Colin borrowed Mike Braid's replica Dieter Busch BMW outfit to parade at Crystal Palace in 2015 with Peter Crew keeping the third wheel under control
Colin Seeley ď Ž By Alan Turner A businessman, a first class engineer, a successful sidecar racer, a race team leader, a trustee of a valued charity. That covers some of his major achievements. Just after his 84th birthday, in January, 2020, Colin Seeley had a fall and died a few days later. His funeral took place at Eltham Crematorium on 10 February, attended by hundreds of mourners. Before the funeral, the usual respectful silence was broken as some examples of the many race bikes that bore the Seeley name were fired up. Colin had some early motorcycling background with support from his family that included borrowing his father's HRD Series A Rapide outfit on which to pass his riding test. Working for local dealers, including a spell at Schweiso Brothers at Dartford, he left to start his own dealership when he was aged just 20. He had competed solo in scrambles, but soon, with employee Wally Rawlings, they bought an ex-Eric Oliver Norton outfit. It did not work out well as the outfit, in which Wally was passenger, was in need of a total, expensive rebuild. They were also having great difficulty in getting race entries. A change of tack saw the acquisition of a brand new outfit, combining a Matchless G50 and Canterbury racing sidecar. This showed the 26
team meant business, including a remarkable podium finish at the 1962 TT. With a half-litre capacity limit imposed, the bike to have for Grands Prix at the time was one of the exotic BMW Rennsports. Eventually securing such an outfit led to World Championship standings before Colin retired from racing in 1967. Bought from the ailing AMC, his business now had the rights to continue manufacturing Matchless/AJS racing machinery. A lifeline for road racers as there was virtually no alternative for over-the-counter race bikes in the larger classes. However, the 350 7R and 500 G50 power-trains were installed in re-designed frame and cycle parts and, badged 'Seeley'. These became the bikes to have. The design was steadily refined. John 'Mooneyes' Cooper had been racing a G50 for Colin and was struggling with a wayward 350 Yamaha in as-supplied form. He orchestrated the idea of putting the twin's engine into his Seeley 7R chassis. The resulting 'Yamsel' crossed the bridge into the next, Japanese-dominated road-race era, allowing riders a combination of the quickest engine and best-handling chassis. Everyone wanted one! The Seeley name was a by-word for superbly executed engineering. Later, all sorts of engines were fitted to suitablydesigned chassis as the business expanded
