Triumph performance specialist and sidecar land speed record breaker Norman Hyde is celebrating his part in one of the slowest journies of his long career. Hyde joined members of the Trident and Rocket 3 Owners Club in their bid to ride a 1976 vintage Norton Villiers Triumph Easy Rider moped, built in Birmingham, from John O'Groats to Lands End, to raise money for Help 4 Heroes. At 5.45pm on Friday 1st April 2011 the 50cc machine, which had a peak power of 1.2bhp at 4500 rpm when new, completed its 950 mile journey, having left the far north of Scotland six days earlier. Averaging an impressive 120mpg, it was ridden in shifts by club members, with Norman in the saddle for the 50 mile section from Ross-on-Wye in Herefordshire to Thornbury, outside Bristol, which he covered in just over two hours on 31st March. "Maximum speed was 50mph, down a hill with a tail wind, which is 110mph short of my record" smiles Norman. "On an incline, riding into a headwind, my speed dropped to just 8mph, which leaves you feeling quite exposted on a busy A-road". To date Norman, praised by the team manager for being the only member of the team to wear a tie while riding, has raised more than £1200 for the charirty; donations can be made online at
www.justgiving.com/norman-hyde.
