Charlie Collier
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| Motorcycle Grand Prix Career | |
| Nationality |  Britain |
|---|---|
| Active years | 1902 - 1914 |
| Team(s) | Matchless |
| TT Race Wins | 2 |
| Podium finishes | 3 |
| Pole positions | N/A |
| Fastest laps | 1 |
| First Race | 1902 Canning Town Matchless |
| First Race Win | N/A |
| First TT win | 1907 Isle of Man TT Race |
| Last TT Race win | 1910 500cc Single & 750cc Twin |
| Last TT Race | 1914 Senior TT Race |
Charles R. Collier (1885 - 1954) Plumstead, London a British motorcycle racer famous for winning the Isle of Man TT races 2 times in his career. Along with his brother Harry Collier he raced Matchless motor-cycles manufactured by his father's company H.Collier & Sons. After racing in continental Europe in the 1906 International Cup Races, Charlie Collier became the winner of the first Isle of Man TT Race in 1907. After setting a number of world motor-cycle records on Matchless motor-cycles, Charlie Collier won another Isle of Man TT Race in 1910 and later became the first competitor to be disqualified from an Isle of Man TT Race for illegal refuelling. Later, Charlie Collier became a joint managing director of AJS and Matchless motor-cycles and died in 1954.[1]
Contents |
[edit] Racing career
First race was in 1902 at the 3½ mile Canning Town cycling track riding a Matchless motor-cycle with an MMC engine. After leading until the last lap, a burst tyre caused a crash and Charlie Collier suffered friction abrasions. In 1905, along with his brother Harry Collier participated in the eliminating trial for the International Motor-cycle Cup held in the Isle of Man. Held on a 25 mile section of the Gordon Bennett Trial course the event was won by J.S.Campbell. Although, Harry Collier managed to qualify, the Matchless motor-cycle with a JAP engine which Charlie Collier had specially built suffered a broken connecting-rod and was forced to retire.
After racing in the 1906 International Cup, Charlie Collier and his brother Harry, entered a new motor-cycle event in the Isle of Man in 1907 for road-touring motor-cycles. The new race was to be held on the St.Johns Short Course with two categories for single and twin-cylinder motor-cycles. The 1907 Isle of Man TT race and the single cylinder-class was won by Charlie Collier riding a Matchless motor-cycle in 4 hours, 8 minutes and 8 seconds at an average race speed of 38.21 mph. His brother, Harry Collier also riding a Matchless motor-cycle had problems with an engine seizure on lap 2 and eventually retired on lap 9.[2]
[edit] Single Cylinder race
Tuesday 28th May 1907 - 10 laps (158.00 miles) St.Johns - Short Course.
| Rank | No | Rider | Team | Speed | Time |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 4 |  Charlie Collier |
3½ hp Matchless | 38.21 mph | 4:08.08.2 |
| 2 | 2 | Jack Marshall |
3½ hp Triumph | 36.60 | 4:19.47.3 |
| 3 | 1 | Frank Hulbert |
3½ hp Triumph | 35.50 | 4:27.49.4 |
[edit] TT Race Victories
| Year | Race & Capacity | Motorcycle | Average Speed |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1907 | Single-Cylinder | Matchless | 38.21 mph |
| 1910 | 500cc Single & 750cc Twin-Cylinder | Matchless | 50.63 mph |
[edit] TT career summary
| Finishing Position | 1st | 2nd | 4th | DNF |
| Number of times | 2 | 1 | 1 | 4 |
[edit] Sources
[edit] External links
- TT database rider profile iomtt.com
- TT database TT results iomtt.com
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