841 replies to this topic

[exclubracer]

Dead right, Mick. Sadly missed.

Yes indeed Glenn, a talented rider and renowned spannerman for Barry, as you say, much missed.

[philippe7]

Thanks for this Mick - believe it or not, sometimes today I was googling your name and "M.....Series revival" to see if there was anything new on the web - so , good to get an update - although not a very optimistic one But I understand Christchurch might have other priorities at the moment...

The Hennen clan is apparently still all set to come, so I guess that the Wanganui celebrations at least are still a go-go so far ?

[GD66]

Pat is confirmed as a guest for the Wanganui Cemetery Circuit 60th anniversary celebrations, along with several others, while Michael Dunlop has been confirmed as a starter for the race day programme. Barbara Lett, Rod Coleman and Ray Witham are organising the anniversary celebration, so chances are it'll be well thought out.

[felix73]

Hi my name is Marcus i raced at the 1976-7 1977-8 Marlboro seriies also in .1996 at Pukekhoe,Taupo&Wanganui,I believe its me with Vaughn at the Wanganui Hotel (page16) Vaughn in Lovely blue nightie.
Cheers Felix73
Ps Im currently race administrator for Nsw Post classic Racing Assosiation would love to go to Wanganui Dec 2012

[felix73]

Hi
I forgot to Add Murray Sayle and I used to go out drinking every Wed night,later Geoff joined us but he was very shy until he became friendly with VC .Warren Willing and myself used to fly model planes together until we discovered bikes.
Cheers Felix

[ccmUS]

A while back someone asked if anymore knew what George Vukmanovich (Little George) was doing these days. He lives in Granada Spain and I got an email from him. Still seems to be the same great guy I remember, still following his passion. Nice:


Did 30 years of GP racing and now the last 12 years have lived in Spain, racing in the Spanish championship. Still love my work and just do that. I haven't been back to the states since 1999.

Edited by ccmUS, 17 August 2012 - 18:53.

[peterd]

Sad news. Much loved former Marlboro Series doctor and one of life's gentle men Jim Cashman was killed in a motorcycle accident in Italy last weekend.

But Jim was more than just the doctor who got many impatient young riders back on the track. He possessed a lovely sense of humour, and could spin a good story over a beer or two.

He was also an exceptional motorcycle engineer, best known for his C3 racer, a three cylinder 350 based on the Suzuki GT380 engine.

He had recently retired as a radiologist a Watford General Hospital and his workshop contained at least half a dozen interesting motorcycle projects he planned to complete in his retirement.

[fil2.8]

Sad news. Much loved former Marlboro Series doctor and one of life's gentle men Jim Cashman was killed in a motorcycle accident in Italy last weekend.

But Jim was more than just the doctor who got many impatient young riders back on the track. He possessed a lovely sense of humour, and could spin a good story over a beer or two.

He was also an exceptional motorcycle engineer, best known for his C3 racer, a three cylinder 350 based on the Suzuki GT380 engine.

He had recently retired as a radiologist a Watford General Hospital and his workshop contained at least half a dozen interesting motorcycle projects he planned to complete in his retirement.

Sad news indeed , a new name to me , but so soon after his retirement , RIP , Jim

[ccmUS]

Hello all. Just wanted to check in and let you know I saw Pat Hennen this last Saturday and we were able to spend several hours together. SO great to see him again. I'm hoping we can get together again very soon.

[GD66]

A couple of poignant pics I've recently tumbled across. In the first, Lou Kaiser, Joe Lett and Cal Rayborn discuss the task ahead of them at Pukekohe.

In the second pic, the engine is apart, seemingly receiving fresh pistons. It's clear from the tyre assortment the whole affair was very much a time-poor, hit-and-miss exercise.

Pics by Murray Hill.

[picblanc]

Thanks for posting them Glenn, a great great rider.

[woodster]

Peterd, Was Jim Cashman from Dunedin?

[peterd]

Yes, Dunedin born and educated, later a doctor at Timaru Hospital before moving the UK and Watford General.

[philippe7]

A couple of poignant pics I've recently tumbled across.

Thank you Glenn. I permitted myself to copy your post to the Cal Rayborn thread. Hope it's OK.

Edited by philippe7, 19 October 2012 - 14:24.

[woodster]

Peterd. Are you Leon Everitt's old mate?

[peterd]

Ah, no. Not a name I recognise.

[philippe7]

Friends, I feel it's time to bring this thread back to the top, unfortunately we haven't heard any confirmation as to the proposed reunion meeting at Timaru on January 5th, so sadly it looks like it's not happening - but on the other hand, the celebrations of the 60th anniversary of the Cemetery Circuit in Wanganui are soon approaching, taking place on coming boxing day so december 26th . There is a parade for former riders planned on raceday, plus formal and informal nostalgia gatherings in the evenings. I know from a reliable source that Pat Hennen is on his way there ( or has just arrived ) , and that quite a few of the former Marlboro Series regulars will also be there . Is anybody from the forum planning to attend, and if so could they please share their thoughts, reports and pictures here ? Very much looking forward to that !

Edited by philippe7, 18 December 2012 - 03:33.

[philippe7]

Two interesting pictures ( although not very sharp ) that I shamelessly borrowed today from the Wanganui circuit website. Both, as far as I can tell, from the inaugural Marlboro Series (73-74 )



Here we have Dale Wylie on his unfaired #48 TR500, Ginger Molloy with #2 ( he alternated from this TZ350 to his H2R depending upon the circuits ) and on the far right the "F" on the fairing of Pat Hennen's "Sayonara Special" TR500.

But who is this with "K" ? I think this machine was identified earlier as the 380 Suzuki-based racer built by the recently departed Dr Cashman , but ridden by ...... ?

And who is "J" ? In my opinion, it does not look like Jeff Sayle ( who carried "J" the following years ) . Carrying a letter, so not a Kiwi in principle....any ideas ?





Here, outside of the mystery "K" and "J" , I recognise Murray Sayle (H), Jim Landrebe (77), Ginger Molloy (2), Trevor Discombe (3), Keith Turner (1), and maybe John Boote (80) - although he carried #140 on his 700 when he famously got hold of it for the last two races of the series.

[peterd]

I think rider #K is Warren Willing, but not on the Cashman C3. Rather this is a triple built by Dick Lawton and housed in a Steve Roberts frame (from memory, so I stand to be corrected). I believe this bike is now in Australia. The C3 came later, was only ever ridden by Jim Landrebe and never raced out of the South Island. #69 Paul McLachlan?

Edited by peterd, 18 December 2012 - 19:04.

[GD66]

Correct re Willing on the Roberts 380-"ish", spot the Adams and Sons t-shirt under the leathers.
If 69 is Paul McLachlan, he is on an S2 triple. J is Mike Steele, also there are 14 Don Cosford, 83 Bill Holmes, 28 Nigel Caigou, 42 Mike Adler, 70 Dave Ogden, 90 Brendan Quirk and 74 Dave Crook on the Acme Toffee Apple Co Honda 350. The striped helmet behind Steele belongs to Ralph Hannan, and I believe the green helmet behind him to be Norris Farrow. Pretty fair grid !
Looks like Chris Woodmass holding Steele's helmet in the pits pic, and could that be young Stu Avant chatting to Wylie ?
Are you going along for a look this year, Peter ?

Edited by GD66, 18 December 2012 - 07:53.

[peterd]

No, wont be there, Glenn. But I believe Dave Ogden will be, riding a TZ.

[philippe7]

Copied from the Pat Hennen thread . Thank you robinmck

Pats in NZ now
http://www.wanganuic...-glory/1694107/

[GD66]

Dean Adams has just taken me to task on a kiwi site re my disparaging remarks about his skewed reporting of the Rayborn crash...

I have spotted that pit shot from Wanganui on a facebook page, and they seem to think the bloke with the mob of hair chatting to Wylie is indeed Stu.

[peterd]

Care to elaborate on what Mr Adams is whingeing about. The US versions of that day have always been skewed.

[GD66]

Some years back he wrote about the significance of that day in very unflattering terms without having been there, or displaying much knowledge of the sport in NZ or the relevance or importance of the Marlboro Series. I have dumped on him on a couple of sites for what I consider ill-informed reporting of the circumstances. Seems in researching a Rayborn story he has come across one of my rants on the kiwibiker.co.nz site, in the Racing sub-forum on a thread entitled "Interesting how the yanks see nz."
While I agree that the medical situation that day was appalling, there's no question that as a result this has been addressed, and was done so almost immediately, not just there but elsewhere. The track safety at Pukekohe in those days was no worse than most US circuits , luckily both those sets of circumstances have continued to improve worldwide. The sadness of that day, in concert with the tragedy of the Pasolini/Saarinen crash at Monza earlier in the year, brought to an end the era of hoping for the best, and she'll be right, and was the beginning of risk aviodance and more responsible track safety guidelines.
I'm not under any illusion that nothing was wrong that day at Pukekohe, far from it, but at the time felt the need to speak out when I saw what I considered to be a dismissive, poorly-researched piece of reporting.

[Robin127]

.....ill-informed reporting of the circumstances..........a dismissive, poorly-researched piece of reporting.

Dean Adams guilty of this?....surely you jest?

Edited by Robin127, 23 December 2012 - 05:12.

[philippe7]

Very cool pic posted by Chip Hennen on his facebook page . Pat with Mike Sinclair, Frans Vandenbroek and the Colemans RG500 during the Wanganui 60th anniversary parade.

[GD66]

Wonderful, great stuff Philippe. Hopefully Mike will get on here and give us an outline of the weekend.

[fil2.8]

Wonderful, great stuff Philippe. Hopefully Mike will get on here and give us an outline of the weekend.

yes , agreed , Glenn

[GD66]

Care to elaborate on what Mr Adams is whingeing about. The US versions of that day have always been skewed.

Somewhat surprisingly, Superbike Planet have re-published the original article as a "Forty-years-on" feature.

http://www.superbike...Dec/031229b.htm

Edited by GD66, 29 December 2012 - 08:43.

[picblanc]

I was a great Cal Rayborn fan seeing him here in 1972 @ Brands Trans Trophy, but journalists can certainly put a slant on things! (quote) "Incredibly, Rayborn was the top-scoring American of the series and split the wins with the best the British could offer" (unquote) so in real world terms he won 50% of the races Pickrell winning the other 50%, as for having not seen the tracks before, the Brands Club circuit & Mallory Park were not exactly like having to learn Spa or the Nurburgring being just over a mile long.

As for the brief synopsis of why he was in NZ & Cals sad demise, pretty poor writing.

[peterd]

Hey, Glenn, Dean Adams is at it again.

http://www.superbike...29rayborn39.htm

This time he refers to a street course called Wanaque.

Seems the same in-depth research has gone into this report as well.

[GD66]

Hey, Glenn, Dean Adams is at it again.

http://www.superbike...29rayborn39.htm

This time he refers to a street course called Wanaque.

Seems the same in-depth research has gone into this report as well.

Indeed. The fact that the Harley didn't appear until nearly three weeks later at the final round at Ruapuna makes this more of a forlorn wish by Scott than any resemblance to a possibility.

[philippe7]

Just found the following which does give a much more balanced vision of things..... it actually almost seems like the writer listened to you guys and wanted to set the record straight !

http://www.motorcycl...orns_last_ride/

[GD66]

That's a much better effort, Philippe. Apart from a couple of minor hiccups, that's pretty much how it was. Probably that last paragraph from Ginger summed it up best.
Stein is an American who often races a Manx at the NZCMRR classic festival at Pukekohe each February, so he's had the advantage of actually speaking to some of those involved, not conjecturing from the other side of the globe.

Edited by GD66, 08 January 2013 - 23:15.

[robinmck]

This has just popped up today on trademe. I have met the owner some years ago, a policeman, a nice guy. I wonder whos TZ it was when it was new?
http://www.trademe.c...n-585448908.htm
Nice to see a fairly original one.

Edited by robinmck, 22 April 2013 - 09:45.

[skeeternz]

I see on You Tube there is a copy of the 1974 documentary on Geoff Perry. It was only shown once on TV but has been restored. It was produced by Roger Donaldson (Worlds Fastest Indian). Not one of his better efforts. Needed more shots of racing and the bikes themselves. However it does give the flavour of Daytona.

 

Published on Nov 15, 2013

The 23rd of July 2013 marked the 40th anniversary of when New Zealand Motorcycling lost a champion. His name was Geoff Perry. Geoff was an apprentice aircraft engineer with Air New Zealand and ALWAYS flew with Air New Zealand.

However on this day the trip back to the states saw him booked with Pan American World Airlines (Pan Am).

As fate would have it on the 23rd July 1973 the Pan Am 707 flight 816 named "Clipper Winged Racer" plunged into the Pacific Ocean shortly after take off from Faa'a International Airport Tahiti. Geoff died aged just 23.

 

 

 

If this link doesn't work search for Geoff Perry.

Edited by skeeternz, 08 December 2013 - 08:09.

[JAW]

Golden Age indeed..

 

I was a kid, but my father was into motorsport, & would take me & my brother to the local international events..

 

It was a watershed transition - from tired old British G.P. thoroughbred singles - relegated to 'classic'

status by the new Nippon machines running Nazi rocket science tech..

 

We were proud that the internationals would come out to little ol' NZ too..

& that our guys could do well in the 500cc G.P. World Champs.

 

& that you could buy & operate awesome production superbike derived machinery like this..

 

http://www.3cyl.com/.../h2rservice.pdf

 

I recall seeing Ginger Molloy run his H2R in roadrace trim down the dragstrip at Meremere..

All the hot-rod & Brit-bike guys jeered, 'til he drowned 'em out with the triple music,

then silenced them when they saw the mid 10sec  @ 130 odd mph 1/4 mile time he did..

 

& of course in summer , going down to the local beach at Mairangi Bay,

it was not uncommon to see Mike Hailwood there too, he was a cool guy,

+  we never did the annoying fan thing..

[JAW]

Actually reflecting on NZ in the `70s, it seemed natural that good keen Kiwi blokes could compete on the world stage,

& that those internationals would be happy to come down-under for the southern summer to compete & have a bit of fun..

 

I recall 1st seeing Mike Hailwood racing in the NZ G.P. ( Formula 5000) & my old man going on about him being a

gun bike rider..

 

Kiwi F1 stars like McLaren, Hulme, Amon etc, used to bring Euro-types back to race in the Tasman series, & the

Aussie stars like Brabham, Gardner, Matich etc would be in too..

My old man reckoned Jochen Rindt drove like a 'wild man' & would 'come a cropper', which he - sadly  - did..

 

We also had top-flite speedway stars, with Briggs, Mauger et al coming over..

 

It was a real thrill, after watching 'On Any Sunday' to have the likes of Cal Rayborn at little ol' Pukekohe,

 & such an awful outcome, albeit not that fearful crashes/fatalities were all that unusual then..

 

So, sure.. for guys like Perry, Molloy, Turner, & others to have made their mark internationally to come back & bring

big names here too, seemed a regular thing, - as well as running the astounding new 100+ hp F750 racers..

 

Just as we expected up-&-comers like Newcombe, Avant, Croz, et al to go overseas & do well too.

 

Too bad that it all degraded into a NASCARised, dumbed-down, circusfied & money-based 'SHOW' by the likes of that

 

"poison dwarf" F1 czar, & Dorna..

[Redneb]

Geoff Osborne and I have just published a new book about classic bikes called "Classics - Great Motorcycles and People."

 

The reason I have posted it here is that one of the bikes, the Yamaha TZ 750, has a connection to the Marlborough series through its rider, Stu Avant.

www.apexbikes.com   I hope some of you will be interested in a great book and this is also a perfect Christmas present (hint hint).
 

The price is $55NZ postage is $6.50 in NZ, $14.50 to post to Australia, and  27 pounds to buy 16 to post in the UK.

 

150 pages of motorcycling goodness.

It’s a high quality publication featuring 10 bikes. There are loads of studio-shot photos of each bike and the words go into detail about the bike, what marque it's from and its place in history. I undertook detailed research before I wrote it.

 

The bikes featured are:

·         Graeme Crosby’s Suzuki XR69 – a rare works example.

·         Yamaha TZ750 – is this the greatest Grand Prix motorcycle of all time?

·         Ivan Miller’s Suzuki RN400 – a multiple championship winner and one of fewer than 30 works models built.

·         From Ken McIntosh’s famous workshop, the mighty Manx Norton, Egli Vincent and Jawa 500 – all showing the engineering excellence that made this small NZ company world famous.

·         Ginger Molloy’s first Bultaco TSS125 – featuring a detailed interview with Molloy about his experiences racing  on the Continent in the 60’s.

·         Russell Burling’s CZ360 twin port - the ultra rare CZ model that changed the motocross world.

·         John Nicholson’s Triumph TR5 and Yamaha DT1 - both created new directions in sport motorcycling, two decades apart.

 

Classics has interviews with motorcycling greats including:  Graeme Crosby, John Boote,

Ginger Molloy, Ivan Miller, Peter Ploen and Stu Avant.

 

It also features passionate and talented enthusiasts : Ken McIntosh, Alistair Wilton, Russell Burling and John Nicholson.

 

 

Here's the cover.

 

 

[LyndaBlair]

Hi all

 

Just come across this thread as I'm doing some research for a Hawkesbury reunion first weekend of October this year (2015).   Reading through this thread I have relived the fabulous Marlboro days, thank you so much for the memories and especially for the photos.

 

Apologies for the "off topic" post here but I thought some of you may still be looking at this thread and have raced/been at Hawkesbury.   I'll see if my non-techo skills can create a new thread for Hawkesbury.

 

Cheers

 

Lynda Blair

Wellington

 

[Dave1954]

Hi Folks

 

Not sure who is following this forum any more. But I thought I'd mention an article on the Marlboro Series by Bill Eales that is in the latest Old Bike Australasia magazine (No 53 August 2015, pp64-69). Covers 1973-78 with some great colour photos. One day I'll get around to posting some more of my pics here!

 

Cheers

 

Dave