Eric Oliver

Eric Oliver
Nationality British
Motorcycle racing career statistics
Grand Prix motorcycle racing
Active years 1949 - 1960
First race 1937 500cc Isle of Man TT
Last race 1960 Isle of Man TT[1]
First win 1949 Swiss Sidecar Grand Prix
Last win 1954 Belgian Sidecar Grand Prix
Team(s) Norton,
Championships 4
Starts Wins Podiums Poles F. laps Points
17 33 N/A N/A
Eric Oliver
Nationality English
Motorcycle racing career statistics
Isle of Man TT career
TTs contested 14 (1937 - 1960)
TT wins 1
First TT win 1954 Sidecar TT
Last TT win 1954 Sidecar TT
Podiums 1

Eric Staines Oliver (13 April 1911 - 1 March 1980) was an English motorcycle racer best remembered as four time FIM Sidecar World Champion, riding a Norton. His passenger in 1949 was Denis Jenkinson. He is also remembered for his innovation, being the first sidecar competitor to use a dustbin fairing, rear suspension and the first to adopt the kneeling riding position.[2]

He was also an accomplished solo racer and continued to ride a 350 Grand Prix bike while racing a sidecar.

Oliver made a surprising appearance in the 1958 Isle of Man Sidecar TT race on a standard Norton Dominator 88 with a Watsonian "Monza" road sidecar with Mrs Pat Wise in the sidecar, finishing a creditable tenth ahead of many specialised race machines. Oliver's last TT appearance was in the 1960 with passenger Stan Dibben but they had a bad crash in practice with Oliver breaking his back in two places and Dibben was nearly decapitated. Both men decided to retire from racing after this.[3]

Eric Oliver later switched to car racing with a Lotus Elan.[4]

References

  1. ^ [1]
  2. ^ [2]
  3. ^ [3]
  4. ^ Motor Sport, May 1965, Page 351.

External links