R.I.P Peter Williams.

I don't feel sad about Peter Williams dying. He lived his life and he achieved. The people I feel sad about are those who live and never achieve much other than just scraping an existence out of the system. My old father-in-law died last year. He worked his whole life as a clerk, and raised 5 kids. Those were his achievements. What PW did was much more interesting and he has left something good behind him.

Sad news indeed, a true Norton-man, did great things both on and off the track.

Like aI already says, I was in charge of Peter Williams at the Classic bike show 2017 at Wieze Belgium, I have the honnor and privilege to be with him four days, bring him to his hotel, to the restaurant, he accept also a invitation for diner at my home.
Peter make his official entree at the show ground with " the God save the Queen" as background music and hunderds fans making noise for him. he gat tears in his eyes.
At the interview I dear to ask him what nobody ever ask him: "Peter, If you gat the possibility to restart your live, knowing that you racing career will end with a crash that will let you disabled till the end of your days, will you restart the same live?" and he say "yes"
Peter still own the fasted lap with a singel cylinder (Arter Matchless) on the old 14km circuit from Spa close to 120 miles/hour.
I wish a lot of courage to his family.

Here is a copy from the report I make for Access at february 2017:

Four dream days with Peter Williams.

I had the privilege to share the life of Peter Williams during 4 days, what an experience!

A fantastic person, a gentleman and a champion!

I was in charge of Peter during the recent Wieze trade show in Belgium, driving him to and from the show, to restaurants and more importantly to interview him throughout the event.

I feel I can say that Peter is a man full of contrasts: his physical condition is a real catastrophe since his terrible 1974 accident, being 78 years old isn't helping either. But what courage: 12 hours in a van, coming from England, without ever complaining. But when he starts talking about motorcycle history, he remains the pure genius he always has been, his enthusiasm and Harry Potter smile showing the passion that never left him. It is with kindness and good spirit that he met hundreds of visitors willing to talk to him or get autographs.

I had the privilege to interview him live throughout the week-end, and if it is nearly impossible to cover his amazing career with just a few questions, his answers were always very clear and straight to the point.

Michael Braid, the well-known British collector, brought with him 5 legendary motorcycles, all authentic and immaculately maintained in racing condition:

- Norton JPN monocoque 1973
- Norton JPN space frame 1974
- Arter Williams Matchless "wagon wheels" MkIII
- Thruxton Club 1975
- Dunstall Norton domiracer low-boy 500cc

The icing on the cake was that all those machines were, at some point during the week-end, brought out in front of the show hall and started amidst great crowd enthusiasm...Peter himself at the throttle!

A journey back to a Continental Circus soundtrack blaring at 140 decibels...

In addition to all that, the Flanders Branch N.O.C. assembled a gorgeous display of around 50 Commandos and specials.

All in all, an unforgettable moment for every visitor of the Wieze show and...for myself.

Yves.



Peter Williams and me during the intervieuw

acotrel said:

I don't feel sad about Peter Williams dying. He lived his life and he achieved. The people I feel sad about are those who live and never achieve much other than just scraping an existence out of the system. My old father-in-law died last year. He worked his whole life as a clerk, and raised 5 kids. Those were his achievements. What PW did was much more interesting and he has left something good behind him.

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I gat the feeling that nobody will be sad when you will pass away
Yves

yves norton seeley said:

Like aI already says, I was in charge of Peter Williams at the Classic bike show 2017 at Wieze Belgium, I have the honnor and privilege to be with him four days, bring him to his hotel, to the restaurant, he accept also a invitation for diner at my home.
Peter make his official entree at the show ground with " the God save the Queen" as background music and hunderds fans making noise for him. he gat tears in his eyes.
At the interview I dear to ask him what nobody ever ask him: "Peter, If you gat the possibility to restart your live, knowing that you racing career will end with a crash that will let you disabled till the end of your days, will you restart the same live?" and he say "yes"
Peter still own the fasted lap with a singel cylinder (Arter Matchless) on the old 14km circuit from Spa close to 120 miles/hour.
I wish a lot of courage to his family.

Here is a copy from the report I make for Access at february 2017:

Four dream days with Peter Williams.

I had the privilege to share the life of Peter Williams during 4 days, what an experience!

A fantastic person, a gentleman and a champion!

I was in charge of Peter during the recent Wieze trade show in Belgium, driving him to and from the show, to restaurants and more importantly to interview him throughout the event.

I feel I can say that Peter is a man full of contrasts: his physical condition is a real catastrophe since his terrible 1974 accident, being 78 years old isn't helping either. But what courage: 12 hours in a van, coming from England, without ever complaining. But when he starts talking about motorcycle history, he remains the pure genius he always has been, his enthusiasm and Harry Potter smile showing the passion that never left him. It is with kindness and good spirit that he met hundreds of visitors willing to talk to him or get autographs.

I had the privilege to interview him live throughout the week-end, and if it is nearly impossible to cover his amazing career with just a few questions, his answers were always very clear and straight to the point.

Michael Braid, the well-known British collector, brought with him 5 legendary motorcycles, all authentic and immaculately maintained in racing condition:

- Norton JPN monocoque 1973
- Norton JPN space frame 1974
- Arter Williams Matchless "wagon wheels" MkIII
- Thruxton Club 1975
- Dunstall Norton domiracer low-boy 500cc

The icing on the cake was that all those machines were, at some point during the week-end, brought out in front of the show hall and started amidst great crowd enthusiasm...Peter himself at the throttle!

A journey back to a Continental Circus soundtrack blaring at 140 decibels...

In addition to all that, the Flanders Branch N.O.C. assembled a gorgeous display of around 50 Commandos and specials.

All in all, an unforgettable moment for every visitor of the Wieze show and...for myself.

Yves.

Peter Williams and me during the intervieuw

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Peter kindly signed a poster for me from that event.

It is said that you shouldnt meet your heroes but I'm glad I did ! I was introduced to Peter by Mick Hemmings at the stafford show a few years ago , what a great guy, we talked about his JPN replica and he was interested and very polite about my own interpretation of the JPN, I made excuses and made my exit before becoming a boring super fan . Peter Williams won the first road race I ever watched at Oulton Park riding the Arter matchless, that had me hooked , after that I was a JPN fan and a Norton Commando racer, some 30 years later I was still a fan and proceeded to construct my own JPN replica . Innovative engineers/riders are now confined to history but Peter Williams ranks as one of the best and will always be remembered.

I forgot to say: John English and Steve Vasey where at Wieze to,
John English was the man that ride Peter to Belgium with his van.
Yves

RIP PW , many fans down here in New Zealand who watched his racing and followed his career and copied his engineering ideas for Nortons
Regards Mike

I've just had a pretty shit covid related weekend and day at work. Now I come in and read this. I'm truly gutted. Peter has been my hero since I was in my teens. When I was at the Transatlantic at Brands one year my brother and I were sat down on the grass bank between Driuds & Graham Hill bends, when I happened to look around and there was Peter sitting behind us with another guy. He was such a hero of mine that I felt too overawed to say anything to him (something I've always regretted). Years later we hade a brief email exchange and I told him about this. In his typical modest way he said "Oh, you should have said something, I'm not a clever guy, but the man I was with is though, it was Keith Duckworth"


R.I.P. Peter.

RIP Peter Williams, one of my early racing heroes who could ever forget the JP Norton that he had so much input into, what a guy...

yves norton seeley said:

I gat the feeling that nobody will be sad when you will pass away
Yves

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I certainly won't be sad when I pass away. It is not something I ever worry about because I cannot change the certainty of it happening one day. - Everybody dies - it is what you do while you are alive that matters - the things which affect others. - Peter Williams did plenty.

Never interacted with the man but many times stood staring at the monocoque at Wheels Unlimited picturing him in the saddle. Huge loss. Even more so to the many members here had the opportunity to really get to know him. I have a sales brochure here somewhere with him on a JPN. That'll be going in a frame. RIP Sir.

I used to work in an engineering factory which was similar to the Norton factory. Anybody who is as talented as Peter Williams would really be beating their head against the wall. The management system is usually designed to defeat anyone who is progressive.

As mentioned above, Peter was our guest at the NOC Flanders Begonia Rally in 2015.
You can watch my photos of that event here:

And 2 years later, in 2017, when we celebrated "50 years Norton Commando" during a classic motorcycle fair in Wieze, we were honoured with Peter's presence again:

Maybe I should have posted another link : to the NOC Flanders Branch website, where you can see the same photos (and many other ones):
50 years Commando-feb.2017-Wieze (nortonclubflanders.be)

Very sad, one of my heroes despite never meeting him. At least he did live the dream. RIP mate.
Martin

I met Peter William's and Dennis Poore on the Isle in 1971. Really weird coincidence. As a US exchange student I found out that the stepfather of one of my fellow university students owned the Casino. I talked him into inviting me for the races. Peter and Dennis Poore were staying at the Casino so I got introduced. Of course I lost all my photos and souvenirs. If I had any brains I would have taken notes but the stupidity of youth is pretty unforgiving. Years later I met Peter again in New York at the same show referenced by one of the prior posters. What a wonderful unpretentious man. Such a shame to lose him.

So sad to hear the news about Peter.
When I was an apprentice I always used to get the MCN to see how well he did in the TT on the Wheelbarrow/ Wagon wheels Arter Matchless. He later won the F1 TT on the 750 Norton leaving everyone behind him.
May he R.I.P.

Bodger said:

.....What a wonderful unpretentious man......

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I think you got it in one with that comment....

There are not so many people these days, who build a race bike, then ride it themselves. When you do that, the feedback loop is shorter, but you wear the consequences of your own mistakes.