Les Dear

Record type: Motorsport Biographies

Biography: Junior - A.J.S.
Senior - Norton

Age 36, Les Dear, a builder from Claygate, Surrey, has been riding on the T.T. course since 1936. He followed a forced retirement in 1938 Junior T.T. with a first class replica in the eve-of-war Junior. Back on the Island in ’47 he rode on a Velocette in the Junior and a Norton in the Senior, in which class he finished tenth and collected his second first-class replica. Moving over to the Continent, he competed in the Belgian Grand Prix and the Dutch T.T. – finishing fourth both times. In the Ulster he was second home in the 350 class to win his class handicap and the Governor’s Trophy.

Two more T.T. first-class replicas followed in 1948, when he rode a 350 A.J.S. in both the Junior (12th) and the Senior (14th). The next year he finished 29th in the Junior at 77.26 m.p.h., but had to retire in the Senior.

In 1949 Les averaged 85.46 m.p.h. to take ninth place in the Junior event of the Ulster Grand Prix.

Nineteen-fifty is the year he doesn’t want to remember the Island for – it brought early retirements in both the Junior and Senior. In the U.G.P., he was again ninth in the 350 race at an average speed of 84.98 m.p.h., and again A.J.S. mounted.

Last year he finished tenth in the Senior T.T. with an average of 84.13 m.p.h. out of his Norton “Featherbed” – which with modifications rides this year – and in addition at Goodwood, Thruxton and on the Continent. For the Junior this year, Les brings back to this Island his 1950 ZR.

Hobby: Soccer Fan

He is entered by George Bryant.
(TT Special, 9 June 1952, pp.9-10.)

Mounts: Junior – A.J.S.
Senior – Norton.

Age 34, a builder, of Claygate, Surrey, Les Dear first rode on the T.T. Course in the Lightweight Manx Grand Prix of 1936 and competed in the same event the following year.

Rode in the 1938 and 1939 Junior T.T.s, retired in the former, but gained a first-class replica in the latter.

In 1947, he rode a Velocette in the Junior and a Norton in the Senior, in which event he finished tenth and received a first-class replica. After the T.T., he went on to the Continent, finishing fourth in the 350 class of both the Belgian Grand Prix Dutch T.T., and then in Ulster finished second in the 350 class, winning his class handicap and, more important, the Governor’s Trophy.

In the 1948 T.T., he rode a 350 A.J.S. in both Junior and Senior races, winning first-class replicas in each – twelfth in the Junior and fourteenth in the Senior. Last year he won a first-class replica in the Junior T.T., finishing 29th, at 77.26 m.p.h., but retired in the Senior race in the third lap. In the Ulster Grand Prix he was ninth in the Junior event, at 85.46 m.p.h. Hobby: “Very keen Soccer fan.”

He is entered for both races by George Bryant, of Biggleswade.
(TT Special, 5 June 1950, p.19.)

Mounts: Senior – Norton
Junior – Velocette

Age 31. Lives in Claygate, Surrey, and is a builder by trade. Served with R.E.M.E. in the war, i/c motor cycle workshops, rank of corporal. Overseas service, Normandy to Germany. Entered by George Bryant, of Biggleswade.

Competed in the M.G.P. in 1936 and ’37 – Lightweight class – finishing the first year but not the second. Had several successes at Brooklands meetings and enjoyed many races at Donington. His first T.T. was the 1938 Junior, when he rode an A.J.S., but did not finish. In 1939 gained a first class replica on a 348 c.c. Velocette.

His Junior Velocette is his own property, prepared and tuned by himself. It is a 1939 spring frame model on which he has carried out several modifications, chiefly towards weight reduction. His Senior mount is a 1947 499 c.c. Norton, the property of George Bryant. Dear says “I’ve yet to have my first ride on a 500 c.c. machine so perhaps it’s well we are using Pool petrol!”
(TT Special, 9 June 1947, p.11.)

Competed in

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