Hello Tina, your right!! looks like you had a good time at Cadwell...wheres the old boy gone then, is he having a nap?

No mate unfortuately your stuck with me , Tina was having a good giggle at the the Schitfinkle stuff and just wanted to join in

What !!! has Tina met Mike Hunt or Benght Dik

Not so easy this one so I probably will end up having to tell you!! :\ :rolleyes:WWW?


He's a Brit.

Classy helmet design - so much better than today's!

Oh yes ! She's met all her heroes

Nope beat me

Stuart Jones :\

I used to know a Stuart Jones, that used to race a trick RGV 250, then TZs, but I don't think it could be the same one as this must be around 1980?... oh and going down the hill from Druids, before Graham Hill Bend.

1985 Freddies double World Championship year, 500/250, how great an achievement was that, especially on the 250?...or was it the bike?

Photo Copyrighted to Graham Etheridge, racebikepics.

Yes x3, could be? how old was the Stuart you knew?

Yes the bikes were special...you could point that at other WC winning machines, but IMO, this rider was very special, later something went wrong with the mix...

IMO it was the man....I have an image in my mind of him winning at Spa and then running down pit lane to hop on the 500 to repeat. I think he impressed me on track more than anyone else I can recall. At Silverstone 1982 we had a good start but knew that our "non factory tyres" only had grip for 5 laps or so. Kinda fancying myself going into club corner.. I sit up on my limit and this RS500 comes under me but way to deep. Freddie was pushing the front so hard..next thing he kinda shifted his wieght gave it some throttle and went from understeer to oversteer..gone!!!
the only thing he did wrong IMO was not knowing when to quit but thats subjective I guess

Yes Mike he WAS special ,at 18 he looked unbeatable and yet,5-7 years later it was all over was his manager Nev Doyle perchance ??

It's the age thing I guess, at 18, I barely knew what I was doing, so how some cope with super stardom from an early age is beyond me! Often fraught with burn out, confusion, they can be here and gone off the boil before even they realise it. I think you can see this today with the Kentucky Kid. Not that he's given up trying yet

I don't know what i'm doing now Mike --but Randy was very young and coped well, it takes all sorts I guess

Yes exactly Phil. I wasn't thinking just of riders - you know the Tennis thing as well. Having said this, I agree there were great riders who were consistently on it for many years...Hailwood, Ago, Read, Doohan, Vale...sorry if I missed others, but I guess you'll follow me?

Another slight aside. Is it OK to post a Youtub link? Try it please & remember all these 70's helmets
and listen how good was the mighty Led Zeppelin
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hMEzlvOmaFc

I don't hold any position on religion but being a god faring, bible bashing boy from Louisiana didn't help IMO

loks like their facing the wrong direction too Unless they renamed the previous corner going this way round from deer leap to Buck stops ! PMSL also the timing on the Schirtfinkle 3-stroke didnt they work B( bottom) DC instead of TDC?
I have a very funny story on MIke from 1987 Phil but would have to tell you by pm as its far too embarrasing and post 9pm watershed to post on here!

Early 1990s would have been around 30, the one in your pic looks older than that in 1980, so propably not.

#13 is the one I was talking about, I'm #17 (wrong era for this thread I'm afraid), anyone know where?

anyone know where?


Mallory Park?

or Knockhill?

Carnaby or Darleymoor? :\ Spelling doesn't look right?

Well spotted Julian , the reason the SF1 is racing the wrong direction is obviously because it is fired up in reverse and the timing --fines was very close on this -is set at 20 past the hour :\ and by all means PM me on your meetings with Mike Hunt and no doubt Benght Dik I suspect you were on the short list for a ride or two !!

The're coming to the rescue men in white coats helping ? our friend Mr Jarse back to his mount during a half mile race on the gravel when still fitted with slicks !!!

Thanks guys for your memories and opinions on Freddie Spencer.
My stand out memory of him and probably of those race days I saw with my own eyes, was on the day I took this picture, Freddie came out of the first corner at Silverstone,... Copse? he was very wide and ran up on to the outside kerbing, but he just gassed it up with the front wheel a foot or so of the ground the back wheel sliding to the left then the right looking for grip with his head down behind the bubble, and fired it out of the corner on the way up to Becketts, I have never forgotten that and can still see and hear it like it has just happened,..... instead of 23 years a go!! Sadly he never did it again when I was watching anyway! but this pic gives you some idea of the scene.

Photo Copyrighted to Graham Etheridge, racebikepics.

#60 loks like Max Vincent?

That was the beginning of the end for the Schirtfinkle!! the bike only went backwards!! a distinct disadvantage I think!! The only time it had any success was at Brands for the "Hutch" Hutchinson 100, where it failed to just make the podium in 1967.

Yes, it was the only starter but sadly finished only in penultimate position!

Thats right!! were you there then Michael? a great day for the hardworking "Works" team.

Hi Mr Fu and 'fines' yes i'm afraid you are both on the right lines , the highly skilled engineer ,Dr Earl Joerick who designed the mechanical components , on tracing the gearbox ,put the cogs ,main shaft and ley shaft in back to front resulting in 6 reverse gears

He'd probably had too many glasses of champers! Mind you, he did design Italian tanks in the war...........

Some very promising young riders tried the machine but couldn't come to terms with its foibles, including Ramon de Ankers, Andy Stropdit and Terry Leneshirt.


Paul M

Yes, let's discuss our favourite Schirtfinkle riders! I always liked Keith Meyers, top bloke! Also Chris Kross, although I did think his style a bit erratic! Fred Out was a big star over in Japan, while with Neil R. I always thought his style more suited for sidecars. What's your favourite?

Yes I was! Unfortunately, I missed the race beacuse I was queuing for a Bratwurst!

The one for me is the guy who put so much in to the project for so little reward in the end, the long forgotten Earnest ( Ernie) Effort.

[QUOTE]Originally posted by Macca
[B]He'd probably had too many glasses of champers! Mind you, he did design Italian tanks in the war...........

Some very promising young riders tried the machine but couldn't come to terms with its foibles, including Ramon de Ankers, Andy Stropdit and Terry Leneshirt.

So they did !!I wonder what happened to them ? I think Andy married 1 of the 'Duckhams ' girls--Norma Snokkers IIRC
Do you recall the Schirtfinkle prototype sidecar unit ? I have some piccies ,I will try to find them ,unless Mr Fu has any ??

Yes, I noticed that was my third consecutive post starting with 'yes'! :\ Well, make that four...

Oh yes some well known but long forgotten names there Paul!!

Do you recall he married the pit marshall at Donny --Dee Crepid

Not a sausage, not even a bratwurst on this guy then!!?
Bob Capps, 1979 PBI (again!!)

I was just going to say that Didn't his brother Andy test the SF1 ??

Back to the Schirtfinkle riders, do you agree that Don Wiffit quit too early? He really should've tried harder!

I'll agree with that Michael I personally thought the sidecar pairing of Ben Doon and Phil Macavity did quite well

They, and Ivan Nalaya/Ben T. Meover!

Do you remember the #2 mech Alan Quay ?? and the goffer the unforgetable Angus Macoatup ?

A WWW? for those still with us!!?

Photo Copyrighted to Graham Etheridge, racebikepics.

Mr Fu Keef (Mr TV) second ,Charlie Williams third Ivan Gray -in white

Two out of three!!

Ain't bad

42 Didier De Radigues and 26 Martin Wimmer? Looks like Silverstone 1981 (I watched the race from Woodcote - happy days).