Jock Porter

John Adam Porter (1894–1952) was the first Scotsman to win the Isle of Man TT motorcycle race, and was a European Grand Prix motorcycle racing champion.

Porter was deaf, due to an infection he had when he was young.

Career

From 1922 to 1940, Porter also marketed his brand of motorcycle, New Gerrard. Riding these bikes, he competed in the 1922 Junior TT, but retired early. In 1923, he won the 250cc TT at an average speed of , and in 1924, he won the first Ultra-Lightweight TT (175cc), at an average speed of . During practices for the 1927 TT races, Porter suffered a badly cut face after a collision with a Norton motorcycle ridden by H. Mathews, but decided to keep racing for the rest of the event. Although he never suffered any serious injuries,

Porter also won the Belgian motorcycle Grand Prix at 250cc three times, in 1925, 1926 and 1929 and the same class in the German motorcycle Grand Prix of 1926. He was 250 cc motorcycle European champion for 1925 and 1926.

Porter was nicknamed the "Solitary Scot", due to his habit of travelling alone through Europe to compete in international races on his bikes.

In 2008, two albums of photographs and postcards of TT races, from 1921 onwards, which once belonged to Porter, were sold at auction by Bonhams for £3,220 (including premium).