“Just keep breathing and ride a motorcycle”
Posted by Kerry Atkins | Posted in Motorcycle Shows | Posted on 05-10-2009
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That’s what Freddie Marsh (1900-2003) would tell people who inquired about his secret to longevity. A legendary hill climb, motocross and flat-track racer, Freddie Marsh was a longtime Indian-then-Moto Guzzi dealer here in Connecticut. Local lore has it he carried the largest inventory of Indian motorcycle parts in America at one point. A fierce competitor known as “Demon,” Freddie never got accustomed to personal praise. In fact, he would have been the first to tell you that dumb luck had more to do with him winning the Northeast Amateur Championship in the 1920s than anything. The kill switch on his bike busted, so he had no choice but to corner the track full throttle. Those were the days when racers relied on their kill switches to slow their bikes in the corners… before throttle control and when brakes were not allowed.
Freddie Marsh raced until he was 58, did his last hill climb at 89 and rode everyday until he was over 100. He was inducted into the AMA Hall of Fame at 102. Below is a slide show of pictures I took at the 2009 Springfield Motorcycle Show in Massachusetts. Freddie Marsh’s 1951 Indian Warrior is just one of the many amazing bikes featured. Enjoy!
If you knew Freddie Marsh or have a story about him, we’d love to hear from you! Please share them in the comments section below. Thank you, and keep breathing and riding!
As a young man in the early ’80’s I frequently visited Marsh Motorcycle for Norton parts. As I was learning how to work on bikes, I had a question as to how one could use a torque wrench on some of the inaccesable head bolts on Norton twins. Mr. Marsh’s reply was a terse “If you don’t know how to tighten nuts and bolts you have no buisiness working on a Norton!” after which he stomped off to the back of the shop. One of the mechanics took pity and showed me a thinwall box spanner that I bought and still have. I also remember coming in the door and having his two dogs rushing at me, barking like mad. Mr.Marsh would hollar “Billy!” and give them a biscuit which would distract them and allow us to conduct buisiness. How about the black Guzzi with the sign “Our black Ambassador”-a reference to Andrew Young, perhaps? In the mid 90’s I came in to buy some Atlas clutch springs. I believe they were the last three in stock. Mr. Marsh sighed and said ” I guess that’s the last of those I’ll ever sell.” His eyesight was quite poor at this point; when you handed him a bill, he produced a large magnifying glass to determine the denomination. the last time I saw him was somtime shortly after 2000. A friend of mine was looking for a trials bike for his son and we stopped in. Mr. Marsh was in his office, sitting on a chair with a large foam pad watching the television at very close range. BTW, I always called him Mr.Marsh rather than Fred, as he was older than my grandmother, and I felt it would be disrespectful to take that liberty! He could be like your grandfather, or kind of a mean old so-in-so.
An unforgettable character!