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Georg Meier’s place in history is assured. He was the first foreign rider to win a Senior Isle of Man TT race, but that was just one landmark in a lifetime devoted to powered transport. Born in 1910, by his teenage years Meier was an apprentice mechanic in his home town of Muhldorf in Austria, where Georg acquired the nickname ‘Schorsch’. He applied to join the newly-created motorcycle section of the Bavarian Police, but put his motorcycling ambitions on hold for three years of mandatory basic training. Finally returning to two wheels, Georg and his fellow police riders were encouraged to enter long-distance endures, a form of competition in which Georg revelled. In a 1934 event, riding an obsolete 400cc BMW, he astounded those present by finishing an hour before the second place man. Such performances attracted the attention of the Army team and this was a stepping-stone to an entry in the 1937 ISDT (International Six Days Trial), based in Wales. By this time, Germany’s success in sporting events was used for political propaganda but the other side of the coin was that government money and support was always forthcoming. After five days of off-road competition the German and British teams were level and the result depended on the final speed test around Donington Park, where Georg was fastest rider, but the handicap system gave Britain the win by a margin of just 10 seconds. Georg progressed to a place with Jock West and Karl Gall in the BMW road race team, riding the recently developed 500cc M255/1 Kompressor (supercharged) flat twins. Initially, Georg took some persuasion to adopt this new discipline, but by 1938 he was showing the measure of his talent, winning road races at home. The European Championships were first instituted in 1938, with the Isle of Man TT as one of the qualifying events. Georg’s debut was inauspicious. A mechanic hurrying to change plugs stripped the cylinder head thread. Georg got no further than the bottom of Bray Hill before retiring, observing later that it had saved him from going too fast on a course with which he was still unfamiliar. Victories in major continental races saw him become European Road Race Champion. By 1939, Georg’s day job was instructing with the Military Police, but his BMW race efforts continued. The TT was difficult when Karl Gall died from injuries received in a practice crash. After some deliberation, Georg and Jock West raced and finished one-two. Georg had led from start to finish, the 89.38mph race speed was a record and it was the last TT victory by a supercharged machine. That year, Georg’s car-driving talents were in demand by the famous Auto Union car racing team. After falling twice in the Swedish (motorcycle) Grand Prix, his injuries precluded further racing and allowed him to remain a riding instructor during the war. He also served as driver for Admiral Wilhelm Canaris, a leading military espionage figure as well as an opponent of the Nazi regime. Postwar, Germany suffered sporting ostracism and its riders were not allowed to compete in international competition until 1952. However, interest in motorcycle sport remained higher than ever. Competing initially on prewar bikes, Georg secured the list of six national 500cc titles in 1947. His popularity reached a peak when he became the first motorcyclist to be awarded the title of ‘Sportsman of the Year’ in 1949. He opened a motorcycle business in Munich that became an agency for BMW motorcycles and cars. He was married and had a son and daughter. After losing to Walter Zeller in 1952, Georg added a swansong national title in 1953 before retiring. However, the following year, with Hans Meier and Walter Zeller, the trio averaged a record-breaking 103.55mph on a 500cc BMW Rennsport for nine hours around Montlhery. Always popular with spectators and fellow riders, he was welcomed back to the TT in 1989. His original bike had been found and restored by John Surtees and Georg rode it in a parade lap to mark 50 years since his victory. Georg passed away in 1999. - Alan Turner When riding, don't forget to wear a carbon fiber helmet or a custom painted helmet.
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Georg Meier, motorcycle, motorcycle history, champion, motorcycle race champion,
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