Motorcycle Champions

[chevin]

paul mc:

 

I think rossi will become one of the greats at the end of his carreer if he carrys on as he is doing

One of the greats? He is already that, perhaps you meant the greatest.

 

Foggy was a very good racer, but he was such a whinger that I think that he alienated a lot of people. Having said that though, he is a very good commentator.

[bushwacker]

Colin SCHEIDEGGER was killed at Malory Park, his passenger was John Robinson. He came to grief on the hairpin, I was about 17-18 at the time I believe. It was on the Easter Sunday, and the Monday clubmans car racing was on. I was there on both days, Mallory Park only being about 9 miles away from where I lived with my parents. It's only about that distance from me now, and on race days or practice/testing days we can hear the noise from where I work, being in the next village to Kirby Mallory.

[Tyke]

Jamie Whitam is a good commentator and so funny with his yorkshire sayings.

Does anyone play moto gp 2 on the pc?

Gp 500 is also a good bike racing game on the pc.

[chevin]

bushwacker:

Colin SCHEIDEGGER was killed at Malory Park, his passenger was John Robinson.  He came to grief on the hairpin, I was about 17-18 at the time I believe.  It was on the Easter Sunday, and the Monday clubmans car racing was on.  

Was he the guy whose passenger fell of and he went straight on at the bend? I remember that, but I can't remember whether I was there or whether I just heard it on the news. It was probably about 1974/75. Tragic accident.

 

Do any of you remember two commentators by the names of Keith and Julian? I can't remember their other names. Good commentories, one of them was pretty knowledgable and both of them were often quite amusing in what they said. We used to hear them on Super Bike racing here.

[Tyke]

Keith Heuwen is still commentating on british superbikes on one of the sky sports channels.

Julian ryder is on eurosport for moto gps.

Both are very interesting and informative commentators.

I must admit the bbc have had some iffy bike racing commentators in its time and one of them kept repeating the same word 3 times and got quite annoying.

Nial mckenzie the former gp rider and 3 times british superbike champion is commentating with Keith Heuwen on british superbikes and he sure knows his stuff.

[chevin]

OK, thanks for that I will have to look out for them.

[bushwacker]

Chevin, you hit the nail right on the head. That was the guy, he did indeed hit the wall/banking on the hairpin. I may be wrong on the year but I think that it was in the late 60s.

I remember it was a BMW powered outfit,but then again most of them at that time where, bright red in colour. The emblem on his helmet (the old fashioned pudding basin shape) was the Swiss flag. He used to be doing work on the outfit, nearly up to the point of being too late to compete in the race, he was so keen to get every thing right.

 

Can anyone remember how the passengers very often used to wear a jumper on the outside of their leathers if it was really cold? I can't bring his name to mind but one guy always wore a bright yellow jumper over his leathers.

 

Does any one remember a solo rider by the name of Ken Redfern? He was a privateer riding a Norton. He competed in the race of the year one year, and beat Ago who was on the MV.

The interesting part about it was that he rode the bike to Mallory from somewhere in Yorkshire, I believe, his mechanic rode down on a chair outfit with the spares and tools etc sprockets tyres, chains and all the rest of the gubbins. They then changed every thing over to the race spec, raced for the day, changed everything back to the road spec, and he rode it back home again.

Now thats dedication to the sport, or just a lack of works finance

 

[ 16. June 2005, 02:48 PM: Message edited by: bushwacker ]

[chevin]

bushwacker:

Chevin, you hit the nail right on the head.  That was the guy, he did indeed hit the wall/banking on the hairpin.  I may be wrong on the year but I think that it was in the late 60s.

 I  remember it was a BMW powered outfit,but then again most of them at that time where, bright red in colour.  The emblem on his helmet (the old fashioned pudding basin shape) was the Swiss flag.  He used to be doing work on the outfit, nearly up to the point of being too late to compete in the race, he was so keen to get every thing right.

 

Can anyone remember how the passengers very often used to wear a jumper on the outside of their leathers if it was really cold?  I can't bring his name to mind but one guy always wore a bright yellow jumper over his leathers.

 

Does any one remember a solo rider by the name of Ken Redfern?  He was a privateer riding a Norton.  He competed in the race of the year one year, and beat Ago who was on the MV.

The interesting part about it was that he rode the bike to Mallory from somewhere in Yorkshire, I believe, his mechanic rode down on a chair outfit with the spares and tools etc sprockets tyres, chains and all the rest of the gubbins.  They then changed every thing over to the race spec, raced for the day, changed everything back to the road spec, and he rode it back home again.

Now thats dedication to the sport, or just a lack of works finance      

I thought it was in the '70s but I can't argue. I thought it was around the time that that foreign rider that used to ride a bike made by an outboard motor company was killed.

 

Yes, I remember Redfern - good rider, and someone else who sticks in my mind was a couple who used to race a combination. Rudi someone and his girl friend Dane Rowe. I remember them being involved in a loose wheel incident on Woodcote Corner at Silverstone. I can't remember whether it was them who lost it or whether they were the ones trying to miss it. It turned out to be a comical incident when every one managed to miss it but it went on to knock a marshal off his feet! One of those incidents that could have had horrendous consequences, but in the end, every one, including the marshal had a laugh!

 

When I first came to Oz, I went up to the local track at which National meets are held and when looking at the programme, I saw that a Barry Ditchburn was racing a combination. I went into the pits and had a word with the guy, and it was the very same guy who used to race in England!

[Colin Brett]

Talking of sidecars and Paul Wright, many years back some friends who were into a bit of racing and myself were at a practice day at Snetterton. Ivan Hackman was keen to have ago on Paul's outfit but couldn't get anyone to ride as passenger. That was until "muggins" here. said OK. Boy did I wish I'd kept my big mouth shut. I don't think I've ever wanted to get off a motorcycle so much in my whole life. I almost baled out after the first lap but stayed onboard for two when I managed to get Ivan to pull into the paddock.

Ivan was a great rider but I wasn't a good passenger. Sadly Ivan had a bad accident at the TT races and hasn't raced since.

 

Colin [still shaking at the thought]

[chevin]

There is one born every minute! I can imagine that being absolutely terrifying! I don't think anything could have got me to volunteer for it EVER. Thankfully the situation never arose! I guess that it is an experience you will always remember. In some ways as a lesson and but also as a pretty exciting incident!