From Start To Finish: The Pioneer Run®
In 1924, a group of passionate motorcycle enthusiasts came together to form the Sunbeam Motor Cycle Club, setting the stage for a tradition in the world of vintage motorcycles. The Pioneer Run® first started in 1930 at the historic Croydon Aerodrome, with the starting location of the run changing with each year. Some other start locations included the railway yard at Tattenham Corner (1936) and Westminster (1954). However, its finish line has usually been in Brighton’s Madeira Drive, with occasional detours in previous years to Peacehaven, Paris, and Brighton/Shoreham Airport.
A Scenic Journey Through Time
The 2023 Pioneer Run® will run on a 45-mile route from Epsom’s Tattenham Corner to Brighton City Airport, tracing a path through historic towns and picturesque landscapes. The run will start at 8 am, and riders will make their way southward, past Reigate and Gatwick Airport, and continue through Handcross, Plummers Plain, and Lower Beeding. Awards will be presented at the Sunbeam MCC marquee at 2:00 PM, with the Chairman of Adur Council and the Mayor of Epsom and Ewell in attendance.
About The Vehicles
The vehicles that take part annually in the Pioneer Run® are classified into three categories based on their build years:
- Class A: Machines built before 1905
- Class B: Machines built between 1905 and 1909
- Class C: Machines built between 1910 and 1914
Each class offers a glimpse into the evolution of motorcycle technology and design during this pioneering era. All participating vehicles will be over 100 years old, so this is an unmissable event.
83rd Pioneer Run® (Pre-1915) in 2023
At this year’s Pioneer Run® hosted by Sunbeam, you can expect to see pre-1915 Veteran motorcycles, Sidecars, Tricycles, and Quadricycles. The Run will be celebrating its 83rd anniversary and will take place on the 1st of October 2023, running from Epsom Downs Racecourse (Surrey) to Brighton City Airport. The 2023 run has been nominated to be part of the worldwide motorcycle weeks by FIVA.
Who Can Attend?
To maintain the authenticity of this event, in 1938 a register of pre-1915 motorcycles was created, and only machines listed on this register can participate in the Pioneer Run® each year. The event attracts over 370 annual entries, and being the premier event in the Veteran Motorcycle Movement and attracting participants from national and international communities, it is the world’s largest gathering of pre-1915 motorcycles.
If you’re interested in watching the vintage machines make their way from start to finish, you can purchase a ticket and visit Leonards Lee Gardens on the 1st of October, where the participants will stop to showcase their vehicles. You might even get the chance to see some famous people. In the last 83 years, the Pioneer Run® has attracted famous participants, including Prince Michael of Kent and Graham and Murray Walker, to name a few.
