The first Round The World trip by motorcycle began in 1912 in Dublin. It’s recounted in a book by Greg Frazier (multi RTWer himself) which I’m expecting to pop through the letterbox one of these days. I’ll do a review of it in the Books section when I’ve had a chance to read it.
As far as I can figure out the start date for this epic trip was 21st Oct 1912.
Two guys from USA, Carl Stearns Clancy and Walter Storey had two new Henderson motorcycles shipped to Dublin from the Henderson factory in Detroit. After being uncrated and put together Clancy took Storey, who had never ridden a motorcycle before, up to the Phoenix Pk for some instruction. They had two unsuccessful starts on the 19th and 20th – the first stopped by a “Dublin Bobbie” who made them go back and have number plates made up and fitted to the front mudguards, the second when Storey hit a Dublin tram. They made arrangements to have his bike fixed and headed off again on the 21st, two-up on Clancy’s bike.
They went to Donegal and on around the Northern Irish coast to the Giant’s Causeway, then to Belfast. Clancy returned to Dublin by train where he picked up Storey’s repaired bike and drove back to Belfast from where they got the ferry to Glasgow. On the way south through England Clancy proudly tells of doing 17 miles in a half hour (34 mph) and notes that there were no speed traps to be seen.
The bikes were 1912 Hendersons made in Detroit, with a 934cc 7hp 4 cylinder engine – reportedly the fastest bikes around at the time.
Storey pulled out of the trip but Clancy kept going eventually covering over 18,000 miles, a remarkable feat for the times. It’s amazing to think that almost 100 years later a similar trip is still an adventure and a dream for many of us. Had he any idea what he was starting?
This was an amazing achievement and with the centenary taking place in 2012 I think the occasion should be marked in some way – perhaps a retracing of the Irish part of the journey setting off on 21/10/12 and including an overnight? Any other ideas?
As far as I can figure out the start date for this epic trip was 21st Oct 1912.
Two guys from USA, Carl Stearns Clancy and Walter Storey had two new Henderson motorcycles shipped to Dublin from the Henderson factory in Detroit. After being uncrated and put together Clancy took Storey, who had never ridden a motorcycle before, up to the Phoenix Pk for some instruction. They had two unsuccessful starts on the 19th and 20th – the first stopped by a “Dublin Bobbie” who made them go back and have number plates made up and fitted to the front mudguards, the second when Storey hit a Dublin tram. They made arrangements to have his bike fixed and headed off again on the 21st, two-up on Clancy’s bike.
They went to Donegal and on around the Northern Irish coast to the Giant’s Causeway, then to Belfast. Clancy returned to Dublin by train where he picked up Storey’s repaired bike and drove back to Belfast from where they got the ferry to Glasgow. On the way south through England Clancy proudly tells of doing 17 miles in a half hour (34 mph) and notes that there were no speed traps to be seen.
The bikes were 1912 Hendersons made in Detroit, with a 934cc 7hp 4 cylinder engine – reportedly the fastest bikes around at the time.
Storey pulled out of the trip but Clancy kept going eventually covering over 18,000 miles, a remarkable feat for the times. It’s amazing to think that almost 100 years later a similar trip is still an adventure and a dream for many of us. Had he any idea what he was starting?
This was an amazing achievement and with the centenary taking place in 2012 I think the occasion should be marked in some way – perhaps a retracing of the Irish part of the journey setting off on 21/10/12 and including an overnight? Any other ideas?
