Visordown website is quoting Swan Yamaha have signed Haga to replace Ian Hutchinson..... yipee coming to a track near you the most entertaining rider in the world ( on his day), and this years rules have banned traction control... oh yes Nitro Nori , 200bhp R1, no electronics, I'm going to book a grandstand seat on the Mountain at Cadwell right now....


http://www.visordown.com/motorcycle-racing...20048.html 2009 GS Auto Zermatt Silver - Sold June 21 after 10 years of ownership

2016 Subaru Outback SE 2.0 diesel SE Premium Lineartronic Sold 2024 after 8 years and 80k miles . Best Car I ever owned !

2023 Toyota Hilux invincible X 2.8 Auto .

Excellent stuff - Looking forward to that  telfire

2010 Freelander 2 Black TD4-e with Privacy Glass
(White side Repeaters)..... SOLD

2011 Honda CRV-EX 2.2 Diesel Black.. Much better customer service than Land Rover..

The Blade is riding for MSS Kawasaki so it is warming up for a good season! John
07 HSE Narvick Black
Land Rover Series One
Triumph Rocket 111 (sadly gone!)

and both Rutter and Haga go well in the wet , which is probably a good job for 2/3rds of the season  2009 GS Auto Zermatt Silver - Sold June 21 after 10 years of ownership

2016 Subaru Outback SE 2.0 diesel SE Premium Lineartronic Sold 2024 after 8 years and 80k miles . Best Car I ever owned !

2023 Toyota Hilux invincible X 2.8 Auto .

Can't wait for Brands 20th July for the all weekender

Thinking of doing Snetterton myself...haven't been there since the new circuit has been done. John
07 HSE Narvick Black
Land Rover Series One
Triumph Rocket 111 (sadly gone!)

Excellent track very fast and only 20 mins up the road from me. We have Tommy Hill coming to Bowers Motorcycles in Bury St Eds next weekend should be a good day

Best racing I've ever watched live has been Ron Haslem on the JPS Norton, Foggy on the Ducati and Casey Stoner also aboard the Ducati. Generally I embrace all the riders past n present on any marque - sensational riders on super bikes. Beats Formula One anyday. But there's a special place for Derbyshire's "Old Moon Eyes Cooper" for those of my generation. Great rider and a gent.

athelstan wrote:

Best racing I've ever watched live has been Ron Haslem on the JPS Norton, Foggy on the Ducati and Casey Stoner also aboard the Ducati. Generally I embrace all the riders past n present on any marque - sensational riders on super bikes. Beats Formula One anyday. But there's a special place for Derbyshire's "Old Moon Eyes Cooper" for those of my generation. Great rider and a gent.

If you haven't already seen the film buy a DVD copy of "TT Closer to the Edge" it had a limited release at 3D cinemas last year , and is now available for DVD/Blueray/or 3D . It follow Guy Martin's attempt to win a TT, only to lose out to Bingley's own Ian Hutchinson who won all 5 TTs that year. If you follow road racing you know what happened to Guy ( BBC's Boat that Guy Built he's the new Fred Dibnah) and Conor , if you don't you will be astonished to see what these bloke's went through and are willing to go back again, and they were the "lucky"ones.

It's humbling to see John McGuiness mowing the lawn, washing the cars and putting his house in order just in case he doesn't come back........

Formula 1 , you can keep it, real men ride at 200mph on a bike lapping the 37 mile island road course at 130mph AVERAGE, if you have ever been to the Isle you will understand what it is to see a bike hit 180mph going past the grandstand on a normal width suburban A road... mental. 2009 GS Auto Zermatt Silver - Sold June 21 after 10 years of ownership

2016 Subaru Outback SE 2.0 diesel SE Premium Lineartronic Sold 2024 after 8 years and 80k miles . Best Car I ever owned !

2023 Toyota Hilux invincible X 2.8 Auto .

Pegleg wrote:

Not wishing to be disrespectful in terms of your age old chap, but i'm sure if you remember John Cooper, you can also recall the great Barry Sheene. The crowds favourite was Dave Croxford who was responsible for more crashes than Microsoft. I saw him win the 'King of Brands' and as he raised his hands aloft in elation as he crossed the start finish line, he promply fell off. Priceless.
At Oulton Park one April, it was snowing so Dave and his great rival Phil Read paid a rather too long a visit to the bar. Out came the sun and the race was declared 'on'. Phil said he couldn't possibly ride, too many gins. Dave declared that he felt fine as he'd only been drinking water!

I enjoyed your analogy of Croxford and Microsoft.

But in regard to Mr Sheene, just like the spray polish he had too much gloss for my liking. Bike racing was all about Woodbines, Pints, Chip Butties or a Pie. He (and Phil Read) were intensely disliked by the majority of their fellow riders on the circuit (maybe they were just jealous of S & R, the "GnT Charlies" and their advertising contracts, jet set lifestyles and above all their harems).

Unlike Croxford together with many many other fine riders I've watched live down the years on tracks in the UK and mainland Europe, they were always in my experience approachable to the ordinary fan. My dad took me to my first TT when I was seven - he loved the TT. (Mum hated going and sat on the beach all day with my sisters)

Times have changed however, possibly around the mid 90's and that "accessibility" has slowly been eroded. Riders begin to emulate F1 drivers - look don't touch. Just my observation - it may not reflect today's track side reality for I no longer visit. The TV is now my gateway to the sport. I packed in riding last year after 43yrs on powered two wheels - a sad but necessary decision.