Vale Craig Gillies

[David Lahey]

Vale Craig Gillies - Brisbane based trials and enduro rider - passed away following a vehicle accident last Thursday

[PBMGold]

Hi David. I am in complete shock. Craig spent most of the previous weekend with my partner and I at Harrisville for the State Classic Champs and had planned to play slot cars next week at a mutual friends house. It's a bit hard to comprehend that he won't be there. The news reports are sketchy and so I hoped that it was a different person but unbelievably it's the Craig we knew and loved.

Craig was one of the most gifted riders I knew, he had no pretensions of his skill and would happily ride with the most ordinary riders and I was never made to feel like I didn't belong coming for the ride. He just quietly got on with his thing. He was laid back to the point of being inspirational. I'd give anything to be as unflustered and forgiving of the worlds dickheads as Craig was. He would talk with anyone and he lived for motorbikes.

He'd pop up in the most unexpected places, as long as there was something to do with bikes, you'd get a tap on the shoulder and there was Craig. Great big smile and always glad to see you.

He was one of the guys that just existed under the radar. Never making a stand or throwing his experience around, just content with his life and all its simplicity.

I'll never be like Craig, but if I ever needed an example of a fine human being, I wouldn't look any further than Craig. He should not have been taken yet.

We love you.

[pmc57]

I heard the news last night and along with a few of my friends who grew up with Craig was shocked by this tragic news.

As said below, Craig was a very gifted trials / motorcycle rider who won various National junior and senior trials titles in the '70's, and continued to ride both road and off-road bikes for leisure and commuting right up to the present. His name may not be common amongst many of the VMX fraternity, but those who followed the trials (feet up fun) brigade through the seventies will surely know of or have heard of Craig Gillies.

The Australian Trials Community is now mourning the loss of a very talented rider and great person, the following link is just a start 

http://www.trials.com.au/content/

Rest in Peace

[CaptZigZag]

And the previous weekend to Harrisville we camped next to Craig at CD11, he had a Bultaco and a TY80 with him there.  He helped make the weekend great, around the fire till after midnight, talking bikes.  We used to do similar stuff together in the eighties at RTCB trail rides, it was so good to do it again, didn't realise how important it was, too busy enjoying ourselves.
Gifted and unpretenious, you're spot on PBMGold, a mate was telling me last night how he partnered Craig in a pony express.  Craig was way faster, a way, way faster rider, but didn't mind riding with us ordinary blokes, we were mates.  Helped us get better too.
RTCB had a hillclimb, not impossible but made difficult by the starting position on the hill face. Craig always made it to the top, no matter where they made him start. The best among us.
It is very sad we won't be doing this again, very, very sad indeed.

Dave Radford