Fred Hamm

Held a number of endurance records for Harley-Davidson before the Second World War. Hamm was a motorcycle police officer from Pasadena who broke records in his spare time. He smashed the Canada-Mexico Three Flags run in 1936, his time of 28 hours 7 minutes on a 74ci (1200cc) Harley-Davidson knocking 10 hours off the existing record. Also notable was his non-stop 24-hour run the following year, using a 61E Knucklehead. A 5-mile circle was marked out with flags and, for night-time running, flares were used on the smooth, dry bed of Lake Muroc. Despite 100-degree daytime temperatures and below-freezing nights. Fred Hamm lapped the circle continuously, covering 1,825 miles (2937km) in the 24 hours. He stopped only for fuel and fruit juice, and the Knucklehead's only problem was requiring a new chain, fitted at the 1,400th mile.