Offered from The Forshaw Speedway Collection, c.1950 Kermond-Peamore JAP 500cc Speedway Racing Motorcycle

Engine no. JOS/I 82477

• Very rare example of the bespoke speedway machine of the early post war period
• The Peamore frames were made in the post-war lightweight lugless fashion
• Acquired from Percy Biggerstaff in 1989. Biggerstaff had bought the machine from Brands Bros in 1950.

After the second world war there was a considerable revolution in the design of the speedway machine. The tracks were becoming slicker and there was a demand for the frames to be more adaptable and controllable in the bends. Leg trailing was now being regularly superseded by foot forward riding with raised handlebars replacing the earlier drop pattern. With the new style there was now no need for the knee hook which meant more weight saving. The ubiquitous JAP engine had been ruling the tracks since 1931 and there was still no sign of any serious opposition. As such there was even more concentration on frame design in the quest to gain an edge on any opposition. The pre-war style of frame with their heavy lugged construction and often low quality tubing was about to be swept away. In 1947 a wave of Australians arrived to introduce a new style of lightweight aircraft specification tubed frame.

The names of Dave Hynes, Jack Kidd and George 'Huck' Fynn became established in building the new style frames with the ability to flex within the desired way and the frames could be tailored to suit a particular rider. During 1948 Hynes and Kidd were making frames for Mike Erskine who in turn started frame manufacturing under the Staride banner. Dave Hynes had been making frames before the war with Bill Rogers the first to race with one of them.

A little later in Easter 1949 Vic Kermond arrived in England. Another Australian, Vic Kermond built custom made frames from his Sydney workshop. In England with his name initially linked as engineer at Oxford and Ashfield, Vic settled in Exeter renting the Peamore Garage at nearby Alphington in 1950. The Peamore frames made in the new lightweight lugless fashion with a signature small curved tube behind the headstock providing a forward mounting for the fuel tank.

Another unusual feature is the oil tank nestling below the fuel tank mounted on the front down tube. Not all models were like this sometimes the oil tank was mounted in the traditional place on the rear guard. This Peamore was acquired from Percy Biggerstaff in 1989 not quite complete with the handlebars, exhaust and rear guard missing. Biggerstaff had bought the machine from Brands Bros in 1950 where it had been left by an Australian rider to have the wheels rebuilt. The Australian returned home never to be seen again. Unfortunately his name is not known. Brands Bros was an established motorcycle business in Kilburn north London founded by Phillip Brands around 1914.

Phillip's two sons, Reg and Cecil (Kelly) became successful speedway riders from the early days with Douglas and then Rudge and finally JAP machines. Riding for West Ham and Wembley, Reg was selected for the English side against Australia in the 1931 series of Test Matches at Wembley. With this particular involvement in speedway it can be seen how the Peamore arrived at the Kilburn shop. Perhaps Richard Forshaw's persistent letters to Percy Biggerstaff were finally successful in securing the missing original, parts but this is not known for certain.

This Kermond-Peamore is a very rare example of the bespoke speedway machine of the early post war period. Accompanied with correspondence, photographs, speedway adverts and an account of the Brands Bros. The mechanical condition is not known and therefore we recommend re-commissioning and/or restoration to a greater or lesser extent.
Key not required