Motorcycle Chariot Racing

[panhead_jim]

In the 1920's and 1930's, race tracks around the world experimented with motorcycle chariot racing. Starting with just a single motorcycle pulling a small chariot, things soon evolved to chariots with up to four motorcycles racing around the track. Information is rather spotty, but it appears that most of these races were for exhibition purposes. Anyone know any additional information on the "sport"?



Motorcycle Chariot Racing

[sirhrmechanic]

As I may have mentioned, I am working on a Masters in Military History... and last seminar, we spent a lot of time talking about Chariot warfare and chariot armies.

So this is just a RIOT!!!! Thanks for posting. Never knew such a thing existed. I shared it with my Norwich classmates.

Cheers,

Sirhr

[sirhrmechanic]

Pretty cool picture from, I think, New South Wales.

The same picture from the OP image. But a lot cleaner.

Took some cojones to do that!

Cheers,

Sirhr

[T. Cotten]

SirHr!

I read somewhere that one of the charioteers was Armando Magri, and it was the 1938 California State fair.
When I get some time, I can post other chariot pics I have snagged, but with less info.

....Cotten

[sirhrmechanic]

SirHr!

I read somewhere that one of the charioteers was Armando Magri, and it was the 1938 California State fair.
When I get some time, I can post other chariot pics, but with less info.

....Cotten

Cotten... check out the license plates on the front fender? Looks a bit like Commonwealth. But, yes, I've seen some pictures from Cali!

I'd love to see your pictures. This is just a fascinating use of motorcycles. And yet is so damn cool!

Cheers,

Sirhr

[Steve Swan]

And this thread emerges just when i thought i had the corner on crazy....

[sirhrmechanic]

Steve... this thread doesn't even begin to define crazy among us old bike folk!

Post a pic of your '27 JD. I have a '27 JD 74 and would love to see yours.

Cheers,

Sirhr

[Tommo]

The first picture of Cottons is taken on Palmerston North Speedway in NZ
The riders are Maurice Andrews and Laurie Burns.
I've got several more photos and a movie clip of them racing and like your one Cotton that photo was stolen off the internet with no reference as to where it came from.
Its a photo belonging to Maurice Andrews who is still alive and gets upset that no acknowledgement to him is given whenever the photo appears.
And yes he's the rider on the inside in the photo.

[T. Cotten]

Thanks Tommo!

It goes to show what a great mis-information highway the 'Net has become.

(Folks can just google Dot Robinson, and see how many are really Dot Smith.)

....Cotten
PS: "Snagged" sounds so much more innocent that "stolen".... unless your pics are used to steal services you pioneered, of course.

[bobdo]

Any idea how they controlled throttle, and better yet, brakes?
Bikers are the best "innovators".

[Tommo]

Somewhere on here it was described fully once before but here is a caption I wrote for the photos at a recent speedway reunion display and a photo that shows more details of the chariot.
This photo, as well as the one Cotton posted is still under copyright to Maurice Andrews of Palmerston North, N.Z. who has given me permission to post it on here.
The photo shows Laurie Burns in the chariot, Henry Robson in the cloth cap, Maurice Andrews in the leather cap and Johnny Redshaw standing on the extreme right.
Laurie, Henry and Maurice were some of the riders of these rigs and Johnny Redshaw along with Stan Key were some of the crew that got them mobile.

[T. Cotten]

Anybody bother to google Armando Magri?

http://www.armandomagri.com/

After Hank Reiman, he's my new idol..
(.. but I have sooo many....)

....Cotten

[fillibuster]

Anybody bother to google Armando Magri?

http://www.armandomagri.com/

After Hank Reiman, he's my new idol..
(.. but I have sooo many....)

....Cotten

Thx for being so insistent, Cotten. ..... Wow!
I couldn't stop reading. What a life that guy had!

[Steve Slocombe]

Those are 1935/6 VLs in the first picture Jim posted, so maybe they could have appeared at a 1938 show. This was the same period for some of those massed motorcycle formation riding demos, again often riding VLs.