Les_Archer,_Jr.

Les Archer Jr.

Les Archer Jr.

English motorcycle racer (1929–2019)

This article is about the British motorcycle racer (1929-2019). For the British motorcycle racer (1907-2001), his father, see Les Archer.

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]

Quick Facts Nationality, Born ...

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. [1]
    England and Wales births Retrieved 21 January 2015
  2. [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. [3]
    "Les Archer Bio". mxworksbike.com. Retrieved 26 December 2015.
  4. [4]
    1953 Archer Manx Norton Scrambler Retrieved 21 January 2015
  5. [5]
    Ryan, Ray (2003). Motocross racers: 30 years of legendary dirt bikes. MotorBooks/MBI Publishing Company. ISBN 978-0760312391.
  6. [6]
    "1956 500cc European motocross championship results". memotocross.fr. Retrieved 28 December 2015.
  7. [7]
    "Les Archer Isle of Man TT statistics". iomtt.com. Retrieved 26 December 2015.
  8. [8]
    "1950 International Six Days Trial". speedtracktales.co.uk. 11 April 2012. Retrieved 26 December 2015.
  9. [9]
    Eric Cheney. Daily Telegraph (23 February 2002). Retrieved 26 August 2011.
  10. [10]
    "1954 500cc European motocross championship results". memotocross.fr. Retrieved 28 December 2015.
  11. [11]
    "1955 500cc European motocross championship results". memotocross.fr. Retrieved 28 December 2015.
  12. [12]
    Motor Cycle 21 February 1963, p.252 more potent single-knocker for Archer Accessed and added 21 January 2015
  13. [13]
    Motor Cycle 28 February 1963, p.220 Bang on Tune - Part One by David Dixon. Accessed and added 21 January 2015
  14. [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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