The David Dixon Photographic Archive

David Dixon 1933-2013

From 1958 to 1971, David Dixon was a staff writer and photographer working on The Motor Cycle magazine under its long-term editor, Harry Louis. Dixon was reckoned to be the first European journalist ever to ride a Honda, and he tested many more exotic models, including top 'works' machinery, as well as being a successful motorcycle racer in his own right.

The Dixon family has a wonderful photograph of David, aged 5, perched on his uncle's works Royal Enfield '500', grinning at the camera outside the King's House in Chapelizod, Dublin in 1938. It is tempting to think that that was the moment he fell in love with motorcycles.

The eldest of four brothers, David once dug a ditch at the back of his father's orchard to practice his trials riding, much to his dad's annoyance. He went on to develop a love of circuit racing and looked up to Ireland's stars of the day: riders like Ernie Lyons and Joe Dunphy.

The lure of a 'proper' job in England saw David arrive off the boat from Ireland in the 1950s. Like any new arrival, he had a burning passion to be successful. He held down a dull insurance job for a couple of years, dreaming of a career in journalism. Then, in 1958, he had a stroke of luck; he received a letter from Harry Louis, editor of The Motor Cycle magazine, offering him a job. Joining TMC, he quickly earned a reputation as a perceptive, analytical writer who involved readers in the experience of road testing.

He was also a great photographer, equipped with a Zeiss camera, and loved reviewing all the new bikes and travelling to race meetings in the UK, Isle of Man, and Grands Prix in Europe.

He would do his home work, like Murray Walker, and knew all the best positions trackside to take dramatic action shots. And his Irish silver tongue got him into the paddocks to capture images of top stars like Giacomo Agostini and Mike Hailwood. David once told a story about how, when on assignment for The Motor Cycle, he photographed the first race, jumped on his bike to compete in the next race, and then, still in his leathers, photographed the final event.

Then, in the early 1970s, he teamed up with the legendary Tommy Robb to form the Dixon-Robb Race School. Together, they ran a busy race school, teaching the next generation the best racing lines and track craft and, above all, safety. Bikes were getting faster and technology developing, so safety was a big thing at the race school. David continued to work as a freelance journalist/photographer in between his race school duties. He was well known in Sweden for his freelance reviews in MC Nytt, and he also wrote for the Italian magazine, Moto Ciclismo.

By this time David had two small children, and the race school income was insufficient to pay all the bills. So with the opportunity to tap into the Japanese invasion of Honda, Suzuki, Kawasaki and Yamaha products, he decided to open his first shop in Farncombe, Surrey: Dixon Racing Ltd was born. The opening ceremony saw a large crowd in attendance to see 'Dr Who', Jon Pertwee, who was guest of honour.

David recognised the superior reliability and performance of Japanese motorcycles. This was a major selling point and David became a UK main dealer. As the business boomed it outgrew the Farncombe shop, so he moved to larger premises in nearby Godalming. David became the sole UK distributor for Pops Yoshimura's hugely popular product range.

David Dixon's extensive archive of historic photographic material is presented in six large ring-binders of negatives and transparencies totalling over 5,000 images. These are mostly 35mm format and black-and-white, with some 6x6cm material and some in colour. They start with David's visits to various Continental Grands Prix in 1965 and to the Isle of Man TT in 1966, '67 and '68. Binder 2 is devoted entirely to 1969, when David's job took him to several GPs and the Isle of Man TT, and also involved road-testing the new Kawasaki Mach III and Honda CB750, the latter pitted against a Münch Mammut at the Nürburgring. Covering 1970, Binder 3 contains images of more GPs and that year's TT; the International Thruxton 500-Mile endurance race; and a road test of a Suzuki-powered Difazio with hub-centre steering.

But racing was still in his blood, so alongside these ventures in the 1970s, David ran a racing team at the Isle of Man TT, which was the family's our annual holiday! In his eventful life, David also visited the stunning GP track at Monza to set a speed record on one of Paul Dunstall's tuned machines. In the early 1980s he teamed up with Phil Read to set a UK speed record of 164mph on a modified roadster. There was also the excitement a new venture: importing Bimotas from Italy. In 1984, David entered his Manx Norton in the Brighton Speed Trials, which was yet another a wonderful day out for the family.

Bonhams is honoured to offer The David Dixon Photographic Archive with his extensive archive of historic photographic material being presented in six large ring-binders of negatives and transparencies totalling over 5,000 images. These are mostly 35mm format and black-and-white, with some 6x6cm material and some in colour. They start with David's visits to various Continental Grands Prix in 1965 and to the Isle of Man TT in 1966, '67 and '68. Binder 2 is devoted entirely to 1969, when David's job took him to several GPs and the Isle of Man TT, and also involved road-testing the new Kawasaki Mach III and Honda CB750, the latter pitted against a Münch Mammut at the Nürburgring. Covering 1970, Binder 3 contains images of more GPs and that year's TT; the International Thruxton 500-Mile endurance race; and a road test of a Suzuki-powered Difazio with hub-centre steering. For a full list please contact [email protected]. A once in a lifetime opportunity to acquire a most extraordinary archive of the bygone era of motorcycle racing. This photographic archive is sold entirely without copyright.