Motorcycle and autogyros

[Geoff S]

I've just watched a film on the BBC iPlayer that's primarily about motorcycle road races in Northern Ireland - races like the Ulster GP and the NW200.  It has a long history with some impressive characters. It's called 'The Motorcycle Mavericks'.

 

One interesting feature is about Rex McCandless who designed the famous Norton Featherbed frame.  Apparently he also designed what the film claims is the first autogyro powered by what's described as a small Triumph engine (perhaps a 500cc parallel twin square barrel Trophy originally designed for stationary generators?). 

 

There's also quite a lot about Professor Ian Blair of Queen's University Belfast who did a lot of work on 2 stroke engines. I know a one-time friend of mine, George Silk went to him when developing his700s 2 stroke motorcycle here in Derby (my wife worked for him for few years.)

[Frank Skilbeck]

Bookmarked to watch later, thanks.

[dave windymiller]

I shall look out for that. Thanks

 

My good friend Richard has a silk and between us when we park up both his and my qwak750 sure do gather a crowd!   You cant beat a large 2 stroke for fun and emptying your pocket of money for petrol.     

 

[Geoff S]

My wife probably bought the parts for your friend's Silk.  She worked for George and Wendy for a few years and we all used to go to the TT every year with the local Vintage MCC crowd.  I once borrowed a Velocette GTP (a 250cc 2 stroke) that George had 'breathed' on and used it to win a VMCC trial because it was just so easy to ride with stacks of torque and very, very light.  George was supposed to lend me a Silk to ride as a travelling marshal at a VMCC Cadwell race meeting but it didn't arrive and I used my young brother's Suzuki Super Six instead.

 

How well does the Silk go?  They were a bit inconsistent.  It certainly looks as good as it came out of the factory.

 

My 1932 600cc Scott TT Replica was very thirsty - about 30mpg IIRC.  In the early 60s it was my main transport.  I used to carry a pocket-full of 18mm plugs ready to swap whiskered ones. I got so good at it that I could change a plug without getting out of the saddle - and, if I guessed right, without stopping the engine. It had what might be called 'character' 🙂

[Paul De Tourtoulon]

Ok a two stroke was fun back then I had a Yamaha 350 RD, a real smoke machine, two weeks ago our local motorbike track had a only 2 stroke day the only  missing bikes were the Kawa 750 and Suzuki 380, what a lot of smoke and noise even for me.

[David Ovenden]

1 hour ago, Paul De Tourtoulon said:

Ok a two stroke was fun back then I had a Yamaha 350 RD, a real smoke machine, two weeks ago our local motorbike track had a only 2 stroke day the only  missing bikes were the Kawa 750 and Suzuki 380, what a lot of smoke and noise even for me.

I used to own a Suzuki GT380 triple. Fun but smokey.

[John Lee]

On 19/10/2022 at 22:51, Geoff S said:

One interesting feature is about Rex McCandless who designed the famous Norton Featherbed frame.  Apparently he also designed what the film claims is the first autogyro powered by what's described as a small Triumph engine (perhaps a 500cc parallel twin square barrel Trophy originally designed for stationary generators?). 

 

 

Rex was in business with his brother Cromie McCandless when they built the prototype Featherbed frame. Cromie was also the racer in the partnership and won two motor cycle Grand Prix.

 

Cromie was also a keen model flyer and an active member of the Manx Model Flyers when he lived on the Isle of Man in latter years. I got to know him when I lived on the Island in the 1980's, he was a lovely man who passed away in 1992.

[Richard Harris]

 'Apparently he also designed what the film claims is the first autogyro powered by what's described as a small Triumph engine (perhaps a 500cc parallel twin square barrel)'

 

I believe the first powered flight of an autogyro was in January 1923 by the  Cierva C4, which used the fuselage from a Sommer monoplane, I think (though not 100% sure) that this was powered with a seven cylinder Gnome-Rhone rotary engine.

 

I'd be interested to know which particular autogyro they are on about if they mentioned it? I know Wallis used Mcullock drone engines obtained from the US and modified a Rolls Royce 6 cylinder in another.

[Paul De Tourtoulon]

1 hour ago, David Ovenden said:

I used to own a Suzuki GT380 triple. Fun but smokey.

My father had one around 1976 he wouldn't let me ride it.