REACTION

from British Dealer News July 2021

USED BIKE DATA

Reaction Reaction

Your thoughts and opinions on the trade’s top topics

Your thoughts and opinions on the topics that make the trade tick are welcomed: editorial@dealernews.co.uk BDN, 10 Daddon Court, Clovelly Road Industrial Estate, Bideford, EX39 3FH

Mick Hemmings –an exceptional man

Following Brian Crichton’s very informative obituary (BDN, June) for Mike Hemmings, I’d like to add some further comments concerning this exceptional man, whose unexpected death last month creates an unfillable void; not only for hundreds of consumers within the Norton community in general, but especially for his wonderful wife, and work partner, Angie, who helped Mick establish a truly remarkable techno emporium.

I first knew Mick in his MCN Ad Rep days; an occupation at which he was good and in which he was popular with his customers. After starting a shop in Northampton he enjoyed being reminded that although he had worked for MCN … he had survived! Mick achieved a great deal during 60 plus years in the trade, enhanced by the fact that for more than half of that period he was forever clocking up countless road race wins and podiums, highlighted perhaps after twice beating Barry Sheene in Goodwood’s prestigious international Revival series, that began in the late 1990s. He was by then in his mid-fifties, riding his own selfprepared McIntyre/Potts Matchless.

I once asked in what field he thought he had best excelled? His typically modest [and surprising] response went something like this: “Early on while working with Joe Glazebrook, we were located near a number of boot and shoe factories. At knockingoff time a lot of factory personnel, who’d sustained a mouthful of shiny tacks whilst on the production line – while heading for

home – would then spit out those nails onto the road. As Joe’s “lad” my main job was fixing a constant stream of punctures, brought in by dozens of bicycle riders and motorcyclists. After a few months of this, even Joe reckoned I was the quickest puncture repairer in town!”

In the mid-1970s, and with his new shop gaining momentum, Mick began selling our 50cc Easy-Rider moped, which he “subbed” from the town’s main Norton Triumph dealer. His sales of the moped rapidly exceeded theirs, thus qualifying for a direct account. You can therefore imagine his jubilation after NVT regained the right to re-manufacture genuine Norton spares, bearing in mind Mick was successfully racing his own rather special Norton, and already undertaking repairs for local Norton street bike owners.

During my thirty years of selling factory-built motorcycles [Greeves/AJS/ Norton/Triumph/MZ etc] one naturally develops a fulfilling relationship with those outlets which are particularly active and/ or conscientious. My Bakers Dozen list includes some really fine traders … in Texas, San Francisco, Barcelona, Devon, Derby, two in London, Northampton, and so on. Whether I was standing before a firing squad, or simply being questioned during a press interview, I’d not hesitate stating that Mick Hemmings was top of that list…

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Your thoughts and opinions on the topics that make the trade tick are welcomed: editorial@dealernews.co.uk BDN, 10 Daddon Court, Clovelly Road Industrial Estate, Bideford, EX39 3FH

Mike Jackson, Romsey, Hampshire

Good fortune and many smiles

Is it that time already?

Today is my last day with the MCIA and indeed, my last day of work.

Almost exactly 47 years ago, aged sixteen and unsure about what I wanted to do with my life, I fell out of Bishop Vesey’s Grammar School in Sutton Coldfield, having squandered my time there, jumped on to my Fizzie and set off to seek fame and fortune.

I can’t claim to have achieved much fame, but I have had the great fortune to work with some fantastic people in a number of great organisations, not least during my time in the two-wheeled world at Triumph, Piaggio Group and the MCIA.

Ordinarily, today would see the nursing of sore heads after a mammoth leaving gig, but in this strange world, I’ll have to settle for closing the virtual office door quietly behind me via this email.

I will now spend my time continuing the renovation of the former mill in Normandy that I call home, as well as thrashing the local lanes on bikes and in cars that, like me, are from another era.

Thanks for adding laughs and smiles to this wonderful industry and making my wo rking life easier!

All the best.

Nick Broomhall, Normandy