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Mick Withers


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#1 motorcyclemichael

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Posted 26 May 2015 - 23:09

Hi everyone, just discovered this website so in modern parlance I am a newby ( hate that term ) I used to race at club and national level in the early to mid seventys and became friendly with mick withers he was a b s a and velocette man also raced Yamaha in I O M does anyone remember him is he still about I am 70 now he must be around that age he came from sutton Coldfield area I think 



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#2 tonyed

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Posted 27 May 2015 - 06:08

Remember Mick from my MGP days but that was a long time ago (1973-1982) and used to see him at Mallory and Oulton Parks etc.

 

Lots of the old faces still about and often meet them at Stafford although sometimes the face is familiar (despite ageing) abut the name escapes me. Often though the voice is the give away, funny how that seems to change the least. 



#3 knickerbrook

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Posted 27 May 2015 - 12:35

Yeah, I knew Mick Withers from racing with the Midland Club in the seventies. Hadn't seen him for over 35 years until I tracked him down at the 2013 Classic TT, where he was marshalling (as he does every year apparently). He was in charge of the top gate at the start line and can be clearly seen doing his stuff in this clip:

https://youtu.be/2h-LEdmdcK0

He is the grey-haired chap in the marshall's bib (wearing a green short-sleeved top) rabbiting on the mobile phone. 

(I know mate - we are all getting older!!).

 

Lets know who you are - we probably raced at the same meetings in the past! 

 

Barry Needle.



#4 tonyed

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Posted 27 May 2015 - 16:08

Yes Barry I remember you well - the Welsh mafia down at Snetterton taking all the prize along with Webber and co.

 

I am Tony Edwards who raced one of the Crescents (Geoff Barstards bike) before buying Jeff Webbers' TZ350 off him in the bar at Snetterton after the last meeting of 1977.

 

We met in an M4 service station exchanged bike and cash and hit a pub where I think we proceeded to drink Jeff dry. :stoned: 

 

Graham Godward also bought a bike off Jeff which we took out to Daytona in 1981 only to find when doing some maintenance on it that the rear engine mounts weren't connected o the engine because of a frame breakage.

Luckily for us our garage which we were sharing with Clive Watts and Ray Cowles was next to Fast Freddies works Honda garage and the mechanics spent a couple of hours fabricating and welding a new frame section and engine mounts and refused any payment.

 

Godward and I introduced Ray to the 'Harvey Wallbanger' one evening and poor old Ray was well hungover the next day.



#5 motorcyclemichael

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Posted 27 May 2015 - 19:50

Hi Barry, my name is Mick Payton I used to ride an ex Billy Nelson Doncaster Yamaha unfortunately it was ten years old by then,Motor Cycling did a racer test when it was new and gave a figure of 33bhp but I was up against TD2B and early TZs with 45+bhp so you could say I was just there to make up the numbers. my best result was a 3rd behind Andy Gethin and G Marriott at Cadwell Park with the MMCRC club on 6/7/1974 I did make the top six pretty often though but losing 20- 25 mph on the back straight every lap didn't help,but it was great fun trying



#6 larryd

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Posted 27 May 2015 - 21:07

Yep - that's Mick! First met him when I was doing the Manx late 70s/early 80s - then, when after a 12 year layoff I started the Pre-TT Classic he was always there - at any rate up to 2011, my last year there. A good lad!!


Edited by larryd, 27 May 2015 - 21:08.


#7 Paul Collins

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Posted 28 May 2015 - 11:21

I spent an entertaining fortnight in the same guest house as Mick and his mates at the MGP around 1988ish, the bar saw plenty of action :)



#8 Kermick

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Posted 28 May 2015 - 14:23

Hello everyone,

 

I've just been alerted to this by Barry Needle.

 

I'm still very much alive, and Motorcyclemichael please note I'm not 70 yet!!!! I'm still working!

 

Off to the IoM tonight for some Classic Racing at Castletown and a bit of TT marshalling.

 

Thanks for all the kind comments and I'll look in regularly now I'm registered.

 

Mick Withers



#9 Paul Collins

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Posted 28 May 2015 - 21:15

A warm welcome Mick, nice to see you here.