Rollie Free Rollie Free Roland "Rollie" Free (November 18, 1900 – October 11, 1984) was a motorcycle racer best known for breaking the American motorcycle land speed record in 1948 on the Bonneville Salt Flats, Utah. The picture of Free, prone and wearing a bathing suit, has been described as the most famous picture in motorcycling. After an early career in motorcycle retail, Free became a regional racer of the 1920s and 30’s on Indian motorcycles. In 1923, Free tried out for his first national motorcycle race, the 100-Mile National Championships on the board track in Kansas City, but did not qualify.
Triumph Model H by the end of the war in 1918. The Triumph Engineering Co Ltd had been using the advertising slogan "Trusty Triumph" since 1910 and the Model H became known as 'The Trusty' as it proved reliable in wartime conditions, despite a weakness in the front fork spring. This was prone to break on rough ground, so despatch riders would strap a leather belt around it as a precaution. After the war, the motorcycle didn't have enough speed for racing, which was one of the principle markets for motorcycles at the time, so Triumph moved on to a motorcycle designed by