Charlie Collier

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A Matchless 2½ hp with 327 cm³ from 1905, similar to the victory motorcycle from 1907 with 431 cm³
Logo of his father's company, Matchless

Charles Richard "Charlie" Collier (* 1885 in Plumstead ; † 1954 ) was a British motorcycle racer and entrepreneur . He became the first driver to win the Tourist Trophy race on the Isle of Man in 1907 .

Live and act

His father Henry Herbert Collier founded the bicycle manufacturer Herbert Matchless Road in 1878 in the family's place of residence , which developed motorcycles under the name Collier & Sons from 1899 . From 1901 these were sold under the brand name Matchless . Charlie Collier contested his first races in 1902 on what was then the Canning Town circuit with a Matchless with an MMC built -in engine . In 1905 he first took part in a road race on the Isle of Man . It was the forerunner of the Tourist Trophy, the International Motor-Cycle Cup , which was held over five laps on the roads around Douglas with a total length of 125  mi (201  km ). At that time, the machines from the father's company were equipped with built-in motors from the British manufacturer JAP . At about the same time, his brother Harry , who won the TT in 1909, began motor racing.

In 1907 Charlie and Harry Collier took part in the first Isle of Man TT, which at that time was still held on the St. John's Short Course . The in-house motorcycles with single-cylinder engines weighed 110 pounds and were equipped for approval, i.e. suitable for everyday use and not just racing bikes. A total of 18 drivers in the single cylinder class set out on the 15.835 mi (25.484 km) long course in this first TT, which had to be lapped ten times. During the race, a duel developed between the Matchless of the Collier brothers and the triumph of Jack Marshall and Frank Hulbert . Charlie Collier finally won the first Tourist Trophy race in 4 hours, 8 minutes and 8.2 seconds, which corresponded to an average speed of 38.21  mph (61.49  km / h ). His brother Harry set the lap record of 41.81 mph (67.29 km / h) in the single-cylinder race with 23 minutes and 5.2 seconds. The following year, Collier was second behind Marshall in the single-cylinder category.

Charlie Collier clinched another TT victory at the last TT held on the St. John's Short Course in 1910. He relegated his brother Harry to second place with just under five minutes in the race, which was advertised for single-cylinder up to 500 cm³ and two-cylinder up to 750 cm³ displacement on his 666-cm³ two-cylinder Matchless. For the ten laps he needed almost exactly one hour less than three years earlier - he increased the average speed to 50.63 mph (81.48 km / h).

The following year, the Tourist Trophy took place for the first time on the Mountain Course , which is still used as a race track . Charlie Collier finished second in the senior race behind Oliver Godfrey ( Indian ) but was later disqualified for improperly refueling his machine at an unregistered gas station. Until 1914, Charlie Collier registered further TT participations, but he did not reach the goal in any.

At the first International Six Days in 1913 in British Carlisle and neighboring Lake District won Collier the class of teams . Here too, of course, based on a Matchless from our own production. After the end of his racing career, Collier continued to work in his father's company. Collier also remained active in the company when he worked closely with AJS and later merged with AJS to form Associated Motor Cycles .

statistics

title

Isle of Man TT victories

year class machine Average speed
1907 Single cylinder Matchless - JAP 38.21  mph (61.49  km / h )
1910 500 cc single & 750 cc twin Matchless 50.63 mph (81.48 km / h)

literature

  • Liam McCann: Little Book of TT: Isle of Man Rider by Rider , Demand Digital Limited, 2014, Kindle edition

Web links

Individual evidence

  1. ^ The International Isle of Man TT (Tourist Trophy) Race - It's origins & history prior to WWII. In: www.heritage-holiday.com, website of the Isle of Man Tourism Board. September 26, 2013, accessed May 13, 2019 .
  2. ↑ The king of speed ... at 38mph. In: The Guardian. May 4, 2003, accessed May 13, 2019 .
  3. ^ Rider Of The Week. In: www.carolenash.com. December 31, 2017, accessed May 14, 2019 .
personal data
SURNAME Collier, Charlie
ALTERNATIVE NAMES Collier, Charles Richard; Collier, Charles
BRIEF DESCRIPTION British motorcycle racer
DATE OF BIRTH 1885
PLACE OF BIRTH Plumstead , London
DATE OF DEATH 1954