PERCY TAIT’S COMBE HOWLER
So sad to hear that Percy Tait has passed away. I never met him, but did have the pleasure of watching him race many times in the 1970s and, being a Triumph fan, he was always one of the stars I followed in the MCN British Superbike championship.
The first time I remember seeing him race was at an ACU National round at Castle Combe on Saturday, September 4, 1971. I recall this specific meeting for two reasons. One: I was due in Bath hospital on the Monday for a knee operation, so Combe was a real biking treat before being in a plaster cast for a few weeks. And two: Percy on a Rob North-framed triple. In an action-packed programme there was plenty of excitement, but the 750 race is the only one I can honestly remember – thanks to Percy. There we were, on the bank at Quarry, the first major corner after the start/finish ‘straight’. From there you could just about see bikes hurtling down from the start/finish line through the fast right kink at Folly, lose them briefly as the track went right then left, before picking up the detail of each rider and bike as they turned in front of us into the long right-hander at Quarry.
But in the 750 race there was no need to squint into the distance to see who was leading because, on this occasion, it was all about the sound. Percy quickly built such an enormous lead, it was the howl from the three-into-one pipe that announced his approach long before he arrived. Surely the greatest sound ever in road racing!
And when he did, we got to see that wonderfully fluid, fuss-free style that was to become something of an anachronism in an era that saw riders adopting a more aggressive knee-out style.
Percy was riding a BSA triple instead of his regular blue Triumph. I had no idea why, but later read in MCN that he was riding the works 750 John Cooper was scheduled to race in the Mallory Race of the Year. Coop’s bike was apparently the only pure 750cc triple left among the Bsa/triumph works bikes, the remainder having been bored by 40-thou to a maximum of 756cc, which AMA F750 rules permitted.
That day, Percy clinched the first-ever ACU National 750 championship and at 41, it was his first ever British title. His performances on the Rob North-framed British triples were always impressive, but for me Percy’s success at Castle Combe back in 1971 was a one I’ll never forget.
Enjoy the issue.
Gary Pinchin Editor