New Zealander Roderick (Rod)William Coleman, who died on August 8, 2019, started racing as a teenager. In1949 his father Percy, who was a racing star in the family’s native country as well as a motorcycle trader, helped his son secure passage to Europe, the goal being that the young man would set the road racing world alight on his Isle of Man TT debut.
Unfortunately, it didn’t quite go like that initially, as Rod crashed his AJS 7R in practice and broke his jaw, which was set – wrongly. But young Coleman knew it wasn’t right; he’d gone to medical school in 1946 but after a couple of years quit having decided it wasn’t what he wanted to do. Still, his medical training paid off, as he reset his jaw and taped himself up. For a month he ‘ate’ through a straw, and while his TT debut was delayed, he was able to race in the Dutch TT and Belgian GP.
Though he’d not set the scene ablaze (he wasn’t classified in either 1949 Belgian GPs and seemingly crashed in the 350cc Dutch) his performances on the British mainland had caught the eye of JockWest, AMC competition chief, who was to ‘keep an eye’ on the prematurely balding aspiring racer, who looked more like the young doctor he was initially set to become, than someone on the motorcycle racing path down which he was now headed.
This story is from the January 2020 edition of The Classic MotorCycle.
Start your 7-day Magzter GOLD free trial to access thousands of curated premium stories, and 9,000+ magazines and newspapers.
Already a subscriber ? Sign In
This story is from the January 2020 edition of The Classic MotorCycle.
Start your 7-day Magzter GOLD free trial to access thousands of curated premium stories, and 9,000+ magazines and newspapers.
Already a subscriber? Sign In
Runs should be fun
The club run is an integral part of the old motorcycle scene. During 2020, a variation on the usual theme emerged, enabling people to ride in the company of like-minded souls.
Hybrid chicken
BSA Bantams come in many forms, and the ability to interchange parts between different models permits an almost endless number of variants.
Green WITH ENVY
Life aboard a 1950s 350cc British single is perhaps as good and as uncomplicated as it can get.
Worth the wait
Captivated by sight of one as a small boy, finally our man has the chance to try an NSU Max.And a ‘Spezial’ one at that…
The Motorcycle: DESIGN, ART AND DESIRE
The concluding part of a two-part feature, in which the history of motorcycle evolution is examined and a new book’s author interviewed.
Cream rises
There were several ‘star performers’ at Bonhams’ winter sale, as the choice machines achieved huge sums.
The Giant of Provence
With so few events to report from, it’s time to look back over a spectacular French event and look forward to its hopeful resumption.
Store cupboard special
A big box of presents? Must be Christmas! More deliveries keep the project on track.
By 1929, CJP Dodson was a bona fide top level road racer, pretty much unbeatable on the sand, too.
The diminutive Charlie Dodson was the last man to win a TT, the 1928 Senior, on a ‘flat-tank’ machine, then the next year became the first (and only) winner of a TT on a saddle tank Sunbeam, as well as recording the last ever success in the Island for the Marston maker.
Cassandra the Canadian Commando
After landing a new job and with time on his hands, a young man in Vancouver decided to restore a British motorcycle considerably older than him.
