OEC

Osborn Engineering Company, Gosport, began their motorcycle production in 1901 when Frederick Osborn who had been building cycles turned his mind to producing a motorised version. Until 1914 they, under contract to Blackburne, produced motorcycles before expanding their range and added the V twin JAP engine to machines they designed and produced under their own name. Frederick’s son John taking over around 1920, the company grew and introduced innovations until in 1946 production of a speedway machine was added with a choice of two frames, one a twin tube frame the other had a large diameter top tube that doubled as a fuel tank. All production ceased in 1954.

OK Supreme

Ernie Humphries and Charles Dawes founded a bicycle manufacturing concern in 1882 turning to engine powered bikes almost as a hobby producing a few examples in 1899 and returning to the project again in 1906 and by 1911 they were starting production of a two-stroke motorcycle. OK- Precision was ridden in TT races both before World War I and after until in 1926 when Charles Dawes left the partnership to form his own company called Dawes Cycles.

Ernie Humphries continues the original business changing the name to OK-Supreme Motors the following year 1927 and being joined in 1928 by HRD designer Alec Bennett and E J Massey, producing a few Grasstrack machines, JAP equipped, after World War II.

Panther

An interesting frame build mainly for the use of Royal Flying Corps dispatch riders during World War I, and resurrected in 1930, although the unorthodox build produced a very light machine, a reported weight of 185 lb there is no record of it having been successful in any sporting form of motorcycling including speedway.

Payne Easyride

An agreement made in 1947 between Australian Arthur Payne and Charles Oates resulted in the “Aussie” frames being made in the Liverpool Riders Workshops where the riders planned the successful machine that would be known as the Easyride.

Perry Special

Both grasstrack and speedway frames were produced by Selwyn Perry of Gloucestershire. The speedway frame was made with the help of advice of the Stoke Potter Mick Handley and when produced ridden by the Newcastle Diamond Tom Owen.

Pinfold

Lateral thinking by Paul Pinfold of Coventry produce a totally different frame to the diamond pattern that had been the norm for over 40 years. Described by Tony Webb in his A-Z Speedway bikes as having “top 2 tubes of the frame go from the headstock, widening out past the centrally mounted carb to be fixed to the rear arm. Hinged on top is a glass fibre moulding incorporation seat, rear mudguard and air box”, the separate fuel tank on top of the frame. Have no date or detail for this frames use”.

PJ Frames

Cycle frame maker Peter Jarvis began to make speedway frames in 1977, from his workshops in Warwickshire, Peter had for years been supplying frames for mounting bikes and racing cycles so it is not surprising that his speedway frame was also successful and in demand, a few of the riders to use this frame are recorded as being Bo Peterson, Keith White and Marvyn Cox  

Phillips Laydown

In 1948 Wal Phillips was working to try and lower the centre of gravity in the speedway machine and produced an almost horizontal JAP he was not the first to produces a laydown and as is now evident, he was not the last.  Wal Phillips was also a successful speedway rider