Selwyn Griffiths

1941-2025

Dealer and road racer Selwyn Griffiths, who spent nearly all his working life (66 years) at Ray Cowles Motorcycles in Pontypool, Monmouthshire, South Wales, has died aged 83.
Loved and respected by customers, trade and race rivals, he was working at the shop until two days before he died on 11 January.

After two years in the motor trade, Griffiths joined Ray Cowles in 1959. Together, they forged a strong bond in business and racing, and their successes enhanced the shop’s profile.

Cowles, the tuner, race entrant and sponsor, died in 2007. By this time, Griffiths was already running the business, offering service, repair and used bikes.

It was almost a foregone conclusion that Selwyn Griffiths would get the racing bug after joining Ray Cowles, who had raced and sponsored top riders, including John Hartle, who finished third in the 1967 World 500 championship on a Cowles Matchless.

Griffiths became a regular on the Isle of Man, racing the Manx Grand Prix (MGP), the TT and the Southern 100. His Island career spanned 30 years (1961-1991), starting with the MGP. His main win was the 1964 MGP Senior 500 on the Cowles’ Matchless G50.

Moving up to the TT in 1965, he was eight times in the TT top 10, riding every year to 1975. From 1965 to 1970 he rode Cowles AJS and Matchless singles exclusively. In 1971 the business added Yamaha to its racing stable, recognising that to remain competitive, two-strokes were the future.

Griffiths’ best TT result was third overall in the marathon 10-lap 1975 1000cc Production race (750 Triumph Trident) with friend and fellow Welshman Dave Williams as co-rider.

During his TT years Griffiths also rode the July Isle of Man Southern 100 road races (1965-1974) held on the Billown roads circuit. His wins included the 1966 500 championship event (Cowles Matchless).

Among his short circuit and other GP rides he won praise from Royal Enfield for fourth place in the 1966 250 Ulster GP on a works model. He was also a crowd favourite at his local Aberdare Park and Llandow tracks in South Wales, where he scored triple wins.

Then came a break from regular racing as he and boss Ray Cowles concentrated on selling motorcycles – the 1970s being a golden decade led by the Japanese Big Four. Cowles and Griffiths had Honda and Suzuki franchises in the 1970s and 1980s and were later involved in contract work for off-road Yamaha (2004). They dealt with many key players in the world of motorcycle import and factoring.

The introduction of classic racing marked their next big chapter. The lure proved too great to resist, and their AJS and Matchless singles were brought out of retirement to compete in the 1987 MGP and Southern 100 classic races.

Griffiths, then aged 46, discovered that he hadn’t lost his touch. Twelve years after his last Mountain Course ride (1975), he found he was just as quick on his 500 Matchless, finishing third in the 1987 MGP Senior Classic. He did the same again in 1989. He scored three wins in the Southern 100 classic races and was on the podium seven times (1987-1991).

Classic racing created such interest that a new Isle of Man event, the Pre-TT Classic Road Races, was introduced in 1988 on the Southern 100 Billown circuit. Griffiths rode it from 1988 to 1990.

In 1992, he changed his leathers for race mechanic overalls to support his son Jason, who would finish on the Isle of Man TT rostrum 13 times, win three Southern 100 championships, and set up Jason Griffiths Motorcycles on the Island in 2007. During TT fortnight, the busiest time for the business, Selwyn would man the counter as a helper. In 2014, he was guest of honour at the Manx GP.

Jason said it has been humbling to receive so many messages in praise of his father, who was invariably friendly, helpful and caring to his customers and always had a welcoming smile.

While Ray Cowles Motorcycles is currently dormant, it may re-start in the hands of the two employees who were working with Selwyn at the time of his death.

Selwyn Griffiths, who devoted his life to motorcycles and loved racing on the Isle of Man, leaves three sons and four granddaughters.