CLASSIC RACING LEGENDS CALENDAR

Twelve iconic racers up close and technical

Superb photographs of 12 of the most iconic racing motorcycles ever seen feature month-by-month in the Classic Racing Legends calendar published for 2019 by The Motorcycles Files and BRG Multimedia Ltd. The pictures were all commissioned by well-known journalist Alan Cathcart as part of his long-running and popular series of classic racer track tests. Their rarity, their visual appeal, their technical interest and their links to legendary riders are what determined their inclusion in the calendar. There are three of Mike Hailwood’s most famous machines – the awesome 1967 Honda 500 four, the 1966 250cc Honda six and the 900TT1 Ducati, with which Mike scored his famous 1978 comeback victory in the Isle of Man TT. Another legendary Ducati featured is Paul Smart’s 1972 750SS Imola winner, while also from Italy come two World Champions from MV Agusta – the 1956 500cc four John Surtees rode to the world title that year (and again in 1958, 1959 and 1960) plus the 350cc triple with which Giacomo Agostini won four world titles between 1968 and 1971. The Italian theme continues with the 1956 Moto Guzzi V8, as raced by Bill Lomas. It never won a world title, but is perhaps the most legendary racer of all time. Another Italian bike is the Gilera 500 made famous by Geoff Duke with two world titles in the mid-fifties, here shown in its 1963 Scuderia Duke specification from the time Geoff brought the marque back to Grand Prix racing with Phil Read and John Hartle. Moving on to 1972, Jarno Saarinen is not a name normally linked to Italian racers, but that year he used the ultimate Benelli 500 four to beat Agostini and the MV on the streets of Pesaro – Benelli’s home town. Germany played little part in 500GP racing post-second World War, but Walter Zeller finished runner-up to John Surtees and MV in 1956 on BMW’S RS500 Boxer twin. On the other hand, British bikes won world titles in the early days of World Championship racing. Exactly 70 years ago this year, the AJS E90 Porcupine won the first-ever 500cc World title in 1949 in the hands of Les Graham. Finally, although the ‘Featherbed’-framed Manx Norton helped Duke to three World titles in 1951-52, it’s an earlier Norton that is featured in the calendar – the one with the old ‘Garden Gate’ frame that the legendary tuner Francis Beart prepared for Dick Klamfoth to win the 1952 Daytona 200 on the old Beach Course. These legendary bikes are pictured with their bodywork removed, so their inherent construction and technical detail of engine and chassis can be fully examined and admired. The superb photographs are all sourced from Alan’s series of digital ebooks, The Motorcycle Files. The Classic Racing Legends calendar is A3 sized (297 x 420mm or 11.7 x 16.5ins) when opened for wall hanging. It costs £14.95 (which includes free postage in the UK) and it is available via www.brgmultimedia.com