Cheney Racing
Cheney Racing | |
---|---|
legal form | Partnership |
founding | 1964 |
Seat | Petersfield ( United Kingdom ) |
management | Simon Cheney and Barry Hall |
Branch | vehicle construction |
Cheney Racing is an English manufacturer of special motorcycles, tuners and manufacturer of motorcycle parts for racing use.
history
The company was founded in 1964 by the racing driver , engineer and motorcycle mechanic Eric Cheney (born January 4, 1924, † December 30, 2001). Cheney was a successful cross rider until the beginning of the 1950s , who greatly modified his own series machines and those of his colleague Les Archer , who had won the FIM Motocross European Championship in 1956 . At the end of the 1960s he developed an extremely light and innovative frame around the Gold Star from BSA , at that time the world's largest manufacturer of motorcycles. John Banks won the British Championships with a Cheney BSA. At the International Six-Day Race in 1970 and 1971, Cheney's machines based on Triumph achieved success. In addition to racing drivers, the models are still very popular with enthusiasts such as actor Steve McQueen . Despite the increasing dominance of Japanese models, Eric Cheney only ever used British manufacturers who were increasingly leading a niche existence. Mostly he modified BSA models. Despite the successes, the company refused any official collaboration or cooperation with him. Cheney was never supplied with parts directly by BSA or had access to plans, so he had to purchase all parts regularly. It was only after he handed over his company to his son that he began to offer frames, kits and kits for Japanese and European brands in the 1980s. According to the company, around 400 hours of manual labor are required before a Cheney motorcycle is finished. The frame kits from the beginning of the company's history are still available to order today.
swell
- Obituary for the company's founder, The Guardian, January 10, 2002, accessed January 15, 2016
- Grace's Guide To British Industrial History, accessed January 15, 2016.