Rudge Ulster

Rudge Ulster
Manufacturer	Rudge-Whitworth
Production	1929–1939
Engine	499 cc (30.5 cu in) OHV single

Last updated February 19, 2019

The Rudge Ulster was a British motorcycle manufactured by Rudge-Whitworth from 1929 until the outbreak of World War II.^[1]

A motorcycle, often called a bike, motorbike, or cycle, is a two- or three-wheeled motor vehicle. Motorcycle design varies greatly to suit a range of different purposes: long distance travel, commuting, cruising, sport including racing, and off-road riding. Motorcycling is riding a motorcycle and related social activity such as joining a motorcycle club and attending motorcycle rallies.

Rudge Whitworth Cycles was a British bicycle, bicycle saddle, motorcycle and sports car wheel manufacturer that resulted from the merger of two bicycle manufacturers in 1894, Whitworth Cycle Co. of Birmingham, founded by Charles Henry Pugh and his two sons Charles Vernon and John, and Rudge Cycle Co. of Coventry.

Development

Rudge-Whitworth's last production racing motorcycle was named after Graham Walker's 1928 race win in the Ulster Grand Prix, only the second time a road race had been won at over 80 mph (130 km/h).^[2] Graham was the father of racing commentator Murray Walker and was made Rudge Sales Manager in 1929. His win was particularly welcome as he had been unlucky in the Isle of Man TT on the same motorcycle two months earlier, when he narrowly lost the Senior TT race due to oil flow problems on the last lap.^[1]

The Ulster Grand Prix is a motorcycle race that takes place on the 7.3-mile Dundrod Circuit made up entirely of closed-off public roads near Belfast, Northern Ireland. The first races took place in 1922 and in 1935 and 1948 the Fédération Internationale de Motocyclisme gave it the title Grand Prix d'Europe. The Ulster Grand Prix was included as one of the races in the inaugural 1949 Grand Prix motorcycle racing season, a place it held until 1971. It also counted for the Formula TT Championship between 1979 and 1990. According to the race organisers, it is the fastest road race in the world.

Murray Walker British motorsport commentator and journalist

Graeme Murray Walker, is an English semi-retired motorsport commentator and journalist. He provided television commentary of live Formula 1 coverage for the BBC between 1976 and 1996, and for that of ITV between 1997 and 2001.

The International Isle of Man TT races are an annual motorcycle sport event run on the Isle of Man in May/June of most years since its inaugural race in 1907, and is often called one of the most dangerous racing events in the world.

Originally developed as a racing prototype, the production model was essentially a race replica. Various modifications and improvements were made over the ten years of production. Early models had a 'pent roof' four valve head, with two pairs of valves operating on parallel slopes like a 'pitched roof', which was replaced in 1932 with a radial four valve head and an option of a foot operated gear change. This foot pedal operated both the front and rear brakes, with a hand lever also operating the front brake. With a top speed of over 90 mph (140 km/h), the Rudge Ulster was advertised as "probably the fastest 500cc motorcycle in production".^[3]

In engine design, the penta engine is an arrangement of the upper portion of the cylinder and valves that is common in engines using four valves per cylinder. Among the advantages is a faster burn time of the air-fuel mix.

1933 was the era of the Great Depression and Rudge, struggling to make the sales needed to further develop the Ulster, went into receivership. In 1936 EMI (previously the Gramophone Company Ltd. and maker of HMV records), who were a major creditor, took over and resurrected the Rudge Ulster and moved production to their works in Hayes, Middlesex in 1937.^[1] The valve gear, which had always been exposed to the elements was sorted out in 1937, when a cast alloy cover was added - although the bronze cylinder head remained until it was replaced with a light alloy example in 1939. Production ended with the outbreak of the Second World War, when EMI had to put all their resources into the manufacture of Radar and electronic equipment for the war effort.^[1] From the days of the Gramophone Company, EMI, had had a policy of diversifying productions into other fields, like typewriters, as a strategy to avoid downturns and recessions.

Great Depression 20th-century worldwide economic depression

The Great Depression was a severe worldwide economic depression that took place mostly during the 1930s, beginning in the United States. The timing of the Great Depression varied across nations; in most countries it started in 1929 and lasted until the late-1930s. It was the longest, deepest, and most widespread depression of the 20th century. In the 21st century, the Great Depression is commonly used as an example of how intensely the world's economy can decline.

EMI Group Limited was a British Transnational conglomerate founded in March 1931 in London. At the time of its break-up in 2012, it was the fourth largest business group and record label conglomerate in the music industry, and was one of the big four record companies ; its labels included EMI Records, Parlophone, Virgin Records, and Capitol Records, which are now owned by other companies.

The Gramophone Company, based in the United Kingdom and founded on behalf of Emil Berliner, was one of the early recording companies, the parent organisation for the His Master's Voice (HMV) label, and the European affiliate of the American Victor Talking Machine Company. Although the company merged with the Columbia Graphophone Company in 1931 to form Electric and Musical Industries Limited (EMI), its name "The Gramophone Company Limited" continued in the UK into the 1970s.

Racing success

As well as Walker's 1928 Ulster Grand Prix win, in the same year Ernie Nott secured the world two-hour record at over 100 mph (160 km/h) on the Rudge and set further records in 1929.^[1] In 1930, under the guidance of team boss George Hack, Nott, Walker, Smith and Wal Handley were on Rudge 500 cc motorcycles for the Isle of Man TT Senior race, Handley winning at a record speed of 74.24 mph (119.48 km/h) with Graham Walker coming second, Smith 6th and Nott 7th, winning the Team Prize for Rudge.^[2]

Walter Leslie Handley born in Aston, Birmingham, known as Wal Handley, was a champion British inter-war motorcycle racer with four wins at the Isle of Man TT Races in his career. Later he also raced cars in the 1930s, and died in a World War II aircraft accident while serving as pilot with the Air Transport Auxiliary.

Related Research Articles

The BSA Gold Star is a motorcycle made by BSA from 1938 to 1963. They were 350 cc and 500 cc single-cylinder four-stroke production motorcycles known for being among the fastest bikes of the 1950s. Being hand built and with many optional performance modifications available, each motorcycle came from the factory with documented dynamometer test results, allowing the new owner to see the horsepower produced.

Robert Leslie (Les) Graham was a British motorcycle road racer who competed in the 1930s and 1940s. He won the inaugural Grand Prix motorcycle racing 500 cc World Championship in 1949.

Douglas was a British motorcycle manufacturer from 1907–1957 based in Kingswood, Bristol, owned by the Douglas family, and especially known for its horizontally opposed twin cylinder engined bikes and as manufacturers of speedway machines. The company also built a range of cars between 1913 and 1922.

Andrew James Guthrie was a Scottish motorcycle racer.

For the 1935 Isle of Man Tourist Trophy, Stanley Woods provided another surprise by moving again, from Husqvarna to Moto Guzzi.

Henry George Tyrell-Smith (1907–1982) was an Irish motorcycle road racer. He was born in Co Dublin and studied at Trinity College, Dublin for a B.A. And B.A.I.degree. He raced at the Isle of Man TT from 1927 to 1939, and between 1929 and 1936 competed in the German Grand Prix. He also raced in The Swedish Grand Prix in Saxtorp 1933–36.

The 1931 Isle of Man Tourist Trophy was again dominated by the battle between Rudge, Sunbeam and Norton motor-cycles.

The 1930 Isle of Man Tourist Trophy was dominated by the Rudge marque. Despite problems in practice for Rudge and the new George Hicks designed four-valve over-head valve motor-cycles the 1930 Junior TT was a closely contested race. At the end of the first lap, Charlie Dodson riding for Sunbeam led the Rudge of H. G. Tyrell Smith by only 4 seconds. On lap 2, a dead-heat was posted between Dodson and Tyrell Smith both completing the Snaefell mountain course in 1 hour, 3 minutes and 32 seconds. At Kirk Michael on lap 3, Charlie Dodson retires with valve problems, leaving Tyrell Smith to win the 7 lap race at an average speed of 71.08 mph (114.39 km/h) from Rudge team-mates Ernie Nott and Graham Walker.

Bob McIntyre (motorcyclist) British motorcycle racer

Robert MacGregor McIntyre was a Scottish motorcycle racer. The first rider to clock an average speed of 100 mph (160 km/h) on the Snaefell Mountain Course, Mcintyre is also remembered for his five motorcycle Grand Prix wins which included three wins at the Isle of Man TT Races, and four victories in the North West 200. McIntyre died nine days after injuries sustained racing at Oulton Park, Cheshire in August 1962.

Dougal Marchant was an English motorcycle designer, active from the 1920s to the 1950s.

Georg "Schorsch" Meier was a German motorcycle racer famous for being the first foreign winner of the prestigious Senior TT, the Blue Riband race of the Isle of Man TT Races, in 1939 riding for the factory BMW team and the first motorcycle racer to lap a Grand Prix course at over 100 mph.

Graham William Walker was an English motorcycle racer, broadcaster and journalist. He also contributed greatly to the motorcycle section of the National Motor Museum.

The Manxman was a motorcycle designed and built by H. J. Hatch and Eric Walker of the Excelsior Motor Company in Tyseley, Birmingham. Although it never won the Isle of Man TT, the Manxman was a very popular and reliable motorcycle which was successful in international racing and the Manx Grand Prix. Production was halted by World War II and did not resume.

The Triumph Ricardo was a British single-cylinder motorcycle manufactured by the Triumph Engineering Co Ltd between 1921 and 1928. Named after engine designer Sir Harry Ricardo it featured an innovative four valve head design and was capable of over 70 mph, set three world speed records and won a gold medal in the 1923 International Six Day Trial.

The Empire Star was a standard motorcycle made by BSA at their factory in Small Heath, Birmingham. Named to commemorate the Silver Jubilee of King George V of the United Kingdom and advertised as The Masterpiece of the Industry, the Empire Star range was produced between 1936 and 1939, when it was developed into the BSA Gold Star and World War II stopped production.

Jimmy H. Simpson (1898–1981) was a British motorcycle racer.

Grindlay Peerless is a historic motorcycle manufacturer that operated out of Coventry, England, throughout the early 20th-century, specialising in racing machines including the record breaking 498cc Grindlay Peerless.

References

1 2 3 4 5 Kemp, Andrew; De Cet (2004). Classic British Bikes. Mirco. Bookmart Ltd. ISBN 978-1-86147-136-9.
1 2 "Rudge 350cc Racing Motorcycle" . Retrieved 2009-01-31.
↑ Brown, Roland (1999). The History of British Bikes. Parragon. ISBN 978-0-7525-3153-3.

External links

This page is based on this Wikipedia article
Text is available under the CC BY-SA 4.0 license; additional terms may apply.
Images, videos and audio are available under their respective licenses.

[KempClassic-1] 1 2 3 4 5 Kemp, Andrew; De Cet (2004). Classic British Bikes. Mirco. Bookmart Ltd. ISBN 978-1-86147-136-9.

[motorbase-2] 1 2 "Rudge 350cc Racing Motorcycle" . Retrieved 2009-01-31.

[Brown-3] Brown, Roland (1999). The History of British Bikes. Parragon. ISBN 978-0-7525-3153-3.