Brian Slark
Brian Slark (born February 2, 1938 in London, England) is a motorcycle restorer and technical advisor for the Barber Vintage Motorsports Museum.
Slark evacuated with his family from London to the countryside during the blitz at the start of World War II. There he began off-road motorcycle racing and was hooked. After the war, his father took him to speedway races at the Crystal Palace. He bought his first motorcycle in 1954 and went to work as a test rider for Associated Motor Cycles in Woolwich in 1957.
In 1964 Slark moved to California to work there for England's BSA Motorcycles. After working for a few other dealers he opened his own Norton shop in 1976. He also contributed to technical manuals for vintage British racing bikes, and was employed by Hollywood, working with Lee Marvin and Bobby Darin. He was an influential promotor of motocross racing, and built many of the Rickman Metisse and Cheney motorcycles used in the sport.
Slark met George Barber while working in St Louis, Missouri. Barber brought him to Birmingham in 1995 to work with his collection of vintage motorcycles.
Slark was inducted into the AMA Motorcycle Hall of Fame in 2012.
References
- Demmons, Doug (August 16, 2012) "Motorcycle Hall of Fame to honor Barber's 'old motorcycle guy'." The Birmingham News
- "AMA: Motocross pioneer Brian Slark to be inducted into the Motorcycle Hall of Fame." Cycle World
External links
- Brian Slark Motorcycles website