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Famous racers and you


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#51 Steve O'Brien

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Posted 08 December 2010 - 18:16

Could have been 83 then Barry raced a 1000 Suzuki as well as his 500.

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#52 Cstonerfan

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Posted 09 December 2010 - 09:32

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Riding a Norton.
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Last September at "the Island" P.I. Australian National Hystorics.
And a very Famous NZ engineering person in Historic racing circles! "Mr. Manx Norton"
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Even one of his Japanese creations was there!
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It was a Who's who that weekend!
Wonderfull!
P.S. yes it was horrible weather, wet and very cold!

Edited by Cstonerfan, 10 December 2010 - 00:14.


#53 Ivan Astikoff

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Posted 09 December 2010 - 09:57

Great story Steve, not 84 though that was all @ Donington that year. Anorak!! :drunk:


I was watching from Knickerbrook and remember Bazza taking off after the meeting, but didn't witness his arrival. But that was 1979, the only time he rode the Dunstall Suzuki TTF1 at Oulton.
Funnily enough a bike purporting to be the one he rode was on eBay recently...
http://cgi.ebay.co.u...3#ht_814wt_1139

#54 Steve O'Brien

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Posted 09 December 2010 - 12:49

No it was after he had his big off at Silverstone so it must have been 83 he still had a limp that day just had a look at that bike its not the one Barry rode that day it was'nt a Dunstall bike he rode it was one of the Suzuki F1 bikes.

Edited by Steve O'Brien, 09 December 2010 - 12:52.


#55 LamboNZ

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Posted 09 December 2010 - 17:04

Last September at "the Island" P.I. Australian National Hystorics.
And a very Famous NZ engineering person in Historic racing circles! "Mr. Manx Norton"

It was a Who's who that weekend!
Wonderfull!


Ken McIntosh, a builder of many a fine motorcycle.


#56 picblanc

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Posted 09 December 2010 - 18:12

Ken McIntosh, a builder of many a fine motorcycle.


And rain coats! :drunk:

#57 philippe7

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Posted 09 December 2010 - 21:08

I was watching from Knickerbrook and remember Bazza taking off after the meeting, but didn't witness his arrival. But that was 1979, the only time he rode the Dunstall Suzuki TTF1 at Oulton.
Funnily enough a bike purporting to be the one he rode was on eBay recently...


I've had this picture on my hard drive for ages and I always wondered on which occasion Barry had ridden this four stroke thing..... I guess that was this 1979 Oulton Park Transatlantic meeting then ?

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#58 picblanc

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Posted 09 December 2010 - 21:23

Great photo!

#59 jeff sayle

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Posted 09 December 2010 - 22:22

I'llsecond that. Top shot.

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#60 Paul Collins

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Posted 10 December 2010 - 00:05

I remember Barry Sheene having a one off ride on a 4 stroke Suzuki supplied by Suzuki GB at Oulton in 79, I believe that bike ended up with a guy called Mick James in the early eighties at club and national meetings, he was backed by H&S Accessories.

If I remember correctly it was very badly damaged in a huge crash at Cadwell Park ending up in two halves so probably ended up as parts.

#61 Robin127

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Posted 11 December 2010 - 04:00

I've had this picture on my hard drive for ages and I always wondered on which occasion Barry had ridden this four stroke thing..... I guess that was this 1979 Oulton Park Transatlantic meeting then ?

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I think it was the 1979 August Bank Holiday meeting at Oulton. I have a recollection of a reading a race report, along with seeing a photo of Sheene on the Dunstall Suzuki in one of the motorcycle papers during practice week for the Manx that year.

#62 Rennmax

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Posted 11 December 2010 - 08:41

Same Dunstall Suzuki that SMBH used in his last race, the post TT Mallory meeting in '79 ??

Edited by Rennmax, 11 December 2010 - 14:17.


#63 Quixotic

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Posted 11 December 2010 - 10:47

Well I have had my arse kicked by the following in Australia:

Mick Doohan,
Daryl Beattie,
Kevin Magee,
Matt Mladin,
Robbie Phillis,
Barry Sheene,
Peter Guest
Gary McCoy, and

A whole host of others over 20 years or so being a backmarker on bikes.

On sidecars:

Gav Porteous,
Vince Messina,

And heaps of others there too.

I lacked 3 things to be a sucessful bike racer.

No Money,

No Luck, and most importantly,

No Talent!

nowadays I get my arse kicked on cars..........

Yeah I know..... I am a sell out. Too many crashes over the years. Cars are less likely to break my old bones these days

Edited by Quixotic, 11 December 2010 - 10:49.


#64 Ivan Astikoff

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Posted 12 December 2010 - 12:23

I think it was the 1979 August Bank Holiday meeting at Oulton. I have a recollection of a reading a race report, along with seeing a photo of Sheene on the Dunstall Suzuki in one of the motorcycle papers during practice week for the Manx that year.


You're right Robin, couldn't have been the Transatlantic, it must have been the August meeting since I rode there on my new Laverda which I only got on 1st August that year. Or rather I rode most of the way there! One of the guys in our group dropped his CX500 on a nasty right hander and ended up in Shrewsbury Hospital with a broken ankle. Two of us rode back home to Worcester and jumped in a car to go and get Bruce from hospital, now with his ankle in plaster and in some considerable pain. Like the good mates we were, we ignored his pleas to take him home and instead carried on north to Oulton, leaving him in the car parked on the bank with a view of the circuit while we watched from the fence. That's why we were late and didn't see Bazza arrive....


#65 Dewie

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Posted 30 July 2011 - 02:18

Hi all,

My claim to fame is leading Ron Toombs on the Henderson Matchless through the S's at Hume Weir 1973 I think.
Opps, that should read being Lapped Good photo though
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#66 Russell Burrows

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Posted 30 July 2011 - 08:45

Hi all,

My claim to fame is leading Ron Toombs on the Henderson Matchless through the S's at Hume Weir 1973 I think.
Opps, that should read being Lapped Good photo though
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Uploaded with ImageShack.us

That's a good shot. Great rider on what must have been one of the quickest four stroke singles ever built. What are you riding? Looks like a T500 Suzuki?

Edited by Russell Burrows, 30 July 2011 - 09:00.


#67 Dewie

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Posted 30 July 2011 - 10:31

That's a good shot. Great rider on what must have been one of the quickest four stroke singles ever built. What are you riding? Looks like a T500 Suzuki?

Spot on Russell, TR500 spec T500 except it only ran a 5 speed box.

#68 cheapracer

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Posted 30 July 2011 - 16:25

Not in the day but through Vintage MX I have shared the track with almost every MX legend you can name from Robert to Pomeroy etc. along with every Oz Champ worth mentioning at the annual Classic Dirt meetings (Gall, Ballard, Bailey, Bell etc, etc.)

I am on the front cover on a VMX magazine too, an action picture from an Australian VMX Championship.

I organised a 4 stroke natural terrain fun day once and a guy kept blowing by me and then I would pass him sitting on his ass every now and then through the day - turned out to be Jason Crump and he was World Champ at the time.

I was a member of Gold Coast MCC so every now and then Sheene and Doohan would arrive at a club room meeting (not racing).

#69 rotrax

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Posted 31 July 2011 - 10:11

Hi, I remember at my first MGP evening practice a smartly dressed older chap came over and admired the Suzuki. "Thats a nice looking bike young man" he said " but just remember-do the fast bits fast and the slow bits slow. You cant make much time up on the slow parts but you may well come down." He then left to speak with another newcomer. After I had wobbled round a couple of laps and was back in the luxurios tent in the Paddock Hotel the late Derek Older asked what Geoff Duke was talking to me about! I had no idea who it was.

#70 dommieracer

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Posted 02 August 2011 - 01:16

I have been lucky to ride with a few of the the more modern aces but i think the best time was against Ron Haslam in 96 at Brands. I had the biggest slide coming out of bottom bend and held it for what seemed a lifetime. When the race was over Ron came up to me and asked how the hell did i hang onto that slide? I said that i live in devon and that i am used to sheep s**t, cattle grids and tractor fuel on the roads so its not a problem. Little did i know then that i had kept a rainmaster behind me. Sorry to say, no photo, no programme or meeting info apart from it being very, very wet and that my old leathers never fitted me again!.

Kevin


#71 rotrax

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Posted 12 August 2011 - 14:49

One for us blokes who, for whatever reason, never got to be at the pointy end of the grid: who are the famous, or even semi famous, names you have shared a race track with? (Evidence by way of programmes is optional). :)

My wife was going good in Vintage Sidecar Racing in the late seventies.I had found a retired top grass track passenger for her. Before this I was ballast.The new passenger,Aidrian Weston was magic,results improved immediatly. At Mallory one day Owen Greenwood asked me to passenger for him as Terry Fairbrother was not there.I said OK and we went to his Ttiumph outfit to find out about handholds etc. Practice went ok, he said he had been touring a bit to let me get used to his rig.I asked when I should get over the back wheel for Gerrards. "When I change down he said." We got a fair start-he used a four speed close box with a 60mph first gear-and were soon behind the late great Roger Allen,Titch Allens older son.About lap six of ten Owen decided Gerrards could be taken flat in top and so he did not change down,just went for it.As my face was burried behind the screen on the platform my weight was not where he expected and the most lurid,long and noisy slide was the result. He was almost,but not quite, completely out of control. We eventually got back under control and passed Roger to win the "Vintage Sidecar Race Of The Year" At the post race discussion he was a real gent "Sorry about that Coombesy-I knew you would not hear if I shouted so I just went for it-I thought you would be ready next time though!"

#72 RC162

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Posted 12 August 2011 - 18:40

I remember Barry Sheene having a one off ride on a 4 stroke Suzuki supplied by Suzuki GB at Oulton in 79, I believe that bike ended up with a guy called Mick James in the early eighties at club and national meetings, he was backed by H&S Accessories.

If I remember correctly it was very badly damaged in a huge crash at Cadwell Park ending up in two halves so probably ended up as parts.


I read somewhere last year that this bike is in a motorcycle museum in Cumbria. There is certainly a Dunstall Suzuki there. Ilmaurice might be the man to tell us what happened to the bike as he was with Mike James around that time.

#73 dommieracer

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Posted 12 August 2011 - 19:24

Me and my dad went to Brands Hatch for the 87? Trans Atlantic and watched Rainey and Schwantz bash each other. Whilst walking around the outer paddock my dad saw one of his old racing buddies, we walked around the sidecars as this was about the time that my dad was thinking of racing again. We came across this one outfit ( red n yellow i think ) when the guy in matching leathers came upto my dad and said " hello John, it is John isnt it?" yes my dad said. " well a long time no see, i bet you dont remember me do you John?" no my dad said. " you had a gold coloured outfit with a Manx engine?" yes my dad replied. "you know the young lad that was with angus (sponsor to my dad)all of the time?" yes my dad said. "well that is me, Derek Bailey, i followed you and it was you that sparked my interest in sidecars. Derek gave me a quick spin around the paddock. Sad to say that we went to the Island to follow Derek only for him and brian to have the off that ended their racing.


#74 picblanc

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Posted 13 August 2011 - 09:14

Nice story, here is |Derek Bayley in 1986.

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#75 GD66

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Posted 13 August 2011 - 10:41

Blinder ! Great pic, Gra :clap:

#76 fil2.8

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Posted 13 August 2011 - 11:52

Blinder ! Great pic, Gra :clap:



Sure is , Glenn :p :up:


#77 picblanc

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Posted 13 August 2011 - 12:30

Thanks guys! :D

#78 jaybee49

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Posted 17 August 2011 - 18:05

I think it was the 1979 August Bank Holiday meeting at Oulton. I have a recollection of a reading a race report, along with seeing a photo of Sheene on the Dunstall Suzuki in one of the motorcycle papers during practice week for the Manx that year.


It was; August Bank Holiday Monday 1979 and he had given Ron a good race on the Honda. It was the bike Mike Hailwood had ridden at the Post TT at Mallory in the June as George Fogarty had damaged the Ducati at the TT. This bike was to eventually morph into the XR69 Suzuki as ridden by others including Joey Dunlop in 1980.

Barry also took advantage of a spare Honda seat at Oulton Park that day. Mick Grant got off the Honda for a few minutes and Barry was there as quick as a flash - much to the obvious embarrassment of the Honda mechanics..
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Edited by jaybee49, 17 August 2011 - 21:44.


#79 fil2.8

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Posted 18 August 2011 - 20:47

nice pic and story , Mr B :up: , can't imagine who your'e talking about  ;) :wave:

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#80 rotrax

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Posted 02 September 2011 - 14:17

One for us blokes who, for whatever reason, never got to be at the pointy end of the grid: who are the famous, or even semi famous, names you have shared a race track with? (Evidence by way of programmes is optional). :)

Hi, not a quote from a racer but from a tuner,the late Len Cole of Douglas fore and aft twin fame. I was riding the Dr. Joe Bailey 1926 TT bike that had a fully documented history from the 1926 TT,Brooklands and post war hillclimbs and sprints. It was at one of the earlier VMCC 1000 bike rallies at Mallory. Len was a bit scathing about the way I was pedaling it round. "Well Len" I said "It's a unique and priceless bike with a fantastic history and I dont want to be responsible for crashing it or blowing it up" "Now you just listen'ere Coombesy-its an effing racing bike and its no bloody good for anything else! Go out there and do it justice. If its wrecked so its finished THEN it can go in a museum. Untill then you ride it as fast as you can!" What a refreshing attitude from a wonderfull man.

#81 greg1953

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Posted 07 September 2011 - 06:17

Back in the early 70's the Haslams were regulars at Croft club meetings and at the first meeting of 74 Ron ( probably only 15/16 ) was riding one of their TZ350s. During practice I was head down and flat out on the old Railway straight on my TR2B and approaching the very fast left handed bend known as Spa which had a huge puddle on the racing line, I chose to go around the outside to miss the puddle when Ron dived up the inside straight through the deepest part, he lost the back end, legs in the air hanging on like a flag in a breeze but never shut off at all, kept it pinned and was 20yds ahead before we cleared the corner. It occured to me that this kid is going to the top and whatever it was that he had I most certainly didn't.
Railway straight & Spa bend are now part of the paddock and car park due to the new layout but every time I go there I remember seeing Ron in action, close up, for the first time ,a star.
Greg

#82 Welby

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Posted 08 September 2011 - 01:41

lined up on the grid with Mick Hone.

Sad weekend.!



#83 Ivan Astikoff

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Posted 04 April 2012 - 15:52

I read somewhere last year that this bike is in a motorcycle museum in Cumbria. There is certainly a Dunstall Suzuki there. Ilmaurice might be the man to tell us what happened to the bike as he was with Mike James around that time.


Well here's the actual machine in question, coming up for auction at Stafford

http://www.bonhams.c.....e_reference=1

#84 zidder

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Posted 04 April 2012 - 17:37

I once did a Thursday test day at Donington 70's ( the days when you could turn and pay) Those there, Mr. Sheen, Alex George, Geoff Barry, and some others I forget.

Two things stick in my mind,

1/ I used Bell Ray oil in my TD2B but had two different colour bottles, didn't know which was which ( Fork or two-stroke) I went to see Goeff Barry who was sponsored by Bell Ray, he did no more than stick his finger in each bottle and tasted them, told me which was which.

2/ was my first ever lap at Donington and was amazed when I road round the outside of B.S. down craner only for him to come flying by me round Mcleans me going backwards I think.
I was shocked how quick he was I forgot all about Coppice and ended up in the litter, I heared someone shouting to me, looked around and it was Alex George seeing if I was OK (real Gent)

Edited by zidder, 04 April 2012 - 17:38.


#85 picblanc

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Posted 04 April 2012 - 19:57

Nice one Gary. :up:

#86 Ray Oldam

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Posted 18 May 2012 - 17:55

Greg/Chaps,

I just realised I can add a new one to here from the other Tuesday! After a break of over 30 years I finally ventured back out onto the track again at Silverstone with Ron Haslam's race school. It was a really great day out, and one of the things that really impressed me was that when it's called 'Ron Haslam Race School' he doesn't just put his name to it and leave it to his 'people'. He is out there himself from start to finish and seems to have as much fun helping people learn as he obviously does riding. So now I can say Ron Haslam himself taught me how to do 'stoppies'! He also tried his best to get me to learn the 'knee down' technique but it seems my riding style is still a bit 'old school' - I just wasn't hanging off enough!!

I can thoroughly recommend it as a day out. Ron and his team are a great bunch of people and they all seemed to be enjoying themselves as much as us customers. The only downside was the weather for the track session - it was hosing it down with rain so you had to be careful in places with standing water on some of the corners. I suppose I will just have to go back again now to get a dry day!!

All the best.

Ray :wave:

Edited by Ray Oldam, 18 May 2012 - 18:00.


#87 Russell Burrows

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Posted 18 May 2012 - 18:02

Greg/Chaps,

I just realised I can add a new one to here from the other Tuesday! After a break of over 30 years I finally ventured back out onto the track again at Silverstone with Ron Haslam's race school. It was a really great day out, and one of the things that really impressed me was that when it's called 'Ron Haslam Race School' he doesn't just put his name to it and leave it to his 'people'. He is out there himself from start to finish and seems to have as much fun helping people learn as he obviously does riding. So now I can say Ron Haslam himself taught me how to do 'stoppies'! He also tried his best to get me to learn the 'knee down' technique but it seems my riding style is still a bit 'old school' - I just wasn't hanging off enough!!

I can thoroughly recommend it as a day out. Ron and his team are a great bunch of people and they all seemed to be enjoying themselves as much as us customers. The only downside was the weather for the track session - it was hosing it down with rain so you had to be careful in places with standing water on some of the corners. I suppose I will just have to go back again now to get a dry day!!

All the best.

Ray :wave:

That sounds fun, Ray, good on ya.

#88 sramoa

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Posted 23 May 2012 - 21:53

It was in 1st of May the third Velodrom Millenaris in Hungary.Oltimer motos and cars festival(very little similar like Goodwood-only hungarian Goodwood) and there I met Luigi Taveri and some old hungarian riders.It was fantastic!

#89 ccmUS

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Posted 31 May 2012 - 20:28

Does it count if you learned how to operate a motorcycle and have ridden on the same bike with someone famous?? :rotfl: I know I had unfair advantage!! :blush: Hi guys!! :kiss:

Edited by ccmUS, 31 May 2012 - 20:44.


#90 Russell Burrows

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Posted 01 June 2012 - 15:39

Does it count if you learned how to operate a motorcycle and have ridden on the same bike with someone famous?? :rotfl: I know I had unfair advantage!! :blush: Hi guys!! :kiss:

C'mon, Claudia, lets have it.

#91 ccmUS

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Posted 03 June 2012 - 18:57

In my youth I was acquainted with Pat Hennen :love: , who started out racing on dirt tracks before he got into road racing (actually even after switching to road racing he would still go to dirt track races to work on his skills during the off-season). In order to prepare for the weekend races, Pat would take his bike to local open spaces to practice after school (this was high school mind you) and I'd go with him. One day I asked if he would show me how to operate a motorcycle? Sure, no problem. He explained the various parts and their functions, sat behind me and we took off. I caught on pretty well, and after a while he suggested I give it a bit more gas to get up to speed and I'd be able to control the bike better. Uh, maybe not that much. :blush: Much laughter, no damage done, but I'm pretty certain that was my last lesson!! I also needed to learn to be a good passenger, as my inclination was to lean to the opposite direction on corners! :eek: Pat very patiently explained that you needed to be one with the bike, trust the driver, trust yourself. Couldn't have had a better teacher, I learned from one of the best! :kiss:

#92 picblanc

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Posted 03 June 2012 - 19:02

:up: nice one Claudia, one of the best indeed!

#93 Russell Burrows

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Posted 04 June 2012 - 11:00

In my youth I was acquainted with Pat Hennen :love: , who started out racing on dirt tracks before he got into road racing (actually even after switching to road racing he would still go to dirt track races to work on his skills during the off-season). In order to prepare for the weekend races, Pat would take his bike to local open spaces to practice after school (this was high school mind you) and I'd go with him. One day I asked if he would show me how to operate a motorcycle? Sure, no problem. He explained the various parts and their functions, sat behind me and we took off. I caught on pretty well, and after a while he suggested I give it a bit more gas to get up to speed and I'd be able to control the bike better. Uh, maybe not that much. :blush: Much laughter, no damage done, but I'm pretty certain that was my last lesson!! I also needed to learn to be a good passenger, as my inclination was to lean to the opposite direction on corners! :eek: Pat very patiently explained that you needed to be one with the bike, trust the driver, trust yourself. Couldn't have had a better teacher, I learned from one of the best! :kiss:

Nice anecdote, Claudia. Did I imagine reading a while back that Pat was threatening to join us here?