NATTY DREAD

Forget BMW’S GS trailies, the first real adventure bike was this De Dion-powered single, built by Harold ‘oily’ Karlsake for long-distance trials

While most motorcycles designed in 1903 were little more than a bicycle with an engine bolted on, Harold Karslake wanted to build something more sophisticated. Something that would be rugged and powerful enough to compete in long-distance events like the Auto Cycle Club’s 1000-Mile Trial, the Motor Cycle Club’s London-edinburgh-london or the fledgling Six Days’ Trial. So he bought a 402cc De Dion engine, made under licence by MMC in Coventry, and then he tuned it by converting the single exhaust into a twin-port job. At the same time he liberally drilled the cast iron fins to help cooling, and cut ports in the base of the barrel so exhaust gases could escape at the bottom of the piston stroke. That last modification didn’t last long – his legs kept getting splattered with oil, so he covered the ports with a band of steel.

‘Oily’ Karslake put the engine into a cradle frame, with a luxurious sprung saddle mounted below the top tube to make getting on and off easier. Designed for a tricycle, the MMC was powerful enough for him not to need pedals to help climb hills, so Oily used long footboards that kept road dirt off the drive belt and gave him the freedom to change his riding position in order to prevent leg cramps. Rigid forks were strengthened with a pair of tubes running from headstock to spindle.

Veteran motorcycles usually mounted the luggage carrier over the rear wheel – the rider would then remove the luggage and swing the carrier under the wheel so that it doubled as a stand. Oily wasn’t messing about like that. He mounted his carrier over the front wheel, which put the luggage weight where it did some good, and used two separate rear stands. Tool boxes were mounted on the footboards to keep the weight low. Another trick modification was a big oil tank that could be pressurised by a tyre pump.

The Dreadnought is started by running alongside until the engine fires and then stepping on the footboard before swinging into the saddle. It cruises comfortably at 35mph but, more importantly, the MMC engine has the flexibility to potter along at a walking pace and pick up speed without hesitation.

Oily Karslake continued to develop the Dreadnought – by 1906 he was also organising long-distance trials like the London to Exeter and back. He completed that 400-mile ride in less than 24 hours, which proves that he was as tough as his bike. Oily’s last long-distance trial on the Dreadnought was the 1927 London-edinburgh.

Before he hung up his goggles for the last time, Karslake gave the Dreadnought to the VMCC. Now it is loaned out to competent club members to compete in events like the Horsepower (see page 9), the Pioneer Run and at Banbury.

‘KARSLAKE COMPLETED A 400-MILE RIDE IN 24 HOURS’