VOL. 53 Issue 17 may 3, 2014 P75
The fastest ever time for the
400 miles was set in 1935 by
Chick Harris—an astonishing
six hours, 31 minutes and 29
seconds, averaging better
than 60 mph. Most of the
flat-out journey was still on
dirt roads, though by now the
opening and closing of farm
gates was less of a hindrance.
The original D-J made
even the Isle of Man TT look
relatively namby-pamby, going
round and round the same
prepared circuit. The 1913 TT
covered just 264 miles. Was
there anything as tough in the
world back then?
In the same way, the
commemorative rally makes
the annual 60-mile veteran
London-to-Brighton run look
a little less daunting, although
admittedly that is for much
older machines. But there is
regularly at least one pre-1910
bike on the entry list. Sadly,
on the 2016 event run during
(Above) Author and
Cycle News MotoGP
correspondent Michael Scott
fiddles with the timers on his
borrowed 1936 AJS. Scott finished
32nd out of 64. Halfway there.
(Right) You don't have to be a
beardy but it helps. This is Brian
Johnson and his 1929 Panther.
