Graeme Crosby autobiography: 'Larrikin Biker' (merged)

Graeme Crosby has written a book about his bike racing exploits. Should be a good one.

Info from Croz' website

Yep , all ordered , should be a cracker

Yep , all ordered , should be a cracker

In would love to hear your honest opinion of the book before I purchase one, so if you have the time after you have read it, would you let us know?
Thanks in advance.

One would hope it's a little better penned than the short tales on his website about the old days. I gather from Peter D that it's been reduced in content somewhat by the publishers, so no doubt it's been tidied up as well as trimmed : knowing Croz, once he puts his mind to something, he makes a fair job of it, so I remain hopeful.

One would hope it's a little better penned than the short tales on his website about the old days. I gather from Peter D that it's been reduced in content somewhat by the publishers, so no doubt it's been tidied up as well as trimmed : knowing Croz, once he puts his mind to something, he makes a fair job of it, so I remain hopeful.

So not ghosted?

In would love to hear your honest opinion of the book before I purchase one, so if you have the time after you have read it, would you let us know?
Thanks in advance.

I most certainly will , FF , not sure when it will arrive , sooner rather than later , I hope

So not ghosted?

Self-penned, I gather Russell. Peter D will confirm, no doubt.

(Probably advertised as the "Unauthorised Autobiography "....)

All Croz's own work. Was talking to ex Revs editor Mike Esdaile at the weekend and Croz approached him early on. Mike read some of Croz's early chapters and told him he didn't need any outside help. He's obviously called upon others for memories, but, no, what you read is Croz's own work.

All Croz's own work. Was talking to ex Revs editor Mike Esdaile at the weekend and Croz approached him early on. Mike read some of Croz's early chapters and told him he didn't need any outside help. He's obviously called upon others for memories, but, no, what you read is Croz's own work.

Hi, I well remember Croz arriving here. At the time I worked for K.M.U.K. at Slough. The M.D.,John Norman asked if I would loan my race transporter-an ex G.P.O. Commer-to Croz. I declined and made it clear that a rider of his potential needed something better. The problem was budget. Kawasaki had deep pockets when it came to the G.P. Team but that was all. I think they rented him a Transit for a bit and lost it to another internal budget. I bet thats not in the book- Croz probably was unaware what was going on. Within a couple of meetings he was away and sliding that big 'ol beast around. Backing it in aint new -Croz did it all the time. Cant wait to get a copy. In Sport, Rotrax.

Edited by rotrax, 08 November 2010 - 22:47.

Mine arrived on Saturday , yet to start on it , but hope to in a day or to , cheers , Croz

Mine arrived on Saturday too, from what I've read so far (mainly the TT, Ulster stuff) it's going to be a really good book

Just finished my copy and thoroughly enjoyed it. It is a story well-told in his own words, and if that means it isn't as well written as something by a 'professional' writer then I'm happy to live with that.

Highly detailed, honest and funny account of his time racing. It filled in all the details between the meagre and sketchy race reports carried (or not) by the mainstream media, which is all I had to go on at the time.

What I found most interesting is that my wife grabbed the book after me. I told her it was all bike racing, not her thing and that she would not enjoy it.

I was wrong, she is enjoying it, cracking up laughing at some of the antics, so it must be a pretty good read for someone other than a fan.

Could I "plug" Kork Ballington's book?
Has been out for a while, but a sensational book with glorious detail and pictures!
Here is Korky at the Q'land National Historic championship round last year.

and his bike!

Edited by Cstonerfan, 13 November 2010 - 07:28.

I thought this might be worthy of a forum comment. It come from Ralph Hannan, brother of Ross and should know most of the details, afterall he was there for some of the stories.

CROZ



Ralph Hannan commented on his wall post.

Ralph wrote:
"Friday 13.00 pm i recieved it Saturday 2.30 am i put it down finnished cant wait for the sequel,Ive known you for a long time(Greenbottle)and im very proud of you,well done ill see you at Phillip Island"


Ralph Hannan16 November 2010 at 06:31
Subject: Book
Croz i loved it,had me in tears,laughter,wondering.I realy think it was put together so well,I dont want to say anything in public that might spoil it for anyone,My son James read it as well and he reads nothing,Thanks again for sending it,ill get some money away soon for 2 more for my son in laws,or future ones,well done cant stop with the expletives ,it will sell very well only thing i can say is i hope they printed enough ,Cheers to you both Ralph.

Got Ballington';s book too, also very good.

The best one I've ever read though would have to be Jon Ekerold's.

Yep, that's a ripper too. Gives us a previously-unobtainable insight into the world of Helmut Fath, incredible. And a great yarn as well.

Finished the Croz bio : sure moves along at a fast clip, no wonder he felt burnt-out at the end of '82 ! Possibly could have done with a proof read to iron out the odd typo and misspelt name, but we know who he means and the sincerity and honesty in the text far outweighs any minor technical glitch. He shoots from the hip and always has, and even though it's a racing bio there's plenty of laughs and hard-case yarns along the way. A top effort from a top bloke. I don't think he ever realised how good a racer he was, and in cold terms his GP career won't list him amongst the greats of our sport, but anyone that saw him ride will recall his gutsy contribution, and his entertainment value both on-track and off.
Nice one, Croz !

Is Croz the last 500 cc rostrum man to win a TT ?.

Is Croz the last 500 cc rostrum man to win a TT ?.

No - My friend Mick Grant won in 1981, I nipped a piston about 8 miules our from the start. Bugger!

Sorry, i should have been more specific, were you the last 500cc Grand Prix rostrum man to win a TT ?.

Oh and thanks for being such an entertaining rider.

Edited by bella, 16 November 2010 - 20:43.

Very nice indeed to have you contributing to this forum Mr Crosby. I'll be in New Zealand mid-january and I do hope your book won't be sold out by then , and I'll manage to find a copy !

Please do add your thoughts and memories, specially on that thread if you find the time
http://forums.autosp...howtopic=129227

Welcome to the forum, Graeme.

Those legends that are the Hannan brothers have a lot to answer for. When they make the movie, I'm trying to think who will play Ralph, dodgy shorts and all, and Rosko, the weltmeister deal-maker and Suzuka tour leader.

In would love to hear your honest opinion of the book before I purchase one, so if you have the time after you have read it, would you let us know?
Thanks in advance.

Hi I have had some feedback already so here are a few comments - so far!

Congratulations Graeme .
A good show and no doubt the two of you can feel proud about it. I am going well with the book ... very readable and it’s a wonder you are in such good shape after a life in the fast lane !!
Cheers Beers and Leers !!

"Friday 13.00 pm i recieved it Saturday 2.30 am i put it down finnished cant wait for the sequel,Ive known you for a long time(Greenbottle)and im very proud of you,well done ill see you at Phillip Island"

Book arrived safe and sound this morning at 10 am, it's now early evening and i'm nearly half way through - can't put it down!! I think the quote on the back cover is very apt - it's croz's first book, but you wouldn't know. Well done mate, it's a brilliant read.

"Just finished your book Croz. Brilliant mate. An excellent read, and hard to believe you haven't written before. I could never understand why you quit so early but it all makes sense now. Wise move. Still feels like there was unfinished business with your racing career.

"The easiest read ever !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!"


CROZ

Had this Tempura painting commisioned many years ago and hangs proud on my wall together with this pencil drawing of Crozz on the Kawasaki Z1R superbike!

Hope you all like it enough as I do!
Cozz in training Asser TT meeuwen hoek with Mamola on the Galina SuzukiRG XR45, Tempura painting by Adriaan de Jong in September 1983.
Pencil drawing by unknown artist.

Edited by Cstonerfan, 17 November 2010 - 05:49.

Hi I have had some feedback already so here are a few comments - so far!

Congratulations Graeme .
A good show and no doubt the two of you can feel proud about it. I am going well with the book ... very readable and it’s a wonder you are in such good shape after a life in the fast lane !!
Cheers Beers and Leers !!

"Friday 13.00 pm i recieved it Saturday 2.30 am i put it down finnished cant wait for the sequel,Ive known you for a long time(Greenbottle)and im very proud of you,well done ill see you at Phillip Island"

Book arrived safe and sound this morning at 10 am, it's now early evening and i'm nearly half way through - can't put it down!! I think the quote on the back cover is very apt - it's croz's first book, but you wouldn't know. Well done mate, it's a brilliant read.

"Just finished your book Croz. Brilliant mate. An excellent read, and hard to believe you haven't written before. I could never understand why you quit so early but it all makes sense now. Wise move. Still feels like there was unfinished business with your racing career.

"The easiest read ever !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!"


CROZ

Hi mate its 650am here and started reading the book last night ( and I don’t read books under any circumstance ) ****in loving it. page 75 between last night and now. If all writers can make books that easy to read I reckon more people would read books !!!


Well Graeme, I finished your book and I now I have withdrawal symptoms. That would have to be the best read since I managed to get a copy of DEEP THROAT in braile. It's wonderfully written and it made me feel as though I was there at the time and sharing in your experiences. Look forward to the next edition.

Good on you Graeme,
I suspected you had it in you and you did.
Are you attending the Burt?
I am and in answer to someones question I'm afraid the ink on my new book 'Kim' really is still a bit wet. We've got a stack of double bar Conray heaters working over time in the shed and they should be cooked off by about December 6.
The quotation on Kim's accident with the tale about an overheated brake being the cause is not something I had previously seen. I don't know why anyone would reach that conclusion unless they have information I haven't heard about. Of course this is possible but the story seems unlikely. What I do know is that after straw bales were put there following his crash a second rider went off in the same place, hit the bales and got up unhurt. If Kim had succeeded in convincing Cooper and co to put them there before his race he would almost certainly have survived the off and no one would be wondering why it happened.
Such is life.
It was wonderful having the forum to go to when I couldn't nail something down and the help I received here is acknowledged in the book.
So thanks again for all your help.
I think I will probably sell the book through Amazon outside New Zealand. It's probably the cheapest way to deliver it.
I'll keep the Forum informed.

Tim Hanna

Well, I received the book on Friday, for my 50th birthday. We went away for a few days on Friday morning, so Friday was spent packing panniers, convincing the good wife that she really did not need all that stuff for 3 days, repacking the panniers then riding to our destination, so the book did not get opened until Friday evening, well I had to go and buy a Magazine on Saturday to give me something read on Saturday night. Croz's book was finished by Saturday 10am.
I am lucky to have received both Croz's book and Tim Hannas latest book, Kiwi on the konig, within the last month, had the pleasure of meeting and talking to both Croz and Tim at Wanganui in December, as well as John Woodley, all in all a great month.

UGP..

August 1979 : third behind the Hondas of Haslam and Rutter.

August 1979 : third behind the Hondas of Haslam and Rutter.

Out for a Sunday morning ride at Brands - nice jumper

Great photo!

Croz: Larrikin Biker by Graeme Crosby available from www.graemecrosby.com


I lifted up my UV-cracked visor with my thumb. ‘Which way does the track go and what’s the lap record?’ I called out over the noise of the valve gear rattling and clanging between my legs. The flag marshal’s eyebrows raised in disbelief. I could see him muttering, ‘And who the hell do you think you are — Mike Hailwood?’

In 1979, a little-known Kiwi racer made his way to Britain arriving with his worldly possessions in a carry-bag. His racing suit draped over his left shoulder, a scratched helmet in his right hand and just £150 in his wallet, he was ready to take on the world. Four years and two world championships later, he had achieved more than most riders could ever hope for in a lifetime of racing.

Graeme Crosby, or ‘Croz’, as he is affectionately known to millions of fans, went on to win Daytona 200, in which only six winners have been from outside the United States or Canada in Daytona’s 71-year history. He won Imola 200, the Suzuka 8 hour, and the notoriously dangerous Isle of Man Tourist Trophy in only his second year on the island at age 25.

In Croz’s final year in the Isle of Man, 1981, he was acknowledged as the best rider of the four-stroke machines in the world and smashed the lap record.

He is the last of a certain breed of motorcyclists; he could, and did, ride just about anything.

In his own words, Croz: Larrikin Biker is his journey from the grassroots of New Zealand motorcycle racing through Australia, Japan, the UK and Europe.

He was adored by the Aussies as he rode true buccaneering style on a modified street bike against Australia’s best GP stars, and he shocked the Japanese taking on the mighty Honda endurance racing team, again on a modified bike, and breaking the lap record. He wowed the Brits coming fourth in his first attempt at the Tourist Trophy races at the Isle of Man and gained a superstar status, drawing crowds wherever he raced.

But it wasn’t only winning that Croz was known for. His humour and showmanship won him a legion of fans around the world. Unlike many motorsports people, Croz had the attitude that racing was show business and that if people paid to watch him race, then they were going to get their money’s worth. He’d pull wheelies at the unlikeliest of places and once, while racing against Mike ‘the Bike’ Hailwood, found time to stand on the footrests and bow to the Hailwood fans as he flashed around the outside of the legendary Englishman.

After shaking up the racing establishment in Britain, Croz tried his hand at Grand Prix racing and often beat the world’s best, but after three seasons he’d had enough and quit. Many think this legendary speed demon quit too soon.

In Croz: Larrikin Biker, Croz reveals his reasons for quitting, the crashes, the pain, the elation of winning and the international controversies as well as the politics, boycotts and tragic fatalities, while winning a few world championships along the way.

Graeme Crosby now lives at Matakana, north of Auckland, where he and his wife are establishing their own piece of paradise. This is his first book. It doesn’t show.

Croz: Larrikin Biker by Graeme Crosby available from www.graemecrosby.com


I lifted up my UV-cracked visor with my thumb. ‘Which way does the track go and what’s the lap record?’ I called out over the noise of the valve gear rattling and clanging between my legs. The flag marshal’s eyebrows raised in disbelief. I could see him muttering, ‘And who the hell do you think you are — Mike Hailwood?’

In 1979, a little-known Kiwi racer made his way to Britain arriving with his worldly possessions in a carry-bag. His racing suit draped over his left shoulder, a scratched helmet in his right hand and just £150 in his wallet, he was ready to take on the world. Four years and two world championships later, he had achieved more than most riders could ever hope for in a lifetime of racing.

Graeme Crosby, or ‘Croz’, as he is affectionately known to millions of fans, went on to win Daytona 200, in which only six winners have been from outside the United States or Canada in Daytona’s 71-year history. He won Imola 200, the Suzuka 8 hour, and the notoriously dangerous Isle of Man Tourist Trophy in only his second year on the island at age 25.

In Croz’s final year in the Isle of Man, 1981, he was acknowledged as the best rider of the four-stroke machines in the world and smashed the lap record.

He is the last of a certain breed of motorcyclists; he could, and did, ride just about anything.

In his own words, Croz: Larrikin Biker is his journey from the grassroots of New Zealand motorcycle racing through Australia, Japan, the UK and Europe.

He was adored by the Aussies as he rode true buccaneering style on a modified street bike against Australia’s best GP stars, and he shocked the Japanese taking on the mighty Honda endurance racing team, again on a modified bike, and breaking the lap record. He wowed the Brits coming fourth in his first attempt at the Tourist Trophy races at the Isle of Man and gained a superstar status, drawing crowds wherever he raced.

But it wasn’t only winning that Croz was known for. His humour and showmanship won him a legion of fans around the world. Unlike many motorsports people, Croz had the attitude that racing was show business and that if people paid to watch him race, then they were going to get their money’s worth. He’d pull wheelies at the unlikeliest of places and once, while racing against Mike ‘the Bike’ Hailwood, found time to stand on the footrests and bow to the Hailwood fans as he flashed around the outside of the legendary Englishman.

After shaking up the racing establishment in Britain, Croz tried his hand at Grand Prix racing and often beat the world’s best, but after three seasons he’d had enough and quit. Many think this legendary speed demon quit too soon.

In Croz: Larrikin Biker, Croz reveals his reasons for quitting, the crashes, the pain, the elation of winning and the international controversies as well as the politics, boycotts and tragic fatalities, while winning a few world championships along the way.

Graeme Crosby now lives at Matakana, north of Auckland, where he and his wife are establishing their own piece of paradise. This is his first book. It doesn’t show.

Just had a quick look, might get this for my dad, the pic on the front cover, is that brands hatch ready for the hutchinson 100?

Just had a quick look, might get this for my dad, the pic on the front cover, is that brands hatch ready for the hutchinson 100?

It's our wedding aniversary this Sunday, I was pondering a pressy, overpriced trinket from Pandora, then bingo a book! Just to rub salt into the wound I'm off to Stoneleigh retro show on Sunday. If I don't post anymore then look in the Times obituary column next week.
If I live on after Sunday then I'll "borrow" it back !
Chris

Edited by joeninety, 22 February 2011 - 20:03.

damn good book - thoroughly enjoyed it