Peter Williams – Designed to Race
http://www.peterwilliamsmotorcycles.com/index.html This is a short documentary about my Father Peter Williams. He was a professional Motorcycle road racer in the 60’s and 70’s and was one of the best in the world of that era. He won the TT Formula 750cc in the Isle of Man in 1973, he finished 3 minutes before 2nd place and clocked the fastest speed and current lap record on a British Motorcycle he helped to design. He is now a full time engineer and working on his personal projects. My only concern for this documentary is that it’s too short as I had to keep to a set time for my University project. My aim is to create a further in depth version.
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I had the opportunity to attend the talk given by Peter and Jim Reynolds last night. Peter certainly lived up to his reputation as the intelligent voice of motorcycling and I'd like to thank both Peter and Jim for a fascinating evening. I was too shy to ask my question during the Q&A session but had the chance to pose it to Peter after the talk. He took great care to answer me with his carefully considered and massively well informed demeanour. A truly lovely man who I could spend hours chatting to and hope to meet again in the not too distant future.
I so enjoyed watching this. I remember watching Peter at many races including Dundrod and some of the short circuits in the UK. I think I remember him winning the 350 race at Dundrod on an MZ (my favourite bike at the time) but it was so long ago I may have that wrong. The last time I had any contact was when I think Peter ran a Kawasaki dealership – again it was a long time ago and I may have that wrong too. One way or another I thought he was brilliant and I've just bought his new book which he signed. Wonderful man..
Is it possible to find out what steering geometry and wheelbase was used on the monocoque Norton ?
A great rider and a very nice man I had the pleasure to speak with on a few occasions, over forty years ago! He also let me sit on the Tom Arter Matchless at the Motorcycle Show one year. 1972-ish? I wish I could have ridden it.
Great to see this! But what year was it that Peter led the British Grand Prix at Silverstone on the monocoque and then ran out of petrol?! And were the conditions wet or dry?!
Have many memories of Peter Williams racing, the incredible great results he achieved on a bike using a engine that was basically designed back in the late 1940s was down to Peters skills as a rider and his and the teams engineering skills. Do remember the F750 race Peter mentions at Silverstone where Paul Smart on the Suzuki triple and Peter on the monocoque Norton fought for the win, and that Suzuki surely must of had 30 or more BHP. Then I remember a wet Hutchinson 100 Brands short circuit race were Peter on the 500 Arter Matchless passed Agostini on the MV and went on to win! Thanks for the great memories !
A brilliant engineer/designer and superb racer, performed miracles on the Norton and Arter matchless, i have no doubt that had he gone Japanese he would have been a many times world champion, i was fascinated with the way he developed the John Player Nortons and kept every cutting from the motorcycle press of his race outings and articles of the ongoing development of the bikes, i met Peter on a few occasions, the last time we met i gave him all of my collection of cuttings as he had not kept any.
Thoroughly nice man, deserved a lot more recognition than he got.