Driving the 1912 Bedelia BD2 Cyclecar.

June 11, 2026

I recently had the privilege of being loaned a rare Bedelia Cyclecar from 1912 to drive at this year’s Festival of Slowth. A car I’ve known of for many years and a car I borrowed 26 years ago for my first trip to the Goodwood Festival of Speed when they needed one for the display of cyclecars as part of Cartier style et Luxe concourse.

Bedelia were the first of the real Cyclecars. A tandem two seater with the passenger sitting behind the driver and powered by a mighty 1200cc 90 degree V twin engine of their owned making. Twin belts drive the beast; which are tensioned by a large lever from the driver which moves the rear axle back thus providing drive and then forward for the clutch ( oh and brakes as well ). Lots of levers and not enough hands. The first run around the track was quite possibly the most terrifying drive and Duncan Pittaway of Fiat S76 Beast of Turin fame said he wished he’d taken a photo of the look on my face! But once I got the hang of it, I was able to give people rides all weekend. My dad’s old friend Jacques Potherat’ grandfather was one half of the founders of the Bedelia and I like to think he was in the passenger seat.

Driving it! I can only describe as the nearest I’ll get to piloting an early aircraft and trying to navigate a narrow boat at the same time. Special thanks go to our hosts for the weekend, the owner ( Mr TC), Alain Gallego, Jacques Potherat, Mark Morris and all the other Slowthers and pushers. Such a fabulous weekend. Enjoy being a passenger in a 1912 Bedelia BD2 Cyclecar.