Classic Racer - May/June 2019 - Preview

WIN! THIS SHEENE REPLICA AGV WORTH HELMET! £500!

#197

1986 HERON N TSR SUZUKI

COMPOSITE CURIO

ww www ww.classicracer.co w om where legen ends live e on...

FOGGY Y AS YOU’VE NEVER HEARD HIM BEFORE!!

THE ROAD RACERS

AND HANGINGWITH JOEY S AD RO E TH ON RV ME

“I created a MONSTER”

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Number 197 May/June 2019

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IN THE CHAIR

DRIFTING WITH MICK BODDICE

BRUTAL BATHURST TOUGH RACE.TOUGH IN THE 1970s STEVEMACHIN’S350INALLITSPHOTOGLORY//LINEART//PADDOCKGOSSIP //ARCHIVEBEAUTIES//JBRACING//HONDA’SRC45WSBMACHINENAKED

WHAT’SINSIDE

006 Classic Racer archive A couple of beautiful photographs in glorious full colour that capture unique moments in the racing history of the two-wheeled world.

010 The CR Crossword Second lap in and the CR Crossword is doing well.

The times are quick and the handling’s spot-on.

So let’s focus on getting our collective heads down, tucking in for a blast down the back straight of racing knowledge.

012 Readers write More missives from your excellent racing brains and memories over the past couple of months.

Laid bare on the pages for all to see.

015 Paddock Gossip Malcolm’s spent time in the USA over the past few weeks, but that hasn’t stopped him scouring the corners of the paddock for news and bits of info that you’ll find interesting.

022 Line Art Mick Ofield’s masterful artwork adorns the CR pages once again, with this fine portrayal of the 1985 VF750F Superbike. A works bike, these things were much more factory-spec than they looked at a casual glance.

024 Subscribe!

And not only get CR delivered to your door, but get it before it comes out in the shops, get it before it sells out in the shops and get it for a bit cheaper than you’ll find it in the shops too. A winning proposition all-round.

ISSUE197 MAY/JUNE2019 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, Malcolm Wheeler, Ben Rumbold, Mick Ofield, Alan Cathcart, Kel Edge, Bertie Simmonds, Phil Aynsley, Hamish Cooper, Peter Crawford, Ross Mowbray, Gary Chapman, Peter Parnham, Stuart Barker

MARKETING MANAGER Charlotte Park

PRODUCTION EDITOR Sarah Wilkinson DESIGNERS Chris Abrams PICTURE DESK Paul Fincham Jonathan Schofield DIVISIONAL ADVERTISING MANAGER Billy Manning ADVERTISING Kate Hayes 01507 529576 khayes@mortons.co.uk

028 Under the skin: Honda’s factory RC45 – the world Superbike

062 CR focus: JB Racing – Two Wheel Classics

Sir Alan of Cathcart delves deep into the world of the bikes that took the Honda RC30 concept and moved it on by a country mile. Just looking at the servos under the seat, for the linked braking, is sign enough that this bike was just outrageously interesting.

The first in a look at some of the biggest names in the classic racing scene. In this issue, we visit Jim Blomley and his Two Wheel Classics business to find out the story behind the name.

038 Carl Fogarty: I created a MONSTER! In his most frank interview ever, the WSB racer who went on to win a TV popularity show about eating grubs and bits of a kangaroo, tells all about how and why he was like he was when he was racing.

044 1986 Suzuki TSR Heron 500 It wasn’t straightforward engineering that made this bike stand out from under its Skoal Bandit clothes in the mid-1980s, it was a clever combination of composite products. Here’s the photographic detail.

052 In the chair – the Mick Boddice story

066 Steve Machin’s TR2B special This is what happens when you take (effectively) a Yamaha AS3 Special and have a hankering to make a 350 with some ideal handling and effective geometry. Lovely.

074 The Road Racers. A story In 1977 something special happened in a Galaxy far, far away. No, not that story… we’re talking about David Wallace’s incredible documentary film about those racers known as the Armoy Armada. Road racing business at its very hardest.

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 GENERAL QUERIES AND BACK ISSUES 01507 529529 24hr answerphone help@classicmagazines.co.uk www.classicmagazines.co.uk ARCHIVE ENQUIRIES Jane Skayman 01507 529423 jskayman@mortons.co.uk

DISTRIBUTION Marketforce UK Ltd, 5 Churchill Place, Canary Wharf, London E14 5HU. 0203 787 9001.

USA SUBSCRIPTIONS

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@ classicbikebooks.com Printed by William Gibbons & Sons, Wolverhampton ISSN No 1470-4463 © 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, recording, or any information storage retrieval system without prior permission in writing from the publisher.

084 Bathurst Part Two: The 1980s The bikes got faster, the track stayed the same and the fans lapped up the ensuing carnage. It was a time to revel in the majesty of the Australian event that delivered some pretty impressive action.

Right from the start, Mick was a boy fascinated with speed and engines. The story of how that turned into a racing icon who was immortalised on a Manx coin is a fascinating one.

WIN! THIS SHEENE REPLICA AGV WORTH HELMET! £500!

#197

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FOGGY

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AS YOU’VE NEVER HEARD HIM BEFORE! “I created a MONSTER”

THE ROAD RACERS

HANGING WITH JOEY AND MERV ON THE ROADS

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1986 HERON TSR SUZUKI

ww www.classicracer.com ww w lassicracer..com where legends w.cl live on...

Number 197 May/June 2019

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IN THE CHAIR

DRIFTING WITH MICK BODDICE

BRUTAL BATHURST TOUGH RACE. TOUGH IN THE

1970s

STEVEMACHIN’S350INALLITSPHOTOGLORY//LINEART//P ADDOCKGOSSIP //ARCHIVEBEAUTIES//JBRACING//HONDA’SRC45WSBMAC HINENAKED

CLASSIC RACER ARCHIVE

6 ClassicRacer

Photograph: Don Morley

Ahh yes... promo pics...

YEAR: You tell us // LOCATION: Tell us this, too We love this photo – so much so that we thought we would have a bit of fun with it. So it’s another of our ‘spot ‘em and jot ‘em’ moments in CR. We will make it easy to get you started. We won’t even identify the riders in the photo.

So, the racing game is afoot. Tell us the riders, the location, the year and

EVERY person you can see in the photo (including Martyn). Full names where you can.

Email the answers to Malc (mwheeler@mortons. co.uk). There’s no prize for this, but we’ll be impressed and we might feature the result somewhere in the next issue.

And the lights go out!

Go, go, go!

ClassicRacer 7

CLASSIC RACER ARCHIVE

No quarter asked...

8 ClassicRacer

Photograph: Don Morley

YEAR: 1989 // LOCATION: Circuito Internazionale Santa Monica (today known as the Misano world circuit) Thirty years ago the 250cc GP championship was brutal.

With Sito Pons (1) taking seven wins across the year you could be forgiven – should you only be going by results alone – for thinking that most races were a foregone conclusion, especially so when the next most successful race winner was the German Reinhold Roth, with two trips to the top of the podium.

In truth, the scraps on track were breathtaking to watch. Yes, Pons was on fire, but holding off the collective charges of Jean-Phillipe Ruggia (7), Juan Garriga (Pac-man on top of the helmet, obscured), Carlos Cardus (8) and the rest of the outrageously-talented pack wasn’t easy.

These were the glory days of the quarter-litre class, a time when many marvelled at the skills on show most Sundays. Isn't the surface a bit ropey? Different times, different times...

ClassicRacer 9

1ST PRIZE

Welcome to the second Classic Racer crossword. Put your racing knowledge to the test and complete the puzzle to be in with a chance of winning an amazing Barry Sheene replica AGV helmet.

Good luck.

AMAZING BARRY SHEENE REPLICA AGV ROA AD LEGAL HELMET T WORTH

Compiled by: Ben Rumbold, MotoXwords

£499 9.99

T

again he time is here once again, when we can all settle down and pit our wits against the heady combination of black and white boxes, steered only by the feverishly-clever mind of Classic Racer’s own Ben Rumbold.

In short, whet your racing whistle with the CR crossword. Fill in all the answers, include your details on the form and send it to Classic Racer Towers. Get it to us by 9am, June 3, 2019 and if correct your entry will go into the upturned helmet from where one winning entry will be drawn by a blindfolded Malc (after he’s written something about a recent trip to Daytona, which he still hasn’t stopped going on about).

The first entrant out of the lid-of-fun will win the exquisitely finished, iconic bit of

head protection which sells for a penny under £500.

The AGV X3000 Barry Sheene helmet features the superstar’s lucky number 7, the Donald Duck motif and Barry’s signature replicated on the back.

Features of the AGV X3000 Barry Sheene include: • Shell in glass fibre engineered in three sizes, EPS structure developed in three sizes • Visor on/off air vent with channels hollowed in the shell • Premium interiors with genuine leather, suede fabric and embroidered logo • Fully removable and washable interiors (neck roll excluded) • Anti-scratch visor with micro-opening system

• Double D retention system • Sizes XS -S - MS - ML - L - XL - XXL For more information go to: www.agv.co.uk

Don’t forget!

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 crossword in the next edition of Classic Racer – you can find the answers to the last issue’s crossword on these very pages.

1

2

7

3

4

8

11

5

9

6

CLUES

Across

10

12

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14

15

16

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18

19 20 21 22

23

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32 33

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Here’s the legal bit that you need to know To be in with a chance of winning fill in your details on the form and return the completed crossword to: Classic Racer May/June 2019 Competition, Mortons Media Group Ltd, Morton Way, Horncastle, Lincs LN9 6JR Competition closes: 9am, June 3, 2019 Mr / Mrs / Miss / Ms (please circle) First name:

Surname:

Address:

Town/City:

County:

Postcode:

Country:

Email: Telephone: The terms and the conditions

To be in with a chance of winning fill in your details on the form and return the completed crossword to: Classic Racer May/June 2019 Competition, Mortons Media Group Ltd, Morton Way, Horncastle, Lincs LN9 6JR Competition Closes: 9am, June 3, 2019 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 Please tick if you are happy to receive information about: Magazine subscriptions / Merchandise / Shows  3rd Parties  Research  Are you happy to be contacted via: Email  Phone  Letter  SMS  3rd Party  Social Media 

Here’s the answers to the last issue’s Classic Racer Crossword: Across

Down

1 & 3 Across Marco Lucchinelli, 7 Laguna Seca, 8 Square, 9 ACU, 11 Rothmans, 12 MA, 13 Checa, 14 RAT, 15 Open, 16 FM, 18 Igata, 20 Max, 23 Elf, 25 Knees, 27 Miguel, 29 Team, 31 NSR, 32 & 5 Down Ago’s Leap, 33 Hedge, 35 Bologna, 36 Sea, 37 RAF, 39 Once, 40 Featherbed, 42 Nurburgring, 43 Jerez

1 & 28 Down Melbourne Hairpin, 2 Clutch, 3 Les Graham, 4 Cecotto, 6 Ireland, 8 Spain, 9 Action, 10 Ueda, 17 McElnea, 19 Pounds, 21 AMA, 22 Wil Hartog, 24 Fernandez, 30 Magneti, 34 George, 38 & 26 Down Four Stroke, 41 MG

1: Team that ran Alex Barros alongside Kevin Schwantz in the latter’s title-winning season (5,6,6) 7: Welsh-born Rhodesian who took two world titles in 1961 before retiring and then tragically dying in a racing car. (4,7) 10: Late 60s pure race bike made with twin 250cc Aermacchi engines by Italian engineer Lino Tonti.

(5) 11: What a racer might call a massive wobble, where the top of the bike gets a whack! (4,7) 13: Fast, and first purpose-built, Italian race circuit which finishes with a blast out of the Curva Parabolica. (5) 15: Shorter contest necessary for qualification in a format that features a final or main event (4,4) 19: Old British bikes were put together with these bolt measurements which weren’t metric (8) 20: See 3 Down 22: If you won a WSB title on a Ducati 916 or 996 then your name is either Carl, or this! (4) 23: Gianfranco, popular Italian who took GP wins for both MV Agusta and Harley-Davidson. (6) 24: The most successful manufacturer of the twostroke 500cc age. (5) 27: Two rubber moulds held on with wire that transmit all of a rider’s moves to the bars (5) 28: Wild Japanese racer who scared the life out of Mick Doohan on his debut 500cc GP at Suzuka in 1994. (8,3) 29: Joan, whose name is not quite pronounced how it looks in English, 125cc & 250cc podium man who has just become boss of the Marc VDS operation. (5) 30: Signor Bontempi, popular Italian Kawasaki man who kept up with the best of the 90s WSB grid (11) 33 & 34 Across: Another popular Italian who took two runner-up spots in the early WSB title races before claiming a World Supersport title in the 1990s (8,8)

Down 1: This TT race was originally for 250cc machines, and recently reintroduced for 650cc twins.

(11) 2: Proddie racing machines still needed this in the ignition to get started. (3) 3 & 20 Across: Tobacco sponsors which gave the Heron Suzuki its cool green and black livery.

(5,6) 4: The King’s first name in full – also his famous son’s. (7) 5: This race at a meeting allows any size of engine you like. (9) 6: Famous Italian circuit that is now known as the Autodromo Enzo e Dino Ferrari (5) 8: Agostini’s domestic rival who was tragically killed in the incident that also claimed Jarno Saarinen at 13 Across (5,8) 9: This Hill Climb for both cars and bikes originally began in Buckinghamshire in 1910 (3) 12: Suppliers of Foggy’s headwear throughout his WSB heyday. (5) 14: Senor Pons’ real first name, followed by the one we all know him by. (7,4) 16: Classic racing clubs run 1980s bikes in a class called Forgotten ___. (3) 17: German who became the oldest man to win a GP world title several years after winning four championships for Kawasaki. (5,4) 18: Legendary mechanic for both Spencer and Lawson in the Rothmans Honda days, also took titles with Cadalora and Biaggi in the 250s. (3,8) 20: Race tracks like Salzburgring used to be lined with an Armco ____. (7) 21: Iconic yellow, red, and white Honda livery was supplied by this tobacco sponsor (2).

25: What the Island is actually called in its official name (4) 26: This TT race was initially for 350cc machines.

(6) 27: Mr Duke, the first motorcycling superstar. (5) 31: Abbreviated term for the turning of an engine, which it does several thousand times a minute! (3) 32: Supreme Yamaha machine in the hands of 4 Down. (2)

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. Let us know if you’ve an event coming up, a motorcycle you own or just want to tell us about something you find interesting in Classic Racer’s world.

Some feature ideas

IN RESPONSE TO SYLVAIN Dear CR Your correspondent Sylvain Jégo is hoping to identify the frame of the bike he’s just bought. It bears some similarity to a Jim Lee framed Yamaha TR2B I owned and raced back in 1974. The swinging arm looks like it might be chromed, or more likely nickel plated, as mine was.

The front end is completely different as far as I can see, and the drive is on the opposite side.

The frame itself looks quite similar though. I’ve no idea what the frame number of mine was, but it did have some distinctive repairs which could identify it as my old bike, but more likely it is a similar one of Jim’s very nicely handling frames.

Please feel free to pass on my email address to Sylvain and I’ll try and help him ID the frame.

Great mag, as ever. Particularly the article about Eric Offenstadt’s H1R and H2-R triples. I’ve a soft spot to the H2-R powered bikes as I rode a Spondon framed one back in 1974-77, and I’ve another that I now parade with CRMC. Stephen Williams Email Thank you for the information and the further offer of help to Sylvain. As soon as we hear back from him, we shall pass your details on.

Best wishes, Tony

Dear CR First off, great magazine, I have enjoyed it for many years now, either via subscription here in the USA or via newsagents, and just subscribed direct for another 12 months.

Regarding future features, I know you did one recently on Jarno Saarinen but you probably can’t overdo it with such a great rider. I enjoyed watching Jarno immensely and it was a tragedy when he lost his life at Monza.

Also I would like a feature about the famous 1971 Race of the Year at Mallory Park when John ‘Mooneyes’ Cooper beat Agostini. I was there for that race.

I also remember about the same time period watching a club racer (again usually at Mallory) who unfortunately (from what I remember) lost his life at the Isle of Man, not too clear on his name however I think it was Phil Gurner. I remember thinking what a great prospect he was, however not to be..... would be good for a feature I think.

Colin Lucas Ridgefield Washington USA Hello Colin, thank you for the email and thank you for the suggestions. I totally agree that you can’t have too much Jarno (but I don’t think the postman would appreciate all the extra complaint letters we’d receive if we did it so soon) so I’ll hold back on that one for now. John’s story is well known but worth telling again, given how many new readers have joined the CR world. As for Phil Gurner, I’ll have to admit to not being too aware of his story personally but a quick read up in the archive has certainly got my interest up. Thanks for the pointer.

Best wishes,Tony

How could you omit?

STAR LETTER PRIZE

Write the Star Letter and you will win two incredible DVDs from the lovely people at Duke Video – this month we’ve got a terrific road-themed brace of aces to give away: Road Racing Great Races Vol 1 and A History of Road Racing. Entertain us with your words and we’ll entertain you back with some brilliant screen time for free!

12 ClassicRacer

Dear CR I have been a reader of Classic Racer since issue No 58, January/February 1996, which I still have. I have not missed a copy since then, although due to the Spanish post I sometimes received two copies at the same time.

The first copy I bought was because there was a feature of Mike Hailwood on the cover and a story of young Mike; so it was good to see more tales of Mike in the latest issues.

You covered his bikes and riding through the years.You did touch on his time doing cars and I was surprised that you missed out the time he was awarded the George Medal, where he single-handedly tried to pull another driver out of an upturned burning car, while the marshals stood by watching, undoubtedly saving his life.

Despite this omission, I will still be buying your magazine.

George D Cunningham Alicante Spain

# 195. It starts on P044.

Good, good, slip Dear CR Good article about the ex-Frank Perris machine in issue 195. A handful of these made their way down under in the late 1960s; Melbourne rider Peter Jones rode one to many wins. It is a shame Suzuki did not continue development, to keep Yamaha honest in the over-the-counter racer business.

After ending his European stint, Kevin Cass brought a genuine TR250 engine back to Australia in 1968 and fitted it to a Bultaco frame. He achieved numerous podiums and several wins.

A very well written article was Michael Scott’s poignant observations about Iron Curtain era Czechoslovakia in issue 194.

As an aside, the double spread photo of Wayne Gardner on pages 10/11 of issue 195 cannot be Phillip Island 1987, the circuit was first used for a GP, after a significant refurbishment, in 1989.

Chris Sim Email Ahhh, yes! You’re quite right. Apologies for that Chris. Glad you enjoyed Michael and Peter’s words all the same.

Best wishes,Tony

A Knight tale Dear CR Thanks for the excellent article about Ray Knight in CR196. It brought some good memories back for me as I started racing in 1964 on a production Honda 250 CB72, which was also my ride to work bike. Like so many others I was in my late teens and mad as a box of frogs.

I raced with the British Formula Racing Club (BFRC) and my CB72 was in the production race with all the big British twins you mention, including of course Ray and all the rest. At Cadwell Park we raced on the Park club circuit where the start line is about halfway between Mansfield and the club hairpin.

Starts were by mechanical means,

which in my case was electro-mechanical.

When the flag dropped I was able to be in first gear holding the clutch, press the button and go. This invariably meant that I was first round the hairpin whilst the rest were getting going with kick-starts. Between the hairpin and Charlies came a roaring charge of big twins which included Ray, and I watched them disappear down Park straight. If I was fortunate enough to draw a front grid position I sometimes made it to the straight before the inevitable charge came past.

Yep, I beat all those big British twins with my 250, well at least into the first corner anyway!

Best wishes to the ever-smiling Ray and all the others who helped drive determination into a green kid on a 250.

“Ernie” Roger Bryant.

Email

Thank you, everyone Dear CR I am very pleased to see the interest generated in Classic Racer by my enquiry about the photo of Dave Simmonds.

As per the responses from your learned readers (and from advice since given to me by a friend), we all agree it is actually a 250 Greeves.

I was told to (re)read my copy of the Bill Ivy Biography ‘The WillTo Win’ by Mick Walker.The book details the results of Bill’s races and includes Dave’s achievements on the Greeves in the 250cc events, quite successfully as it happens, competing on it in 1964. With Bill racing in the lightweight events it also records many of Dave’s results in the 50cc and 125cc categories.

The book also shows Dave riding a 250 Honda in 1965, on which he went on to win the ACU title that year; before the Kawasaki offer.

With no data on Dave’s actual race numbers I cannot pin down the exact date of the photo but otherwise problem solved!

Many thanks to you all.

Brian Halford Northampton Happy to have helped Brian by putting your query out to the vast knowledge data bank that’s the CR readership.

Best wishes,Tony

The memories of the TR250 Dear CR I really enjoyed your article on the Frank Perris Suzuki TR250. It took me back to 1972 when I also had a TR250 ex-Doug Lunn (nice chap). It was really a super six with TR250 heads, barrels, carbs, ignition, etc. It had MP forks and a Grimea front brake.

It was about as fast as a normal TDIC Yam and gave me several top three positions at the old long circuit at Snetterton. It was very reliable

until it got to the Manx GP. But that’s a long and painful story!

Thanks for the memories.

Tony Collison Kings Lynn Thanks for the memories too Tony, we appreciate you writing to us. If you ever feel like sharing what happened at the Manx, we’d be all ears on these pages.

Best wishes,Tony

ClassicRacer 13

14 ClassicRacer

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

mwheeler@mortons.co.uk

FLYING HAGGIS REMEMBERED IN STYLE This year’s Isle of Man Classic TT will celebrate the career of the late Steve Hislop, one of the greatest British motorcycle racers of all time.

Entitled ‘Back to the Future: The Hizzy Years’ the celebration takes place 30 years after Steve set the first ever 120mph lap around the Mountain Course.

The parade lap will see the career of the enigmatic Scottish rider recognised with many of his most memorable racing machines ridden by former team-mates, rivals and friends.

Four-time World Superbike champion and TT winner Carl Fogarty, who was both a team-mate and rival to Hislop, will head the line-up. The hotly-contested 1992 Senior TT race, which saw the lead change hands multiple times before Hislop prevailed by 4.4sec, is widely acknowledged to be the greatest TT race of all time.

Fans’ favourite and British Superbike Championship legend Chris Walker will join Fogarty on the lap, Walker having competed against Hislop for many years in the British Superbike Championship, and current TT star Michael Rutter, who competed against Hislop in the British Superbike Championship and International Road Races for more than a decade, is another star confirmed to take part.

Fellow Scots and TT winners Ian Simpson and Brian Morrison will be

joining the celebration too – the latter having also lapped at more than 120mph in that famous TT race in 1989. Another Scot, Stuart Easton, who not only hails from the same town as Hislop – Hawick, but was also his team-mate in Paul Bird’s Monstermob Ducati team in 2001 and 2002, will be on board one of his idol’s former machines, along with double TT winner turned TV pundit Steve Plater.

Hislop rode a variety of machines during his career, with some of the most memorable coming to the Island to go on display and be ridden. Included in that list will be the 350cc TZ Yamaha he rode to his first TT victory in 1987, the iconic ‘White Charger’ Norton from the 1992 Senior race and the Castrol Honda RC45 Honda he used to secure a double TT victory in 1994.

Steve’s mother Margaret and two sons Aaron and Connor will be attending the Classic TT and there will be a pop-up museum open to the public showcasing all of Steve’s bikes.

Tickets for the 2019 Classic TT are on sale now via the official iomttraces.com website including official grandstand tickets, VIP hospitality experiences and official entertainment events including the Counterfeit Stones Classic TT Party performance.

100TH TT RACES CELEBRATED Following the lead set by The Carole Nash International MotorCycle Show in April, the Jurby-based Isle of Man TT Museum will be marking the 100th Tourist Trophy Meeting during the 2019 TT. To celebrate the milestone, the team at the Isle of Man Motor Museum in Jurby has launched a new exhibition featuring a motorcycle from each year of racing. Beginning in 1907, the TT has run every year apart from during the two world wars and a foot and mouth outbreak in the UK in 2001.

Darren Cunningham, who established the museum with his father Denis, says the unique display is a must for all bike fans: “We are bringing together a display featuring one motorcycle from each year the TT was held. It will be a unique collection of 100 bikes celebrating all types of motorcycling from TT-winning race bikes to iconic road machines and agile off-road motorcycles – all displayed in chronological order so visitors can see how these incredible machines evolved through the decades.”

Based at specially designed premises on the former RAF Jurby site, the museum is a privately funded exhibition of more than 500 vehicles, including unique one-offs and prototypes, cars belonging to celebrities and royalty and road and race-winning motorcycles.

The museum showcases more than 300 motorcycles from the earliest days of motoring, with a 1902 Clement right through to the 2009 winner of the first electric TT by way of Nortons, Sunbeams, Velocettes, BMWs, Kawasakis, Hondas and many more.

Darren and Denis Cunningham have spent more than 35 years assembling and lovingly restoring their collection of classic vehicles.

For more details and to learn more about the museum, visit: www.isleofmanmotormuseum.com

ClassicRacer 15

REGULAR PADDOCK GOSSIP

BIKERS’ CLASSICS 2019 Plans are pushing on for the 17th edition of Bikers’ Classics, which will take place at the Spa-Francorchamps circuit in Belgium from July 5 to 7.

For the 2019 event the sidecars will be entitled to free sessions on the track (in addition to their traditional parades) and the old trial machines will once again be honoured with the second edition of the Trial Vintage.

The official theme has also been announced as 70 years of Grand Prix Motorcycles, an anniversary that already promises to attract many exceptional participants. It was in 1949 that the FIM organised the first world championship.

All the six races in the first season were contested in Europe.They were open to five categories: 125cc, 250cc, 350cc, 500cc and sidecars, with the circuit hosting Belgium’s first GP.

NEW HOME FOR INTERNATIONAL DIRT BIKE SHOW The International Dirt Bike Show has a new home this year when the popular annual off-road event moves to Stafford County Showground over the weekend of September 28-29.

The change of venue gives show organisers (and publishers of Classic Racer) Mortons Media Group Ltd an opportunity to develop the show’s format and bring in new elements.

Not only is there a change of venue, the show will be crammed into a weekend affair.

Events director Nigel Hole said: “After many successful years at Stoneleigh Park, we have decided to move The International Dirt Bike Show to Stafford Showground. This will allow us to grow and evolve while harking back to its grassroots in retail.

“We are delighted to be working with the team at Stafford, who we know very well already through working with them on our two Stafford classic bike show brands, and we are excited to be moving the Dirt Bike Show forward with them.”

16 ClassicRacer

During the weekend there will be four sidecar sessions for the reduced price of €220.The organisers wanted to make a gesture for motorcycles by reducing the registration price to €390 (for seven sessions).To register or for more information go to: www.bikers classics.be

OLIVER’S MOUNT TICKETS NOW ON SALE Tickets are now available for the relaunched Barry Sheene Classic and the International Gold Cup at Scarborough’s famous Oliver’s Mount.

Duke Marketing, operators of the iomtt.com website, will be managing and selling tickets in partnership with the new commercial operators of the circuit, who have taken on the resurrection of the stunning parkland course.

Duke brings a wealth of marketing experience and expertise to assist the new promoters, Eddie Roberts and Mick Grant, who will be running the Oliver’s Mount races. The racing will be organised by the newly-formed Two Four Three Road Racing Association.

The dates for the popular meetings were confirmed earlier this month, with the Barry Sheene Classic set to celebrate the return of racing to the course on July 27-28, followed by the hotly contested Gold Cup in September.

The Gold Cup, which has previously seen wins for Grant, Sheene, Guy Martin, Dean Harrison, Geoff Duke and David Jefferies, takes place from the September 27–29.

The exciting news that motorcycle racing is returning to the iconic Oliver’s Mount, the only English road racing circuit, has been welcomed by race fans and has gained

huge interest from national and international media, although reaching this stage has hasn’t all been smooth sailing.

Originally one of the driving forces in keeping the Mount alive, radio and TV presenter Andy Kershaw feels aggrieved that he has been dropped from the original line-up of directors. While Roberts declined to comment, Grant told Classic Racer that there was a “clash of personalities” between arch Oliver’s Mount supporter Kershaw and Roberts, stating that it couldn’t work with Andy involved and Eddie, who was involved in saving Mallory Park, was the business brains.

The Two Four Three Road Racing Association have asked Classic Racer to pass on their thanks to the 1946 Marshals Association for their continued support, especially Shaun Dalton.

Advance tickets are available from Duke on 01624 640024 or online at www.dukevideo.com/oliversmount

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#48

ISSUE

Forty-eight Autumn 2018

OCTOBER 2018

No. 330 October 2018 £4.30 UK Off-sale date 31/10/2018

MOTO MEMORIES // TECH TALK // MONTESA COTA 200 // BULTACO MATADOR

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PLUS MOTO MEMORIES TECH TALK MONTESA COTA 200 BULTACO MATADOR AN HOUR WITH: GERRIT WOLSINK

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R 2018 ISSUE 174 OCTOBER

N48 2018 US$15.99 Aus$14.99 NZ$18.99 UK£5.50 UK Off-sale date 15/11/18

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