People

Born in December 1955, Cedric Lynch developed a fascination with anything electrical or mechanical which turned into a life obsession.

“I started to get interested in electric motors when I was very young, my parents bought me a book which explained how a child could make one from various household items.

"I was hooked.

Barber after a successful first lap

"I didn’t go to university in fact I left school when I was 12. I didn’t like school but I continued to study my favourite subjects from home and I learnt quickly.

"In 1979 I entered a competition run by the electrical firm Lucas and the Institution of Mechanical Engineers.

"The brief was to invent a vehicle which would run on two small car batteries and could travel as far as possible in two hours.

"There were about 50 entries, and I came second."

Cedric now works with brothers Arvind and Hasmuk Rabadia under the company name AGNI Motors.

CEO of Agni Motors Arvind Rabadia said, “I first met Cedric when I raced his motors, I would win 90% of my races because his motors were the best.

Hamsuk and Arvind Rabadia with Cedric

"I was young at the time and Cedric went off and did his own thing. Unfortunately he has been badly treated on many occasions.

"He is a quiet and unassuming man, not interested in money just his motors and people have taken advantage of him."

Cedric continued: “I’d been involved with another company that was manufacturing their own version of my motor. Their parent company dismissed me in 2002 when they had all the technology in their hands.

"Arvind suggested we went to India to set up a factory to make an improved version  of my motor and that is what we've done. We are now making about 1000 a year.

"The factory is in Gandhidham, India. We're based partly there and partly in London.

"We saw the notice for the TTXGP and Arvind said lets give it a go.

The winning Team AGNI machine

"We initially considered a feet forwards bike, but we couldn't find a rider willing to ride it.

"And so, Plan B we got our rider first.

"We were very lucky to secure Robert Barber and we asked him what bike he thought we should convert.

"He said a Suzuki GSXR 600 or 750 and he arranged for us to buy one without the engine in and we converted that starting in early April.

"It’s worked out really well because it has an identical frame to the bike that he’s riding in the Supersport 600 petrol bike class, so it is familiar to him.

"We were delighted to win."

Arvind commented: “We were not sure how we would get on in the race, we didn’t really have the funds that I would have liked but it turned out very well and Cedric deserves a lot of credit.”

Cedric continued: “We won by quite a surprising margin, in fact we were around nine and a half mph faster than the second place bike.

Rob Barber after the TTXGP win

"The highest speed the bike recorded was 102 mph on Sulby straight and the bike consistently improved all week. In the race itself we averaged 87.434 mph.

"Rob judged it absolutely perfectly because the under voltage cut back device was just beginning to cut in as he crossed the finish line.

"Our motors are particularly efficient about 92% which means that 92% of the battery power is converted into the propulsion of the bike and only 8% into heat.

"We are definitely going to continue with the development of our bikes ahead of the proposed two-lap race in 2010.

"We would definitely like to continue to work with Rob (Barber) he is a terrific rider and he did a great job for us."