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Bill Beevers - Motor Cyclist


dunsbyowl1867

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My grandad used to tell me stories of this TT hero was also later a motor cycle dealer. Anyone remember him?

Competitor Profile: Bill Beevers

TT Career SummaryPosition

8 9 10 11 13 14 16 18 19 23 24 26 27 29 32 33 35 36 38

No of times 1 1 1 2 1 2 3 2 2 1 1 1 1 1 1 2 1 1 1

Position 40 41 44 45 DNF

No of times 1 1 1 1 6

* Full TT Results

Biography

From TT Special 13th June 1960

TT Veteran Bill a motorcycle agent from Sheffield, has been racing the Island course since 1935.

He has, in fact, ridden in no fewer than 39 TT Races, and has 27 replicas to prove it. As long ago as 1936 Bill was second in the Ulster Grand Prix, and he was well known on the Continent even before the war.

Moving on to 1949, Bill won a second-class replica in the Junior TT and then collected a first-class in the Senior, finishing 16th at 80.40 mph.

In 1951 he finished 39th in the Junior, collecting another Bronze Rep but he retired in the Lightweight and after finishing in the Senior – 39th again – he was disqualified for using an engine under the minimum capacity. (That year Senior machines had to have a capacity of from 351 to 500cc).

Three replicas came his way in 1954, for a Sidecar outfit had joined his stable his TT record was as follows, Junior – 36th, Sidecar – 13th, Senior – 29th. His other 1954 activities included a trip to Brazil to race at Sao Paulo, the Dutch TT and meetings at Scarborough, Aintree, Cadwell, etc.

He was 33rd in the 1955 Junior and 38th in the Senior, but retired on the 6th lap of the Sidecar race. In 1956 Bill’s achievements in the Island races were a ninth place in the Sidecar race, a 26th in the Junior and a 33rd in the Senior TT.

In 1957 he rode in three TT races – Junior, Sidecar and Senior, finishing 32nd in the Junior (Bronze Replica) and 14th in the Sidecar (Finishers Award), but retired on the fifth lap of the Senior.

In 1958 he was in the same three races, winning a ‘Bronze’ in the Junior, but retiring in the other two races. Two months later he won the Sidecar Handicap at Oulton Park on a BMW outfit.

Last year he rode in the Sidecar TT again, but retired on the fourth lap. In the Belgian Grand Prix, however, he finished fifth after a spectacular last lap crash when lying second, and a week later he won a sidecar race at Catterick.

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I remember him when he had the shop on Firth Park Road at Page Hall.

I used to get my spares there, and had MOT's done there as well.

His racing career was a bit before my time though, but it was one of those names everybody knew, a bit like Derek Dooley.

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HI Dunsbyowl.

l bought a bike from Bill, around 1944, when he had the shop at firvale.

A nice helpfull chap, he gave me some riding tips and warnings what not to do.

lt was a250 Empire Star.

Skeets.

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Wow, Skeets the name Empire Star brought back some memories. I assume it was an old beeza (BSA) with solid forks, and the only springing was in the saddle, if you were lucky! My father had one which he eventually changed for an ex WD 16H Norton. He said I could have the bike if I could learn to maintain it. Couldn't resist trying it out in the back garden but unfortunately ended up going straight through the greenhouse door. Decided at that point that I wanted a scooter. he hehe he he he

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I remember Bill losing his international licence when he was 55 years old. that stopped him riding in international events like the TT. The F.I.M. said he was too old. I seem to remember a Manx Norton belonging to him in the '60s/'70s being sold recently for serious money.

The bike in the photo looks like an old Norton Inter/Manx circa 1948/9

On website VintageBike.co.uk you will find, under manufacturers pictures, the actual Bill Beevers Manx Norton.

Brilliant site, best classic/vintage site on the web.

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I remember Bill losing his international licence when he was 55 years old. that stopped him riding in international events like the TT. The F.I.M. said he was too old. I seem to remember a Manx Norton belonging to him in the '60s/'70s being sold recently for serious money.

The bike in the photo looks like an old Norton Inter/Manx circa 1948/9

On website VintageBike.co.uk you will find, under manufacturers pictures, the actual Bill Beevers Manx Norton.

Brilliant site, best classic/vintage site on the web.

Noticed this sign just off Firth Park Road/Page Hall looks like someone is still trading under his name :)

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Hi

I am writing a brief history of motorcycle racing at Donington between 1931 and 1939 and the name of Bill Beevers has appeared in contemporary reports.

Is it possible to let me know who I should contact to seek to obtain permission to reproduce this photo in the book. I should mention it will be the intention that the book is self published/non profit and the contributor will be acknowledged in the text

Thanks

Richard

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My dad was passenger to Bill Beevers in late ‘50s to early ‘’60s on a BMW sidecar outfit.

They finished 5th in Czech GP at Brno in 1960.

After Bill retired, he and his wife Lilly moved to the Isle of Man and ran a guest house in Port Erin. It’s still run today by his Niece and her husband.

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