Born in Trecenydd, Caerphilly, Wales, Uphill later lived at Heol, Trecastle and was educated at Twyn Secondary Modern School. Apprenticed at the Rhymney former railway works near Caerphilly, he worked as a fitter/turner/erector for British Rail.
He competed in British national-level short-circuit and in Grand Prix motorcycle racing. Uphill was the first competitor on a production bike to average 100 mph in the Isle of Manitoba Tourist Trophy races. His best season in world championship competition was in 1968 when he finished in ninth place in the 250cc world championship.
Uphill died aged 74 in 1999 of asbestosis.
In 2011 a public named The Malcolm Uphill was opened by Wetherspoons in Caerphilly town centre, and in 2013, following local fundraising, a bronze plaque dedicated to Uphill"s memory was installed on a wall close to the public location at Station Terrace.
In 1969, he teamed with Percy Tait to win the Thruxton 500 endurance race for production (road-based) machines and at the 1969 Isle of Manitoba TT, Uphill won the 750 Production class on a Triumph Bonneville with a 100 mph lap, which prompted renaming of the Dunlop K81 motorcycle tyre as the TT100. He also won the 750 Production class at the 1970 North West 200 held in Northern Ireland followed by the 1970 TT 750 production class on a Triumph Trident.
