The Dave Degens, Dresda-Triumph 8-valve 500cc Racing Motorcycle

• Built for Classic racing in the 1980s/1990s
• Very successful
• Highly developed specification

Dave Degens began racing in 1956 on a BSA Gold Star. After a year racing the 'Goldie', Dave bought an AJS 7R from Twickenham dealer Geoff Monty and raced it with some success, only to have to sell the bike back to Monty when called up for National Service in the Army. Fortunately, Dave had an understanding CO, who allowed him time off to go racing, commencing with an outing at Brands Hatch aboard one of Monty's 350cc Manx Nortons. Dave kept racing Monty's bikes while doing his National Service and began working for him when it was over. In 1963 Dave bought Dresda Autos, formerly a retail outlet for scooters on Putney Bridge Road in Southwest London. By this time he had already built three Tritons. As Dave's business activities began to expand, so did his racing career. By this time he had already built three Tritons.

As Dave's business activities began to expand, so did his racing career. He rode for prominent entrants such as Syd Lawton, Paul Dunstall, Tom Arter and Tom Kirby, and it was while riding for Lawton that he enjoyed his first taste of endurance racing success, winning both the 1964 and 1965 Thruxton 500-mile races on a Triumph Bonneville.

It was at Barcelona in 1964, when he was riding a works BMW, that Dave conceived the idea of building a machine specifically for endurance racing, which he was convinced would be capable of beating the works prototypes. The result was another Triton. Dave's faith in the project was duly rewarded when he and co-rider Rex Butcher won at Barcelona in 1965, enjoying a trouble-free ride against formidable factory opposition.

By this time Syd Lawton had lost faith in the complacent British motorcycle industry and switched allegiance to the Italian Aermacchi company with which his name is forever associated. Dave was surprised to discover that the diminutive pushrod singles handled better than a Manx Norton; so he took the logical next step and built a Norton Featherbed-style frame incorporating Aermacchi geometry: the Dresda had been born. It was on a Dresda-Triumph that he won the Barcelona 24 Horas for the second time, in 1970 with Ian Goddard. Dave then began to wind down his racing activities but returned in the 1980s, competing in Classic events.

Dave was immensely successful in Classic racing in the 1980s and 1990s on this very fast Dresda-Triumph 8-valve machine. Specification highlights of this highly developed racer include a Nourish 180-degree crankshaft; new bearings; lightweight valves; bronze combustion chamber hemispheres with squish; electronic ignition; crankcase breather conversion; pressurised oil feed to the rockers; Amal Concentric Mk2 carburettors; five-speed gearbox; belt primary drive; Dresda box-section swinging arm; Smiths 12,000rpm tachometer; and 18" Akront alloy wheel rims. The race fairing is loose/detached but is included in the sale.

Following a period of inactivity, the machine will require re-commissioning and thus is sold strictly as viewed. It is hoped that supporting documentation will be available at time of sale. Key not required.