Len Harfield was one of the most brilliant motorcycle engineers of his generation.

On a racing bike he designed and built from various parts, the Southampton rider took on the might of the Italian works machinery in the 125ccTT of 1955 and astonished the opposition by taking eighth place.

He was first private entrant home and first British bike across the line.

It was one of the highpoints of a career which was remembered fondly by friends and road race enthusiasts who mourned his recent death at the age of 82.

Len Charles Harfield named his road-racing creations LCH - and they created their own historic niche in an age before Japanese bikes began to flood the market and dominate the sport.

Harfield was a trained engineer who first started racing grass track machines when he was 14. During the war he was a despatch rider for the SOE and, in the early post-war years, astride a 350 Matchless which he rode to work, Harfield competed in grass track, trials and scrambles.

He was already modifying the bike with revolutionary designs like a swinging arm which brought some wry smiles from his rivals. But they were singing a different tune when he won the Southampton club's grass track and scrambles aggregate shield in 1948.

But road racing bikes were his great passion and his performance on the Isle of Man TT Clypse Course aboard his own exclusive double overhead cam-engined LCH in 1955 was one the highlights of a racing career which saw many wins, especially at Southern Centre circuits like Thruxton, Blandford and Warminster.

He raced on into his 50s, one of his latter projects being to build 250 and 350cc racers around Honda CB72 and CB77 engines. The LCH Honda revved at 14,000 and 12,000 respectively.

Harfield, who had opened his own garage in 1960 after managing the local Rover branch, retained his interest in road racing long after hanging up his leathers. He became chief scrutineer at the TT and Clerk of the Course at various meetings around the country. Right up to 1999, he took part in the parade lap during TT week.

His understudy, Bob Payton, still lives in Southampton and described Harfield as: "A brilliant engineer and a fine rider who gave some of the best riders of his generation a run for their money on his own home-made machinery."

Harfield, who lived as Bursledon, leaves a wife, Winifred, a daughter, Pat, and a thousand memories of an extraordinary career.