Eric Cheney
Encyclopedia
Eric Cheney was an independent British
motorcycle
designer and constructor. He was known as one of the best motorcycle frame designers of his era.
before joining the Royal Navy
at the age of 18, where he served on wartime Arctic convoys and in motor torpedo boats and gained experience of engineering and working on high performance engines. Cheney also worked on the development of remote controlled submarine
s for the Royal Navy.
of Aldershot
as a mechanic. Cheney began racing motocross
and became one Britain's best riders, along with his travelling companion Les Archer
, who went on to become European champion. He had ten successful years on the Continental circuit but a prolonged illness due to an infection contracted while racing in Algeria
ended his riding career. He moved into bike preparation and designs for motorcycle chassis and suspension systems.
Cheney had no formal training as a motorcycle designer yet was able to create original and high performance motorcycle chassis designs working in a simple workshop that was essentially a domestic garage. His approach has been described as "like a medieval engineer" as in an age of computer aided design and significant resources for research and development teams, he worked entirely by intuition. Eric relied on his long personal experience of international off road
competition riding and would prepare his initial designs for a new motorcycle frame in chalk on the wall of his workshop. Experimenting with different lines until he was satisfied, Eric would then form the steel tubing using his chalk drawings as a guide. Only when he had built a working prototype motorcycle would he start work on a final jig for mass production. He was once quoted as saying "I know when it's right and it screams at me when it's wrong."
In the late 1960s, the British motorcycle industry was unable to support a national team to compete in the International Six Days Trial
so, Cheney hand built a limited number of ISDT Cheney-Triumphs using his own design of twin down-tube frame with a specially tuned Triumph 5TA
engine. Fitted with tapered conical hubs, special motocross forks and large alloy fuel tanks, a Cheney Triumph was first used in the 1968 British Trophy Team. In 1970 and 1971 three 504cc Cheney Triumphs were used by the British team in the ISDT, in which Cheney won a manufacturer's prize. Replicas were built, but production was short-lived due to a shortage of engines.
Cheney's most noted successes were in the Grand Prix
road racing
championships, with Phil Read
using his chassis
in tandem with a Yamaha
engine to win the 1971
250cc world championship. His designs were the last British ones to win a Grand Prix. He never worked for any of the major manufacturers but maintained a productive relationship with BSA
in its heyday. After the demise of BSA in 1972, Cheney joined with former BSA factory rider John Banks
to develop and campaign a highly successful BSA powered motocross bike.
Some of Cheney's motorcycle designs are now famous in their own right, such as the competition BSA Gold Star
s of Jerry Scott and Keith Hickman and the John Banks
replica which used a BSA B50
engine specially tuned by Cheney. He also built some racing frames for Suzuki
Grand Prix motorcycles in 1968 and, it has been suggested that Suzuki engineers incorporated features of Cheney's designs, such as magnesium
hubs and lower fork legs into production road going motorcycles. Cheney's company was originally known as Eric Cheney Designs, then changed to Inter-Moto, now known as Cheney Racing
.
actor Steve McQueen
, an experienced off road rider who represented the United States in the ISDT bought a number of Cheney's motorcycles at full price because he considered them better than other makes.
United Kingdom
The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern IrelandIn the United Kingdom and Dependencies, other languages have been officially recognised as legitimate autochthonous languages under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages...
motorcycle
Motorcycle
A motorcycle is a single-track, two-wheeled motor vehicle. Motorcycles vary considerably depending on the task for which they are designed, such as long distance travel, navigating congested urban traffic, cruising, sport and racing, or off-road conditions.Motorcycles are one of the most...
designer and constructor. He was known as one of the best motorcycle frame designers of his era.
Early life
Cheney attended the Lancasterian School in WinchesterWinchester
Winchester is a historic cathedral city and former capital city of England. It is the county town of Hampshire, in South East England. The city lies at the heart of the wider City of Winchester, a local government district, and is located at the western end of the South Downs, along the course of...
before joining the Royal Navy
Royal Navy
The Royal Navy is the naval warfare service branch of the British Armed Forces. Founded in the 16th century, it is the oldest service branch and is known as the Senior Service...
at the age of 18, where he served on wartime Arctic convoys and in motor torpedo boats and gained experience of engineering and working on high performance engines. Cheney also worked on the development of remote controlled submarine
Submarine
A submarine is a watercraft capable of independent operation below the surface of the water. It differs from a submersible, which has more limited underwater capability...
s for the Royal Navy.
Career
After World War II, Cheney joined the motorcycle dealers ArchersLes Archer
Leslie James Archer was a leading motorcycle racer of the 1920s, competing in long distance speed trials, hill climbs and scrambles, now known as motocross....
of Aldershot
Aldershot
Aldershot is a town in the English county of Hampshire, located on heathland about southwest of London. The town is administered by Rushmoor Borough Council...
as a mechanic. Cheney began racing motocross
Motocross
Motocross is a form of motorcycle sport or all-terrain vehicle racing held on enclosed off road circuits. It evolved from trials, and was called scrambles, and later motocross, combining the French moto with cross-country...
and became one Britain's best riders, along with his travelling companion Les Archer
Les Archer, Jr.
Les Archer was a leading motorcycle racer of the 1950s, competing in long distance speed trials, road racing and scrambles, now known as motocross...
, who went on to become European champion. He had ten successful years on the Continental circuit but a prolonged illness due to an infection contracted while racing in Algeria
Algeria
Algeria , officially the People's Democratic Republic of Algeria , also formally referred to as the Democratic and Popular Republic of Algeria, is a country in the Maghreb region of Northwest Africa with Algiers as its capital.In terms of land area, it is the largest country in Africa and the Arab...
ended his riding career. He moved into bike preparation and designs for motorcycle chassis and suspension systems.
Cheney had no formal training as a motorcycle designer yet was able to create original and high performance motorcycle chassis designs working in a simple workshop that was essentially a domestic garage. His approach has been described as "like a medieval engineer" as in an age of computer aided design and significant resources for research and development teams, he worked entirely by intuition. Eric relied on his long personal experience of international off road
Off Road
Off Road may refer to:*Super Off Road, 1989 arcade game released by Leland Corporation*Off Road Challenge, 1998 console game released by Nintendo*Ford Racing: Off Road, 2008 video game published by Empire Interactive...
competition riding and would prepare his initial designs for a new motorcycle frame in chalk on the wall of his workshop. Experimenting with different lines until he was satisfied, Eric would then form the steel tubing using his chalk drawings as a guide. Only when he had built a working prototype motorcycle would he start work on a final jig for mass production. He was once quoted as saying "I know when it's right and it screams at me when it's wrong."
In the late 1960s, the British motorcycle industry was unable to support a national team to compete in the International Six Days Trial
International Six Days Enduro
The International Six Days Enduro is the oldest 'off road' motorcycle event on the FIM Calendar.The ISDE was first held in 1913 at Carlisle, England. It has occurred annually, apart from interruptions due to World War I and World War II, at various locations throughout the world. The early...
so, Cheney hand built a limited number of ISDT Cheney-Triumphs using his own design of twin down-tube frame with a specially tuned Triumph 5TA
Triumph Speed Twin
The Speed Twin 5T is a motorcycle that was made by Triumph at their Coventry factory. Edward Turner, Triumph’s Chief Designer and Managing Director, launched the Triumph Speed Twin at the 1937 National Motorcycle Show. It was a 500 cc OHV vertical twin in a lightweight frame and the first...
engine. Fitted with tapered conical hubs, special motocross forks and large alloy fuel tanks, a Cheney Triumph was first used in the 1968 British Trophy Team. In 1970 and 1971 three 504cc Cheney Triumphs were used by the British team in the ISDT, in which Cheney won a manufacturer's prize. Replicas were built, but production was short-lived due to a shortage of engines.
Cheney's most noted successes were in the Grand Prix
Grand Prix motorcycle racing
Road Racing World Championship Grand Prix is the premier championship of motorcycle road racing currently divided into three distinct classes: 125cc, Moto2 and MotoGP. The 125cc class uses a two-stroke engine while Moto2 and MotoGP use four-stroke engines. In 2010 the 250cc two-stroke was replaced...
road racing
Road racing
Road racing is a general term for most forms of motor racing held on paved, purpose-built race tracks , as opposed to oval tracks and off-road racing...
championships, with Phil Read
Phil Read
Phillip William Read is an English former Grand Prix motorcycle road racer nicknamed "The Prince of Speed." Although he would often be overshadowed by his contemporary, Mike Hailwood, he would become the first man to win world championships in the 125cc, 250cc and 500cc classes.-Biography:In 1964,...
using his chassis
Motorcycle frame
A motorcycle frame includes the head tube that holds the front fork and allows it to pivot. Some motorcycles include the engine as a load-bearing, stressed member. The rear suspension is an integral component in the design. Traditionally frames have been steel, but titanium, aluminium, magnesium,...
in tandem with a Yamaha
Yamaha Motor Company
, is a Japanese motorized vehicle-producing company. Yamaha Motor is part of Yamaha Corporation and its headquarter is located in Iwata, Shizuoka. Along with expanding Yamaha Corporation into the world's biggest piano maker, then Yamaha CEO Genichi Kawakami took Yamaha into the field of motorized...
engine to win the 1971
1971 Grand Prix motorcycle racing season
The 1971 Grand Prix motorcycle racing season was the 23rd F.I.M. Road Racing World Championship Grand Prix season. The season consisted of twelve Grand Prix races in six classes: 500cc, 350cc, 250cc, 125cc, 50cc and Sidecars 500cc...
250cc world championship. His designs were the last British ones to win a Grand Prix. He never worked for any of the major manufacturers but maintained a productive relationship with BSA
Birmingham Small Arms Company
This article is not about Gamo subsidiary BSA Guns Limited of Armoury Road, Small Heath, Birmingham B11 2PP or BSA Company or its successors....
in its heyday. After the demise of BSA in 1972, Cheney joined with former BSA factory rider John Banks
John Banks (motorcyclist)
John Banks was a leading British motocross racer from the 1960s and early 1970s.As a member of the BSA factory racing team, Banks finished second to Paul Friedrichs in the 1968 F.I.M. 500cc Motocross World Championship. He duplicated this result in 1969, finishing behind Bengt Aberg...
to develop and campaign a highly successful BSA powered motocross bike.
Some of Cheney's motorcycle designs are now famous in their own right, such as the competition BSA Gold Star
BSA Gold Star
The Gold Star is a motorcycle made by BSA from 1938–1963. They were 350 cc and 500 cc single-cylinder four-stroke production motorcycle known for being among the fastest bikes of the 1950s...
s of Jerry Scott and Keith Hickman and the John Banks
John Banks (motorcyclist)
John Banks was a leading British motocross racer from the 1960s and early 1970s.As a member of the BSA factory racing team, Banks finished second to Paul Friedrichs in the 1968 F.I.M. 500cc Motocross World Championship. He duplicated this result in 1969, finishing behind Bengt Aberg...
replica which used a BSA B50
BSA B50
The BSA B50 is a motorcycle made by BSA at their factory in Small Heath, Birmingham. The last of the big capacity unit singles from the Birmingham Small Arms company, it had a 499 cc alloy engine with a bore of and a stroke of , a short wheelbase and unusually high centre of gravity...
engine specially tuned by Cheney. He also built some racing frames for Suzuki
Suzuki
is a Japanese multinational corporation headquartered in Hamamatsu, Japan that specializes in manufacturing compact automobiles and 4x4 vehicles, a full range of motorcycles, all-terrain vehicles , outboard marine engines, wheelchairs and a variety of other small internal combustion engines...
Grand Prix motorcycles in 1968 and, it has been suggested that Suzuki engineers incorporated features of Cheney's designs, such as magnesium
Magnesium
Magnesium is a chemical element with the symbol Mg, atomic number 12, and common oxidation number +2. It is an alkaline earth metal and the eighth most abundant element in the Earth's crust and ninth in the known universe as a whole...
hubs and lower fork legs into production road going motorcycles. Cheney's company was originally known as Eric Cheney Designs, then changed to Inter-Moto, now known as Cheney Racing
Cheney Racing
Cheney Racing is a British motorcycle manufacturer based in Church Crookham, Fleet, Hampshire that builds complete specialist high performance motocross motorcycles, rolling chassis or frame kits to individual customer specifications.-Development:...
.
Steve McQueen
AmericanUnited States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
actor Steve McQueen
Steve McQueen
Terrence Steven "Steve" McQueen was an American movie actor. He was nicknamed "The King of Cool." His "anti-hero" persona, which he developed at the height of the Vietnam counterculture, made him one of the top box-office draws of the 1960s and 1970s. McQueen received an Academy Award nomination...
, an experienced off road rider who represented the United States in the ISDT bought a number of Cheney's motorcycles at full price because he considered them better than other makes.