Jump to content


Photo

Motor Cycle Racing Helmets


  • Please log in to reply
17 replies to this topic

#1 dundrod

dundrod
  • New Member

  • 4 posts
  • Joined: September 14

Posted 05 September 2014 - 10:19

I would love to find out who the first UK rider was seen racing on any circuit in England Ireland or the IOM 

wearing a full face helmet for the first time that came on the market approx early seventies.

Prior to the full face was the open face which covered the ears and of course the half or pudding base helmet 

which was used for a long time.

 

I read the Albert Pagani  in 1969 was the first rider in Italy to wear a AGV full face helmet.

It was the beginning of a new era as riders started to wear non black leathers and started to place sponsors 

names on their bikes.

 

Bell helmets were famous brand and might even could have been a rider from the USA - would apprciate your help.



Advertisement

#2 Paul Collins

Paul Collins
  • Member

  • 978 posts
  • Joined: April 09

Posted 06 September 2014 - 15:34

Interesting one this, i'm sure I've seen reference to the first person to wear a full face helmet in the UK before but I cant remember who it was.

Slightly off topic but you also mention coloured leathers, that one is a bit easier, i'm pretty sure that one of the first, if not THE first to appear in coloured leathers happens to post on here from time to time, under the user name of 'Yendor'

Edited by Paul Collins, 07 September 2014 - 08:47.


#3 Rennmax

Rennmax
  • Member

  • 2,048 posts
  • Joined: February 09

Posted 06 September 2014 - 16:03

Peter Williams was at least one of the first ones

http://www.classic-m...e-tubbergen.htm

#4 dundrod

dundrod
  • New Member

  • 4 posts
  • Joined: September 14

Posted 08 September 2014 - 13:24

Thanks ever so much for your help -- I am still guessing at the moment - Indeed Peter Williams would have been one of the first to use full face helmet along with Tony Rutter etc but I would like to narrow it down even to the first few as it must have been a big talking point.

 

As for leathers I can remember a USA rider Bill Boyd competing in the N/West 200 around 1965 and he wore non black leathers in fact I am nearly sure they were white.



#5 tonyed

tonyed
  • Member

  • 981 posts
  • Joined: July 09

Posted 09 September 2014 - 05:23

Rods leathers were not coloured in the traditional sense but were black with white stripes down the arms.

 

I seem to remember Brian Kemp having one on the early Bell full face helmets. I had one on the very first Shoeis imported but by that time full face helmets were very common.



#6 Rennmax

Rennmax
  • Member

  • 2,048 posts
  • Joined: February 09

Posted 09 September 2014 - 07:05

There is nothing new under the sun

http://forums.autosp...cycle-leathers/

#7 dundrod

dundrod
  • New Member

  • 4 posts
  • Joined: September 14

Posted 09 September 2014 - 10:50

I have sent Brian Kemp a message for him to confirm if he was the first rider in the UK to wear a full face helmet - cheers for all your help



#8 dundrod

dundrod
  • New Member

  • 4 posts
  • Joined: September 14

Posted 10 September 2014 - 20:56

I have not heard from Brian Kemp I assume he still lives in England?



#9 Russell Burrows

Russell Burrows
  • Member

  • 6,529 posts
  • Joined: December 07

Posted 08 December 2014 - 19:39

I have not heard from Brian Kemp I assume he still lives in England?


I seem to recall Kemp, who a few years back made a fleeting appearance on here, claiming he was the first to use a Bell Star in Britain. I know he sold them from his Old Windsor shop. He said too that was the first to use coloured leathers here, not a claim that stands up I think. After eliciting some mild challenges to some of his claims, he didn't come back anymore. He's now domiciled in Australia.

Edited by Russell Burrows, 08 December 2014 - 19:55.


#10 kevins

kevins
  • Member

  • 145 posts
  • Joined: August 10

Posted 17 December 2014 - 21:04

Hi,

 

A question I've often wondered, hopefully the following is correct. In car racing, the jet style helmet was in use pretty much all of the 60's, until the full face came along (re cars, see http://forums.autosp...l-face-helmets/) , however, in bikes it was pretty much pudding bowl until full face became common at the start of the 70's. I've only seen a few pics with bikers using the jet style in maybe '69-'72 ish period.

 

Why was this? What reasons were there for sticking with the pudding bowl while the car people were using the better (presumably) jet type? It seems a no brainer :)


Edited by kevins, 17 December 2014 - 21:08.


#11 GrahamEtheridgepicblanc

GrahamEtheridgepicblanc
  • New Member

  • 26 posts
  • Joined: November 14

Posted 17 December 2014 - 22:47

Cost? Vision? good question.



#12 Russell Burrows

Russell Burrows
  • Member

  • 6,529 posts
  • Joined: December 07

Posted 17 December 2014 - 23:27

I seem to recall that by the late sixties/ early seventies there was a good mix of all designs.  Many of those racing ealier on in the decade started in the fiftes when jet type designs were yet to appear, so perhaps a tendency for these blokes to stay with what they knew ?  Also, I seem to recall reading something by Hailwood in which he complained about wind, as in draught type effect when compared to to the old puddun basin.  It should be said too that the British open face helmets weren't that robust.   The pre full face Bell helmets were superior but almost certainly far more expensive and as far as I recall not widely advertised here, perhaps then not that easily aquired unless you were a well heeled globe trotting car racer? 


Edited by Russell Burrows, 17 December 2014 - 23:43.


#13 kevins

kevins
  • Member

  • 145 posts
  • Joined: August 10

Posted 18 December 2014 - 08:04

Russell, the wind seems the most logical reason that you mention. With regards to expense etc, I'm not talking about just club racers, but at GP level, surely they could afford one? You mention Hailwood, he was in cars mid 60's and must have worn jet style, but still used pudding on bikes.

 

HAILWOOD-LOTUS-24-WATKINS-GLEN-64.jpg

Parnell Racing 1964 & 1965 by Ted de la Riviere - best I could find



#14 Lee Nicolle

Lee Nicolle
  • Member

  • 11,036 posts
  • Joined: July 08

Posted 18 December 2014 - 09:36

Purely as a spectator of the day I do remember many leathers with red or white stripes on the sleeves mid to late 60s here in speedway. White leathers by about 69 and red tops etc by about the same time.Yellow early 70s.

With helmets I feel jet helmets were compulsory by the late 60s and soon after full faces started to appear. They did in cars too.

Full faces were compulsory fairly early. Though some were rather 'different'

I think speedway was actually more advanced in apparrel in general, both 2 and 4 wheels.



#15 Russell Burrows

Russell Burrows
  • Member

  • 6,529 posts
  • Joined: December 07

Posted 19 December 2014 - 19:50

Russell, the wind seems the most logical reason that you mention. With regards to expense etc, I'm not talking about just club racers, but at GP level, surely they could afford one? You mention Hailwood, he was in cars mid 60's and must have worn jet style, but still used pudding on bikes.

 

HAILWOOD-LOTUS-24-WATKINS-GLEN-64.jpg

Parnell Racing 1964 & 1965 by Ted de la Riviere - best I could find

I agree kevins, it's surprising that more of the quicks didn't swap.   Having said that, more than a few did at least some of their racing with one on their bonce ; I think im right in recalling that those who gave them a whirl incuded Hailwood, Bruce Daniels, Mike Duff, Paddy Driver, Fred Neville, Joe Dunphy, Bill Ivy, Rod Scivyer, and more too of course.     



#16 kevins

kevins
  • Member

  • 145 posts
  • Joined: August 10

Posted 20 December 2014 - 10:49

I did a quick google image search search and could not find any of Hailwood or Ivy with the jet style, however for Mike Duff, yes - http://www.yamaha-cl...0/team/honorary/ appears to be using it since 1964 at least.

 

That makes me wonder even more why his (her) competitors did not think "mmm that looks better maybe I should get one of those"?



#17 Russell Burrows

Russell Burrows
  • Member

  • 6,529 posts
  • Joined: December 07

Posted 20 December 2014 - 16:07

I did a quick google image search search and could not find any of Hailwood or Ivy with the jet style, however for Mike Duff, yes - http://www.yamaha-cl...0/team/honorary/ appears to be using it since 1964 at least.

 

That makes me wonder even more why his (her) competitors did not think "mmm that looks better maybe I should get one of those"?

More than a few pics of Ivy out there, both in his early days and when on that bleedin Jawa.  Hailwood makes an aperance minus his puddun basin in one of those Pathe news clips. 



#18 kevins

kevins
  • Member

  • 145 posts
  • Joined: August 10

Posted 20 December 2014 - 17:28

More than a few pics of Ivy out there, both in his early days and when on that bleedin Jawa.  Hailwood makes an aperance minus his puddun basin in one of those Pathe news clips. 

You're right ... I should have gone to Specsavers lol