World Record

Motor Cycle News, 5 September 1972

Marathon record attempt

A WORLD record attempt to keep a motor cycle in continuous forward motion for 24 hours is being planned by the Leicester Phoenix Club at Cadwell Park this month.

Using club member Mike Ayriss's 1970 Mark II Norton Commando Fastback and with the backing of Shell, the club aim to break the 13-hour record set up by the Triumph factory several years ago.

Three riders - Mike Ayriss, Philip Freestone and Eric Tinda11 - will take turns to ride on a one hour on, two hours off basis.

To keep the machine fueled throughout the run, eight pit staff will take turns at running alongside

the machine with a gallon drum of petrol and a length of hose, operated by a fuel tap.

It's a far cry from the Daytona-style quick-fillings, but Philip Freestone says: "It sounds a bit primitive maybe but we have practised refuelling and changing riders without too much difficulty."

The bike will average around 50 mph and is expected to cover between 800 and 900 miles, starting at 9 am on Friday, September 29 and going on to 9 am the following morning.

Shell are providing 40 gallons of petrol, two gallons of oil and a caravan. And Cadwell circuit owner Charlie Wilkinson has said he will stay up to watch the feat.

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Leicester Mercury, 21 September 1972

The Leicester Phoenix Motor Cycle Club team who are attempting a world record run, pictured before setting out for Cadwell Park last night. They are from the left: Eric Tinda11, Philip Freestone and Michael Ayriss.

Motor cyclists look
for new record

The Leicester Phoenix Motor Club started their attempt to break the non-stop motorcycling record at Cadwell Park early this morning.

The three riders, eight pit staff and three safety officers set off for Lincolnshire last night and started their record bid at 8 am. this morning and they plan to finish at 9 am. tomorrow morning.

At the moment the record is held by a Triumph team who rode non-stop for about 13 hours but that was more than 40 years ago.

The three riders, Mr. Michael Ayriss, of 74 Harrowgate Drive, Birstall, Mr. Eric Tinda11, of 106 Essex Road, Leicester, and Mr. Philip Freestone, 54, Hampden Road, Leicester, are taking it in turns to ride round the track on               

Mr. Ayriss' 1970 Norton Commando.

During the 25 hours they will cover something like 1,000 miles, which will easily break the old record.

Mr Eric Tinda11, the chairman of the club and one of the riders, is confident that the Phoenix Club will find a place in the record books.

The riders have spent the last couple of weeks servicing the bike they will use for the record attempt and they are hoping that it will last the distance.

Helping to break the record attempt will be Mr. Tindall's wife, Sue, and Mr. Ayriss' girlfriend, Miss Helen Morley, of Queniborough, who will look after the refreshments.

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Leicester Mercury, 22 September 1972

Marathon riders
smash record

Three Leicestershire men returned from Cadwell Park in Lincolnshire today after breaking the non-stop motorcycle record.

In the 24 hours ending at 8 a.m. today, an hour before a race meeting was due to start. The men - Michael Ayriss, of Birstall, and Eric Tinda11 and Philip Freestone of Leicester - had ridden a total 1,036 miles 726 laps of the circuit.

All the arrangements - with Eric's wife Sue, and Michael's girl friend Helen Morley providing refreshments - went smoothly, although one rider felt fatigue in the early hours and handed over to a colleague.

The men are all members of Leicester Phoenix Motorcycle Club and were sponsored by petrol and tyre firms. The engine of the 1970 Norton Commando motorcycle never stopped during the marathon. Twenty-eight gallons of fuel were used.

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Motor Cycle, 26 September 1972

A WRITE-OFF'S
24-HOUR RECORD BID

Almost written off in a road crash a year ago, a 750 cc Norton Commando was used to set a national 24-hour non-stop marathon record over Cadwell Park's 1.3 mile Club Circuit on Friday and Saturday.

Riding one-hour stints, three Leicester Phoenix club members kept it going for 792 laps - about 1,030 miles. They were club chairman Eric Tinda11, aged 24, Phi1 Freestone (21), and the roadster's owner Mick Ayriss (22), who bought it          

after it had been in a crash and had to renew the frame, wheels and exhaust system.

During the hourly refuelling and rider changes the bike was kept moving, in order to establish a perfect non-stop record which the club intend to submit to the Guinness book of records.

Refuelling, which took 15 seconds, or 25 yards, was done at walking pace, using a gallon can and a flexible pipe.

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Motor Cycle News, 26 September 1972

Phoenix trio claim
non-stop record

A two-year-old 750 Norton Commando ran non-stop for 24 hours at Cadwell Park on Friday-Saturday and the Leicester Phoenix Club are claiming a national record.

The three Leicester riders who completed the marathon, in hourly stints, were Mick Ayriss (22), owner of the record-breaking standard roadster, Eric Tinda11 (24) club chairman, and Phi1 Freestone (21). They were backed by a volunteer pit crew from the club.

The engine and wheels never stopped. Re-fuelling and rider changes were made with bike in         

motion. About every hour a gallon of petrol was fed into thia tank by a flexible pipe - it took 15 seconds, and 25 yards!

The attempt began with the BBC time signal at 8 am on Friday. At the same time next morning, 792 laps of the 1.3 mile club circuit had been covered, 28 gallons of fuel and about two pints of oil used.

The marathon was the brainchild of Eric Tinda11, who supervised the attempt. He said: "We shall let this record stand until next year, and will then be back to improve on it."

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Motor Cycle News, 4 October 1972

MOTOR CYCLE ACCESSORIES

CONGRATULATES
LEICESTER PHOENIX World Record Breakers, who used for their Safety and Comfort : -
OWEN MASTERGUARD HELMETS
BELSTAFF CLOTHING
MICHELIN TYRES
from our large selection at -
160 - 162 BELGRAVE GATE, LEICESTER : Tel 24983

 

Louth News, 6 October 1972

Non-stop
motor-cycling record

A two-year-old 750 Norton Commando ran non-stop for 24 hours at Cadwell Park, Friday-Saturday, and the marathon is expected to be included in the Guinness Book of Records.

A national record is claimed by the organisers, the Leicester Phoenix Club. They achieved their objective, the engine kept running and the wheels turning for the whole of the period.

Refuelling and rider changes were made with the bike in motion. About every hour a gallon of fuel was fed into the tank through a flexible pipe. This took 15 seconds, and was accomplished in 25 yards.

The attempt began with the BBC time signal at 8 am on Friday. At the same time next morning, 792 laps of the 1.3 mile club circuit had been covered - over 1,000 miles - with 28 gallons of         

fuel and about two pints of oil used.

The three riders who completed the marathon, in hourly stints, were the owner of the roadster, Mick Ayriss (22), the club chairman, Eric Tinda11 (24), and Phi1 Freestone (21). They were backed by a volunteer pit crew from the club.

A delighted Mick Ayriss said afterwards: "The Norton had been in a road crash, and was practically a write-off when I bought it. I fitted a new frame, wheels and exhaust."

Mr Tindall said they had had good support from some manufacturers, but he specially thanked Mr Charles Wilkinson, manager of the circuit, and Shell, for their help.

In the photograph, with the Norton slowed down to walking pace, the 15-second refuelling session starts. (Photo: R. S. Webb, Louth.)

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Motorcycle Rider, November/December 1972

NEW WORLD RECORD
FOR LEICESTER PHOENIX

Did you know that no one has ever before run a motorcycle for 24 hours non-stop? At least not until the Leicester Phoenix boys got to hear of it. So they determined to ride a Norton Commando, belonging to club member Mick Ayriss, around Cadwell Park for 24 hours, refuelling and changing riders on the move. The BMF sent FoR secretary Ron Bryan and Pete and Adrienne Gosden along to ensure fair play. Everything went according to plan. The machine         

covered 792 laps, making a total of 1029 miles (it was not intended as an out and out speed record). It used approximately 22 gallons of fuel and averaged 42.8 mph. Fastest lap was 1 minute 27 seconds and the slowest, during the early morning, was 2 minutes 15 seconds. The record breaking team was Mick Ayriss, Eric Tinda11 and Philip Freestone assisted in the pits by Messrs Taylor, Smith, Stocker, Scrivens, Williams and Goddard. (Photo: Pete Gosden).

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The above are transcribed from original press cuttings preserved by Eric Tindall.

The 50th anniversary of the record was in 2022, and the club featured the riders and bike on their display at Founders Day, Stamford Hall. Due to the efforts of present chairman, Mick Bemrose, the following two-page spread by John Milton appeared in December Old Bike Mart. Eric's original objective of generating publicity for the club is keeping the Leicester Phoenix MCC on the map!

Old Bike Mart
26 NEWS	December 2022
Fifrt years ago, a group of motorcyclists decided to put their club on the map with a unique challenge.
John Milton relates the story of the club's world record attempt.
Eric Tindall 2 Phil Freestone Dave Stocker Richard Taylor Eric Tindall Phil Freestone Mick Ayriss