Way back in the 1960's, Alf was a terror. He ran the quarter mile in 9.5 seconds and went through the traps at over 150MPH. In 1968 he was the first Brit to cover the flying mile at 200MPH.
Stu got me started with this comment he left on the post about Thai Drag Bikes:
I was there when Alf Hagon did the FIRST run under 10 seconds.Mid sixties probably. At Elvington or Santa Pod, I can't remember.A 1000cc blown JAP twin, running on methanol,in a spindly frame.Somewhere I have a photo. George Brown (SuperNero, blown Vincent on Methanol)was quite pissed off.
Looking around I came across the most famous motorcycle racing picture of all time:
If this picture taken by a Life Magazine photographer from a car speeding alongside didn't exist, nobody would believe that Rollie Free set a US motorcycle land speed record of 249.1km/h wearing bathing trunks, plimsolls and a pudding-bowl helmet. - 1948
You go Rollie! Funny how all the English speeds are given in Imperial units and the American one is given in metric. In case you are curious 249.1 KPH is equivalent to 154.8 MPH.
2 comments:
Nero and SuperNero usually wore a fairing to reduce aerodynamic drag.
Alf's bike saved that weight too, only weighing about 110 kg.
My sprinter was in a smaller class: cut down BSA Bantam frame, C15 engine (250cc) running on methanol, normally aspirated, about 13-14 seconds I seem to remember.
Can't find a photo for you.
I had never heard of Britain's grasstrack racing. Of course it was done here on dirt bikes in farm fields, but they had actual grasstrack circuits.
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