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Details of UK Motorcycle racing from 1994


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#1 Bigdieseljob

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Posted 17 August 2020 - 15:49

Hi

 

I'm hoping someone on here can help me with a few details of UK motorcycle racing from the 1990's.

 

I'm a retired mechanical engineer writing a novel about a seventeen year-old who starts motorcycle racing in 1994. I would like to keep it as factual as possible, so a few questions.

 

1. I imagine a race licence would be needed back then; if so, as a seventeen year-old would a parent or guardian's signature be required?

 

2. I read that you needed to be a member of a motorcycle club to obtain a licence; is this correct?

 

3. Did you need to have a medical?

 

4. As a seventeen year-old would you be allowed to compete in the 250cc class?

 

5. Would I be right in thinking, the first event of the season is in April?

 

6. Regards the race and practice itself. Would practice be on Saturday with the race or races on the Sunday?

 

Well, I think that's it at this point.

 

Thanks in advance to anyone who has the time or inclination to reply.

 

Regards

 

Bigdieseljob.



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#2 D-Type

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Posted 17 August 2020 - 18:50

It might be worth posting a similar request on the "Motorcycle Racing Nostalgia" subforum.  I never visit it so don't know much about it or how active it is.

It might be an idea to send a "not for publication" letter to Motorcycle News and other Motorcycle magazines.  Again I don't know anything about them other than that I've seen them on the shelves at WH Smith (pre-lockdown).  

 

And of course there's always the ruling body, the Auto Cycle Union.

 

Sorry I can't help further.



#3 Michael Ferner

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Posted 18 August 2020 - 08:02

Unfortunately, the subforum is all but dead at the mo.

 

As to your questions, I'm fairly certain that the answer to 1) to 3) is "yes", and probably "no" to 4). As to 5), I would guess that the motorcycle racing season would have started before Easter, so likely in March already. 6) would appear to be a likely scenario, but there's also the possibility of one-day meetings - practice in the morning, races in the afternoon. All depending on which sort of events a beginner was likely to enter, and here I have to stress that I am in no way an expert of UK motorcycle racing, not even being located in the UK. All answers more or less on the basis of common practice in other forms of racing, and of having followed car and motor cycle racing in general at the time.



#4 F1matt

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Posted 18 August 2020 - 17:50

I am sure you had to have an eye test but not a medical. 



#5 Sterzo

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Posted 18 August 2020 - 20:59

Don't know how much knowledge of bike racing you have already, but a few books would be a good idea. How about Shane Byrne's autobiography? He'd be contemporaneous with your hero, so you might pick up relevant detail. Is your lad penniless, working his way up from club racing, or might he start in the BSB series where many teenagers would be found on 50cc bikes in their support category? The club meetings might have practice in the morning and racing in the afternoon, whereas BSB would be spread over the weekend.



#6 Perruqueporte

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Posted 19 August 2020 - 12:12

Here are the answers to,your questions:


1. I imagine a race licence would be needed back then; if so, as a seventeen year-old would a parent or guardian's signature be required?

Correct on both counts. The license would have come from the sport’s UK governing body, the ACU (Auto Cycle Union), and in 1994 you would have needed a parent or guardian’s signature. In those days your first license would have been a “Novice” license, and to indicate that you were a novice you would have had to wear an orange gilet over your leathers to indicate to other riders that you lacked experience. You would have had to gain a number of signatures from stewards at each race meeting (I think that six signatures were required) in order to move from novice status to what was called a restiricted license, if I remember correctly, which would allow you to ride without the orange gilet (and at least look as if you knew what you were doing). Signatures plus finishes at a minimum level would have been require to move from restricted to national license status (allowing you to compete in national meetings, ie British Superbike Championship meetings), and thence to International License if you wished to compete abroad.

2. I read that you needed to be a member of a motorcycle club to obtain a licence; is this correct?

Correct - you would have had to join an ACU-recognised club, for example my own, the Greenwich Motor and Motrocycle Club which organised motorcycle road racing at Brands Hatch for many years. You would have sent your ACU license form to your Club to be endorsed officially, before you could submit it to the ACU.

3. Did you need to have a medical?

Not for your first license - medicals were only necessary for international licenses. You did however have to know what your blood group was (which for most of us meant going to your GP’s surgery and asking someone nicely, to do the necessary and let you know). Your blood group plus your name and date of birth, had to be printed or engraved on a dog tag to be worn round your neck each time you competed (and which was always checked by a Scrutineer) so that if you were unfortunate enough to need it, the correct octane of additive could be administered if necessary.

4. As a seventeen year-old would you be allowed to compete in the 250cc class?

Yes you would, at Club, National or International levels, if you had the right license.

5. Would I be right in thinking, the first event of the season is in April?

March or April. Usually cold and often wet, and if you were sensible enough to have leathers that weren’t too snug, you could go and buy a pair of Damart long johns to stop you shivering uncontrollably.

6. Regards the race and practice itself. Would practice be on Saturday with the race or races on the Sunday?

Only at National or International meetings. Club meetings would be on Saturdays or Sundays, you would practice at least once per class in the morning, and race as soon as practice was over. You usually had two races per class per event. If I remember correctly entry fees in those days at Club meetings were around £30 or more per class entered.

I was still racing on two wheels at that time.

Hope that helps.

Christopher W.

President, Greenwich Motor & Motorcycle Club

Edited by Perruqueporte, 19 August 2020 - 12:14.


#7 Bigdieseljob

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Posted 24 August 2020 - 17:32

Thanks to everyone who took the time to reply, especially Christopher for the detailed answers.

Fortunately, the answers fit the story line, so I won't need to change things to any great degree.
I always find it annoying when I watch a drama or read a story and it doesn't ring true. The facts need to fit.

 

Regards

 

Andy (Bigdieseljob)