Cheney Racing
Encyclopedia
Cheney Racing is a British motorcycle
manufacturer based in Church Crookham
, Fleet
, Hampshire
that builds complete specialist high performance motocross
motorcycles, rolling chassis or frame kits to individual customer specifications.
developed a lightweight competition for a BSA Gold Star
in the 1960s which saw success in the 1970s when John Banks
won the British Motocross Championship
on a Cheney-framed BSA motorcycle. He never worked for any of the major manufacturers but maintained a productive relationship with BSA
in its heyday. After the demise of BSA in 1972, Cheney joined with former BSA factory rider John Banks
to develop and ride successful BSA powered motocross
bikes. His company was originally known as Eric Cheney Designs, then changed to Inter-Moto and is now known as Cheney Racing. Eric handed on his ideas to his son Simon Cheney, who is also an experienced competition rider. Each of the hand built motorcycles takes over 400 man hours to complete.
engine. Fitted with tapered conical hubs, special motocross forks and large alloy fuel tanks, a Cheney Triumph was first used in the 1968 British Trophy Team.
In 1970 and 1971 three 504cc Cheney Triumphs were used by the British team in the International Six Days Trial
(ISDT). Replicas were built, but production was short-lived due to a shortage of engines
250cc pre-unit engine or the larger 500cc unit version. The company also manufacture black powder-coated frame kits for BSA C15, B25, B40, B44 and B50
engines, as well as nickel plated frame kits for Triumph 500 or 350cc unit engines.
Motorcycle
A motorcycle is a single-track, two-wheeled motor vehicle. Motorcycles vary considerably depending on the task for which they are designed, such as long distance travel, navigating congested urban traffic, cruising, sport and racing, or off-road conditions.Motorcycles are one of the most...
manufacturer based in Church Crookham
Church Crookham
Church Crookham is a suburb, village and civil parish on the southern edge of the town of Fleet, in north east Hampshire, England, located south west of London...
, Fleet
Fleet
-Vehicles:A fleet is a collection of ships or vehicles, with many specific connotations:*Fleet vehicles, two or more vehicles*Fishing fleet*Naval fleet, substantial group of warships*A group of small ships or flotilla...
, Hampshire
Hampshire
Hampshire is a county on the southern coast of England in the United Kingdom. The county town of Hampshire is Winchester, a historic cathedral city that was once the capital of England. Hampshire is notable for housing the original birthplaces of the Royal Navy, British Army, and Royal Air Force...
that builds complete specialist high performance motocross
Motocross
Motocross is a form of motorcycle sport or all-terrain vehicle racing held on enclosed off road circuits. It evolved from trials, and was called scrambles, and later motocross, combining the French moto with cross-country...
motorcycles, rolling chassis or frame kits to individual customer specifications.
Development
Engineer Eric CheneyEric Cheney
Eric Cheney was an independent British motorcycle designer and constructor. He was known as one of the best motorcycle frame designers of his era.-Early life:...
developed a lightweight competition for a BSA Gold Star
BSA Gold Star
The Gold Star is a motorcycle made by BSA from 1938–1963. They were 350 cc and 500 cc single-cylinder four-stroke production motorcycle known for being among the fastest bikes of the 1950s...
in the 1960s which saw success in the 1970s when John Banks
John Banks (motorcyclist)
John Banks was a leading British motocross racer from the 1960s and early 1970s.As a member of the BSA factory racing team, Banks finished second to Paul Friedrichs in the 1968 F.I.M. 500cc Motocross World Championship. He duplicated this result in 1969, finishing behind Bengt Aberg...
won the British Motocross Championship
British Motocross Championship
The Maxxis British Motocross Championship is the main UK off road competition for lightweight motorcycles with specialist frames and suspension.-History:...
on a Cheney-framed BSA motorcycle. He never worked for any of the major manufacturers but maintained a productive relationship with BSA
Birmingham Small Arms Company
This article is not about Gamo subsidiary BSA Guns Limited of Armoury Road, Small Heath, Birmingham B11 2PP or BSA Company or its successors....
in its heyday. After the demise of BSA in 1972, Cheney joined with former BSA factory rider John Banks
John Banks (motorcyclist)
John Banks was a leading British motocross racer from the 1960s and early 1970s.As a member of the BSA factory racing team, Banks finished second to Paul Friedrichs in the 1968 F.I.M. 500cc Motocross World Championship. He duplicated this result in 1969, finishing behind Bengt Aberg...
to develop and ride successful BSA powered motocross
Motocross
Motocross is a form of motorcycle sport or all-terrain vehicle racing held on enclosed off road circuits. It evolved from trials, and was called scrambles, and later motocross, combining the French moto with cross-country...
bikes. His company was originally known as Eric Cheney Designs, then changed to Inter-Moto and is now known as Cheney Racing. Eric handed on his ideas to his son Simon Cheney, who is also an experienced competition rider. Each of the hand built motorcycles takes over 400 man hours to complete.
Cheney ISDT Team
In the late 1960s the British motorcycle industry was unable to support a national ISDT team so Eric Cheney hand built a limited number of ISDT Cheney-Triumphs, using his own design of twin down-tube frame with a specially tuned Triumph 5TATriumph Speed Twin
The Speed Twin 5T is a motorcycle that was made by Triumph at their Coventry factory. Edward Turner, Triumph’s Chief Designer and Managing Director, launched the Triumph Speed Twin at the 1937 National Motorcycle Show. It was a 500 cc OHV vertical twin in a lightweight frame and the first...
engine. Fitted with tapered conical hubs, special motocross forks and large alloy fuel tanks, a Cheney Triumph was first used in the 1968 British Trophy Team.
In 1970 and 1971 three 504cc Cheney Triumphs were used by the British team in the International Six Days Trial
International Six Days Enduro
The International Six Days Enduro is the oldest 'off road' motorcycle event on the FIM Calendar.The ISDE was first held in 1913 at Carlisle, England. It has occurred annually, apart from interruptions due to World War I and World War II, at various locations throughout the world. The early...
(ISDT). Replicas were built, but production was short-lived due to a shortage of engines
Model range
Although each Cheney motorcycle is different many are based around the BSA C15BSA C15
The BSA C15 was the first four-stroke unit construction motorcycle produced by the British company BSA and manufactured between 1958 and 1967. At the time, the C15 was the largest capacity bike that a learner could ride on L-plates in the United Kingdom...
250cc pre-unit engine or the larger 500cc unit version. The company also manufacture black powder-coated frame kits for BSA C15, B25, B40, B44 and B50
BSA B50
The BSA B50 is a motorcycle made by BSA at their factory in Small Heath, Birmingham. The last of the big capacity unit singles from the Birmingham Small Arms company, it had a 499 cc alloy engine with a bore of and a stroke of , a short wheelbase and unusually high centre of gravity...
engines, as well as nickel plated frame kits for Triumph 500 or 350cc unit engines.