

Today in motorcycle history, March 25, 1899

                                  

 

  Herbert James "Burt" Munro is born in Edendale, New Zealand.

 

  At the Bonneville Salt Flats, on August 26, 1967, with his 58 cubic-inch, 950 cc, 1920 Indian Scout, he made a one-way run of 190.07 mph, the fastest-ever officially-recorded speed on an Indian.  This record still stands today.  Burt Munro was 68 years-old and was riding a 47-year-old machine when he set the record.

  Munro bought his Indian Scout new in 1920, matter of fact, it was only the 627th Scout to leave the Springfield factory. The 37 cubic-inch, 606cc bike had an original top speed of 55 mph, but for a young Burt Munro that didn't cut it, so in 1926 he decided to start modifying his beloved Indian. 

  He spent the next 20 years working from his home in Invercargill, modifying his Indian. 

  Being a man of just modest means, but with a butt-load of talent and determination, he often made the parts and tools he needed himself.  Including casting his own barrels, pistons, flywheels, etc. He then he spent much of the 1940s and 50's, setting speed records throughout New Zealand.  All-the-while keeping his eye on Bonneville.

  His attempts, and eventual success, are the basis of the motion picture The World's Fastest Indian directed by Roger Donaldson.  Donaldson also directed the 1971 short documentary film Burt Munro: Offerings to the God of Speed.

  All-in-all, Burt made ten visits to the salt flats and in three of them he set speed records.

  In 2006, he was inducted into the AMA Motorcycle Hall of Fame.

  Burt Munro died on January 6, 1978.

 

 

Today in motorcycle history, March 22, 1981

 

 

  Champion British TT and Grand Prix racer, Alfred Robert "Fearless Bob" Foster dies.

 

  Born in Gloucestershire, UK, in 1911, Bob Foster was one the great "all-rounders" of motorcycle racing.  In a career that began in 1932, he competed in everything he could find his way into, road racing, trials and scrambles.  In a time when many riders dabbled in a variety of races trying to find their niche, "Fearless Bob" Foster excelled at all of them.

 

  Like Evelyn next door, it was road racing stole his heart.  While acting as an honorary mechanic to a friend competing in the Manx Grand Prix he knew the Isle of Man was for him.  Determined not to be the one on the outside looking in, he purchased a Grand Prix 350 New Imperial.

 

  Four years later Bob Foster would win at the Isle of Man.  Sadly, his win on he unit-construction New Imperial in the 1936 Isle of Man TT would prove to be the last occasion when a British machine would win a Lightweight TT at the Isle of Man.  Following the TT New Imperial withdrew official support from racing. It was a major disappointment to Foster, so from 1937 to 1939 he piloted an AJS 350cc R7 single, plus the supercharged 500cc V4.  This was a fearsome evil-handling bastard, and its one claim to fame was a memorable 100mph lap by team mate Walter Rusk at the 1939 Ulster GP.  Rumour has it that that's how he acquired the nickname 'Fearless'; a tribute to his courage in handling the more fearsome models being raced at the time.

 

  For the first two years following WWII he competed on the continent in scrambles and road races.  He rode a Velocette and won the 1947 Junior TT.  In 1948 Bob kicked serious ass in the 350 Belgian Grand Prix against strong opposition.  Once again he rode a Velocette in the '49 Junior TT and, in the Senior he opted for a twin Moto Guzzi, similar to Stanley Woods’1935 TT winning model.  In the Junior he finished in a very disappointing 6th place, and was looking forward to a better result in the Senior. After disposing of the early Norton and AJS challengers, Foster had things in hand and by lap 5 it seemed the race was his but alas, it was not to be.  A screwed-up transmission problem brought with it yet another Senior early-retirement.

 

  1950 was a memorable year for Bob and for racing, for it heralded the appearance of the ‘Featherbed’ Norton.  Their Isle of Man results were reminiscent of the 1930 glory days, with 1-2-3 finishes in both Junior and Senior TTs.  At the Belgian GP, Foster surprised the all-conquering Nortons with a masterly win in the 350cc event, ahead of Artie Bell and Geoff Duke.  To reinforce Velocette’s dominance he repeated the performance at the Dutch TT and Ulster GP . These wins, plus second place at the  rain-soaked Swiss GP ensured a World Championship for Alfred Robert Foster and the Manufacturers Championship for Velocette.

Today in motorcycle history, March 21, 1909-Part II

   Premier Motorcycles introduces it's first V-twin motorcycle. 

 

   Originally founded as a bicycle manufacturer in Coventry, UK, by W. H. Herbert and William Hillman in 1876, the "Hillman and Herbert Cycle Company" was renamed the "Premier Cycle Co." in 1891 and their first motorcycle was produced in 1908, with a White & Poppe side-valve engine and Chater-Lea front forks.

 

  The company made their first V-twin, a 500cc, in 1909, then in what seemed like a strange step backward, they follow their V-twin with a 499 cc single-cylinder machine in 1910.  The smaller bike proves to be successful and it brings good times to Premier Cycle.  In 1913 they introduce another V-twin, a larger more powerful 998cc.  The good times continue at the Coventry plant and also at the local pub as the pints flow. 

 

  The company changed their name to "The Premier Cycle Company, Coventry Premier Ltd." in 1914. 

 

  The good times come to an abrupt end as WWI brought very hard financial times to Premier and they found themselves unable to resume production.  Sadly, the company is sold to Singer & Co. in 1921.

 

   Premier motorcycles were produced under licence in Czechoslovakia throughout the 1930s.