1911 Humber 2-3/4hp TT Racer
Top speed: 70mph
Engine: 339.3cc air-cooled intake over exhaust 50-degree V-twin, 60mm x 60mm bore and stroke, 6:1 compression ratio
Weight (dry): 125lb (57kg)
Fuel capacity: 1gal (3.8ltr)
The very first race on the Isle of Man TT Mountain Course was run June 30, 1911, four years after the first Isle of Man TT. The Mountain Course would later become recognized as the world’s greatest road racing circuit, but for Birmingham, U.K., motorcycle dealer Percy J. Evans, it was just another race.
Percy won that first-ever Junior TT, covering the 149.6-mile race distance on his 2-3/4 horsepower Humber V-twin at an average speed of 41.45mph, in spite of having to stop to refuel no less than three times in the four-lap race thanks to his Humber’s small 1-gallon fuel tank. Percy won by nine minutes and 13 seconds over second place finisher Harry Collier on his Matchless single, with third-place finisher H.J. Cox a further nine minutes behind on his Forward V-twin.
The six white-shirted Humber riders dominated proceedings, occupying 1st, 4th, 8th, 9th, 14th and 18th places out of the 21 finishers, to record a 100 percent finishing record for the marque’s brand-new 50-degree V-twin model, which had made its competition debut just two months previously. Evans established the Junior TT lap record on his second lap (complete with a fuel stop) at 53 minutes and 34 seconds, an average speed of 42.004mph — faster than 18 of the 28 finishers in the Senior TT two days later.
Order the January/February 2015 issue of Motorcycle Classics to read more about the 1911 Humber. Contact Customer Service at (800) 880-7567 or contact us by email.
