BUCK SMITH TR6

Desert Racer

‘The Real McCoy’
RESCUED - FROM AMERICA 2019

Buck Smith was a significant figure in American desert racing, particularly in the late 1950s and early 1960s, when the sport was experiencing explosive popularity in Southern California. He was a two-time AMA national champion known for his skills in tackling the toughest events of his time. Buck's achievments included wins at races like the Greenhorn Enduro and Checkers National Hare & Hound, where riders navigated extreme terrain, from rocky passes to high-speed desert flats. These races were gruelling two-day endurance tests covering hundreds of miles, with the Greenhorn Enduro alone stretching nearly 500 miles over two days.

Smith rode the Triumph TR6, a single-carburetor, 650cc "desert sled" widely favored by racers, including icons like Bud Ekins, due to its durability and versatility across demanding landscapes. Smith modified his TR6 with rugged features like high-mounted exhausts, strengthened frames, and additional filters to protect the engine from harsh desert conditions. This bike was also ridden by his son, Gene Smith, in races, symbolizing the family legacy in desert racing.

Owning and preserving this TR6, an authentic relic from a defining era of desert racing, connects it to the heritage of both British engineering and American off-road competition. With its storied past, keeping the bike "as is" not only preserves its original character but also honors the legacy of Buck Smith, a true pioneer in the desert racing scene.

This piece of history, some might argue, has been “stolen” back to its origins, but it can also be seen as a proud repatriation of British craftsmanship. This bike cements the connection to the desert racing legends and a bygone era of rugged, unfiltered racing on two wheels.