Les Archer
Archer in 1956.
NationalityBritish
Born27 February 1929[1]
Farnham, Surrey
Died18 December 2019(2019-12-18) (aged 90)[2]
Calp, Spain[2]
Motocross career
Years active1946-1967
TeamsNorton
Championships500cc – 1956 (European)
Wins10

Leslie Archer, best known as Les Archer Jr. (27 February 1929 – 18 December 2019), was an English former leading motorcycle racer of the 1950s, competing in long-distance speed trials, road racing and scrambles, now known as motocross.[3]

He was the son of Les Archer, also a top motorcycle racer from the 1920s.[3] Archer is notable for winning the 1956 F.I.M. 500cc European Motocross Championship on a highly modified Manx Norton.[4][5][6]

Biography

Archer rode for the New Imperial factory at the 1947 Isle of Man TT,[7] and competed in the 1950 International Six Days Trial as a member of the British Army team.[8] He competed alongside his traveling companion Eric Cheney, who went on to become one of the top British motorcycle designers.[3][9] Archer was also a member of the victorious British teams at the 1952 and 1953 Motocross des Nations events. Archer competed in the FIM European motocross championship with a 10th-place finish in 1954 then, improving to a 5th place in the 1955 championship.[10][11] In 1956, he succeeded in winning the 500cc European motocross championship over the defending champion and countryman John Draper.[6] Archer further developed the Manx Norton into the 1960s with engine preparation by famed tuner Ray Petty.[3][12][13][14]

He died aged 90 in Spain in December 2019 where he had been living since his retirement.

References

  1. ↑ England and Wales births Retrieved 21 January 2015
  2. 1 2 "Sad news - RIP Les Archer". nortonownersclub.org. 19 December 2019. Retrieved 17 August 2021. I have just learnt that Les Archer passed away today at his home in Calpe, Spain.
  3. 1 2 3 4 "Les Archer Bio". mxworksbike.com. Retrieved 26 December 2015.
  4. ↑ 1953 Archer Manx Norton Scrambler Retrieved 21 January 2015
  5. ↑ Ryan, Ray (2003). Motocross racers: 30 years of legendary dirt bikes. MotorBooks/MBI Publishing Company. ISBN 978-0760312391.
  6. 1 2 "1956 500cc European motocross championship results". memotocross.fr. Retrieved 28 December 2015.
  7. ↑ "Les Archer Isle of Man TT statistics". iomtt.com. Retrieved 26 December 2015.
  8. ↑ "1950 International Six Days Trial". speedtracktales.co.uk. 11 April 2012. Retrieved 26 December 2015.
  9. ↑ Eric Cheney. Daily Telegraph (23 February 2002). Retrieved 26 August 2011.
  10. ↑ "1954 500cc European motocross championship results". memotocross.fr. Retrieved 28 December 2015.
  11. ↑ "1955 500cc European motocross championship results". memotocross.fr. Retrieved 28 December 2015.
  12. ↑ Motor Cycle 21 February 1963, p.252 more potent single-knocker for Archer Accessed and added 21 January 2015
  13. ↑ Motor Cycle 28 February 1963, p.220 Bang on Tune - Part One by David Dixon. Accessed and added 21 January 2015
  14. ↑ Les Archer Manx Norton at the Motorcycle Hall of Fame Archived 11 January 2011 at the Wayback Machine. Motorcyclemuseum.org. Retrieved 26 August 2011.
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