The Motorcycle Mavericks: Documentary examines role of NI engineering pioneers in road racing

He follows the path of some of our most successful riders including Joe Craig who would go on to greater success as manager of the factory Norton team – one of the best in the world.

Also working with the team in the late ’40s was self-taught engineer and designer, Rex McCandless, from Hillsborough – the inventor of the game-changing ‘Featherbed Frame’.

Norton destroyed the opposition at the Isle of Man TT in 1950 and McCandless would change motorcycle racing design for decades to come.

Local riders and engineers continued to seek success. By the early 1960s, Italian and Japanese machinery were beginning to dominate. But a Bushmills farmer, Richard Creith, riding a Norton tuned by Ballyclare fireplace salesman and fitter, Joe Ryan, proved that the famous marque could still compete – winning two North West 200s and the Ulster Grand Prix in 1965.

That year, a motorcycling enthusiast from Larne, Professor of Mechanical Engineering at Queen’s University Belfast, Gordon Blair, became involved in Irish road racing.

The university designed and built the machines yielding huge success.

Stephen meets one of Blair’s students, Robert Fleck and ex-rider Ray McCullough.

The team at Queen’s would go on to develop a partnership with Yamaha to help develop their engines. Robert himself would go on to become Professor of the Mechanical Engineering department and take the University to a global audience competing in Grand Prix racing with rider Jeremy McWilliams.