Hello,

Ever since the "Black Friday" Classic race at the Isle of Man TT Races, I have wondered who was the first person to wear anything other than black motorcycle leathers. I am sure that somewhere I heard that Rod Scivyer was the first to wear some form of coloured leathers. Can anyone confirm this, or provide the answer as to who was the first?


Many thanks,
Dobbin

I don't know who was the "first". Colored leathers were here in the states for a long time. I do remember seeing Ray Pickerell in the early 60s wearing black leathers with three white stripes running down each arm. And we all thought Woooo!!!

You can ask Rod (Yendor) in the motorcycle forum ..... Link.

Welcome to the forum Dobbin I think Rod was the first in the uk, he'll probably answer it himself , but as it been said Ray Pickerall was an early contender I think along with John Cooper

i think it was derek minter !i remember he turned up in some GREEN leathers at an early meeting at brands.
caused quite a stir.


but i could be wrong

Ago would be a starter too, he had a red upper on his leathers quite early on. But probably the riders in the USA, they got into the colours and designs in the early sixties.

I can recall Ron Grant on the TR500 Suzuki at Wigam (NZ) circa 1970 with WHITE leathers...wow!!

Well at least in Soviet Union from mid 50´s the racing gear seemed to be quite often in other colours than black.
Various shades of grey, green, blue and brown coloured racing leathers were in use.

Kent Andersson is the first one I remember... and a very rare shot as far as the last rider in the pic is concerned

Presumably Dieter Braun and Kel Carruthers in front....is that Gilberto Parlotti on a Benelli ?

Yes, he got a ride in order to support Carruthers in his bid for the worldchampionship

I believe the AMA banned black leathers in the 60s. Didn't Geoff Duke wear red leathers in the late 50s?

Hi Mats,

I,ve never heard that before. Do you have any idea what the reason was?

Don

Well Derek Minter certainly did wear dark green leathers as far as I can remember, but the first rider I saw with multi-coloured leathers was the American rider Lance Weil. He also had a Californian accent, long hair, and brought over a stunning Harley-Davidson. Quite a surprise all round.

Kent at the Sachsenring 1967, thanks to .............. Link.

Ahhhh yes Lance Weil . Very good at Lydden Hill , saw Bill Ivy on the Yam 125 / 4 lap him during practice for I think , the '67 'Hutch' while he was on that H/D.........................

if you look quickly it looks like kent has short sleeved leathers on!

Dennis, I did and it does ( thought exactly the same as you mate !

Aussie speedway rider, Ken le Bretton, wore white leathers from around the end of WW2. And weren't brown leathers all the rage with pre war road racers?

I think it was all black for Ago until that red topped pair in '71 ?

I have been led to believe that the AMA banned black leathers because it was hard to see a rider laying on the track. I never quite bought that. I think it was more to "improve" the motorcyclist image. I do know they had a fit when Romero showed up with the skeleton leathers!

Yeah But I thought it was hilarious But thought at the time he should finish the look off wth a simpson helmet , painted as a skull

Actually it was Dave Aldana with those leathers

Dave Browning had a set of white leathers circa 1970

Ummmmmmmmm yes , but Rod and others in the UK had colours 3-4 years before that IIRC.................

My first non all black leathers in 1966 which at the time seemed to be accepted as the first such
in the UK



White with red stripes followed the following year. This pic is dated a couple of years later.



By the end of 1966 several riders had adopted the stripe theme in various colours and one or two had coloured leathers,
mainly dark colours, which is why I went for white

You sure thats you in the second pic Rod, and not George Roper (of George and Mildred Fame)?

The 'eyes' have it.

Nice pics Rod

Well spotted Nige , Bet Rod did the bike riding for him in the series --without being ' made up '

Strangely I had a job building theatre scenery in Oxford for a year and met him, or rather the actor who played him, Brian Murphy, who was a member of the cast of the show I was building the scenery for. Just as funny in real life.

If I remember correctly, Griff Jenkins turned out with green leathers sometime in the late-sixties.
Does this ring a bell with anyone else?

Yep , i'll vouch for that

According to "TT Races Diamond Jubilee 1907-1967" it was an American stunt man and speedway rider Putt Mossman with a set of white leathers in the 1938 lightweight event.

Does anyone remember the gold leathers I think John Cooper and Phil Read wore? I don't think even the americans went that far!

Lost a bit of there Goldness, but these give us some idea...Welcome Chedder.

Photo Copyrighted to Graham Etheridge, racebikepics.

Photo Copyrighted to Graham Etheridge, racebikepics.

Sort of cheesy colour really.... Yes, welcome Cheddar

Welcome to both our new members Yes , I do remember the gold , I expect Mr Fu will insert a couple of piccies
Oh !! the silly old bugger has

I might...........oh I have!!

How about the edit , smart arse

I remember Christian Bourgeois wearing cool looking silver leathers in the early 70's

http://www.bonhuil.com/FBeau/BOURGEOIS75MAGNYFINDLAY.jpg

http://www.bonhuil.com/FBeau/BOURGEOIS74DAYTONA.jpg

Hi Guys,

Thanks for the welcome(s), I think the best colour scheme was and still is the Yamaha America Team from the Kenny Roberts era, they still look cool today, my brother has a replica suit (not sure if he can still get into it though. Perhaps like mine they've shrunk since being in the loft as I believe all leathers do!)

Not road racing but in speedway many years back in the 50's I remember a rider,believe his name was Nigel Boocock who used to be called 'little boy blue ' because he wore blue leathers.

Aermacchi works riders Alberto Pagani and Gilberto Milani wore light blue leathers at the 1967 TT

Hi Rod
and what year did you wear that fluorescent red helmet .... i seem to recall... god you could always pick you out round gerards anyway lol...you might remember me too ...i bought your TR3 back in the day...have a guess

I've been trying to work out when the fluorescent helmet came about, and as far as I can recollect it would have been sometime during
1965. I then used it for some time after that into the early seventies. With regards to the TR3, with a memory like mine ,no chance
Give us a clue?

I know it's outside period, but the great Walter Handley rode a works Motosacoche at the AVUS in Berlin in, I think, 1930.

Wearing white leathers!!

How about this chap?

WWW

Well , it's Quarter Bridge , not sure W or even W but , the name Sonny Angel springs to mind for the !st in the uk

Not the easiest person to Google for!