Six bikes recall '71 race heyday
2011-10-04 08:01
SOLE SURVIVOR: Neil Payne's Triumph built to the 1971 season-end specification and thought to be the sole remaining example.
Britain's National Motorcycle Museum will pay tribute to old-school British manufacturers at this year's Footman James Classic Motorbike Show when it returns to Birmingham's NEC from November 11-13.
Six stunning bikes, each next to anotherand owned by stand organiser Neil Payne, will be on show.
RIVALS SWEPT AWAY
"1971 was the last full year of official factory participation of the old-school British manufacturers. Triumph and BSA." Payne explained.
"These bikes were prepared and maintained by personnel at the experimental department at Triumph's UK factory. During the course of that momentous year the factory team of Triumph/BSA swept virtually all before them in whatever race their machines were entered.
"2011 is the 40th anniversary of this final glorious year of British motorcycle success, worthy I think of remembering with a great deal of pride."
The 1971 display from the National Motorcycle Museum will include the Triumph Bol d'O-winning machine, one of the three production racers, and three Formula 750 Triumphs ridden by John Cooper, Percy Tait, Paul Smart and the machine ridden to second place at that
year's Daytona 200-mile race by Gene Romero.
TEAM TIMELINE
Payne's own bike (pictured above) was built to the 1971 season-end specification so has all the developments made during that year. The
most significant being the lightweight primary transmission' now thought to be the sole remaining example.
Adding to the tribute will be a timeline of the team's successes as well as a reunion of the surviving team members, including riders, mechanics and team personnel. The stand will be dedicated to those who will not be there - chief engineer Doug Hele, senior mechanic Jack Shemans and legendary rider Ray Pickrell, all now dead.
*The Footman James Classic Motorbike Show launched in 2010 to great acclaim and is for anybody passionate about vintage, classic and modern-classic bikes.
The show, its organisers say, is intended to reflect all
elements of the classic biking movement as a whole and provides
the UK "with a much-deserved premier venue in which to showcase
all this amazing machinery and celebrate the love of motorcycling".
More information and show updates.