KEN BLACKLOCK

On September 25, 2022 Ken Blacklock died peacefully at the age of 88. He was the proprietor of North East Motorcycles in Durham City and continued to work in the business until well into his eighties, only retiring in 2019 due to ill health after some 59 years of trading.

Ken started out in the motorcycle business in April 1960 as Scooter Services in Chester-le-Street, Co Durham, funded by £270 he had saved by constantly working the night shift in the local colliery.

In 1971 he opened a second showroom in Nevilles Cross and, as the trend for Lambrettas and scooters waned, he renamed the business North East Motorcycles.

Ken was a Scottish and North East sidecar champion and competed in the IoM Sidecar TT events from 1975 to 1977 with a best performance of 13th; however he also sponsored a number of riders, including sidecar star Mac Hobson.

He was a long-time supporter of the North East Motorcycle Racing Club and a past committee member.

He is survived by his son, also Kenneth Blacklock, to whom we send our condolences.