H there;

I'm alastair w, a freelance bike journo for the last 20 years here in the UK. Got a book out with Veloce UK just now called The Cafe Racer Phenomenon, which is a skim through the history of the cafe racer, the factory cafe styled bikes of the 70s, personal memories from Paul Dunstall, Dave Croxford and many everyday riders, plus a look at the revival of interest and the re-opening of The Ace in London.
A big thanks to everyone who helped with that project over the last year or so.

The next book I'm doing is The Kawasaki Triples Bible and I'm really interested in any memories, photos etc from those who owned 250/350/400/500/750 triple road bikes, worked in Kawa dealers, raced in the KH400 Cup, or Coupe Kawasaki in France. Equally, any info on the H1-R and H2-R racers in the US and Canada is very welcome.

In particular I want to talk to anyone involved with Kawasaki's expansion into Europe and the USA in the 60s, or who worked for C Itoh or Agrati the UK importers. PM me on this site and I will contact you - deadline for all copy is end of Jan 2010.

OK, commercial blurb over...I started riding bikes in `75, watched my mates Chris and Rob `Alf' Garnett proddie racing at Oulton, Darley, New Brighton - a street circuit that doesn't require a ferry journey of Hell to visit - and Three Sisters. Alf was a decent RD400 rider and won stuff after having Dugdales build a blatantly cheating engine for him which meant the bike did 120mph plus on the M56 shakedown test run...

We used to climb over the wall with the broken glass set in the top near Knicker Brook at Oulton, to watch the Transatlantic, or bigger national race meetings in the late 70s. I recall Randy Mamola wheelieing nearly all the way around after winning there one year. I swear I saw Ron Haslam driving someone's Roller through the paddock back in the day when he never even had a single driving lesson, never mind a car licence...maybe I just imagined it.

One of the best amateur racers I ever saw was a kid called Evans Bowland, who raced an RD350 at 3 Sisters in the late 70s/early 80s. He turned up, entered almost every class, proddie to open and won by miles, or fell off in spectacular fashion. He never made the big time as far as I know...are you out there Evans??

Inspired by Alf's success, we formed our own street racing cult gang, the Tilston Street Racers. We taped skateboard knee pads to our jeans and hung off CB400/750s, RD400s then set up our own races using linked roundabouts on industrial estates. It went well until Chris highsided his CB750 and shredded a section of his arse, then locals in Wales started phoning the Police as soon as we arrived at the `paddock' layby...damn vigilantes.

Went to the TT each year from `77-80, and yep, Hailwood's comeback was THE year to be on the Island. Even though I rode a Honda road bike, I loathed Read back then and was delighted when his bike blew up. Mike just seemed more of a `real' bloke to us bike race fans back then, even though I now know Hailwood came from a fabulously wealthy background compared to rural peasants like myself.

I never tried racing until I was 3 and working for a bike mag, so it cost me nowt. Unsurprisingly, I turned out to be dog slow and finishing 14th felt like winning WSB for me. I watched a five bike pile up in front of me on the first corner at Croft and thought `what the frig am I doing here?' and apart from the odd trackday, I've retired. Racing is the acid test though, and you can only write about it properly once you've had some real glimpse of fear at Cadwell's wilder extremes, or tumble dried yourself through the gravel at Brands.

I'd say the difference betwen a racer and a road rider is simple; the place where fear tells your brain to slow down a tad, doesn't really exist inside a racer's head.

Might post a few photos, might find the software baffling to an old geezer...
al

Hi Alastair, really enjoyed your post, hope you get a good response, and look forward to seeing your photos.
Graham.

Like the old boy above me welcome to the forum , and very much look forward to your postings

As Phil says Welcome

Hi Alistair I'm sure I've got a start on The KH stuff and I'll sit down and go through the circuits and races I remember and that may well lead to some of the other riders and we can uncover some photos. I think Phil Masters may have some so I'll start there. Interesting to see the cafe stuff, I'll have to get a copy of your book if you can let me know where I can buy one. I'm in the early stages of doing what you guys did back in the 70s as the days of sitting on the pub wall on a hot summer evening taking it in turns to see who would get through the s bends without a prang on stuff like RD250s Gt250s T500s Triples and the odd dog slow four stroke (not the CB500/4s and Z1s ) are both vivid and great memories.

There are so many memories of being young and daft that it's sometimes hard to know where to start or of it's even interesting to others. All I know is that most of us were proud of the scars and someones bike was always being fixed and they had to have a 'backie' Sadly there are a few gone now though it always brings a smile to my face.

Most of the lads gave up riding and I just decided to despatch ride as being paid to ride like a hooligan seemed the sensible thing

I've been buying up as many of the 70s favourites (lots of work needed ) as I can here in the USA and all I need now is a pair of Rivetts boots complete with duct tape and a pair of blue Barry Sheene race gloves


Anyway, the fast guys were George Sergijiw, Kenny Pinks and Phil Hetherington in '78 (apologies to all of the others as I just have trouble remembering) The circuits were Oulton,Wellesbourne, Carnaby, Brands, Cadwell to start with, most of us rode in the unlimited proddy as well as I don't think they had a 500cc class at all of the meets Starting was kick if I remember though push in the proddy or the other way around. I know it was very close racing without many holds barred.


I'll Pm you and see if I can help as much as I can.

David

Welcome to the forum from me also Alastair, I used to be from NE Lancs, perhaps we have some mutual acquaintances?

edited to spell your name properly.

:merde: