Offered from The Forshaw Speedway Collection, c.1980 Godden GR500 Speedway Racing Motorcycle

Frame no. SSW 05 1908 Engine no. 55 1226 MX 855 86

• Supplied to Richard Forshaw by Don Godden
• Appears very original and well presented

Don Godden was the first British European Long Track Champion in 1969, two years before the stature of the event was raised to a world title – and it would be another ten years before another British rider won it. More than a rider, Godden also had an intuitive mechanical understanding. When Weslake produced their first engine it was Godden they turned to test it therefore he was at the forefront of the 4 valve revolution. Godden's straight talking eventually soured his relations with Weslake and he decided to create his own engine based on his vast experience with JAP, Jawa and now Weslake.

Whilst the initiative came from Don the detail was drawn by Colin Knight, leading to the first GR500 ready for test in February 1979 - just five years after the introduction of Weslake. The GR500 was basically a grass track engine, the prototype having cost £60,000 but success was not too far away with Karl Maier winning the 1982 World Long Track Championship. The following year the engine won the Championship again this time with Shawn Moran, the only American to win the crown. Throughout 1983 Hans Nielson was a Godden works rider but this was the year that GM entered the fray with Eric Gundersen. The two riders as much a match for each other as the GR500 was to the GM with Nielson and the Godden winning a further World Title in 1986 by which time Weslake was not the choice of champions. Whilst the GR500 with its aggressive power delivery was better suited to Long Tracks Godden was anxious to tame it for the obviously more lucrative speedway market.

With modified porting and different cams the engine soon settled in to its new role. But once again times were changing. Jawa with their far more extensive engineering background and with their 4 valve engine fully developed, enticed Nielson away from the Godden camp in 1992. Also, the 'laydown' engine era was underway in speedway where Godden was largely absent, the company moving away to more profitable projects. Don Godden died in 2011 but the company lives on with an attempt to reintroduce the engine to the sport with the advantages of an all-British product in a post-Brexit world, but the GM monopoly has made it very difficult to break into the party.

Dating from c.1980, this GR500 appears very original and well presented – and an excellent reminder of Don Godden's contribution to the sport. Coming directly from D.V. Godden Engineering, in a letter to Don dated 30th November 1989 Richard Forshaw asked if he could help him find a complete 'stock Godden bike'. Evidently Don was certainly able to oblige, witness a receipt dated 21st December 1989 for motorcycle, engine number 1226. Accompanied with much information on Godden and Godden Engineering with photographs and much literature relevant to Don Godden and Godden Engineering.

The mechanical condition is not known and therefore we recommend recommissioning and/or restoration to a greater or lesser extent.
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