Claude Mackenzie – an unsung Highland hero

I was delighted to see the photo and article from Arran Marshall about his Ariel ‘racer’.

During the 1980s the bike was owned by a good friend of mine, Claude Mackenzie, who lived at Tornagrain, near Inverness and sadly died about 10 years ago.

The Ariel that Claude built – reversing the cylinder head meant that he could make the exhausts from straight pipe.

He was a brilliant self-taught engineer with a penchant for challenging conventional practices, and built a tricycle that included two wheels from a Post Office cart, and matched two Atco lawnmower engines to power his creation. Just for fun and mischief, he exhibited it at shows as a 1910 Trip.

Article continues below...
Advert

Enjoy more Old Bike Mart reading in the monthly newspaper.
Click here to subscribe & save.

When I asked him why he reversed the cylinder head on his Ariel, he said it was because he could then make the exhausts out of straight pipe. Knowing Claude as I did, I believed that to be the logical answer as well as the technical challenge of making it all work.

The kick-start operates on a toothed ratchet, and he used to carry the lever in his pocket between stops.

Ariel did make a Model LG Special around the turn of the 1930s, hence the letters on the timing cover.

Article continues below...
Advert

I have included a photo of Claude on his 1943 Ariel when he became the first man to cross Loch Ness on a motorcycle in June 1988.

Alastair Alexander
VMCC Area Rep for Scotland

Read more letters, news, views and opinion in December’s issue of OBM

Article continues below...
Advert

Advert
Subscribe to Old Bike Mart Enjoy more Old Bike Mart reading in the monthly paper. Click here to subscribe.