Peter Williams

Paul Marx

Paul Marx

Hero member
Location
France
As soon as some unknown ballroom musician passes away there's pages and pages.

Peter Williams, one of the all time great riders of the classic period and above all one of the great innovative engineers passed away on Sunday.
He was an honorary member of one of our local classic bikes clubs and a thoroughly nice guy.

His stories in the classic press were always a pleasure to read.

Paul
 
Vince said:
I seem to remember a Monococ Norton twin he designed that was really out there at the time.
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That was one.
And Wagon Wheels was another.

www.motorcycleclassics.com/classic-british-motorcycle/classic-matchless-motorcycles/wagon-wheels-arter-matchless-g50-zmcz15jazhur

The art of making redundant underpowered power plants fast.

Paul
 
I saw him crash on the John Player Norton but I can't remember which circuit. I remember a marshal going past with his blood soaked leathers draped over his shoulder. I believe it was his last race.
RIP Peter.
 
Legs said:
I saw him crash on the John Player Norton but I can't remember which circuit. I remember a marshal going past with his blood soaked leathers draped over his shoulder. I believe it was his last race.
RIP Peter.
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It was.
He damaged his brachial plexus and so one arm. was paralysed.
The crash was due to the tank-seat unit of his JPN Norton coming off.

Paul
 
One of his last appearances was a talk with the vmcc before this shit happened. A true engineering trail blazer.
  There is a section at sammy miller's motorcycle museum that tell his story.
Top man
Regards Andy
 
VMCC is the Vintage Motorcycle Club founded in the mid forties here in England.Sad to hear about Peter Williams,always followed the BSA/Triumph racing triples in early seventies,but always remember him and Dave Croxford on the Norton twins.
 
Remember walking past the John Player Norton luxury van/workshop with Peter Williams and Dave Croxford in attendance, next to them was Percy Tait's old Bedford van, he was flogging T shirts with 'Tait is Great' printed on them that looked as if the printing was done with carved potatoes.
 
Legs said:
'Tait is Great' printed on them that looked as if the printing was done with carved potatoes.
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Tait was Irish?

Good video/movie. Loved the way Mrs Williams, grabbed the kid by the shirt and dragged him out of the way of the bike behind ...........
 
Peter Williams was always facing an uphill struggle trying to make the Commando competitive.Someone at the time wrote to one of the bike papers saying the best thing Norton could do was knock it on the head and buy Williams a pair of TZ Yamahas as reward for his efforts and Williams wrote back replying that one day Norton would be great.
Hopes were pinned on the Cosworth Challenge (after Williams accident),funds were so short people were asked to send cash in to become a "Challenge Supporter",you would get a card back thanking you for your support.(I`ve lost mine)
It proved to be barely faster than the Commando and had fearsome engine braking that would almost throw you up the road.
Rider Dave Croxford retired soon after and went fishing instead.
 
Peter had been in a care home suffering with bad health for several months but it is still terribly sad news. Right to the end he was still working and planning on new innovations to make bikes and cars better. He was really keen on seeing hydrogen fuelled vehicles in use and in particular hydrogen fuelled bikes racing at the TT. It is such a shame he won?t be around to see it happen.
 
Legs said:
Remember walking past the John Player Norton luxury van/workshop with Peter Williams and Dave Croxford in attendance, next to them was Percy Tait's old Bedford van, he was flogging T shirts with 'Tait is Great' printed on them that looked as if the printing was done with carved potatoes.
Click to expand...
Yeah luxury Bedfords, a mattress, and a primus oooh yeah must've had a sponsor. I remember printing T-shirts in High School (1970) using the carved spud method, it worked, well sort of.
RIP Peter thanks for the memories.
 
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