Biker makes final journey in Triumph Rocket III hearse

A BIKER has made his final journey in a Triumph Rocket III converted into a hearse.

David Beaumont, 70, of Lindley, was joined by dozens of other motorcyclists as they followed what’s being coined as the world’s fastest motorcycle hearse.

It was designed by Rev Ray Biddis, a West Yorkshire minister, and cost him £20,000 to build, adding he has managed to reach 114mph on the 2.3L three-cylinder powered vehicle.

Marcus Craven, Beaumont’s son-in-law, said: ‘It’s what David would have wanted,

‘When he finally retired three years ago, he went out and looked for a motorbike. We thought he’d get something sedate; he came back with a Honda 650cc Fireblade [sic].

‘He loved being a biker.’

Mr Beaumont worked as a millworker and then on the railways in Huddersfield, before spending 27 years as an engineering cutter at David Brown Gears, an English engineering company principally engaged in the manufacture of gears and gearboxes.

‘He was a real character,’ said Mr Craven.

“He loved things like clay pigeon shooting and ferreting, but had also developed a love of rock and roll dancing and became pretty good.”