Competitor Profile:
R P Sifleet
TT Career Summary
Position | DNF |
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No of times | 1 |
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Biography
‘Dickie’ Siffleet worked as a Flight Engineer for Imperial Airways and subsequently B.O.A.C. and helped run a motorcycle shop in Tottenham (Marsh & Fry Motorcycles) with E.V.Koring, also a Manx and TT rider.
They both raced on The Island in 1947/48 and before WWII at Donington. Dickie was granted a factory backed Norton and privateer Triumph rides but was dogged with tyre problems and in 1948 he was the victim of someone else’s accident at Union Mills from which he lost the use of his left hand.
Always a keen fan we visited the TT several times in the 80’s and he seemed so at home there. He kept various diaries, which showed his meticulous preparation, as he watched the more experienced riders at numerous points on the circuit, noting lines and times.
His early ‘retirement’ from the sport was at a time when he was just about to move into the limelight as this press cutting tells:-
“R. P. ‘Dickie’ Siffleet, a flight engineer with BOAC at Hurn, rode in the Senior Clubman’s TT on a Triumph ‘Tiger 100’and did well in practice.
He was tipped as a likely winner before the race, but five miles along the 150 mile course, Dickie had a flat tyre – and that was that….”
My father never trusted Dunlop’s again…!
He loved his bikes, especially British, and when I started Drag Racing a blown Triumph in the early 80''s he was my staunch supporter and got as much pleasure in watching and ''spannering'' for me as he did riding himself. By this time, his left arm had had to be completely removed but this left him no less a mechanic and engineer. He joined the final tour
d''honneur in 1992.
Richard G. Siffleet
March 2006
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