From the estate of the late David Fletcher, c.1967 OSSA 230cc Sport Racing Motorcycle

● Rare Spanish two-stroke racing motorcycle
● Present family ownership since 1974
● Considerable in-period race history
● Engine last ran in 2014
● Offered for restoration

David Fletcher (1950 - 2012)

From Scopwick in Lincolnshire, Dave Fletcher began racing when he was 14 years old. A farmer and mechanic, Dave rode Triumphs before switching to the 250cc class with a brace of OSSAs (Lots TBC and TBC in this sale). He enjoyed considerable success at club level with the speedy Spanish strokers, as evidenced by the Fletcher family's collection of 100-or-so of his trophies, including winner's awards for the Grantham Pegasus 250cc Singles Championship in 1981, 1982 and 1983 (he was 2nd in 1980). He also successfully contested championships run by the Retford club, Louth DMCC, Skegness MCC and the CRMC. Dave was a dedicated OSSA enthusiast and even visited the OSSA Museum in Spain where he was photographed sitting on one of the late Santiago Herrero's Grand Prix 250s.

This ultra-rare OSSA racer is believed to be one of the relative handful brought into the UK by the official importer, and Clubman's TT winner, Eric Houseley, whose rider Trevor Burgess won the Isle of Man Production TT 250cc class in 1968 riding one of the swift Spanish two-strokes. Burgess's mount was a stock 230 Sport roadster equipped with the factory's optional race kit. In his book Spanish Post-War Road and Racing Motorcycles, Mick Walker states: "Burgess also campaigned another OSSA in the open 250cc class - even at international level - where on circuits like Cadwell Park and Scarborough, the machine proved itself competitive against Yamaha production racers of the day, typically the TD1C."

David Fletcher bought this four-speed OSSA racer in Sunderland in 1974. (Dave believed this machine was one of those campaigned by Houseley, but there is no documentary evidence to that effect.) Dave raced it at club level with considerable success for the next 10-or-so years, latterly in CRMC events. He also owned a second, five-speed, OSSA and took both bikes to the Manx Grand Prix in 1983 (see following Lot).

Notable features of this four-speeder include magnesium crankcases and hubs, its original wheels/brakes, and an Amal Concentric carburettor (replacing the original Spanish Monobloc). The OSSA was last raced in 1988, since when it has been kept in dry storage. The engine was last started in 2014.

Offered for restoration, these two OSSA racers (Lots TBC and TBC) are the last remaining motorcycles from Dave Fletcher's sizeable private collection, which was sold by Bonhams at Stafford in October 2014. The machine is offered with an album of period photographs showing Dave competing at Cadwell Park, Mallory Park, Croft, Brands Hatch, Snetterton, Silverstone, Knockhill, Oliver's Mount, IoM TT, etc.