Classic Racer - November/December 2019 - Preview

THE

ACTUAL PISTON FROM

AL ALEX MARQUEZ’S MOTO2 GP RACEBIKE!

#200

CLIVE CHEVALLIER WALL HONDA Taking on the stars

First, you y n take an e... engine

www.classicracer.co om where legends live on...

PLUS Cagiva’s C591

// Story of the CRMC \\ // Paddock P Gossip \\ // Archive A photos \\ // NOVA Racing \\ // Goodwood \\ // Lin ne Art and MORE \\

IT’S A CLASSIC!

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WHAT’SINSIDE 006 Archive Great images that you won’t find elsewhere – given the biggest amount of space possible, just to let them breathe and show you all their time-related glory.

010 Classic Racer Crossword We know that you know tons of stuff about motorcycle racing, and, just to make things a bit more fun, we came up with the CR Crossword. This month it’s questions about racing set to a pre-described grid of white and black blocks.

012 Readers Write Pages of your thoughts and, possibly, a photo or two about racing-related subjects.

015 Paddock Gossip Malcolm’s been virtually glued to his phone and computer to get the news from the four corners of the racing quarter.

022 Line Art This month, Mick Ofield’s wonderful talent turns its attention to the Honda RC142.

024 SUBSCRIBE You know the deal by now. You subscribe and get Classic Racer delivered to your door, earlier than it appears in the shops and for less money. It’s what you could call a win, win, win type of offer.

028 Kevin Schwantz: The Lone Star Arguably one of the most famous, thrilling and exciting riders ever. His story is one you won’t know and you won’t ever have heard Revvin’ Kevin ever be so open and forthright about the who, the what, the how and the why it all happened.

038 The Chevallier Honda In a time when you could get your hands on a factory GP motor fairly easily, what made the difference on track was the kit the powerplant was wrapped up in. Chassis people could find the time potential for the rider to exploit. There were some ‘left-field’ ideas out there. Like this.

048 Clive Wall: From Sheene to Saarinen “No Clive, it’s because you’re a w***er.” Quite a thing to admit Barry Sheene once said that to you, but that’s why you’ll love this warts-andall account of a life in racing from Clive. A real rider’s read about life on the throttle.

064 Goodwood Revival

077 The story of the CRMC

Hanging with the gods of the game for one special event in Blighty.

056 Metal Magic: The 1991 Cagiva C591

CR’s expert eye that is John Watterson takes up pole position on the Island to bring you every beat of the story that makes up the world’s most famous classic event held around a mountain.

One man, one bee in his bonnet. Four decades later the race series that spawned from a single argument is arguably one of the most famous classic scenes in the world. We tell the story of how it all began...

The editor of this magazine will argue over and over that this is the single most beautiful racing motorcycle ever built. And because of that he’s chosen to put it into this magazine and let us all take in Phil Aynsley’s studio photos of Eddie Lawson’s bike stripped naked.

069 The Classic TT 2019

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Full subscription rates (but see page 24 for offer): (12 months 6 issues, inc post and packing) – UK £24. Export rates are also available – see page 24 for more details. UK subscriptions are zero-rated for the purposes of Value AddedTax.

ISSUE200 NOVEMBER/DECEMBER 2019 EDITOR Tony Carter jclements@mortons.co.uk

SUBSCRIPTION MANAGER Paul Deacon

PUBLISHER Tim Hartley thartley@mortons.co.uk

CIRCULATION MANAGER Steven O’Hara

CONTRIBUTORS THIS ISSUE Don Morley, Eric Johnson, Malcom Wheeler, Ben Rumbold, Mick Ofield, Pete Crawford, Alan Cathcart, Phil Aynsley, Ross Mowbray, Graham Lawlor, Pete Morris, JonoYardley, John Watterson, Peter Farragher.

MARKETING MANAGER Charlotte Park

PRODUCTION EDITOR Sarah Wilkinson DESIGNER Michael Baumber PICTURE DESK Paul Fincham Jonathan Schofield

PUBLISHING DIRECTOR Dan Savage COMMERCIAL DIRECTOR Nigel Hole EDITORIAL ADDRESS Mortons Media Group, Media Centre, Morton Way, Horncastle, Lincs LN9 6JR UK WEBSITE www.classicracer.com

GROUP ADVERTISING MANAGER Sue Keily

GENERAL QUERIES AND BACK ISSUES 01507 529529 24hr answerphone help@classicmagazines.co.uk www.classicmagazines.co.uk

DIVISIONAL ADVERTISING MANAGER Billy Manning

ARCHIVE ENQUIRIES Jane Skayman 01507 529423 jskayman@mortons.co.uk

ADVERTISING Kate Hayes 01507 529576 khayes@mortons.co.uk

SUBSCRIPTION Full subscription rates (but see page 24 for offer): (12 months 6 issues, inc post and packing) – UK £27.

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CLASSIC RACER (USPS:706-150) is published bi-monthly

by Mortons Media Group Ltd, PO Box 99, Horncastle, Lincolnshire LN9 6LZ UK. USA subscriptions are $30 per year from Motorsport Publications LLC, 7164 Cty Rd N #441, Bancroft WI 54921. Periodical Postage is paid at Bancroft, WI and additional entries. Postmaster: Send address changes to CLASSIC RACER, c/o Motorsport Publications LLC, 7164 Cty Rd N #441, Bancroft WI 54921. 715-572-4595 chris@ C classicbikebooks.com

083 Buyer’s game Charterhouse to hold Historic Motorcycle Auctions at the IoM Classic TT.

084 Nova Racing From humble beginnings making gears for the motorcycle racing world, to absolute cornerstones of many bike builds, Nova is celebrating its 30th anniversary.

088 On Track BHR and CRMC rounds from 3 Sisters, Cadwell, Donington, Mallory and Snetterton.

Printed by William Gibbons & Sons, Wolverhampton SSN No 1470-4463 IS © Mortons Media Group Ltd. All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced or transmitted in any form or by any means, electronic or mechanical, including photocopying, ecording, or any information storage retrieval system without re prior permission in writing from the publisher.

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Independent publisher since 1885

CLASSIC RACER ARCHIVE

6 ClassicRacer

In a cloud of dust, they depart...

Photo: Nick Nicholls Collection at Mortons Archive

YEAR: YOU TELL US // LOCATION: A ROCK IN THE MIDDLE OF THE IRISH SEA Attention paddock, attention paddock, time to get pushing...

The Mountain calls and the men line up to test themselves and their motorcycles on it.That clock ticking by, egging them on. Number 5 is LuigiTaveri, Honda; 7 Mike Hailwood, Honda (who went on to win); 11Tommy Robb, Bultaco; 16 is Dan Shorey; 17 Rex Avery, EMC; 21 Johnny Grace; 22 Phil Read, Bultaco; and 23 is Gary Dickinson on a Ducati.

CLASSIC RACER ARCHIVE

Wearing out a Dunlopp YEAR: 1983 // LOCATION: ASSEN

In front of the packed banks around the atmospheric Assen circuit, Rob McElnea (Suzuki) and Joey Dunlop (Honda) do battle for the 1983 Formula 1 crown. Come the race, it was the Burly Humbersider who

stalked and then pounced on his Dunlopshaped prey. Rob was victorious and Joey had to be happy with the fact that he led home Honda team-mates Roger Marshall and Wayne Gardner on Dutch soil.

Photograph: Nick Nicholls Collection at Mortons Media Archive

ClassicRacer 9

Compiled by: Ben Rumbold, MotoXwords

5

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Many congratulations to Classic Racer on reaching the 200th issue!To mark the occasion, here’s a jumbo-sized crossword grid with a smattering of ‘200’ clues thrown in.

W

elcome to this, the CR #200 Crossword. To mark the landmark issue we’ve made the puzzle a bit bigger, with even more clues to test your racing knowledge.

And to make this Classic Racer Crossword that bit more special, we’ve landed a unique prize to give away to race fans like you – an actual piston and rod from Alex Marquez’s Moto2 racebike.

Yes, we can’t believe it either, but it’s true.This is a piston from

Across

1: Prestigious AMA series that combined results from both road racing and flat track up until the mid 1980s. (5,8,12) 9: Pump __, painful condition for a racer’s forearms that often needs surgery to eliminate. (2) 11: Inaugural world champion in the 125cc, and very nearly also the 500cc GP class. (5,6) 14 & 44 Down: The first to reach 200 points (exactly 200, in 1991) in a 125cc GP season was also one of the first to reach 200 premier class starts. (5,9) 15: Historic French Endurance race that has shifted venue several times in nearly a century. (3,1,2) 16: Whilst a 200mph lap of the IOM Mountain Course remains pure fantasy, this man was the first to do half that speed. (8) 19: Clive, British privateer who took a second behind Angel Nieto in one of the first 125cc British GPs at Silverstone. (6) 21: Where a bike’s rear suspension meets the frame – a vital connection! (8,5,5) 24: Mr Blake, legendary Aussie who lost his life at the Island in 1981.

(3) 25: Dubliner who was the first to hit double figures in Isle Of Man TT wins. (7,5) 27: In 1971 this British built 750, albeit one with a different badge, went 1-2-3 at the Daytona 200.

(3,6) 30, 32, & 33: The massive parent company behind the green machines. (8,5,10) 35: Jimmy, Californian whose wildcard 250 GP win at Laguna Seca was Honda’s 200th win in all classes. (6)

Alex’sTriumph-motored machine ne, theTeam Estrella Galica 0,0 Marcc VDS bike that he contests in the global championship – we don’t need to tell you how rare this sort of thing is.

This particular piston has been pulled directly from the 765cc triple byTriumph itself and then given to us to give to you (should you be the lucky winner whose completed and correct crossword is pulled from the upturned CR helmet).

With a letter of authentication fromTriumph, the piston comes

36:Only since the MotoGP era began have we started seeing the needle pass 200mph on this part of the bike. (11) 40: Mr Pellandini, Swiss top 10 GP man on a HB Honda in the early 1980s. (6) 43: Section of the Mountain course that includes Birkin’s Bend. (10) 45: Multiple race winner for Bimota in the first WSB season, more famous now for management in red. (6,8) 50: Grimsby legend who was one of few riders to win TTs either side of the war. (7,5) 54: Mr Ajo, who started his successful race team in 2001. (3) 55: In the first 250cc season of the new millennium, this team had its two riders take the championship down to the last straight at Philip Island. (12,6) 56: See 52 Down 57: Takazumi, Japanese 350cc star who took Yamaha’s 200th Grand Prix win in 1977. (8) 61: Type of tyre that has no air to lose! (6) 63: This TT is held at the only venue to notch up over 200 world championship races since the series began. (5) 64: Graced the cover of the first issue of this fine magazine, unusually aboard a Vincent. (4,7) 66: The full title of the historic Imola race circuit. (9,4,1,4,7)

Down

1 & 35 Down: The only world championship rider with more than 200 GP podium finishes – The Doctor of course – shockingly moved to this dual-cigarettebranded team 15 years ago.

(9,7,6)

WIN THIS AMAZI MAZING MOTO2 RACE PISTON

FRROM ALEX EX M MARQUEZ’S ACTUAL RACE BIKE. with proof that it was at the heart of the bike that contested Moto2 races this year at Argentina,Texas and Jerez.

Incredible, eh? We’re very jealous

2: Mr Ryo, who nearly took a shock home win in the very first MotoGP class race at Suzuka. (5) 3: German manufacturer who took 20 race wins and three world titles in the smaller classes in the 1950s. (3) 4: The ‘Dalbeattie Destroyer’, who took several British titles and 3 TT wins inbetween broken legs in the 1990s. (3,7) 5: Technically, any combination of metals, many of which are used for parts on all bikes. (5) 6: Country where 14 across won his 250 title by taking out his Aprilia team-mate with two corners to go. (9) 7: Vital part that controls throttle, clutch, and one or even both brakes! (4) 8 & 60 Down: Took a rare 500cc GP win for a European in the late 1980s in a largely boycotted race at Misano. Superbikes were kinder to him! (4,9,5) 10: Popular Welsh circuit for the CRMC where 4 Down won a pre-BSB British championship race for Norton. (7) 12: The 15 across events all ran through this. (5) 13: Slightly inaccurate description of the most famous “200” race meeting in Ulster. (5,4) 17: Moustachioed German who earned the 250cc number 2 plate twice, despite winning only three GPs in his career. (4) 18: Famous Australian downhill hairpin out of which Kevin Schwantz high-sided out of the championship lead in early 1989.

(2) 20: Sparkplug makers with a red circular logo. (3)

of you (we’re not allowed to enter) so all that we can now do is to wish you luck and ogle the piston for the remaining time it’s sitting on the Classic Racer editorial desk.

22: Kawasaki’s Superbike model, deadly with a sword? (5) 23: Herr Braun, famously won an Isle of Man TT at his first attempt in 1970 on his way to the 125 world title. (6) 27: What privateers (or their teams) have to do to get their bikes. (3) 28: Taru, Finnish woman who scored top tens in the 125cc GP series in 1989. (5) 29: Youichi. Japanese 125 GP winner with an ideal name for filling small gaps in a crossword! (2) 31: Signor Villa, who took the vast majority of Harley-Davidson’s GP wins in the mid-Seventies. (6) 34: Spanish helmet makers who adorned the heads of Steve Webster and his passengers in the 1980s. (6) 35: See 1 Down 37 & 62 Down: Early engine architecture where engine and gearbox were entirely separate components. (3,4) 38: This Park was the Australian venue for the first couple of years of WSB. (4) 39: A start line groove for Speedway or Motocross. (3) 41: Italian name synonymous with the term ‘V8’. (5) 42: Monsieur Michel, French contemporary of Steve Webster’s who became the only French sidecar world champ. (5) 44: See 14 Across 46: Largely due to the new points system in 1988 this man became the first to reach 200 points in a premier class GP championship.

(5,6) 47: A tyre with no air left! (8)

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Don’t forget!

HERE’S THE LEGAL BIT THAT YOU NEED TO KNOW To be in with a chance of winning, fill in your details and return the completed crossword to: Classic Racer November/December 2019 Competition, Mortons Media Group Ltd, Morton Way, Horncastle, Lincs LN9 6JR. Competition closes: 9am, December 12, 2019

Mr / Mrs / Miss / Ms (please circle) First name:

Surname:

If you don’t want to cut up your issue of Classic Racer then we will accept a photocopy of the completed crossword and the completed form.You can keep your CR pristine and intact.

We will print the answers to this issue’s puzzle in the next edition of Classic Racer – you can find the answers to the last one below.

The terms and the conditions

Address:

To be in with a chance of winning, fill in your details on the form and return the completed crossword to: Classic Racer November/December 2019 Competition, Mortons Media Group Ltd, MortonWay, Horncastle, Lincs LN9 6JR Competition Closes: 9am, December 12, 2019

Town/City:

County:

Postcode:

Country:

There are no cash alternatives available. The winner will be the first name drawn at random from the Classic Racer helmet. Terms and conditions apply. To view the privacy policy of MMG Ltd (publisher of Classic Racer) please visit www.mortonsmediagroup.com/privacy

Email: Telephone: 49: In the 1980s Ron Haslam was seen crashing the experimental Elf because there wasn’t enough of this. (9) 51 & 23 Down: Made famous by the Anthony Hopkins film, Burt Munro had the world’s fastest ever one of these. (6,5) 52 & 56 Across: Scot who set the first race lap of the TT course over 200kph, more famous

for breaking Carl Fogarty’s seven-year-old record of the time. (3,6) 53: Mario, successor to 31 down when he took Morbidelli’s only 250cc world crown. (4) 55: Adu ___-Santos, the first Brazilian to win a Grand Prix and still the only one apart from Alex Barros.

(5) 58: The ultimate goal of any championship! (5)

59: Bohumil, Czechoslovakian podium man for home manufacturers Jawa & CZ. (5) 60: See 8 Down 62: See 37 Down 65: Before career race numbers became the norm for merchandising and Twitter handles, this was the number everyone wanted to carry. (3)

Here’s the answers to last issue’s Classic Racer Crossword: Across 1 & 4 Stefan Dorflinger, 8 Zeelenberg, 11 Screamer, 12 Knockhill, 17 Adler, 18 Sala, 20 Nash, 21 Ito, 23 ROC, 24 Alam, 27 Amal, 28 Copse, 30 Tower, 32 Costa Rica, 34 Honda NSR, 38 Flying Kilo, 40 Suzuki

Down

1 & 19 & 34 Suzuka Eight Hour, 2 Ekerold, 3 Ninth, 5 Regs, 6 Liard, 7 & 16 Rear Shock, 9 Ellison, 10 DMSB, 13 Kreidler, 14 Jan, 15 Casanova, 22 Mallory, 25 Masks, 26 & 39 Across Twin Ring Motegi, 29 Shimizu, 31 Motegi, 33 Tanks, 35 Doug, 36 Nico, 37 RFME

Classic Racer, Mortons Media Group, Media Centre, Morton Way, Horncastle, Lincs, LN9 6JR.

CRletters@mortons.co.uk

facebook.com/ClassicRacerMag/

If you want to get in touch…

Then please do. We read every letter, email and comment sent to us and we enjoy hearing from you. If you’ve an event coming up, a motorcycle you own or just want to let us know about something you find interesting in Classic Racer’s world, get in touch.

FROM THE OTHER SIDE

CLASSIC / VINTAGE... UMM... OLD? Dear CR With regards to the ongoing debate about what defines a classic/vintage racing machine, I would like to propose that there be three different types as follows: 1. Completely original (eg: Lansdowne Series, Goodwood Revival) 2. Replica (faithful to original drawings/ specifications e.g.: Works Racing Manx Norton).

3. Alien.The third type is defined by deviations in drawings/specifications to the original design in order to achieve a competitive advantage in either engine horsepower or machine handling.

Typical changes to engine configuration are a shortened stroke, enlarged bore or reangled ports / valves when compared with the original.

These changes manifest themselves in fewer barrel fins or carburettors fitted at steeper angles.

How to control such a variation in machine types?This is usually achieved by appointing an eligibility officer in the club that organises the races. However, in practice this system gets breached by alien bikes quite frequently.

One possible solution might be for the club to

purchase a mobile dynamometer, to accurately measure horsepower at the rear wheel.

The eligibility officer then maintains a list of typical horsepower values for original or replica machines, to be tested as part of the scrutineering regime – as is noise testing currently carried out.

For example, a standard bore/stroke 500cc Matchless G-50 would be rated at 45 +/-2 hp. I believe that this method of control was formerly used in ‘one make’ series of racing.

Any machine that significantly exceeds the control horsepower is defined as alien and is to be raced in a segregated ‘silhouette’ Class. I suggest that if such a plan were to be adopted then the owners of original or replica machines may be tempted back into the sport of classic/vintage motorcycle racing, from which they fled after the alien invasion!

Pat Alexander Cheltenham Hello Pat, Now this feels very much like a letter that everyone will want to respond to.

Let’s see what others think to the ideas you put forward here.

Tony

STAR LETTER PRIZE

This issue we’re offering the chance to win two fantastic DVDs courtesy of Duke Video – Road and The Unrideables 2. Get writing in to be in with a chance of winning these fantastic prizes.

MR DESIGNER...

Dear CR Myself and a number of colleagues have been avid readers of Classic Racer since its inception. However, as part of the older squad we are having difficulty with some articles not aided by two aspects as follows. The size of print on occasions and also the choice of print text colour on unsuitable backgrounds. As examples: the grey text on white, black text on

yellow and on occasion grey text on pale grey.

Appreciate we are all spectacle wearers and pensioners. Any thoughts?

Brian Murray-Carr Mansfield Hello Brian, First off, I’m sorry to hear you are having trouble reading some of the printed text. When I’m working on Classic

Dear CR Writing from the antipodes I congratulate you on the quality of your excellent publication Classic Racer.

I regard myself as a true enthusiast, having learned to ride on a 1938 Royal Enfield 500cc, interspersed with a Honda CB175.

I did a recent appraisal and established that I have either owned or ridden 47 motorcycles: Bridgestones, Ducatis, Gileras, Suzukis, Yamahas and Jawas to name but a few.

These days I only have two bikes: a BMW R1000RS motorsport and half share with my brother a CB1100 RC (Honda). The Honda has an interesting race history. It was on pole position at the Castrol Six Hour Endurance Race held at Amaroo Park, NSW, in 1982. It was capably ridden by Vince Sharpe and Len Willing (younger brother of Warren Willing).

I look forward to collecting more CRs as they become available.

Greg Mullens NSW, Australia G’day Greg! Thanks for getting in touch with us.

47 bikes? Is that enough Greg? Are you aware of the equation N>1 where N is the number of motorcycle you own and the value (1) is how many more you could really do with in your life? Good to hear from you, keep it sunny side up. Tony

Racer I always try to get the pages to be as interesting and engaging as possible.

The last thing I want is for us to fall behind the times and not give you the best mag we can. However, I do accept that I need to be bludgeoned round the head.. ahem… reminded, that the story needs to be legible. I will address these problems in the following issue. Mike

STICKY ISSUE Dear CR I have just received my issue of Classic Racer with a wonderful photo of Mick Doohan on his Rothmans Honda (p54/55) and on the lower fairing is a sticker for SAK who were a sponsor of the Rothmans team.

On the sticker there is some wording beneath the letters SAK. My question is: are you able to read this on the original photo? I have tried with a magnifying glass on the picture in the magazine but can’t quite make it out.

The reason I ask is that I am currently working on a Freddie Spencer tribute bike based on a 1988 Honda RS250 and this is one of the stickers on the bike which I am currently trying to reproduce, but the lettering eludes me.

I have scoured the internet and can find absolutely no trace of SAK so have no

idea who or what they were. Sorry to be a nuisance but any help would be most appreciated.

Kind regards and thanks for a great magazine.

Dave Clark.

Email No problem at all Dave, we would love to see the bike when complete – please send us photos when you’re happy with the project. We’ve expanded the fairing side here and as you can now make out, underneath the word SAK is the word RADIATOR. Tony

IN ANSWER TO JACK #1

Dear CR I write regarding the letter in issue 198 from Jack McGahan who was asking which motorcycle Barry Sheene was standing next to in issue 196.

The machine is in fact the first Suzuki RG500 (XR14) square four and the photo was taken at the Suzuki test track at Ryuyo in Japan at the first tests of said machine; other riders at the test were Paul Smart and Cliff Carr. During the test Barry Sheene collided with a pheasant which smashed the fairing’s screen.

The date was early in 1974, and during the testing Sheene broke the best ever time at the track by 1.5 seconds.

PW Selley Email

IN ANSWER TO JACK #2

CLASSIC RACER ALL THE WAY Dear CR Not having an airmail subscription, this reply to Joe Edmunson’s query in issue 198 may be a bit late, but here goes.

Firstly, the Honda in question was a CR77 not an ER77. By 1968, this rare DOHC twin cylinder machine would have been gathering dust. By that year, Honda RSC produced a racing kit for the SOHC CB350 road bike, and this is the one Bill Smith rode that year.

He finished third in the Junior TT on one. Bill Smith had ridden the earlier twins, and rode a CR72 to third in the 1963 Lightweight TT. It would require intricate research to glean why Honda did not make the CR72 and CR77 readily available in the way they did the CR110 (50cc) and CR93 (125cc). Jim Redman, Tommy Robb and Bill Smith could all shed light on this. It is possible Honda considered the 250 and 305 would be difficult for privateers to maintain, but Dave Simmonds had success with the model in British domestic racing.

Tommy Robb claimed the performance of the CR77 was comparable to a good 500cc single (e.g. Manx Norton), not bad given the 200cc difference. Redman raced a CR77 for his second off-season tour down under (1963) and defeated Hugh Anderson’s G50

several times. Redman supplied countryman Bruce Beale with a CR77 which he raced successfully 64/65/66, finishing second in the 1964 350 world title.

A Classic Racer article about the CR72/77 would be well receive – Mick Walker’s 2003 publication ‘Japanese Production Racing Motorcycles’ is an excellent research resource.

Chris Sim Sydney, Australia Thanks Chris, good response. Malc and I will discuss your CR 72/77 suggestion.

Sounds like a good idea to me. Tony

Dear CR Firstly, congratulations on your most interesting Classic Racer magazine; fascinating technical articles.

Secondly, a big thank you for printing Alan’s super piece on our F1 Suzuki.

Steve Roberts classiccarcraft@xtra.co.nz You’re very welcome Steve, we’re pleased you like / liked it. Tony

Dear CR I am writing in reply to Jack McGahan’s letter on the identity of the Suzuki in issue 196. It’s a Mark I Suzuki RG500X R14 minus its front cylinder heads and barrels, no front discs and no rear sprocket; I think this is what is confusing Jack.

If you go to page 119 in Roy Battersby’s excellent book Team Suzuki, it shows a picture of the same bike with the disc and sprocket on, and you can clearly see the upright rear shockers’ set up and frame.

Also, while we are on the subject of identifying bikes, there’s a picture of Barry Sheene sitting on a Suzuki which has been wrongly mistaken many times for his 125.

See page 40 in Rick Broadbent’s official photo book, it is actually the Sealy T500 which Franko and Barry bought from Suzuki and did many modifications including up sweeping of the expansion chambers.

In the picture you can clearly see the down tubes of the Sealy frame and the cylinder head cooling fins just visible through the fairing. I think what confuses a lot of people is the large Suzuki decal and the upswept pipes. Again, there is a good picture of the TR500 minus its fairing showing the upswept expansion chambers on page 108, again in Roy Battersby’s Team Suzuki book, which I would recommend to anybody who is into the early history of Suzuki motorcycles.

Carl Ogden Stoke-on-Trent Thank you PW and Carl for these letters in reply to Jack’s original question. It’s very much appreciated and long may your expertise continue to spread the good word here on these very pages.

Tony

ClassicRacer 13

14 ClassicRacer

PaddockGossip Compiled by Malc Wheeler // Send your classic racing news to:

mwheeler@mortons.co.uk

Classic TT

significant alterations to the look and feel of the event. We have been doing some work across the department, reaffirming economic development as the primary objective for both this event and the TT. So the conversation right now is very clearly around what we can do to further grow visitor numbers across each.

We want to broaden the appeal of the Classic TT and provide more to see and do, particularly across the August Bank Holiday weekend and tie that together with a focussed marketing approach that delivers new visitors in ever-increasing numbers.

What that looks like in terms of event make-up and scheduling, you will have to wait until the New Year for those details!

CR: One interesting addition already announced is the Charterhouse auction to be held at the ClassicTT 2020 (see page 83 for more – Ed). How did this come about and do you see the stretch of water to the Adjacent Island being an obstacle to attracting buyers?

PP: It is impossible to say, but the early interest in the Classic TT Auction has been very encouraging. We had considered a motorcycle auction as part of the Classic TT since the outset and we have spoken to a number of different auction houses as part of that over the past few years.

Charterhouse have come to us with a lot of enthusiasm and they have really hit the ground running. A classic motorcycle auction staged at the home of the world’s premier

classic motorcycle event is certainly an interesting proposition and we hope that this will be the start of something quite special in its own right.

CR:There seemed to be a few changes in the paddock layout this year, with some top classic teams relegated to the lower paddock areas.What was the reason?

PP: The paddock at both the TT and the Festival of Motorcycle has had to evolve a lot in recent years with ever-increasing health and safety and other regulatory standards to meet. We now have a full-time production manager in our team who leads this work on a year-round basis and who is driving forward all the capital infrastructure works, as well as the day-to-day delivery of the paddocks, and feedback across both our events has been very positive from both the teams, the competitors and the regulatory bodies we work with.

CR: Classic Racer has had lots of feedback concerning the classic classes. At least one team that runs Ducati twins has already stated they it might not return if it has to compete against GP two-strokes. Do you think it might be time to revisit the way the classes are made up?

PP: We’ve got to keep looking at the classes and keep talking to those involved to make sure we can put on the best programme of races. We went out to the teams and competitors literally the day after this year’s event and asked for their feedback, which

Continued on page 16

A

s its official media partner, Classic Racer has a unique relationship with the Classic TT, and the man in overall charge of the event, Paul Phillips. In an exclusive interview Paul shares his thoughts on the Classic TT and its future with Malc Wheeler.

CR:With another ClassicTT successfully completed, are you happy with how the event is continuing to develop?

PP: Very much so. Without doubt it was the most successful one we have delivered to date, tainted of course, by the sad loss of the brilliant Chris Swallow.

This year was a big step forward in terms of the activity off-track and we have bigger plans for that side of the event moving forward.

The way the schedule worked between on and off-track was much more cohesive than in previous years and there was an awful lot to see and do.

The Classic TT was full of stories this year, from Bruce Anstey’s amazing comeback from illness, to the first-time wins for Jamie Coward and David Johnson and the sheer razzmatazz generated by the presence of the likes of Giacomo Agostini and Carl Fogarty, among many others, right across the Bank Holiday weekend.

CR: In conversation you mentioned plans for 2020 and beyond. Can you share any of these with us?

PP: Our plan is to launch details of an updated Classic TT in early 2020 with some

The future

ClassicRacer 15

REGULAR PADDOCK GOSSIP we are still receiving and reviewing. We are very open to feedback and want those with an involvement to tell us how they would like their event to be shaped.

I can understand the concerns that an owner of a Ducati twin might have taking part in the Lightweight class, but that race is primarily designed for 250cc two-stroke GP bikes, a point we make no apology for, and allowing older four-strokes into the class was always just to give those machines an opportunity to be involved, albeit without truly being competitive.

We’re asked a lot about changing the dates for eligibility for the Superbike class, and while we do make some small changes to that class, I would be concerned that a wholesale cut-off date change would do more harm than good. We’ve created a great class with the Superbike Classic TT, which is delivering spectacular racing, great-looking bikes and a lot of variety.

CR:The Junior Classic Race has almost become a one-make Honda series, with no incentive for teams to run traditional single cylinder machines. Would it not be possible to run separate awards for twin cylinder bikes and single cylinder bikes?

PP: Possibly – although the Honda dominance in this class is not something new, nor is it something exclusive to the Classic TT. We do have a number of awards in this class, which are awarded for the first bike of various types home. But perhaps there is a step further that needs to be considered, which further incentivises owners of single cylinder machines or Italian machines for example.

I don’t have an answer for you on that right now, but, as before, we will listen to ideas from those involved who want to feed them back to us.

CR: On a similar note the original race within a race, which separated professional riders and privateers, was popular. Could this be reintroduced to encourage the middle order runners?

PP: As was? No. It was confusing and subjective. The definition of who is a professional and who is an amateur was causing a huge amount of debate and I would be strongly opposed to a return to that situation. What I am definitely not opposed to is looking at some way of further rewarding and recognising those riders who don’t contest the TT – the true Classic riders if you will – and we have ongoing conversations about that very point.

CR: And I guess the really big question is are the Classic TT and Festival of Motorcycling delivering the visitor numbers and revenue you had targeted?

PP: This is the big question – it is often overlooked, but this is exactly the reason why this event happens, why it is funded by the taxpayer and why the Government supports the road closures, infrastructure provision and staffing that it does. It exists for economic reasons and economic reasons alone.

And to that end, it has been a resounding success, delivering sharp growth since its inception, generating many millions of pounds’ worth of additional spend in the Isle of Man economy. And we believe that there is still a lot more to come.

Welcome The moment is important

Putting together this issue of CR has been the usual rollercoaster and, thankfully, these issues are rare, but it’s been coloured with immense sadness. As a racing community our collective heads fell as we learned of the loss of Chris Swallow.

On these pages there are the comments about Chris by his father Bill, our Malc and John Watterson, who once again covered the Classic TT event for us. It would be pointless to try to add anything other than my utmost sympathies to Chris’s family and friends at what is an unimaginable time for most people.

In the same month we also learned that CR contributor Chris Pereira had also passed away after a lengthy battle. Our thoughts are also with the Pereira family and Chris’s friends.

With this sentiment, I’m drawing this column to a close this issue. I’m keeping it deliberately short because, although as ever there is much to talk about in the Classic Racer world, sometimes, in the right situation, the right thing to do is shut up and remember people for the good and positive things they brought to the world.

Pierfrancesco ‘Frankie’ Chilli, is to star as guest of honour at the Carole Nash Classic Bike Guide Winter Classic at Newark showground over the weekend of January 11-12, 2020.

Bologna-born Frankie, as he is known to his fans, had a long and successful career in most classes of races, winning the 125cc European Championship in 1985, before moving to Grand Prix level in 250 and 500cc World Championships, and ultimately World Superbike.

When he retired from racing in 2006 he held the record for the most starts in World Superbike and along the way he claimed 10 pole positions and 17 wins during what were arguably the hardest fought years in WSB. The charismatic Italian will be on stage with Steve Plater during both days of the show and he will present the awards on Sunday afternoon.

For more details or to book advance tickets go to www.classic bikeshows.com or call 01507 529529.

16 ClassicRacer

© Charlie Harris 2019

Frankie for Newark Show

Classic Racer product placement Malc had the honour of starting the Classic Racer Lap of Honour at the Classic TT and in so doing he now has another claim to fame.

The front row consisted

of John McGuinness, Carl Fogarty and Giacomo Agostini, and CR thinks, it’s safe to claim that our Malc is the only starter to have flagged away that huge front row. Sincere

thanks also to Classic Racer reader Charlie Harris for sending us this great shot of Ago passing one of the Classic Racer banners around the course to mark the occasion.

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