Team Obsolete and National Motorcycle Museum Page 2
Team Obsolete and the National Motorcycle Museum Team Up To Put Original Historic Motorcycles Back On Race Circuits
MALLORY PARK, ENGLAND, JUNE 10, 2001
Team Obsolete and the National Motorcycle Museum's collaboration brought about the reunification of two historically very significant British ex-works racers - the 1954 AJS E95 Porcupine 500cc twin and the 1954 AJS "Triple Knocker" 3 valve 350cc single. Both of these machines represent pinacles of then current racing technology. This was the first time these ultra rare machines had appeared together anywhere in the world since 1954- the final year of AJS's Grand Prix racing program. Frank Perris, ex-Works AJS rider, ex-Works Suzuki rider, and ex-manager of the John Player Norton team rode the 7R3.
CADWELL PARK, ENGLAND, AUGUST 4, 2001
ULTRA-RARE AND HISTORIC BRITISH BIKES OF NATIONAL MOTORCYCLE MUSEUM & TEAM OBSOLETE RUN AT BEEZUMPH RALLYE Team Obsolete again showcased some of the ultra-rare and historically significant British racing motorcycles owned by the National Motorcycle Museum as part of their ongoing coordinated outreach program that seeks to bring these bikes back into the public realm.1954 AJS "Porcupine" E-95, 1954 AJS "Triple Knocker" 7R3, 1962/65 Arter Matchless ex-Mike Duff G-50, 1970 BSA III ex-Hailwood, 1971 BSA III ex-Cooper, and Slippery Sam (Triumph). Riders were John Cooper, Mick Grant, and Frank Perris. Phil Read also rode a Team Obsolete MV Agusta 500/3.
|
The "Agostini-Beating" John Cooper on the National Motorcycle Museum's ex-Works BSA 3-cylinder |
|
Grant provesthere's a bit of life left in the old dog with a little wheelie on the mountain. |
Roy Richards of the National Motorcycle Musem (right) poses with Mick Grant and Sam. |
|
Mick Grant pulls another wheelie as he wrings the neck of the AJS E-95 "Porcupine" |
|
ex-Works riders with ex-works racers: ex-Kawasaki rider and ex-Honda team manager Mick Grant , ex-AJS, ex- Suzuki rider, and ex-John Player Norton team manager Frank Perris, and Team Obsolete manager Rob Iannucci discuss the National Motorcycle Museum's AJS 7R3 "Triple Knocker" near its bigger brother, the E-95 "Porcupine" |
2001 SILVERSTONE
The National Motorcycle Museum brought out its genuine original motorcycles to the Silverstone Historic Festival, including the 1970 ex-Hailwood BSA triple, which was displayed by Hailwood's wife Pauline accompanied by son David Hailwood. A Team Obsolete MV Agusta 500cc Triple was also on hand.
|
Pauline and David Hailwood |
|
GOODWOOD REVIVAL MEETING, SEPTEMBER 14 - 16 2001
Phil Read, MBE, eight time FIM World Champion was reunited with an ex-works 1967 MV Agusta 500 Triple to contest the Historic Motorcycle Races at the Goodwood Revival. This marked an historic and emotional reunion for man and machine as Read won his first 500cc FIM World Championship back in 1973 on the MV "Fire Engine." Sadly, the MV developed problems in practice owing to a shortage of spare parts that were due to arrive with Rob Iannucci on September 12. The ex-Mike Duff Arter Matchless 500 was hastily pressed into service for the first race, but suffered a flooding float bowl. For the second race, the rather standard Matchless ran well but Read could only manage 8th against much more highly tuned machines. The legendary 1954 AJS E-95 Porcupine also starred at Goodwood. The world's sole operational "Porc," ridden by motorcycle chassis legend Colin Seeley, was a joint entry of Team Obsolete and the National Motorcycle Museum, UK.
|
Phil Read on the Team Obsolete owned ex-Mike Duff/Tom Arter G-50 Matchless. Mike placed 3rd in the '65 Senior TT on this machine, and finished fourth in the '65 World Championships. |
|
The National Motorcycle Museum/Team Obsolete Pits at Goodwood 2001 |
Team Obsolete is sponsored by the National Motorcycle Museum (UK), Vanson Leathers, Megacycle Cams, Avon Tires, Works Performance, AirTech & R/D Springs, Sudco, and SuperTrapp.
Copyright © 2002 Team Obsolete Promotions