The Story so Far!
Steve Smith founded HM Racing in 1990. Since then HMR customers have won more than 30 British Championships and enjoyed numerous other regional, national and international successes with engines built, tuned and dyno tested at HM Racing.
During 1999 Perry Leask joined HM Racing, adding chassis and suspension services to HMR's capabilities. Perry is an eight times national champion, five of his titles being won on HMR tuned engines. He is one of the original Ohlins technicians with factory training dating back to the early eighties.
2003 saw Ex International sidecar racer Dave Carnell join HMR. Dave’s experience in running successful race teams has proved invaluable to the company.
Until late 1995, HMR's specialty was the development of fourstroke off road racing engines, from National to Grand Prix level. HMR has always been observant of technology practiced in other motorsports and is proud of its early off road credentials. Much of HMR’s success stems from the belief that technology must be used to measure, examine and improve results.
1996 saw HMR move into Road Racing and record an International race win in their debut season, along with other national and regional race wins.
The late nineties saw HMR become synonymous with Husqvarna, tuning the top finishing Husky at British Championship level from 1994 to 2000, in Motocross, Enduro and Supermoto, with a 100% mechanical record. In 1997 HMR tuned Huskys finished 1st, 2nd and 3rd in the British Fourstroke Motocross Championship.
HMR has capitalised on its utilisation of technology, linking Dyno Testing with Data Acquisition, which resulted in an association with a major oil company carrying out in depth product testing
HMR's own Intelligent Ignition Systems have assisted teams to a European title and eight National championship wins.
In 2001 HMR campaigned a Husqvarna Mono in the British Supermono Championships, their first race team effort. Despite taking a new machine from concept to race track in less than six months, they finished a close second in the championship. Steve Ruth won three of the last four rounds, scored a win and a second place in the two European rounds contested and set a new class track record at Snetterton.
2002 was a very sucessful year for HMR in both Road Race and Supermoto with ten championship wins.
During 2003, HMR secured the UK distribution of STM products who are market leaders in slipper clutch design and manufacture. clutches are used by many world class race teams.
In 2005, realising its potential, HMR set about developing KTM’s new Super Duke for use as a race machine. This resulted in a debut race win and securing the Sound of Thunder series the following year.
2005 also saw HMR re launch Intelligent Ignition Systems, the inclusion of electronics expert Gareth Hopkins to the HMR team has been an exciting development which has resulted in the world beating HM Quickshifter. The product was used by 90% of moto2 competitors during 2010 and 2011, and subsequently many others. HM Quickshifter now operates as a separate company, developing other exciting products such as the HM Dash.
HMR were able to combine their experience of both road race and supermoto, providing engine tuning, dyno and suspension services for the winner of KTM 660 Bracken Cup in 2006 and 2007. The series became The Bridgestone Supermoto Cup for 2008, expanding the entry to other motorcycles. HMR again provided engine tuning, dyno and suspension services for the top three finishers, it fact five of the top six!
Since 2008 HMR tuned bikes have won the Belgium Supermoto Championship, Southern Supermoto Championship, ACU International 125 Grasstrack Championship, ACU Senior B Grasstrack Championship, ACU SE Centre Motocross Championship, BSB 600 Superstock Championship, MRO Powerbike Championship and were runners-up in ACU National Superstock Championship, BEMSEE Thunderbike Championship (twice!) and BEMSEE Clubman 1000 Championship.
HMR are now in a strong position in the UK, being able to offer top flight services for engine development, dyno testing and suspension tuning, all in house
