What a difference a week makes

Every sport has its icons, and motorcycle road racing has none finer than Geoff Duke. Geoff’s maiden International TT victory was 70 years ago in 1950, when for many a 'golden age' of the sport began. So 2020 is surely timely for Adrian Earnshaw to take a

Aweek is a long-time in motorcycle racing, and our story begins with a photo of a youthful looking Geoff (below right), wheeling his factory Norton towards the scrutineers’ table to weigh in for Monday’s 1950 Junior TT.

It's significant because, at this particular moment, there was little indication of the seismic change which would take place a few days later on the Friday.

But before we go any further, let's wind the clock back a couple of years to the very start of his Isle of Man career – the MGP of 1948.

With an entry for the Junior race, Geoff began the task of learning the TT course and preparing himself and his machine in his trademark meticulous way. His pursuit of perfection had begun. The Duke era was underway.

And the preparation paid off on race day when, despite being a newcomer, he led until a split oil tank led to an engine seizure which forced him to retire on lap four.

Whilst this would have been a massive disappointment, unbeknown to Geoff, casting a watchful eye over proceedings that day at Union Mills was Norton race team supremo Joe Craig. All was not lost.

No doubt encouraged by his first attempt and finding a liking for the TT Course, Geoff returned in 1949 with a 500cc Norton International to contest the Senior Clubman’s TT. This time there were no mechanical hiccups and with a victory together with lap and race records, his career was gathering pace.

Next up was September’s MGP and, after a battle to recover from a broken leg following a spill in Ireland in early July, Geoff was a fancied winner as he disembarked the IoM steamer in Douglas with his pair of Manx Nortons.

The first event of the week was the Junior, in which Geoff enjoyed a

'nip and tuck' race with talented Irishman Cromie McCandless, who was riding for top tuner Francis Beart. But handicapped by the high start number of 97, Geoff had a lot to do passing slower runners to pick up places. This unfortunately was his undoing when, on lap 5; trailing Cromie by only a few seconds, Geoff was caught out by a back-marker at Ramsey Hairpin which caused a tumble.

After assessing his Norton for damage, a bump start in the pathway leading away from the corner towards Glen Auldyn was needed before the machine could be turned around to enable Geoff to rejoin the course and continue. Regrettably, this 'palaver' resulted in too many valuable seconds being lost and, although his winning chance was gone, he had to settle for a well-earned runner-up spot, thankfully with no personal injuries suffered.

The next race was the

Senior, which produced another dice with Cromie. This time the tables were turned with lady luck failing to shine on the Irish as the genial Cromie ran low on fuel descending the Mountain on the final lap.

The outcome was therefore a reversal of Tuesday's finishing positions and with lap and race records again in the bag, Geoff secured his second successive Senior

Race win on the TT Mountain Course.

The Duke career was flourishing and, after his

MGP victory, Norton lost no time in signing Geoff for the 1950 factory A team where, alongside the experienced Artie Bell and Johnnie Lockett, he would compete against the world’s best.

And so it’s time to return to our weigh-in photograph, taken around midday on Saturday, June 3. The day is significant as, at that moment, Geoff was still 'the young gun’loads of potential, but still to prove himself at the top level.

But a week in racing is a long time. Six days later all would change, for ever.

The curtain raiser was Monday’s Junior event and, in a highly competitive race, riding machine number 79, Geoff opened his International TT account with a well-earned runner-up place behind team leader Bell.

But, as ever, the big race of the week was Friday’s Senior and with his 1949 Senior Clubman’s and Senior MGP race wins under his belt, Geoff seemed suited to the extra power of the bigger machine. Winning Senior race events on the TT Course was becoming a Duke habit.

Could this continue? Could he make it three in a row? You bet he could.

Earlier in this article we mentioned Geoff`s 'pursuit of perfection’ and the perfect example of this took place during the winter of 1949. Always seeking incremental performance improvements by reducing weight and streamlining the rider and his machine, Geoff had been carefully noting the effects of wind resistance caused by the heavy, bulky and baggy two-piece leathers worn by all road race competitors of the day.

To overcome the problem, Geoff sought help from Frank Barker, a local tailor in his native St Helens, who he invited to design and produce a new style racing suit. The outcome was revolutionary and resulted in a one piece streamlined set of leathers, which weighed in at less than 5lb. The reduction in wind resistance and fatigue for the rider – plus the added comfort – produced an immediate benefit in speed and Geoff chose to wear the pioneering design at the

1950 TT.

Independent of all this, but coincidentally at much the same time, Rex McCandless – brother of Cromie and a brilliant engineer and inventor – had created a new frame. Christened the 'featherbed,’ his frame was adopted by Norton to improve handling and extend the competitive life of their modestly powered single cylinder engine. The creation was so good, no motorcycle frame in history has ever come close to equalling the fame achieved by the

McCandless design. Put simply, it was a revelation.

The final piece of the jigsaw was the situation Britain wrestled with as a nation, seeking to repair itself after the ravages of the Second World War. Until 1950, postwar racing had been very much a continuation of prewar racing and there was an eagerness to shake off this image and move on. There was a hunger for change and Britain yearned for new young heroes – one was about to push off in the Senior TT.

Moments later, as Geoff got down to work, the spectators around the TT Course must have burst with national pride at the thrill of watching number 57 – the all-British boy on the all-British machine – sweeping all the opposition aside.

Resplendent in his streamlined leathers and astride the fabulous new featherbed Norton, Geoff Duke, the ultimate stylist, was sensational.

Seven laps ahead lay greatness as Geoff sped to victory, smashing the prewar records of his team-mate, friend and hero Harold Daniell on the way.

The new era had arrived. Racing would never be the same again, and from that very moment for the next seven or eight years Geoff Duke became the man to beat. What a difference a week makes!

As we know, Geoff became one of the all-time greats of motorcycle road racing. He was a truly great sportsman, a perfect gentleman and the finest ambassador for motorcycling.

Demonstrating the Duke style with his first win over the Isle of Man Mountain circuit, claiming the 1949 Clubman’s Senior TT victory.

Poetry in motion. Geoff Duke approaches Kate’s Cottage on his way to winning his first International TT, the 1950 Senior. His one-piece leathers were worth about 1mph, which may not sound a lot but in a seven lap TT (almost three hours in those days) Geoff was crossing the finish line while a similarly talented opponent wearing conventional clothing of the day would still be at Creg-ny-Baa. Having viewed this photograph after the race, Geoff commissioned the manufacture of tailored boots to further reduce wind resistance and save more precious seconds. How’s that for pursuing perfection.

Here we see Geoff on Saturday, June 3 'weighing in' his 350cc factory Norton for Monday's Junior race, in which he finished runner-up to team leader Artie Bell. Four days later he swept the opposition away and 'The Duke Era' began.