Classic Racer - March/April 2019 - Preview

#196

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Number 196 March/April 2019

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Monocoque

MARVEL

Built and raced by a man called Eric

PART TWO

The glorious path!

RACINGRIVALRIES//CLASSICRACER ARCHIVE//LINEART// PADDOCKGOSSIP

2 ClassicRacer

WHAT’SINSIDE 006 Archive time

024 Subscribe

Just the two for you in this issue, because we’re introducing a new crossword competition and for now we’re putting it where Archive 3 would be. But what a couple of images we have for you this time. One of them is taken in a hotel’s cheap meeting room. Yes, really.

There’s some great offers on at the moment so what better time of year than now to secure your annual subscription to Classic Racer? Here’s where you can ensure that you get your hands on the best racing magazine around.

010 Crossword competition

028 Eric Offenstadt’s racer unique

New to Classic Racer, we begin our great CR crossword competition. There’s great prizes to win and some lovely questions to answer. You need to know your racing world to be in with a shot at answering these questions and winning something very nice indeed.

A monocoque chassis isn’t exactly a standout idea. It’s been done before and no doubt we will see its like again. But while we wait for that to happen, here’s a great tale about one man and his idea to build a bike and race it to the top of the world (almost).

012 Readers Write

038 Ray Knight

Never wrong. Always right. Right as in, correct. The font of all knowledge. Above reproach. And well into the classic racing scene/world/memory game (delete as appropriate).

From the page to the track to the page and back to the track again. Landing on The Island after getting hooked on going around The Mountain and living many lives on two wheels. Ray Knight’s story is varied, long and well worth a read.

015 Paddock Gossip Malcolm’s been beavering away to bring you the latest chunk of what’s newsworthy and relevant from all four corners of a paddock. Can a paddock actually have four corners? What if it’s a round paddock? Or kidney shaped? What then?

022 Line Art In 1973 Kim Newcombe made history by riding this motorcycle. The motorcycle was born from an ‘aquatic’engine made by Konig that gave a young Newcombe an idea to put the 493cc screaming flat-four engine into a racebike chassis.

COVERSTORY #196

legends live on... classicracer.com where

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More terrific images from the time, courtesy of the great Don Morley’s lens. Barry as focused as he ever was, virtually staring down the brave cameraman standing (it feels) just inches away. Playing off the movement and speed of Barry’s presence is a moment of brief fun with Mike Hailwood as he smiles broadly for Mr Morley. It always, ALWAYS pays off when you’re mates with the big names. As Don Morley shows us with every issue of CR. Terrific.

046 Mike’s Bikes: Part Two Onwards and upwards with two wheels, the four-wheeled sessions and the pre-return return that happened in New Zealand.

054 Go Aussie, Go The Phillip Island Classic was a bit different this year. Our man Hamish and our photographer Russell were on hand to see what was what‘darrrn unnderrr’.

ISSUE196 MARCH/APRIL2019 EDITOR Tony Carter jclements@mortons.co.uk

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

PUBLISHER Tim Hartley thartley@mortons.co.uk CONTRIBUTORS THIS ISSUE Malc Wheeler, Don Morley, Alan Cathcart, Peter Crawford, Bruce Cox, Norm DeWitt, Philip Wain, Stuart Barker, Mick Ofield, Hamish Cooper, Phil Aynsley, Russell Colvin, Ben Rumbold, Kyoichi Nakamura.

PRODUCTION EDITOR Sarah Wilkinson DESIGNERS Chris Abrams, Lucy Carnell

056 Steve Wise: An AMA Everyman American

PICTURE DESK Paul Fincham Jonathan Schofield

A lot of European-based fans will be aware of Jean-Michel Bayle, the motocrosser-turnedsupermoto-er-turned-top-flight-road racer. In th the USA his equivalent was a rider called Steve Wise.

Boy, could he race. On almost any surface, too.

DIVISIONAL ADVERTISING MANAGER Billy Manning

066 GP rivalries Philip Wain takes a look at some of the most famous rivalries from the golden age of 500cc GP racing. The only thing to do in a race was beat the other guy…

SUBSCRIPTION MANAGER Paul Deacon CIRCULATION MANAGER Steven O’Hara MARKETING MANAGER Charlotte Park 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

070 Barry Sheene: How I sorted the RG Call it an XR, call it an RG. When Barry talked to CR he called it the RG and told our man Stuart about the ins and outs that this bucking Bronco put him through. A determined bit of development ensued.

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

078 Bathurst in the 1970s

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

Another era of racing that happened at Australia’s most spectacular circuit. It delivered brilliant performance after brilliant performance that was peppered with wonderful viewing spots from the adjacent hills. Hamish Cooper tells the first part of the Bathurst story.

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.

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PART TWO

CLASSIC RACER ARCHIVE

Everything okay, fellas?

6 ClassicRacer

Photograph: Don Morley

YEAR: 1996 // LOCATION: The Hilton Hotel, junction 24 on the M1. The hotel that’s actually on the junction/ roundabout.

Minutes after the reveal for the official Honda WSB team-up of Aaron Slight (bike number 3) and Carl Fogarty (bloke starring daggers into the back of Slighty's head) there was much, what you might call tension, in the room.

Slighty was to win one race this year – the first outing in Germany – but his excellent consistency in a brutal championship meant that he finished a superb runner-up to Troy Corser.

Foggy, already looking like he’s up for a proper scrap, won four races this season (one more win than Aaron had managed in

three seasons on the RC45), but could only manage fourth overall by the year’s end.

What was doubly annoying for Carl was that the following year he switched to Ducati and came runner-up... to John Kocinski who replaced him on the RC45 saddle.

Still, that was all to come. At the exact moment this photograph was taken, it was all about the friendly launch of a pair of team-mates who were all about working together and putting Honda’s needs first.

Yeah, right...

CLASSIC RACER ARCHIVE

THE DEVIL IS IN THE...

Photograph: Don Morley

Frederick Burdette Spencer focusses hard with two laps to go in front of the massed ranks in España.

It was the miracle year when two worlds collided. The quarter-litre and half-litre crowns sat on one head, Spencer F. Some asked: “How could it be done?”

Well, it all came down to one thing. Focus.

And skill.

It came down to two things, then.

And intelligence.

Three. Three things.

At the end of the day, nobody expected the Freddie-inquisition.

// YEAR: 1985 // LOCATION: CIRCUITO PERMANENTE DEL JARAMA

1ST PRIZE

BRILLIANT MICK CRAVEN ART WORTH

Welcome to the first Classic Racer crossword, where you can win some terrific prizes and prove to the rest of the world that you really do know your racing stuff.

Which is a good thing, after all.

Compiled by: Ben Rumbold, MotoXwords

£340!

CLASSIC RACER ICONIC RACING

MACHINES

RACER CLASSIC Don Morley

PEOPLE

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cle racing. oss in US motorcy Supercr , d rider ss and Lawson t all-roun AMA MotocroRoberts and the greates in the Steve won ise was 200 with nt force (73-83), SteveW Daytona domina 11 seasons podium of the and was the kers. l, Across Superbi the ike Nationa ion raceThe stood on races, r-televis AMA Superb won an d made-fo collection Carlsba DeWitt Don Morley Norm Words:

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Eric’s Even from a distance, a very motorcycle looks like of what purpose-built example take away the happens when you a conventional top-heavy weight of the issue into fuel tank and absorb a monocoque frame.

R, LOWER 750 MONOCOQUE BIKE’S REDUCED WEIGHED JUST 12KG. THE DRY WEIGHT RESULTED IN A LOW 129KG H2R! LESS THAN THE FACTORY KAWASAKI

phs: Steve

Wise, Honda

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2ND PRIZE

A SUBSCRIPTION TO CLASSIC RACER

ns and

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o here we go then, time to settle down and get stuck in to the CR crossword. Fill in all the answers and include your details on the form and send it to Classic Racer Towers. Get it to us by 9am, March 25, 2019 and if correct your entry will go into the upturned helmet from where two winning entries will be drawn by a blindfolded Malc, after he’s written something about racing at the Isle of Man TT races.

Probably.

The first entrant out of the lid-of-fun will win two wonderful pieces of artwork by top motorsport artist Mick Craven,

worth £340. The second correct entry drawn out at random will receive a year’s subscription to Classic Racer.

Mick started seriously painting two decades ago, but it was after watching the likes of Mike Hailwood, Giacomo Agostini and others on The Island in the 1960s that the road racing heroes really became the focus of his art.

The results are breathtaking and you can see more examples of his work at his website www.mickcravenart.co.uk Now, it’s worth saying that 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, so there’s no need to attack the page with a pair of scissors if you don’t want to. Save that for Tony’s column!

We will print the answers to this issue’s crossword in the next edition of Classic Racer.

acer 56 ClassicR

A hello from Ben Rumbold (he makes this crossword) Hello and welcome to this first issue of the Classic Racer Crossword. I hope you enjoy it and I hope you find it entertaining and a bit difficult. I’ve tried not to make it too tough, but of course if it is too easy then I am happy to hear about it.

I’d love to know your feedback on this (it will help me compile future puzzles). Find me on Facebook by searching for MotoXwords, or email me at motoxword@outlook.com with any feedback you care to give about the crossword, positive or negative, all is welcome.

Happy head-scratching!

#1 1

2

3

4

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7

CLUES

Across

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9

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13 14

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25

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Here’s the legal bit that you need to know To be in with a chance of winning, you can enter online at www.classicracer.com or fill in your details on the form and return the completed crossword to: Classic Racer Mar / Apr 2019 Competition, Mortons Media Group Ltd, Morton Way, Horncastle, Lincs LN9 6JR Competition Closes: March 25, 2019

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

Surname:

Address:

Town/City:

County:

Postcode:

Country:

Telephone:

There are no cash alternatives available. The winner(s) will be the first name(s) 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 you 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 

1 & 3: This Italian took the next world title for the Suzuki RG500 after Barry Sheene’s double. (5,11) 7: Wild American circuit that features the Corkscrew and first hosted a bike GP in 1988.

(6,4) 8: The RG500’s cylinder configuration. (6) 9: British bike sport’s main governing body, based in Rugby (3) 11: Headline tobacco sponsor that adorned the factory versions of 31 Across for the best part of a decade. (8) 12: Like 9 Across but Australian and more obvious in its title! (2) 13: Carlos, replaced the injured Alberto Puig aboard a 31 across and “nearly” won many GPs. (5) 14: A “pack” of Triumph fans, or a very knackeredlooking machine. (3) 15: The alternative to full-face helmets hasn’t been used in racing for over 40 years. (4) 16: Helmts by Fimez. (2) 18: Tomoko, fast Japanese lady who scored points in the 125 GPs in the early 90s. (5) 20: Valentino’s fiercest rival who equalled Phil Read’s record of 4 250cc titles in the mid-90s. (3) 23: Experimental French team whose dreams of glory turned out to be a fairy story. (3) 25: Riders began sliding these on a regular basis in the 1970s. (5) 27: Son of Yvon, Canadian who stayed that side of the pond for most of his career. (6) 29: Group of people who most riders thank first in a post-race interview? (4) 31: Succeeded the RG500 as the most successful 500cc two-stroke bike ever. (3) 32 & 5 Down: The crest of the first uphill on the TT Mountain Course took this famous name. (4,4) 33 Road racers in 6 Down frequently get very close to this! (5) 35: Home of some beautiful Italian red machines. (7) 36: The backdrop to the southern end of the Philip Island circuit, and source of its often dodgy weather. (3) 37: 3 Down piloted a different type of flying machine with them in the Second World War. (3) 39: Electric bikes have only ever had to go around the TT course this many times. (4) 40: Norton’s successor to the Garden Gate frame, developed by the McCandless brothers. (10) 42: Classic German venue that built a shorter, safer circuit from the old pit lane in 1984. (11) 43: Hosted the Spanish, and even a Portuguese, GP from the mid-80s. (5)

Down

1 & 28 Down: Additional corner at Donington Park made to bring the circuit to GP length. (9,7) 2: Most two-stroke racers kept a finger on this in case of sudden seizure. (6) 3: First ever Motorcycle World Champion with a memorial on the Isle Of Man. (3,6) 4: Venezualan who became the youngest ever world champ at the time on a 350cc Yamaha. (7) 5: See 32 Across 6: Amazing that this country has never held a world championship round when it has such a deep history of road racing… (7) 8: …whereas this country has probably held more rounds over the years than any other! (5) 9: A return from injury means that a rider is back in this! (6) 10: Bespectacled Japanese tiddler star affectionately known as Nobby. (4) 17: One of very few riders in the 1980s who mixed a TT appearance into his GP season, with some success. (7) 19: Tyre pressures are measured in how many of these per square inch. (6) 21: Like 9 across but across the pond, where 27 across is in their Hall of Fame. (3) 22: White Giant who became Sheene’s team-mate after a famous home win at Assen. (3,6) 24: Patrick, fast French Yamaha middleweight class GP winner. (9) 26: See 38 Down 28: See 1 Down 30: ____ Marelli, Italian electronics supplier to many manufacturers. (7) 34: Mr Brough, founder of a Superior bike manufacturer. (6) 38 & 26 Down: Suck, squeeze, bang, blow. We once thought this engine obsolete you know!

(4,6) 41: The last right-hander at Philip Island, scene of many a last-lap clash. (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 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.

Remembering Phil Kettle Dear CR Your ‘Race of Attrition’ article in the November edition of Classic Racer regarding the present day breakdown rate in the Isle of Man classic races is always an interesting subject to ponder on.

There are, I’m sure, many theories on the subject, all worth a listen to. But reading your article gave me a smile and reminded me of the chats I used to have with my neighbour, the late Phil Kettle, who as you know was Francis Beart’s right-hand man, the other part of the Beart Equipe for many years through the ‘50s and ‘60s.

Many a happy hour was spent in Phil’s kitchen listening to the tales of the TT and Manx GP races of years gone by, often interrupted by Mrs Kettle adding the funny bits from the front room (who was the man whose exhaust fell in the road at the start?).

Ah, Phil would say, better not dwell on that too long.

But the lengths they both went to, preparing those bikes was something else, and the modifications they made were of such detail, that unless they were pointed out, it would have been hard to even spot them. Was it their Brooklands backgrounds, together with Bill Lacy and others (they had all done their time there), part of the equation? And all those long, flat out races, did this have anything to do with it or is it today’s lack of facilities that make it difficult to do any comparable testing?

Phil was a great engineer who I’m sure was blessed with a photographic memory and who regarded the work they did very seriously but also saw the amusing side of things. A

ANOTHER TIME, ANOTHER JACKET small anecdote he quoted more than once to me was, with a wry smile on his face, that you could take a good racing motorcycle and prepare it for races at Brands Hatch or Mallory Park and have a satisfactory result with it. Take that same motorcycle to the Isle of Man and it would fall to bits, so it used to happen to the best of them as well, but not that often.

Phil is not forgotten here in Chertsey, the little lady who now lives in Phil’s bungalow often passes the time of day while walking her little dog. He used to be John Surtees’s mechanic, you know, she says with a proud nod of her head. As Phil would say, better not dwell on that too long but it was true.

Colin Grant Chertsey, Surrey

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 roadthemed 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!

Being Frank

Dear CR The article in issue 195 of the mag about the Suzuki TR250 ridden by Frank Perris reminded me of the first 250 twin raced by Frank Perris a few years before his 1969 rides.

Cadwell Park, September 16 1962, Perris and Hugh Anderson both turned out on the works Suzuki machines.

Anderson rode the 50cc and

12 ClassicRacer

125cc singles and Frank Perris rode the RV62 250cc twin. Hugh Anderson won the 50cc race by a country mile but retired with plug trouble in the 125cc race.

Perris riding the 250cc twin won the 250cc race with ease and recorded what I think was that bikes only win that year.

The 250cc RV62 twin was very unreliable and prone to seizing.

Terry Birch Nottingham

Dear CR My good friend Rita Perris has drawn my attention to the photograph of myself with Mike Hailwood and my colleague Ralph Newman in your #195 edition on page 84. I am wearing the sheepskin jacket and Ralph is in the duffle coat. At that time I was the Competition Manager for Avon Tyres.

I have many happy memories of Mike, having been involved with his early career from 1957. Later we used to go on holiday together to St Raphael prior to the Italian GP, where we stayed with its then French champion Jacques Insermini and his delightful wife Nanna, together with Jack Findlay. Jack was then a racer who later became the racing tyre development rider for Michelin.

Thanks for an interesting article.

Brian Heath Lymington Hampshire Thank you for the memories Brian, we appreciate you taking the time to pass them on. The question Malc and I ask is; do you still have the jacket?

Tony

A WSB RECOMMENDATION FOR ALL Help needed!

Dear CR I just bought this bike, but I do not know his story, can you help me? It has a Yamaha TD1C engine, Rickman front fork, gas tank, seat and fairing Rickman product. The frame and all the polyester was yellow, before being black and white but who is the manufacturer of the frame?

Thank you for your answers Sylvain Jégo France Sylvain, this one is open to the vast databank that is the Classic Racer readership. If anyone can help with this bike, it’s our wonderful readers.

Tony

Dear CR Congratulation to your fantastic story about the exciting years of World Superbike! In the 1993 season all the Austrian fans and I went crazy, when our local hero Andy Meklau took the win in race one on a private Ducati in Zeltweg, on the legendary Österreichring.

That was a sensation and for a Superbike

Malc, any pointers?

Dear CR I’ve just finished reading the November/ December issue. This was my first from a year’s sub. Really great magazine and a most worthwhile read for supplementing my knowledge. I marshaled for CMRC at several meetings last year, thoroughly enjoying the racing and company; looking forward to another season next year.

In 2017, I was lucky enough to obtain an entry to ride a replica in the post 1975 Parade at the Classic TT. As a life-long enthusiast,

TIME WITH THE KE KENNYS Dear CR Good to see the article on Kenny Roberts Jr. I enclose some pics I took when I was fortunate enough to stay at the King’s ranch for a couple of days in the new year of 1990.

I was delivering some photos I’d recently taken of his lad at Laguna Seca.

It was, I believe, his first time on a genuine works 250 Yamaha and I remember telling his old man he had a future world

race in 2018 unimaginable.

A recommendation for all World Superbike fans is the book Superbike-25 exciting years Giorgio Nada Editore ISBN 978-88-7911-556-8.

Good Luck and Best Wishes, Wolfgang Austria

champion there. Other pics are of Kenny senior and me, his lad after getting back from school riding one of the many mini racers around the many mini tracks.

Before this I watched him riding a dirt bike and shooting gophers or some such poor critters with a 22 rifle while still on the bike, he could have been another Geronimo in the making had he not taken up racing. Other photos are of the remains of cars wrecked in Kenny senior’s

I would love to repeat this experience, so just wondering if you have any idea what the ‘Formula’ will be for 2019? Any hints/info very gratefully received.

Looking forward to my next issue.

Steve Burgoyne Steve, I’ve passed this on to Malc (as he is the font of all knowledge when it comes to Parading at the Classic TT) so expect a reply soon.

Tony

famous NewYear’s Day demolition derby.The police car is from the local town of Hickman (I wonder if they have missed it yet?).

Clive Wilkinson Email Great shots Clive! You and Senior look very comfortable in front of the fireplace. What a good call about Junior, too.

Tony

ClassicRacer 13

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

mwheeler@mortons.co.uk

World’s biggest classic show celebrates 100 official years of TT racing

Record weekend for Newark bike and scooter show Words: Leanne Mandall Photograph: Gary Chapman

The Isle of Man TT races were first staged in 1907 – but the milestone 100th meeting will only be marked later this year.

S

C

Two world wars, plus the UK foot and mouth Honda factory team-mates from the Sixties, epidemic which caused the cancellation of Tommy Robb and Jim Redman. much UK sport including theTT, took out a Of course theTT isn’t just about the riders. total of 12 years, meaning 100 years ofTT The show aims to host the most eclectic racing can be celebrated all over again. display of 10 genuine formerTT machines ever Mortons Media Group, publisher of assembled.The collection includes a 1926 Classic Racer, will be celebrating this special AJS GR10, which finished third in that year’s anniversary with a spectacularTT theme at its TT in the hands of Frank Longman; an ex-HG firmly established Stafford International Classic Tyrell-Smith 1932 works Rudge, which also MotorCycle Show on April 27/28, 2019, where finished third in that year’s JuniorTT race; a top-name riders and the famous machines minuscule 50cc Honda CR110, a three-cylinder that carried them to victory around one of the MV Agusta, a 1984 DucatiTT2 withTT history most famous race circuits in the world will be and an ex-Joey Dunlop RC45. on display.

Now in its 39th year, the Carole Nash Headlining the impressive list of star guests International Classic MotorCycle Show has are currentTT stars Ian Hutchinson andTom already received hundreds of bookings from and Ben Birchall, with an impressive 24TT traders, clubs and exhibitors, with organisers wins between them. working hard to deliver another stellar event.

‘Hutchy’, as he is known to his legion of Deemed to be the largest classic bike show fans, has proved to be something of a bionic in the world, thousands of visitors flock to man, having twice come back from serious Stafford County Showground every year from injury which on both occasions almost cost all corners of the UK and Europe. It’s a musthim a leg. Clearly with a few tales to tell, his attend event for any motorcycle enthusiast. on-stage interviews are not to be missed.

For more information, please visit Likeable brothers Ben andTom Birchall have www.staffordclassicbikeshows.com dominated the sidecarTT in recent years, winning the last five races.The • SHOW TIME! • THE BIG ONE !• pair, who clinched their third world 9 title in 2018, will also have theirTT ATING EBR EL winning outfit on display and will be on stage during Saturday and Sunday.

Adding to the galaxy ofTT stars T. T. R A C E will be nine-timeTT winner Charlie Williams. Not only will Charlie have one of hisTT winningYamahas on display, but he plans to launch his long-awaited autobiography at the show too. Fans’ favourite John Cooper intends to launch his biography on the same weekend, FE AT UR IN G with both stars signing copies for TT LEGE ND S! fans.

Ian Hutchinson Running the stage sessions is Tom & Ben Birchall STAFFORD COUNTY none other than the show’s resident Charlie Williams SHOWGROUND ST18 0BD Alex George compere, Lincolnshire ace Steve • TICKETS £12 IN ADVANCE Plater. Joined by flying Scot and John Cooper • UNDER 16s GO FREE! Jim Redman fellow three-timeTT winner Alex

April 27-28

George, Plater will find himself on the other end of the microphone for once as he joins his fellow riders to talk about all thingsTT. Not forgetting its classic roots, the star line-up will include former

Tommy Robb Steve Plater

•

FREE PARKING!

SAVE 20% BY BUYING IN ADVANCE

WWW.STAFFORDCLASSICBIKESHOWS.COM CUSTOMER SERVICES: 01507 529529

THE first weekend in the New Year saw thousands of classic bike and scooter enthusiasts descend upon Newark Showground for a fantastic season-opening event, the Carole Nash Classic Bike Guide Winter Classic.

Guest of honour “Fast” Freddie Spencer drew in large crowds as he took to the stage with local star Steve Plater. Talking about his life and career, and taking time to pose for photographs and sign memorabilia, Freddie was a hit with fans and showgoers alike. Visitor Julie Brankston said: “What an absolute gentleman Freddie is, he stayed and signed every last autograph and had all the time in the world for everyone!”

The show’s scooter element has also grown in recent years, becoming a popular date in the scootering social calendar. The introduction of Mod Radio in 2018 was a huge hit with exhibitors and visitors, creating a fantastic atmosphere all weekend long.

Returning by popular demand this year, and broadcasting live from the show, founder and presenter Mark Ambrose said: “Well done to the event organisers! The event had a great atmosphere and modradio.co.uk was privileged to play a part in this fab weekend – we’ll be back in 2020!”

MotoGymkhana UK also made their debut at the show, offering free 30-minute sessions.

Good weather helped to make the new feature a great success, allowing for the area to run smoothly, attracting plenty of spectators as well as participants.

With trade and exhibitor spaces selling out a few weeks ahead of the event, there were plenty of machines for the judging panel to choose from. Picking up the best in show award was an immaculately restored 1985 Honda VF1000R belonging to Garry Kendrick.

The UK 2-strokes club scooped first prize (and £750) for best club stand, followed by the Poachers Pre-65 trials club in second place, and the CRMC in well-deserved third overall.

REGULAR PADDOCK GOSSIP

Are you covered?

It was only when Les Trotter’s wife, Doreen, fell seriously ill during the Pre-TT Classic last May that they became aware of the need for travel insurance on the Isle of Man. Although the Isle of Man medical services have an agreement with the UK National Health Service to treat visitors, it is only when they need to be flown off the Island for specialist treatment that visitors are liable for the costs incurred, despite the fact Isle of Man residents are flown to the UK for treatment at no cost to themselves.

With Doreen getting urgent treatment back in Liverpool obviously it wasn’t something Les gave any thought to, at least not until an invoice for £3310.20 from the IoM Department of Health and Social Care dropped through his letterbox.

Both Les and Doreen are at pains to say they could not fault the initial care at Nobles Hospital, but the thought of taking out medical insurance to travel to the Isle of Man, when you don’t even need a passport to enter, never crossed their minds, just like it never has mine.

Enlisting the help of their local MP, John Woodcock, this is the reply they got back from the Manx minister. I for one will make sure we have insurance cover in place for future visits to Mona’s Isle.

Klaus Enders – May 1937- Jan 2019

Photo: Nick Nicholls Collection at Mortons Archive

Dear Mr Trotter

I am pleased that the care received by your wife was good and that it was rapid.

We have a leaflet for visitors, It can be found at this link: www.gov.im/media/1138247/make_ sure_you_re_covered_uk-overseas_03oct-2012.pdf Our challenge is how best to make people aware of this guidance. In general, travel insurance is inexpensive these days: although the consequences of not having it can be costly. I am happy to liaise with Mr Woodcock if required, and I’m sure that Minister Ashford will be too.

I wish your wife a full and speedy recovery.

Kind regards

Malcolm Couch

Chief Executive Department of Health & Social Care Isle of Man Government

Southern control tower takes shape After a short hiatus, building work on the new Southern 100 race control has restarted with the fitting of the external cladding prior to the windows being fitted and the building being made watertight in readiness for the internal fixings.

Southern 100 Racing are grateful for the continued support of the various sponsors associated with the build of the race control, particularly the Manx Lottery Trust and to the people involved with the construction of the building.

16 ClassicRacer

Jim Lilley The world of motorcycle racing lost a much loved sponsor and very generous man when Jim Lilley passed away on January 15.

A service of thanksgiving for the life of James (Jim) Lilley was held in St John’s Parish Church, Upper Kilwarlin on Friday, January 18, with interment afterwards in the adjoining churchyard.

Jim had a passion for horsepower in every form and was very well known in the world of horse racing, having owned Gay Spartan, which won the King George IV Chase at Kempton Park on Boxing Day 1978 and Rathgorman who won the Queen Mother Champion Chase at Cheltenham in 1982. He also served as a councillor in Lisburn for a four year term after being elected in 1973.

Speaking at the funeral, Mr Lilley’s daughter Amanda said he was a “gentleman, mentor, hero, legend.” And added “I have been very blessed to have the man that was Jim Lilley as my father and will be eternally proud of him, everything he stood for and all that he achieved.”

All at Classic Racer send their deepest sympathy to Jim’s family and friends.

We enjoyed your company Jim at many motorcycle events over the years.

Born on May 2, 1937 in Wetzlar, Germany, Klaus started his racing career in 1960, in the 500cc solo as well as in the sidecar class. In 1963 he was German junior champion in the 500cc class, and in 1964 while fighting for the German 500cc championship title he crashed in the last race on the Avus circuit. He then decided to go sidecar racing. With passenger Reinhold Manischeff, he clinched his first world championship points with a fourth place at Spa-Francorchamps.

Then he was fourth again at the TT with Ralf Engelhardt as passenger. 1967 was the first year of success for the team, with five wins and a first title. In 1969 Enders/ Engelhardt took their second title by winning a fight against Helmut Fath at the last race in Northern Ireland. At the end of the 1970 season, after a third world crown with five race wins (two of them with passenger Wolfgang Kallauch), he decided to retire and to go car racing, but less than a year later he was back to sidecar racing and, with his usual passenger Ralf Engelhardt, won three more world championships (1972 to 1974 inclusive). He clinched altogether 27 Grand Prix wins in his career.

The FIM community, led by President Jorge Viegas, along with all at Classic Racer, extends sincere condolences to Klaus’ family.

Get this book

It’s not often you come across a book that’s so perfect for your interest it has to be an absolutely essential addition to a motorcycle literary library – but with the third volume of The Racing ing Motorcycle, you have that exact thing.

If you’ve ever tweaked, tuned or just played about with a motorcycle then you need this book. The author, John Bradley, makes complex things easy to understand and then notches your own insights into what happens when on the move up to ever higher heights.

Having owned (and lost when once lent out in the paddock) volume one of these books, then buying two copies of volume two (just in case…) I have devoured volume three and I can tell you that this is a must for you and anyone you know with similar interests.

Motorcycle set-up books just don’t come any better. I give it 11 out of 10.

Here’s what you need to know to find your own copy: ISBN: 9780951292952; retail price: £42 plus delivery; www.broadlandleisure.com; email: sales@broadlandleisure.com, phone: 01684 833525

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