20 replies to this topic

[sterling49]

Firstly, congratulations to Twinny and team for this bike only forum, for a four wheeler like myself, it allows me the pleasure of looking at specific topics As I grew up, I knew of Bill Ivy and his progression through two wheels and then making his car debut in a Brabham F2 car, but can anyone add more meat to the bones, as (in school) I never really absorbed it all the 1st time around. He was stunningly fast on both two wheels and four and was a local Kent lad?

[Bjorn Kjer]

No bad thread start sterling49. On the TNF the Bill Ivy thread does tell a bit of his Motorcycle carreer too.

[Russell Burrows]

Firstly, congratulations to Twinny and team for this bike only forum, for a four wheeler like myself, it allows me the pleasure of looking at specific topics As I grew up, I knew of Bill Ivy and his progression through two wheels and then making his car debut in a Brabham F2 car, but can anyone add more meat to the bones, as (in school) I never really absorbed it all the 1st time around. He was stunningly fast on both two wheels and four and was a local Kent lad?

Sterling, I think Alan Peck's book has been reprinted and still available on line.

[picblanc]

Sterling, I think Alan Peck's book has been reprinted and still available on line.

Its a pretty good read, bought it when it first came out.

This pic was one of a number of original photos I bought 3/4 years a go.

Photo rights to Graham Etheridge, racebikepics.

[Russell Burrows]

Its a pretty good read, bought it when it first came out.

This pic was one of a number of original photos I bought 3/4 years a go.

Photo rights to Graham Etheridge, racebikepics.

Graham, Is that the site of the crash ? Apparently, the same spot that Jimmy Guthrie crashed in 1937.

[picblanc]

Graham, Is that the site of the crash ? Apparently, the same spot that Jimmy Guthrie crashed in 1937.

Yes it is Russ. Not sure if taken at the time he died or the following year?

[Rennmax]

Graham, Is that the site of the crash ? Apparently, the same spot that Jimmy Guthrie crashed in 1937.

Not sure if it's of any interest, but the accidents happened at 2 different spots. Ivy's crash was just before the Badbergkurve, Guthrie's one at Heiterer Blick.

http://www.classic-m...her/Ivy/Ivy.htm

wonder where the pics with starting no 33 were taken, since he had #3 at Assen and #61 at the Sachsenring ?

Edit: what puzzles me even more, the colour scheme of the number plates look a lot like the ones of the 500 cc class ???

Edited by Rennmax, 22 May 2009 - 07:45.

[HEMEYLA]

See this photolist ...... Link

Look for SAR 1969-168E-5-33 & -35 & -37: 33 Ivy.Bill GBR Jawa Vorstart

[ex Rhodie racer]

I found this article on Bill written by Alan Aspel in the March 1968 issue of Motorcyclist Illustrated.
Sorry about the size, but I couldn´t scale it down as it would have been unreadable.

[picblanc]

A good read Rhodes, thanks for that.

[sterling49]

Thanks for the article, a great read. The articles always seemed much cosier, back then, or is this an age thing :

I see he was a Maidstone lad

[Russell Burrows]

I watched him race so many times - hugely brave, especially on Geoff Monty's foul handling Monard. I think I'm right in remembering that the Monard cycle parts were essentially Geoff's sleeved down 250 Gold Star based GMS from the fifties, a design which had only a spine type frame. There were 500 and 650 Triumph engined versions and the bigger bike in particular clearly handled like a bag of shite; I well recall Bill hanging onto this weaving monster as he powered out of clearways, all tucked in but at times seemimgly going sideways. Despite the picture caption he's not on the Monard, its Geoff's 350 Manx.

Edited by Russell Burrows, 25 May 2009 - 17:50.

[Arthur]

Talking of wee Bill brings back memories some laughable some really sad. Was on speaking terms with both Bill and Mike during the 60s.
In his first works ride at the TT even the Yamaha mechanics told him to slow down and take it easy after he had dropped it in practise at I believe Brandywell. And when he took his new Ferrari to the island Mike took the risk of teaching Bill the coarse in it Approaching the left/right hander after Crosby Mike suggest Bill slow down as his approach is so fast.To late crash Bill takes the left hand side out of it against the wall Luckily neither hurt He then sent it all the way back to Italy for repair even though a garage on the island offered to fix it .

[sterling49]

I must visit the Island to watch both the TT Races and also the Manx Rally, the speeds that are achieved would make this seasoned spectator gape in amazement.

I know Joey Dunlop was good on the Isalnd, as was Mike the Bike, how was Bill? Tony Pond was the undisputed King of The IOM on four wheels, he knew it well and had big gonads bless him. (Tony died all too early from cancer quite recently )

[Rennmax]

Not sure if it's of any interest, but the accidents happened at 2 different spots. Ivy's crash was just before the Badbergkurve, Guthrie's one at Heiterer Blick.

http://www.classic-m...her/Ivy/Ivy.htm

wonder where the pics with starting no 33 were taken, since he had #3 at Assen and #61 at the Sachsenring ?

Edit: what puzzles me even more, the colour scheme of the number plates look a lot like the ones of the 500 cc class ???

Sorry for quoting myself ... but I'm still wondering about those seemingly yellow (=500 cc ) number plates of the bike he is riding in these pics as he definitely crashed on a 350 cc with #61...Paul, if you read this, does the Mick Walker book give an answer ??.... and isn't it somehow odd that this cheerful character was in such a sombre mood in any picture taken at this event.....

[Paul Rochdale]

Yes little Bill certainly did come from Maidstone. His family lived in Captains Close, Sutton Valence, then later over a shop in Albert Street, Maidstone. The Mick Walker is very detailed about his early years. Incidentally there is a memorial plaque to Bill in the centre of the Chequers Centre, a strange place for such a thing. It's a mosaic which I didn't like at all until I discovered it was created by a young girl from his former school Oldborough Manor. I imagine that thousands od shoppers pass this plaque every week, neither noticing it nor knowing who it commemorates.

[GD66]

I must visit the Island to watch both the TT Races and also the Manx Rally, the speeds that are achieved would make this seasoned spectator gape in amazement.

I'd say so, sterling, these days they're getting from the start line to Ramsey Hairpin in around 10 mins 45 seconds, truly staggering....

Edited by GD66, 12 June 2009 - 10:28.

[Rennmax]

Today, 40 years have passed since that dreadful day at the Sachsenring...

[sterling49]

The Mick Walker is very detailed about his early years. Incidentally there is a memorial plaque to Bill in the centre of the Chequers Centre, a strange place for such a thing. It's a mosaic which I didn't like at all until I discovered it was created by a young girl from his former school Oldborough Manor. I imagine that thousands od shoppers pass this plaque every week, neither noticing it nor knowing who it commemorates.

I use this centre sometimes, I had no idea it was there, I will make a point in searching it out next time there.

[wolf sun]

My father occasionally reminisces about his experiences as a youngster spectating (from a roadside ditch, no less!) at the Sachsenring back in the days...and Bill Ivy's mention always comes with a gleam in his eyes. I will see my old man later this summer, and will ask him if he has some specific recollections, which I strangely haven't done up to now.

Amazing, isn't it, how one 'Maidstone lad' unknowingly pushed a button with some uprooted kid in an obscure corner of East Germany, and apparently continues to do so half a century later...

(Oh and by the way, if memory serves, my dad used to ride a Jawa, wonder if this is a coincidence...)

Edited by wolf sun, 31 July 2009 - 23:11.

[sterling49]

Great article in Motor Sport this month on Bill, I quote something that JYS said about Bill's transfer to 4 wheels "He had more natural ability than anyone I've seen coming into motor racing" and Autosport said that he demonstrated pure and simple natural ability of the sort which had been seen rarely outside of names like Clark (Jim) and JYS. Catch it on the news stands if you can.


I am off to a well know online book seller to see if I can obtain Alan Peck's book