The British Motor Cycle Racing Club is also known as BMCRC or “Bemsee” and is a motor cycle club for people from the United Kingdom. With over 100 years of reputation, Bemsee continued to exist over the years in the United Kingdom. Today it is located in Romford, Essex, but the club was first established in 1909 in Surrey at the Brooklands circuit near Weibridge.
It all started in 1909 at a club event when a new hill opened in Brookland after George Reynolds was the first to ascend the hill. Back then the races were organized in such way that the riders had to wait to be invited by their club to race on a course. Because of the unhappiness of the many club members, he and other motorcycle riders were the founders of the British Motor Cycle Racing Club and started to have their own events and meetings.
Just a little after World War I Bemsee started organising solo races in which professional riders participated. Soon the club also organized races for the amateur riders, where people could win generous prizes. The World War II made permanent changes to the Brooklands and the club had to move some of the “Hutchinson” events to a different location. Their main event, the Hutchinson 100 went international in 1957, when riders from many foreign countries entered it. In 1961 the trophy was won by a foreigner for the first time.
After World War II the main racing circuit was so damaged that it couldn’t be used so the club had to convert many military airfields into racing circuits. Between 1949 and 1966 Bemsee was the main motorcycle event organiser at Silverstone. Bemsee organised meetings at Mallory Park, Oulton Park, Crystal Palace, Shelsey Walsh hill climb, and Brighton speed trials and later in this period Brands Hatch. Over the time, the circuit had many changes, like the length change from 1976 when the circuit was reduced to 1.2 miles from 2.6 miles. The club also gained more and more popularity, partnered with important organisations, and had a very nice climb in the international world of the motorcycle racing competitions.
There were notable events in the history of the Bemsee, and one was the Hutchinson 100 Golden Jubilee meeting over the Brands Hatch full Grand Prix circuit that was organised in August 1975. The last running of the Hutch, the most famous of the UK’s short circuit Internationals had seen its ending. It was an extraordinary event where riders from 14 different countries, of which eight French and one German rider were reserves. The winner of the last Hutch was Barry Sheene who got the giant Mellano Trophy.
Today the motor cycle club continues to be very well organized and at this moment is owned by its members. That means that Bemsee is taking any member’s comments into consideration, doing everything they can to make everyone happy. The club has a Board of Directors, a President and an accountant who manage it successfully, and is one of the most popular Motorcycle racing club in the UK.