1950 Erskine Staride-JAP 500cc Speedway Racing Motorcycle

The Erskine Staride speedway bike was designed and built by rider Mike Erskine from Southampton, who had begun racing on grass tracks and speedway ovals in the 1930s. Commencing production during the winter of 1947, Mike was one of the best-known (and most successful) small-scale producers of speedway machines, prior to doing the same thing with Formula 3 racing cars, also called Staride. His frames were tailored to suit individual riders, with the result that seldom are two identical. This approach paid off, and by the end of 1948 some 200 Erskine Staride frames had been sold. They were very successful, Freddie Williams winning the World Individual Speedway Final on an Staride in both 1950 and 1953. Mike Erskine later earned a reputation as one of Britain's most capable builders of JAP racing engines. Unfortunately, nothing is known of this machine's history.