Roaring into the twenties

You’ll find a fair number of stories in 1920, including Britain’s first proper fuel station (but it didn’t have any petrol); a lightweight that looks more 1950 than 1920; a list of every marque in the Blue ‘Un Buyer’s Guide; a QD topbox; a bicycle powered by the rider’s weight …and a motorbike made by a chap called Guzzi. Watch this space.

1920 PULLIN
“The 216cc Pullin, a machine of striking and original design.”

 

1914 ACU Six Days Trial: Men of Steel

Those Six Days Trials kept getting tougher. In 1914 the action was centred on Sheffield;  only half the starters were finishers. But these events were clearly improving the breed: the first and second placed marques in the team award were mainstays of the Army and RFC respectively and, as the Blue ‘Un remarked, the Western Front would be a far tougher proving ground than the Yorkshire Dales. The report includes a report on the reporter’s mount and a defence of the trial by James Norton.

1914 6DT P&M TEST

1913 Scottish Six Days Trial

OK, so the ACU Six Days Trial was tough on machine and rider alike. But a Motor Cycle staffer didn’t mince his words: “A gold medal won in the Scottish Trials is worth a great deal more than one gained in England.” Rocks, mud, precipices, breakdowns, crashes—and  women riders to show the chaps how to do it. It all awaits you in the 1913 Features section.

1913 SSDT CHARLIE
For the SSDT Charlie Collier rode a 1914 model Matchless-JAP complete with a three-speed countershaft gearbox and kickstart.

1913 ACU Six Days’ Trial

The 1913 Six Days’ Trial was actually a five days trial followed by a day’s post-mortem. The event was tough enough for competitors to stage a strike meeting and following the trial complaints flew thick and fast. But the presence of a French team (which only survived for two days) justifies calling this the first International Six Day Trial. Read all about it…

1913 6DT PENRITH U
“Waiting outside the Penrith control on the second day of the trials. Among the riders may be seen WH Eggleton (6hp Enfield sidecar), DM Brown (3½hp Rover), C Lester (3½hp P&M), FC North (3½hp Ariel) and one of The Motor Cycle representatives.”