History of motorcycle racing

[FAT-TOY]

  Just watching a program on the speed channel (505) foxtel.  This one is about the isle of man from the 1920s and later bike and sidecars.   Great tv.  Next episode in the series starts at 8.30.

[Lozza]

Tis said that motorcycle racing started when they built the second ever motorcycle.........................

[firko]

I watched the program tonight and even though I found it interesting, I got the feeling that the Speed Channel has already starting to scrape the bottom of the barrel. The Castrol History of Motorcycle Racing series was made in 1997 and has been available on Duke videos for that long. The Speed Channel's only being operating a month and they're already repeating shows and presenting 13 year old docos...even if they are mildly interesting. Foxtel ought to be ashamed for offering up this old dross as new entertainment.

[Gippslander]

A few years ago I was on Holiday in Tassy and was all worn out from doin' nothing and could not sleep so I turned on the telly and there was a channel I do not have access to at home (still hate mobile 'phones and definately don't have pay tv, but yes I do sit on the net, weird) anyway there was a full replay of the ABC recording of an early 70's Australian Scrambles Championship, open class, I recall there was a "Flood" and a "Randy" and it was won by a European on a Husky, it was in South Australia. It was then that I decided that after a failed marriage and children I did not see and silly hours of work that I was goin' to be (in my head) World Scramble Champion like I would have been all those years ago if I had have been able to work out why I was always falling off 

Anyway, might be old crappy repeats but somewhere someone would have been motivated and 5 or 6 bikes later and still trying to get fit and still no end in sight I know how good that feels.

Are those old ABC tapes available?

[Tim754]

I have the set of Castrol docos straight from VHS video on DVD Tim754

[FAT-TOY]

  I found the first program on the Isle of Man which started at 7.30 to be very entertaining and I hadn't seen it before. Races going right back to the early days with bikes like  Singers, Nortons and MZ Agusta and riders like Woods, Surtees, Hailwood, Agostini and others. Loved it, the following show which started at 8.30 was ok but not as interesting to me as the first.

[pancho]

There is an old pommy movie starring George Formby made very early 1900s which is all about him racing at the TT. I can't remember the name of it but I remember the line "I'm a TT man" being announced  by old George at every opportunity!
 Could be that he actually did race there as he was well known to be an avid m/cycle enthusiast.
  As I mentioned earlier on this forum the old ABC Monday night programme 'sports cavalcade' regularly showed footage of Moorebank scrambles throughout the 60's, it would be great if some-one tracked them down for a DVD. cheers pancho.

[smed]

Pancho, The Gorge Formby Isle of man movie is called No Limit,I found a vhs tape of it at a junk shop for a couple of bucks,had a mate convert it to dvd for me, it's pretty corny but there's quite a bit of good footage of bikes @ the track.the cover says filmed in 1935.

[Hoony]

There is an old late 1940's era Dirk Bogarde movie "Once a Jolly Swagman" about speedway too, corn city too but good to see some old JAP's on the cinders

[Curly3]

That's a great movie Hoony, corny but some good footage.
It was the inspiration for countless young Aussies making the trip over to ride Speedway.

[firko]

Could be that he actually did race there as he was well known to be an avid m/cycle enthusiast

I read an old interview with George Formby where he said that he rarely missed an IOM TT week. He always rode to the meet from his home on his beloved Norton. He also said that he liked watching scrambles. He was a shocking actor/singer so maybe he should have taken up racing.
http://www.motorcyclenews.com/MCN/News/newsresults/mcn/2007/December/december-3-9/dec0407georgeformbysnortoninternationalsellsfor30000/

[Doggy Digger]

Gippslander's 1970s ABC Title Scramble was won by Ivan Miller.   It was commentated by stiff-upper-lip cricket chaps:
   "I say ... number A should be of good form today, don't you think Cecil?"

   It was a tape-up start.   You can see an injured Trevor Flood in big demin flairs limping to start line
with Miller and Gary Flood.   
   An Owen brother holeshotted on his CZ.   Gary Flood was close behind.   But Miller passed everyone quickly
and disappeared into the distance.   Unfortunately, the bone-head cameramen filmed Miller alone for next seven laps.
Miller was dancing the 400 Husky like crazy ...  a scurrying little bottle rocket.
   Only at chequered flag did any other riders get mentioned again.   One was (a very young) Graham Smythe on a CZ.
It's a classic tape ... I love it.   And possibly a rare example of existing footage from that 1971 era of Internationals
Miller and Flood and their chrome-tanked Husky 400s

[KB171]

If anyone can do a copy of that meeting for me, give us a call please.
 $$$ or beer available to cover the cost.
Cheers KB

[Doggy Digger]

Will try and burn it, KB ... if not, will send you mine.   (You want the 1971 Miller/Flood Aust Titles at South Australia, yep ...?)

Sorted.


RH   :-)

[Stan S]

Will try and burn it, KB ... if not, will send you mine.   (You want the 1971 Miller/Flood Aust Titles at South Australia, yep ...?)

Sorted.


RH   :-)

Gday Roger, if you are able to burn some can I also buy a copy please?

p.s I don't think I have a problem with fires!!!
Regards Stan.