Who was Henry Pinnington ?.

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bengunnhrd

Active Forum User
Non-VOC Member
While reading this months Old Bike Mart mention was made of one Henry Pinnington who was a test rider for Vincents and was sadly killed in a road accident while out testing a Vincent.
Does anyone know any more details ?.
 
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david bowen

Well Known and Active Forum User
Non-VOC Member
Henry Pinnington was a top tester at vincent a very quite fellow kept well to him self close to Ted Davis I think he came from the north of England race a very over geared big twin pre war AJS mainly in Ireland Handicap races he was killed on the Watford bypass it was said a car entered from a side turning he was testing a C black shadow.
 
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Chris Weir

Forum User
VOC Member
bengunnhrd said:
Thanks for the reply David.
Sounds like another great life cut short.
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David's info is correct,in the early 70s Phil Irving told me the story of Henry who happens to be the gentleman opp page 19 Riders Handbook removing the front end.He was testing a Shadow with the newly fitted Girdraulic forks and whilst at high speed hit an Austin A30 which pulled out across the road.He hit the car amidships, with such force that it rolled and the impact ripped the steering column assy out of the UFM.Upon return to the works the forks were checked on a jig and found to be in perfect alignment.A tragic circumstance that illustrated the exceptional strength of the forks design.
 
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Hugo Myatt

Well Known and Active Forum User
VOC Member
Chris Weir said:
David's info is correct,in the early 70s Phil Irving told me the story of Henry who happens to be the gentleman opp page 19 Riders Handbook removing the front end.He was testing a Shadow with the newly fitted Girdraulic forks and whilst at high speed hit an Austin A30 which pulled out across the road.He hit the car amidships, with such force that it rolled and the impact ripped the steering column assy out of the UFM.Upon return to the works the forks were checked on a jig and found to be in perfect alignment.A tragic circumstance that illustrated the exceptional strength of the forks design.
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In the late fifties early sixties the Watford by-pass was a notorious graveyard for motorcyclists. At one end was the rockers' cafe the Busy Bee and 'burn ups' up and down the by-pass were a regular feature. There was also Hunton Bridge which precluded a view of Watford town traffic entering from the left. A one time member, Jim Wright, suffered a similar incident to Henry Pinnington. A mini emerged from this left turning just as Jim came over the bridge on his Comet at full chat. Jim split the back of the mini and sailed over the top. As with Henry the impact ripped the steering column out of the Comet. Fortunately Jim survived relatively unscathed. In those days we didn't think to check the fork legs. They looked all right so we sourced a second hand UFM and bolted the Comet back together. Jim rode it for many years after that and the handling seemed fine.
 
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