Well Ago like Doohan always had the best of the best. Nothing wrong with that mind you. As for Joey Dunlop......good rider but never saw him race

Looks like no one knows this one? #51 Mar Schouten.

WWW?

Photo Copyrighted to Graham Etheridge, racebikepics.

We have nearly taken the lead in postings having caught the Book thread at top of list, and only since end of August, at this rate 15000 posts is on for this time next year, and 1969-1990 3 straight after that!!

So you noticed that too ? . Wouldnt it be a good idea to divided it a bit for the next thousands off posts ?

Hi Bjorn, I personally don't, as I find it easier to log on to this thread and find where we are instantly, its easy to miss something if a new thread is posted (for me any way, its my age!!) though we already have two other bike threads running for different race periods.
Bikeracers of the 1990's, & Motorcycle racing 1949-1969.
Thats just my opinion though :\

I pop into the bike threads quite often Bjorne, even if just "lurking" but i must admit, there is great bonhomie amongst the posters, I saw bike racing, but know very little about it, they also have great photos posted, which obviously travel around the tracks as well. I am quite happy to find the details in the three threads running, as Graham says, easy to keep up with

Sorry to the tidler guys I forgot this one also,
1962-1983 the years of racing fast mopeds

The antipodeans in Kent! (Are Kiwis antipodean?)

One of the best ever? not on my list, Wayne Garder,
and one of my personal favorites Dennis Ireland (named after my homeland, saw him race at Dundrod, won a senior TT)

Mo

yes yes & yes!

WWW? lots of well known names, might keep us busy for 10mins!!

Photo Copyrighted to Graham Etheridge, racebikepics.

The obvious one is #7, Roger Hairnet on Sheeney's Suzuki, so it's the Powerbike Int. at Brands in October '84. Can also see Asa Moyce and David Griffith.......

Paul M

Hi Fu (and all others),

What I just got on to my faltering brain would not have been a decade split up , but more a WC and NWC thread ?

Anyway , I certainly enjoy the thread , am though a bit more to the years before . Thanks to all contributors and a happy 2009 for another thousands........

Woohoo! BTW Graham, do you remember the Speed of Life page in Road Racer X in which you were published a few months back? Of course you do.

Well in the current issue, I am the published photog on that same page with a shot of Sylvain Guintoli splashing (on his side) through a puddle at Indy. I will try to scan a copy and post. TNFers are taking over the world!!

Mo.

EDIT: Oh and Alan Irwin is in the latest pic too.

(Well Ago like Doohan always had the best of the best. Nothing wrong with that mind you.)



It could be argued (well, since it's this forum, "discussed"), that for most of his international career the same could be said of Sheene.

And belated, but sincere Christmas greetings to everyone.

Incidentally, I saw Dennis Ireland a couple of days ago. He is organising a street race in Dunedin in March around the Oval circuit. It is the same circuit that has been used recently by the car guys. The unique aspect of it is that it includes a section of State Highway 1 (the main NZ north-south road), which is subsequently closed off for the best part of Sunday.

Yes scan it in Mo I want to see it!!

And it is Alan #35

yep and #27 David Griffith #47 Asa Moyce.

#34 Andy Bond
#32 Alf Mossell
#46 Mark Boughton

Strugling with this one...

Yes to Boughton & Bond, not Alf.

I think you are underestimating Doohan by a long way. He worked harder than anyone before him and possibly since. The honda was'nt always a gem and he battled some horrendous injuries. To compare his situation to Ago's is a little unfair. Doohan vs Shwantz vs Rainey and so on. Ago (MV 4 cylinder ) vs all the G50', vs Manx Nortons etc.

I'd put Hailwood and Rossi as my top ( equally ). In my opinion really similar people/performance 3 decades apart.

Joey I would put as the best "closed road" racer of all time.

There are so many others previously mentioned that sit in second equal!!

Stu Baker?

I have never underestimated Doohan. He is just over estimated and whilst his bike may not have been perfect then neither was the Honda when Digger rode it He (Doohan) never did the hard yards like Digger and many others.
My point being that he was spoon fed his entire career :\ Maybe someone like you Stu could have emulated Doohans feats given the right opportunity

Being born in Christchurch myself Stu.........and correct me if I am wrong. Did you not have the latest RG500 always. What went wrong?

Not really nostalgia so please forgive the indulgence but here you are, Speed of life page and original image.

Enjoy.

Mo

Fantastic

Easy, I didnt have the dedication needed...did I have the latest bikes ..lol...we worked like dogs to pay for whatever we got. But, I had my opportunities and never took them.

As regards Digger, I arranged his first ride in the UK with Mal Carter over a meal when Wayne was on his arse. So yes I do understand everything he went through and yes he is a legend. I had to remind him on occasions how good he was. But history doesnt lie and Mick ( who I hardly know) went from a hooch smoking queenslander to a world champ, not once but over and over...

I can recall a time in Monaco when Mick, Gobert, McCoy and Corser went to a studio to record a segement for Channel 9 TV pre PI. Gobert came back a day late to our test in Austria and told me had cracked onto Micks girl as "stupid Mick" had gone home to bed. Not only had Mick gone home to rest before training but his girl had played Gobert for a fool. Not only that but Mick started testing on time whilst Anthony was a day late starting complete with a red face and lack off effort.

I just admire Micks dedication. he doesnt need me to blow smoke up his arse, history speaks for its self.

Stu

I have been lurking this site for 12 months and some of your comments are purely a figment of your imagination.
Please pm me so that we can put things straight. I do not wish to have a slanging match with you in public on what IMO is a fantastic forum for us old fellas.
Please do not ruin it with fairytales.

As regards Digger, I arranged his first ride in the UK with Mal Carter over a meal when Wayne was on his arse. So yes I do understand



WRONG...WRONG.....WRONG

No need to pm mate. Ive only passed on an opinion, no more or less. if you don't agree thats fine. What could be a figment off my imagination is a bit beyond me? I've only quoted some facts, easily substantiated but what the heck, its Xmas, go for it. So I would imagine, whilst you are "Jarno" you were around the circuits in Europe at our time? Or are you the part of our old site which you tried to wreck??? Vaughan?

Yes.

Brilliant Mo!!

Totally agree, its just a persons perspective of what they see.
The 'BEST' on the day will win the race, doesn't mean to say that this or another rider is the best.
My opinions of my favourites are from what I have seen, and what I perceive to be entertaining to me. It doesn't mean that I am right and that these are the best, or Grahams,Stu's or even Jarno's choice.

So lets not nit-pick each others opinions. We are sometimes wrong with our memories (apart from Graham of course! ) but hey!

Unless we were there to witness a conversation, then anything that we might of heard later about an event would be "Hear say"
Stu might or might not of been looking out for a deal with Mal Carter, nothing wrong with that, it was his job at the time.
So come on guys lets not get into a slanging match over points of view, these things happened so long a go, and unless we were there, we cant know for sure the exact details of a situation. :\

Hear , hear and for what it's worth at least Stu is'nt afraid to say who he is !!!!

.....and who is fil2.8 I wonder?

Does he know himself?

....says the man with 4 aliasses! (according to fil 2.8 Ghia!)

Your never alone with schizophrenia!!

Not here in Christchurch he wont.......has not been here since the seventies.

Thanks mate. In fact I was only working for Tom walkinshaw's Dunlop Racing Team ( DART) as a fitter as I was semi retired and wayne and Donna were at the IOM looking for a deal of sorts. Mal and me were mates and asked my wife and myself aout for a feed IIRC. I invIited Wayne and Mal and him hit it off. Mal offered him a one off ride at Donington on a TZ350. I think Wayne missed most of practice for some reason or another but still rode the wheels of the TZ and people noticed. Rest is history.
I still see Wayne once a year, normally when Stavros is here and we get Jeff Sayle, Warren Wiling etc togeather and we have a real good laugh about those times

Hey guys! It is Christmas after all, opinions, as you all say, I almost feel guilty for asking your "opinions", I value all of the answers, but discussion is good, arguments not so. This is one of the best threads on the forum, even though I am a four wheeler!

...........ducks, and runs for cover............

As it should be, and thanks for filling in the blanks.
ATB.

OK this one has now gone quiet!
#37 Johnny Rea
#43 Kevin Mitchell
# 7 Roger Burnett
# 34 Andy Bond
# 23 Pete Lemstra
# 32 Stu Baker
# 46 Mark Boughton
# 20 Rob Punt
# 156 Mile Pajic
# 45 Asa Moyce
# 27 David Griffiths
# 172 Peter Boast
# 35 Alan Irwin
# 183 Philip Robinet
and coz I have the programme #38 Maarten Duyzers.

Errrrrrrr wot !!!

Sorry just catching up --had a bit of work to do

Nige please don't swear at me ( Audi actually )

She's coming home today then eh!?, quick hoover round, wash up, dirty washing in the basket!!?

Look more closely, ISTR Stu said he dropped in to a club meeting at Ruapuna only a couple of months ago. As Gra has said, all this is water under the bridge, so move on. Personally I find all those top ten lists irrelevant, and if you look through that other TNF thread about Alan Henry's F1 top ten you'll see it's all just opinions, which as Sheeney used to say, are like arseholes....everybody's got one.

Best wishes to fellow TNFers for a white-knuckled 2009 !

No , no , no What gave you that idea no proper work , you know oh ,on second thoughts maybe not

Well that's a relief

I was never a "fan" (I didn't dislike him, just not a fan) of Wayne, I don't know why? may be it was coz he was so dominant in UK racing in the 1980's? It got a bit dull at times!
But he was a great racer, and he managed to ride the 500-4 that was basically set up for Freddie!
A pic of Wayne at speed, on the way to Becketts out of Copse at Silverstone in 1985, I like this one!

Photo Copyrighted to Graham Etheridge, racebikepics.