44 replies to this topic

[WonderWoman61]

Can include non-starters as technically they entered but never actually raced and tests that never went anywhere.

Carl Fogarty attempted to revive his World Superbike team as an MV Agusta entry for 2008.

Also, 1999 500cc Champion Alex Criville planned to join the factory Aprilia team and also spoke to Pramac d'Antin Yamaha before announcing his retirement in 2002.

[Rodaknee]

More than you can throw a stick at.  Many were killed off by the FIA limiting the number of cylinders etc.  Won't happen again as they're only racing glorified road bikes.

 

The Weslake 500.  Enough hot air to fill several balloons.  The bike papers were full of it for years.

 

Here's a shocker

 

 

Outspoken double world champion Phil Read has offered his services, free of charge (unprecedented for a man in his position!) to help develop the machine

 

 

https://magazine.cyc.../1/we-slake-500

[WonderWoman61]

After a couple of toe-in-the-water appearances with Garry McCoy in the 2006 Moto GP Season, Ilmor entered Jeremy McWilliams and Andrew Pitt for a full-time entry in 2007, but the team only lasted one race.

[Robin127]

KRM Superstreak.

 

http://progress-is-f...uperstreak.html

Edited by Robin127, 24 December 2021 - 01:45.

[tonyed]

How about the Manx Hospital Lottery Velocette

https://magazine.cyc.../technicalities

http://velobanjogent...the-little.html

     

 

The Weslake - https://magazine.cyc.../1/we-slake-500

 

I have a copy of the MM magazine technical appraisal of the KRM by John Robinson - all a bit 'pie in the sky'  

[Macca]

MotoCyysc in 2007-8.

American team with innovative engine; Jeremy McWilliams tested for them but rule changes kept them out.

Paul M

[tonyed]

At the age of 18 I announced that I was not going to teachers training college to become a geography teacher as I had started motorcycle racing in my final year of A levels. I was abandoning that to become world 500cc champion    

That was 1969 and well, if I am honest, if you look down the list of 500cc world champions since then my name does NOT appear.

I did, however, win a couple lesser 500cc championships on a Crescent (incidentally a far as I know, other than in the hydroplaning world, the only Crescent 2 wheeled champion of ALL time) but alas no world title.

So, I suppose, this was an announcement that never came to pass.

I did have more success with my Crescent than that achieved by:

The KRM

The Weslake 500

The Illmor

The Motocyysc

The Manx Hospital Lottery Velocette

             

CRESCENT built by Geoff Barr (nee Bastard) who once proclaimed, I think it might have been after several pints of Okells in the Dogs Home Douglas, 'Once a Bastard always a Bastard' though in fairness this was not a true announcement either as to save his wifes' blushes (and of course the offspring) they became Mr and Mrs Barr and mini Bar®s (if it's your round I'll have a double - is Pete Tibbitts in the room?  )                  

Edited by tonyed, 31 December 2021 - 15:26.

[Robin127]

...

The KRM

The Weslake 500

The Illmor

The Motocyysc

The Manx Hospital Lottery Velocette...

(if it's your round I'll have a double - is Pete Tibbitts in the room?  ) 

More chance of those bikes appearing than the latter happening

[tonyed]

More chance of those bikes appearing than the latter happening

 

Priceless, although all of us we know and love Peter appreciate that somewhere in his genealogy there was a MacTibbits who was known for his careful managing of the groat(s) in his procession.

 

I am also sure that we all began racing with the ultimate goal of becoming world champion at our selected sport, however if we did achieve that ultimate goal a world championship would become valueless and anyway there is not enough room on the podium for us all.

To misquote Andy Wharhol "In the future, everyone will be world-champion for 15 minutes." seems fair to me           

[PJ52]

No Scotsmen in my lineage Tony.  Pure Fens I'll have you know.  Good to be reacquainted with this forum, must try to remember to login more frequently. 

[tonyed]

Prediction time:

Things that won't happen:

Jack Miller - MotoGP champion

Things that will happen:

Jack Miller crashes more (even more than last year)             

 

Then I could be wrong, I said the idiots in the UK won't vote to leave the EU.            Also the idiots in the UK won't vote for a fat, useless, pig **** thick liar, misogynist wanker and yet we still have Alexander Boris de Piffle Johnson running the joint into the ground so he can bung his mates a good wedge.       

 

Next year my TZ250 A will be 50 years old - should I bake a cake or elope with a younger model to the Caymen Islands.        ????????

Answers on the back of a million pound bung made out to DEFINATLEY NOT me old mate Bojo     

[Michael Ferner]

 

Next year my TZ250 A will be 50 years old - should I bake a cake or elope with a younger model to the Caymen Islands.        ????????

 

Definitely bake a cake (she deserves it), and leave the young model to me!  

[WonderWoman61]

The late Nicky Hayden originally signed a MotoGP deal with Yamaha for the 2003 season before switching for Honda during the off season

Mick Doohan was supposedly offered 50 million dollars to ride for the Roberts Yamaha team for 1997 onwards.

[tonyed]

Mick Doohan was supposedly offered 50 million dollars to ride for the Roberts Yamaha team for 1997 onwards.

Doesn't Mick earn his living pole dancing these days or was that an aberration after too much neck oil?  

Edited by tonyed, 21 July 2022 - 04:22.

[WonderWoman61]

Jeremy McWilliams conducted secret tests at Almeria with BMW in creating an 800cc MotoGP machine for the 2007 season

[Robin127]

Jeremy McWilliams conducted secret tests at Almeria with BMW in creating an 800cc MotoGP machine for the 2007 season

 

Wasn't that the Ilmor?

[tonyed]

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ilmor_X3

 

The Ilmor was actually raced in 2006 but 'rested' after an announcement in March 2007

I ahd not heard of a BMW 800cc. As said perhaps that secret 

[WonderWoman61]

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ilmor_X3
 
The Ilmor was actually raced in 2006 but 'rested' after an announcement in March 2007
I ahd not heard of a BMW 800cc. As said perhaps that secret

The Ilmor has been mentioned before.

[tonyed]

https://www.visordow...ng-motogp-entry

Obviously not a potential winner In BMWs eyes.

Perhaps it seems that it's even beyond them to produce a competitive superbike for anything above national level. 

Best stick to what they know best, producing cars for the many morons stooging about the UK roads thinking they're 'jack the lad'   

[WonderWoman61]

Carl Fogarty tried and failed to find sponsorship for a team running customer Ducatis in the 2007 World Superbike Championship.

[tonyed]

Carl Fogarty tried and failed to find sponsorship for a team running customer Ducatis in the 2007 World Superbike Championship.

Better to have tried and failed rather than never tried at all.    

[WonderWoman61]

Better to have tried and failed rather than never tried at all. 

So true.

[brands77]

Wasn't there an Australian V8 mooted at some point for MotoGP? Drysdale, I think, and they made a V8 road bike or at least a prototype, but the racer never appeared afaik.

[WonderWoman61]

Wasn't there an Australian V8 mooted at some point for MotoGP? Drysdale, I think, and they made a V8 road bike or at least a prototype, but the racer never appeared afaik.

https://www.motorcyc...1drysdale988cc/ - Yes, in 2001, intended for the 2002 Season.

[tonyed]

Got 3 of them laying in my workshop, the 4th is on the lawnmower 

Embryonic days of MotoGP when it was still possible for a 'private entry' on the grid. Unlike today with grids spots laying vacant due to the exorbitant cost of filling one.

What with the cost of:

1/1/2 riders (are there teams with 2 competitive riders all the time?)

Team manager

Team press officer

Team IT (probably several)

2 lead engineers (crew chiefs)

? many mechanics 

Tarot card reader

Team shrink

Hospitality (chef, and other ancillary staff)

Transporter drivers

Mobile restaurant

Pop-up garage

Transport cases

Transport staff

etc, etc

 

Silly money for a 'sport' that's heading the same as as F1 

[Michael Ferner]

You mean, the same as F1? 

[brands77]

Don't they also have someone to clean their helmets now too? And a separate one to do the leathers?

 

Most importantly you need a social media person to do the twitter feed or whatever is important this week.

[WonderWoman61]

https://www.bonhams..../?category=list - This Yamaha TR2 from 1970.

Edited by WonderWoman61, 27 July 2022 - 11:48.

[tonyed]

A group of us are joining the Yamaha Heritage Racing Club this weekend at Donnington Park.

Our aim is to promote vintage Yamaha racers and to establish with Yamaha a source of spare parts, many of which I do already stock @ https://rhsyamahabitz.com/

I shall be there with my 1974 TZ250A

Come along and join in the fun.

[WonderWoman61]

https://www.pinteres...54456027915849/ - This 1977 Harley-Davidson

Edited by WonderWoman61, 27 July 2022 - 16:57.

[WonderWoman61]

https://i.ebayimg.co...l7zO/s-l400.jpg - This 1972 AJS Stormer

[billlawrence]

I remember something called a pulse or something like that dont know if it was ever raced 

[tonyed]

https://forums.autos...-swissauto-etc/

 

The Pulse was the rebranded MuZ Swiss Auto 500 see previous post above link to THIS site.

The Swiss Auto DID happen so DID the pulse, so sorry Bill wrong thread 

 

However whilst we are at it the engine was interesting in many ways one of which if I remember correctly was that each pair of cylinders shared a crankcase cavity unlike normal where there are four separate engines.

It was developed in the first instance for sidecar racing.

 

On Sunday at Donnington I will be announcing to the assembled press corps my full time comeback to road racing at the age of 71 1/2.

However let me assure you that my full time racing comeback WILL NOT happen. 

 

Just thought I'd announce it in this thread as it seems most appropriate place to do so. 

 

Just how many 'good ideas' were/are formulated round a table in the pub? The nearer it is to closing time the braver the idea.    

Edited by tonyed, 28 July 2022 - 14:55.

[WonderWoman61]

KTM considering entering World Superbikes around 2011/2012.

[Robin127]

KTM considering entering World Superbikes around 2011/2012.

They actually ran a team in the AMA Superbike Championship at that time, a low key effort mainly run by the importer but with factory help.  They were also supposed to be part of Kenny Roberts MotoGP team in the mid 2000's (supplying engines)  but pulled out at the last minute.

[WonderWoman61]

They actually ran a team in the AMA Superbike Championship at that time, a low key effort mainly run by the importer but with factory help.  They were also supposed to be part of Kenny Roberts MotoGP team in the mid 2000's (supplying engines)  but pulled out at the last minute.

MotoGP would certainly have made sense, given KTM's involvement in the lower classes.

[WonderWoman61]

In January 2008, John Kocinski was reported to have been looking for a professional motorcycle racing ride for 2008 in the AMA, SBK and 250cc sections.

[WonderWoman61]

The 1997 Hunwick Hallam XR-1 was intended for the World Superbike Championship but only got as far as the Australian one.

[tonyed]

https://www.motorcyc...r_superbike.htm

 

Best confined to the annals of history 

[10kDA]

The 1997 Hunwick Hallam XR-1 was intended for the World Superbike Championship but only got as far as the Australian one.

As ugly as a bobber, in a totally different way.

[tonyed]

All the 'style' you'd expect out of Australia, just missing the dangling corks 

[tonyed]

[WonderWoman61]

As ugly as a bobber, in a totally different way.

Not the best looking motorcycle ever built to put it mildly.

[WonderWoman61]

The Sauber F1 team could have been involved with Foggy-Petronas and in MotoGP rather than World Superbikes as the following link will attest.
https://www.motorcyc...y-petronas-fp1/

[WonderWoman61]

Carl Fogarty tried and failed to find sponsorship for a team running customer Ducatis in the 2007 World Superbike Championship.

Having said that, Foggy had been looking to run customer Ducatis even before the formation of Foggy-Petronas.