A History of Classic Racing 50cc Motorcycles

1959 Britain’s Answer to the " ITOM"

('An article by Ian Ager')

As none of the weekly/monthly motorcycle publications in 1958/59 ever made mentions of 50cc racing this came as a great surprise to see one of the racing machines at the Motorcycle show at Earls Court, London in 1959.

What caught my eye was a highly polished aluminium dustbin type fairing fitted to a little 50cc four stroke racing motorcycle, standing in pride of place on the Dunkley Motorcycle Stand.

This was the Dunkley Whippet Racer, the cycle parts were the same as used on Whippet Sport.

The picture to the left depicts the Dunkley Sport, 65cc model. A picture of the racer does not seen to be available (if you have one please let the Editor know). The Dustbin Fairings are from a larger machine but give the general idea of shape. A machine similarly clothed was the Britax Hurricane.

These photographs of the Whippet Sport show the 1958, 65cc engine and Dunkley frame and running gear. These were made between 1957 and 1959. This example was on show at the Carole Nash Classic Mechanics Show in 2010.

The 50cc four stroke engine fitted with a two speed gearbox was of their own design but would have been greatly influenced by the Ducati Cucciolo engines they had used in their 65cc mopeds and scooters. All the cycle parts were of a typical Italian design and manufactured by a supplier in Italy who along with Dunkley also supplied them to the likes of Peripoli and Bianchi. The complete machines were assembled at their National Works in Hounslow, Middlesex.

The Dunkley Company was formed in 1880 making baby perambulators, rocking horses, see-saws and pedal cycles, in the early 1900`s they started in the production of motorcycles and this continued during the war years using a number of different four stroke engine and gearbox suppliers. The Company was quite inventive and the picture shows a vehicle appearing at the 1922 Motor Show, and powered by a 1hp Simplex engine, The "Pramotor" was a mind-boggling creation!

With the depression of the early 1920's Dunkley ceased the production motorcycles and reverted back to the manufacture of prams etc, this they continued with up to the mid/late 1950's. Picture: H.R.H. The Duke of York discusses the The Dunkley Pramotor at the Motor Show in 1922

The Motorcycle company was reformed in 1957 but was only in existence for two years folding at the end of 1959, as to whether any of the racers were ever sold remains a mystery.

From the engine/frame numbers it would appear that some 800 Whippet Sports were sold in this period, either as the 50 or 65cc versions. I for one can never remember seeing one, or for ever seeing a 50cc four stroke engine racer on the track in 1960, with the exception of the Italian works Motoms that came over for a couple of months in 1961, by this time the little Itoms had completely taken over 50cc racing.

Ian Ager (Author)

Editors Additional Notes (Jeep).

After receiving this article from Ian Ager it prompted me to research the bike on the internet and try to build a picture of its life and how it fared. Facebook can, if used correctly, be a wonderful tool as it brings information together that otherwise could be lost in the annuls of time. Jim B. Fruin, a member of the Classic 50cc History page, posted some information on the Whippet racer along with some photographs and data. some of this information has been expanded by the editor.

"In the mid 1950's, my dad, Jim. W. Fruin: his cousin was Bert Fruin who has a page on this History site, was foreman at Dunkley Motorcycles in Hounslow. After - hours he was allowed to use Dunkley parts from the stores, and use benchmark sample parts from various Italian brands, to build a racing tiddler. His friend John Gamble (pictured below) helped with the build and also raced the little Wasp at circuits in the UK. The 60cc, ohv. sometimes called a pushrod engine, 2 speed Whippet motor was oversize for the then 50cc class, but down on power, and so allowed in the 50cc races."

Jim's' dads bike was named the Fruin Special and was based on the Whippet four-stroke engine. (Bert Fruin's bikes was also called the Fruin Special but were based on the DEMM two-stroke engine). The Whippet two speed engine limited the performance of the bike but the best result for the Fruin Special was 4th place at Blandford Camp in 1958.

Pictured here #64, is again John Gamble in 1957 at Crystal Palace. The No.75 is a two speed Ducati Cucciolo two-speed motor, which powering a bike ridden by Pauline Dale, a very capable lady rider.

The Itom riders in the far picture are: 65-R Fifield Itom, 69-C V Dawson Itom. The picture was taken in the paddock area of the 1957 Crystal Palace race circuit in London in 1957.

The best result for the Jim W. Fruin Special was a 4th place at one of the Blandford meetings. Dunkley, I think was 4th place at Blandford

The Editor had never seen a Whippet engine bike on a race circuit but as there been racing 50 whippet engined bikes he had to do some more investigation. While researching for a page about Rodney Gooch and during a conversation with a racer of note, Chris Gregory - a Honda CR93 rider he told me this story which was back in the early 60's when a few Racing Schools developed their product on some of the tracks in the UK.

One based at the Snetterton race circuit in Norfolk was run by Rodders Gooch and Chris Gregory. This was a company called ‘Racing Hire’ and they offered the 250cc Greeves Silverstone along with the 125cc Honda CR93: the 50cc Dunkley Whippet in race trim also featured in their stable for their students to ride an aid when getting track knowledge.

This is Chris' comment from when I was speaking with him about the Gooch-Gregory team and race school: "I rode a Dunkley around Snetterton but my weight was an issue in trying to get speed out of the little engine. One time we turned up for our session at Snetterton with our students, and were asked by the circuit officials if we would allow a race car to circulate with us. It seemed churlish to refuse. We were surprised the car that on our shared circuit was being driven by Jim Clark, I can’t remember what Formula 1 car it was bit I think it was probably the Lotus. It was terrifying when it went past!! You can imagine, especially along the old Norwich straight, even when you are on a Silverstone or CR93 you feel its presence, that the sucking effect is remarkable. Now picture the wash when on the Dunkley? you don’t hear it coming and the next minute you are fighting to keep your line and overall balance.".

This article is a comparison between the Dunkley Whippet and the BSA Beagle; it dose not mention any racing information. the article begins:

"Once we’d thought of the concept of this epic double-test, everyone agreed that it would make the most incredible feature, and just had to be done. Two very different machines, linked by a common 4-stroke thread and a theme of their names, that missed each other in the market place by only a few short years."

The Two Dogs are: the cursed BSA Beagle, and the legendary Dunkley Whippet!

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