Nationality Northern Ireland | Name Sammy Miller | |
Sammy miller motorcycle museum
Samuel Hamilton "Sammy" Miller, MBE (born 11 November 1933 in Belfast, Northern Ireland) is a championship winning motorcycle racer, in both road racing and trials. He was awarded an MBE in the 2009 New Year Honours.
Contents
- Sammy miller motorcycle museum
- Joey alexander and sammy miller s congregation jam to cottontail at ginny s supper club
- Career
- Support for charity
- References
Joey alexander and sammy miller s congregation jam to cottontail at ginny s supper club
Career
After attending his first race at the age of 16 in 1951, Miller followed a career involving both road, dirt/grass track racing and observed trials. Miller became British Trials Champion 11 times and won the European Trials Championship twice. In his continuing career, Miller is a winner of over 1300 trials, nine gold medals and the International Six Days Trial, three victories at the North West 200, as well as coming 3rd in the 1957 250cc Grand Prix in championship.
Miller rode mainly Ariel motorcycles, including both trials events and the Isle of Man TT races. When Ariel were absorbed by BSA in 1964, he formed a partnership with a Spanish firm, Bultaco, and went on to become the lead developer of modern two-stroke trials motorcycles. The bike he created was the Sherpa T. This was done in 12 days, realizing his success when he finally cleaned a section on the Sherpa that was uncleanable on his famous Ariel. In his later professional racing career, Miller was involved with Honda.
Miller is best known for the 500cc Ariel HT5 that he lightened considerably from standard ex-factory condition. The bike was famously known by its UK registration mark, GOV 132. It is now an exhibit in the Sammy Miller Museum (see below).
Miller parted from Ariel at the end of 1964, moving to Bultaco motorcycles, then newly imported by the Rickman brothers, a press photo-call with Ariel executive Ken Whistance and competition manager Ernie Smith ending his seven years of association.
During the 1960s he won the Scott Trial six times, twice on an Ariel and four times on a Bultaco.
He set up his own motorcycle parts business in 1964 in New Milton, Hampshire, and put a few of his old racing motorcycles in the corner, later to become the Sammy Miller Motorcycle museum. In 2007 he was inducted into the AMA Motorcycle Hall of Fame. He sold his parts business as Sammy Miller Products in 2007.
Today, Miller still rides in demonstration events.
Support for charity
Miller is a patron of the National Association for Bikers with a Disability.