Today in motorcycle history, February 12, 1987

  

  

  

  One time savior of the British motorcycle industry, Roger Dennistoun "Dennis" Poore dies in London at 70.

  Dennis Poore was a British entrepreneur, financier, and when the mood struck, racecar driver.  Matter of fact, he used his personal wealth to bankroll the founding, in 1950, of the racing journal "Autosport".  

  Twenty-years later,  Poore would sell off the propeller business from Manganese Bronze Holdings PLC and use the funds in a heroic attempt to stave off the collapse of the British motorcycle industry.  Buying engine manufacturers Villiers first and then Associated Motor Cycles (AMC), meaning iconic brands Norton, James, AJS, Matchless and Francis-Barnett were thereby all owned by the Manganese Bronze group.  

  BSA Group merged in July, 1973 in a government-encouraged "shotgun wedding" with Norton-Villiers as Norton-Villiers-Triumph (NVT) - with Dennis Poore as new NVT Chairman.  The pints were flowing in celebration as people remembered that Poore had rescued Norton from the brink of folding in the 1960's. Then BSA collapsed.  The celebratory pints went dry.  The motorcycle interests of Manganese Bronze and BSA were put into Norton Villiers Triumph Ltd, and the non-motorcycle interests of BSA were bought by Manganese Bronze.  With the purchase of BSA came its subsidiary Carbodies, builder of the FX4 London Taxi; the classic "black cab". 

  Then  when, without warning, in September Poore announced the closing of Meriden works effective February, 1974.  Of the 4,500 employees, 3,000 are to be let go.  Faced with unemployment and having their products handed over to a rival firm, the workers rose up.   This immediately starts an 18-month employee 'sit-in' and the closure of the Meriden plant.  By late 1973, all the Triumph models except the T120 Bonneville are discontinued.

  After disposing of the motorcycle manufacturing arms, Poore continued to head Manganese Bronze as a taxi and component manufacturer until his death.

Today in motorcycle history, February 11, 1935

  


  

  

  Vincent Eugene "Gene Vincent" Craddock is born in Norfolk, Virginia.  Juke boxes around the world shiver with anticipation of what's to come.

  Gene 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-enlists, takes the money 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 a young woman in a Chrysler 300 runs a red light and broadsides him.  An ambulance rushes him into the naval hospital with a severely smashed (medical technical 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, which would be a source of pain for the rest of his life.

  

  Gene Craddock became involved in the local music scene in Norfolk.  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 famous Ace Cafe holds an annual "Gene Vincent Night".

  In the word of his biography, "The Navy may have lost a sailor but, the world gained a rock 'n' roll legend."

Today in motorcycle history, February 10, 1966

  

  

   Evel Knievel and His Motorcycle Daredevils come to a nut-busting end.

  The debut of Evel Knievel and His Motorcycle Daredevils was on January 23, 1966, at the National Date Festival in Indio, California.  The second booking was supposed to be in Hemet, California, but was canceled due to a torrential downpour.  The third, and final, performance of Evel and His Motorcycle Daredevils was on February 10, 1966 in Barstow, California. 


  During the performance, Knievel attempted a new stunt where he would jump, spread eagle, over a speeding motorcycle.  Evel jumped too late and the bike hit him right in the groin, tossing him fifteen feet into the air.   He would spend nearly a month in the hospital as a result of his injuries.

  "I was sprained from the bottom of my feet to my waist."

   His "Daredevils" all quit the daredeviling act due to Evel being unable to work.

   When released, he returned to Barstow to finish the performance.  As a lone daredevil.

Today in motorcycle history, February 7, 1942

  

  


  

  

  While still at the helm of Harley-Davidson, Walter Davidson, Sr. dies in Milwaukee.

  Along with his brothers, William and Arthur, and their childhood friend William Harley, Walter Davidson, Sr. was one of the founders of Harley-Davidson and would become the company's first president. 

  Walter Davidson actually assembled the very first Harley-Davidson motorcycle that was built, but not yet assembled, by his brother Arthur and William Harley.  Legend has it that he was so excited by the new machine that he immediately left his railroad job in the southwest and found work as a machinist in Milwaukee so he could help build the business.  During the early (pre-employee) days of H-D, Walter assembled the motorcycles at night while continuing his job as a machinist during the day.

   He would give the company its first major racing victory by earning a Diamond Medal in the 1908 F.A.M. New York endurance run.  His performance in that butt-chafing run gave Harley-Davidson a great boost in name recognition and was a major selling point for a young motorcycle company trying to get a leg up. 

  Years later, as the president of Harley-Davidson, he became known for his charitable contributions but, at the same time he was known for his frugality, or cheapness, when it came to the company spending.  Once, after a business luncheon at a New York City hotel, Davidson looked at the tab, deducted his own meal and listed only the meals of his associates as a business expense.

  Davidson insisted on the highest quality standards in the motorcycles bearing the Harley-Davidson name.  He was noted for reminding his co-workers that their real employer was the purchasing public not the dollar bill.  Someone should remind Willie G.

  Harley-Davidson models up to Walter Davidson's death were - Model's 0, 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7D, X8D, X8E, 9A, 9B, 10F, 11F, D, J, J-solo, JA, JB, JD, JDA, JDS, JE, JS, R, RL, RLD, E (knucklehead), W, WL,WLA,WLC, WLD, WR, XA and Servi-car.  Excuse me if I missed one. 

Today in motorcycle history, February 6, 1990

  

   

  Billy Idol - 'Greatest Hits' takes on a whole new meaning when he collides with a car in Hollywood, suffering a broken leg and wrist.

  Another celebrity with a bike to match their ego (too big).  While riding his 1989 Harley-Davidson, Idol allegedly ran a stop sign and hit the car about 8:30 a.m., police said.  Luckily for 1985's "Sneer of the Year", the 31-year-old woman driving the car was not hurt, Officer Don Lawrence said.

  Idol, one-time leader of the British punk band Generation X, was taken to Cedars-Sinai Medical Center, where he was in serious but stable condition after seven hours of surgery for a break in his right leg between the knee and ankle and a fractured left forearm. Hospital spokesman Ron Wise said the injuries were not life-threatening.

  Lawrence said police plan to file a complaint against Idol, alleging that he failed to obey a stop sign.  Hey, he's a rebel.

   

  Talking to a British tabloid reporter afterwards Billy cheerfully told them, "I had been celebrating the night before - it could have been a lot, lot worse.  My foot landed on the pavement and it tore off my heel.  But my head just missed the curb or it would have burst like a melon."

  A little punk rock trivia.....Billy Idol’s first band was actually Chelsea. In August of 1976, the kind of creepy singer, Gene October placed an ad in the British music paper, Melody Maker, leading to replies from Billy Idol (guitar), bassist Tony James and drummer John Towe. Their first gig was supporting the "avant-garde and experimental" band Throbbing Gristle at London’s ICA (Institute of Contemporary Arts). Two months later, the band split, leaving October to carry on Chelsea, while Idol, Towe and James formed Generation X.

Today in motorcycle history, February 4, 1970

  

  

  Motorcycle ice-racer, IMCA champion, Sigurd Olson “Sig” Haugdahl dies in Jacksonville, Florida, at 79.

  Born in Verdal, Nord-Trondelag, Norway, Sig migrated to the United States in 1910 making his home with a machinist uncle in Albert Lea, Minnesota.  He began his racing career in Norway on an Austrian Bock and Hollander 5hp V-twin he converted to race on the ice.  After arriving in the States, a then unknown Sig immersed himself in building a champion ice-bike.  In 1912 he introduced himself by reaching 70 mph on a custom-built 1909 Indian V-twin. 

  Switching to automobiles, Haugdahl began dirt track racing in 1918.  He would become the IMCA (International Motor Contest Association) champion six years in a row, between 1927 and 1932.

  He built the infamous "Wisconsin Special" to specifically unseat then champion Tommy Milton. The car was named after its 836 cubic inch Wisconsin Airplane 6-cylinder motor, which was directly connected to the rear wheels.  The car was 192 inches long, yet only 20 inches wide, and had a liver-quivering 250 hp. On April 7, 1922 he reportedly hit an unverified 180 mph on the Daytona Beach road course.

  Sigurd  Haugdahl was inducted in the National Sprint Car Hall of Fame in 1994. 

Today in motorcycle history, February 3, 1959

   

  

  The day the music died.  Buddy Holly, Ritchie Valens and J.P. "Big Bopper" Richardson are killed when their plane crashes outside of Clear Lake, Iowa.

  Buddy Holly had bought a 1955 500cc Triumph TR5 Trophy in 1956 only to be forced to sell it due to The Crickets constant gigging in pursuit of stardom.


  On May 13,1958 the "Lads from Lubbock" were just coming off an extensive tour which had taken them to Australia, England and across the States.  They were worn out from the long tour, but their pockets were full of cash and they were ready to spend it.  Buying new motorcycles seemed like the only logical thing to do.  They flew into Love Field in Dallas, Texas, figuring their choice of bike shops would be far better than in Lubbock.

  Calling a cab, Buddy, J.I. and Joe B. first went to the East side of Downtown Dallas where there were numerous shops on Main and Elm Streets. The story goes that they first visited a Harley-Davidson shop where the salesman told them not to touch the machines and insinuated that they leave the store.  He allegedly said they were "...a bunch of dumb kids who couldn't even afford the monthly payment."  It never occurred to him that these boys might have pockets full of money and he made no effort to find out or sell them anything.  Not much has changed at new bike/H-D dealerships.  Fucking salesman.  Three of the most popular rock and roll musicians in the world walked out in disgust, with their pockets still full of cash.

  The trio jumped into another taxi and asked the driver to take them to a different dealer.  The cab-driver, who also didn't know who they were, dropped them off at Miller's Motorcycles, a multi-marque British motorcycle dealer a few blocks away.

  Having just been treated like shit, Buddy took no chances this time and introduced himself and his two cohorts to owners Betty and Ray Miller...and showed them a rather large wad of cash.

  Seeing all that cash and sensing that he had the sale of three new motorcycles at his finger tips, Ray told the boys to pick out any bikes off the floor they wanted and take them out for as long as they needed.  After trying out just about every bike in the shop for the better part of the day, the choices were finally made.

  Buddy Holly bought a 1958 Ariel Cyclone which had that unique Ariel beige seat.  It had higher handlebars and a hotter engine with high-compression pistons and a Spitfire cam.  It was basically a Huntmaster twin which used BSA's 650cc A10 40 bhp engine.  The attention-grabbing Cherokee red and black paint job with white striping was designed specifically for the American market and was produced for only one year.  According to factory records only 174 were made and all were exported except one.

  Drummer Jerry Allison chose a red and white 1958 Triumph TR6A and bass player Joe Mauldin picked a red 1958 Triumph 6T Thunderbird.  Holly also bought some saddle bags for the Cyclone and all three bought gloves and motorcycle caps as well.

  The "dumb kids" paid cash for everything, about $3,200.

 

  "...something touched me deep inside/ the day the music died..."