Val Page

Valentine Page (1892-1978) was a British motorcycle designer born in 1892. Described as Britain's greatest motorcycle designer, he worked for most of the leading marques, including Ariel, Triumph, and BSA.^[1] He died in 1978.

J.A Prestwich

Brough Superior SS 100

Val Page served his apprenticeship as a motorcycle engineer and designer with J.A. Prestwich and developed the racing motorcycles which made riders such as Bert le Vack famous. Page designed engines used in the Brough Superior SS100 and SS80 luxury motorcycles^[2]

Ariel Motorcycles

Ariel Red Hunter 1938

Most of his career was spent with Ariel Motorcycles, who he joined in 1925^[2] where he became chief designer and began by developing a new range of motorcycles for the 1926 season. Starting with an advanced engine, Page had to wait until 1927 before a suitable frame and cycle parts were designed. These formed the basis for what was to be the Ariel Red Hunter, which continued successfully until Ariel ceased production of four strokes in 1959.^[3] Page was an innovator and his radical designs included the Ariel Leader.

Triumph

He left Ariel in 1932 to become Chief Designer at rival motorcycle producers Triumph Motorcycles where he developed the model 6/1 vertical twin (Triumph's first),^[4] and a range of singles, including a 150cc two-stroke and 250, 350 and 500cc four-strokes, with Edward Turner

BSA

Moving on to BSA just before World War II Page developed the high performance production BSA Gold Star, named in celebration of Wal Handley’s lap times, the Gold Star model was considered a revolutionary design and featured a single cylinder 500cc engine with twin pushrods in a cast-in-place tapered pushrod tube which operated double-coil springs and overhead valves.^[5] Page also designed the reliable wartime BSA M20 motorcycle.^[6]

After the war he returned to Ariel.^[7]

References