Hunwick Hallam X1R
With Phil Aynsley
One of the most exciting ‘could have beens’ I ever shot was the Hunwick Hallam X1R.
The concept of the X1R was to be a 1000cc sportbike aimed at pushing the limits of Hallam’s engine and chassis design with a machine that would be eligible for competition in World Superbike.
Most of these images were taken at the bike’s launch at Phillip Island during the 1997 round of the WSBK. It was the first time it had turned a wheel!
The bike subsequently went on to compete (as a prototype, thus not eligible for points) in the Australian Superbike Championship for the next two years as a development/publicity exercise.
A proprietary engine design of a liquid-cooled V-twin with four valve heads and DOHC. Finned cylinders helped with heat dissipation and 141 rear wheel horspower was claimed at 9500rpm.
A very full and detailed history of the Hunwick Hallam / Hunwick Harrop saga can be read at www.odd-bike.com (link).
This image was taken at Eastern Creek in 2002.
It is certainly a shame that the project didn’t reach its potential!
