Wasp Motorcycles

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Wasp Motorcycles
Private
Industry Motorcycle
Founded 1964[1]
Founder Robin Rhind-Tutt
Headquarters Berwick St James, Salisbury, Wiltshire, United Kingdom
Products Motorcycle sidecars and frames
Website Wasp Motorcycles

Wasp Motorcycles is a motorcycle and sidecar manufacturer based in Berwick St James, near Salisbury, England, that specialises in building competition solo and sidecar machines for motocross, trials and sidecar grasstrack ,[2] as well as the Wasp 3 Wheel Freedom for disabled riders.[3]

Wasp first saw racing success in 1971, when it won the European Championship.[1] Wasp sidecars have been the winning chassis eight times in the FIM Sidecarcross European and World Championship.[4][5] In 1972, all of the top eight places in the European Championship were riding Wasp outfits.[6]

History

Wasp was founded in 1964 by engineer and off-road motorcyclist Robin 'Robbie' Rhind-Tutt,[6] who was originally employed by the Ministry of Defence as an engineering apprentice at Boscombe Down.[6][7] He designed and built a number of off-road motorcycle frames which he used in motocross competitions.[8] Other competitors were interested in Rhind-Tutt's frames and commissioned him to build specialist frames, so he decided to form Wasp Motorcycles Ltd. The company changed its name to Wasp Engineering Ltd in 1997,[9] but continues to trade under the name of Wasp Motorcycles.[10]

A Wasp/BSA motocross sidecar outfit ridden by former world motocross champion Dave Bickers was used in the 1979 World War II film Escape to Athena, disguised to look like a German military BMW R75.[11]

Products

Wasp manufacture and modify sidecar motocross,[12] sidecar grasstrack ('side-car-cross'),[13] and solo motocross motorcycles.[14] They also produce motorcycle leading link suspension for sidecars[15] and fork conversion kits for road bikes, which improve braking and handling; and manufacture Métisse frames pioneered by Rickman Motorcycles.[6][10]

Wasp 3 Wheel Freedom

The 3 Wheel Freedom is designed for use by disabled riders,[16] including paraplegic motorcyclists, and has an electrically operated ramp to help access. With a tubular space frame bonded to fibreglass body it has independent suspension and a twin-piston brake connected to the motorcycle brakes. The design of the sidecar enables it to carry a wheelchair and it can be attached to any motorcycle of over 500 cc.[3]

External links

References

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