Motorcycle Racing 1908-1939

Motorcycle racing started at Brooklands in 1908 and the British Motorcycle Racing Club - known as 'Bemsee' from its initials - was founded in 1909. Sidecar outfits joined the solo machines for racing and record breaking from 1912.

The attendance at Brooklands motorcycle events was initially quite small, being mostly knowledgeable enthusiasts, and lacking the ‘Society’ element of the car racing crowd. However, an established pattern of race meetings emerged, speeds rose, the reliability of machines improved and a growing audience became attracted to motorcycle races.

Two motorcycle events were held on the Track during the First World War, both organised by the British Motor Cycle Racing Club for men serving in the Armed Forces. One of these was the ‘All Khaki’ Meeting held on 7th August 1915.

When the track reopened after the First World War, Brooklands was to witness the golden age of motorcycling when the British racing motorcycle was the best and fastest in the world.

In 1933 ‘The Motorcycle’ magazine instituted a Clubman’s Day Meeting which proved an enormous success. Brooklands was the home of so many motorcycle riders. Workshops sprung up around the paddock with names of men and machines painted on the doors. Eric Fernihough, who took the Motorcycle Landspeed Record at Gyon in Hungary in 1937, had a garage by the perimeter of the track on the Byfleet Road.

Many epic motorcycle record breaking attempts took place at Brooklands during the 1930s. Eric Fernihough raised the Brooklands lap record to 123.58mph in 1935 with his Brough Superior, topped in 1939 by Noel Pope at 124.51mph.