Billy Brown

[firko]

I arrived home tonight from CD6 to recieve the sad news that our old Klub Kevlar member and Montesa legend Bill Brown is in hospital in a pretty bad way having a cancerous kidney removed. We were wondering why Bill wasn't at Conondale but knew he'd been a bit off colour lately. His wife Debbie told me that as soon as the results of last weeks scans came back this morning the specialist told him to waste no time and get straight to the hospital where he's to be operated on at 9am on Wednesday (tomorrow)morning.

Those who've been around vintage motocross for any length of time will know of Bill and his sweet orange '68 250 Monty Cappra. Bill won the Nationals pre 70 class against some solid opposition including Geoff Eldridge and John Boag in 1992 at Ravenswood and repeated the feat 10 years later and 10 kilos heavier in 2002, again at Ravenswood. His appearances have been becoming less frequent in recent times, mainly limiting it to Penrith club vintage dirt track days.

On behalf of his mates, fellow competitors and everyone who has partied with the great man, we wish him a speedy and full recovery.

[frostype400]

i hope he gets well there was only one letter at the start for a moment thanks Michael.

[mx250]

I

That would have to be the most esoteric comment I've ever read, presumably .

[firko]

I saw Bill on the weekend and he's looking fit and healthy. The doctors removed his left kidney which had a cancerous tumour bigger than the kidney itself! Apparently the kidney had been non operational for quite a while and the other kidney had taken over full duties which made the post operative recovery much shorter as he didn't have to go through the period where his operational kidney needed to be boosted up to it's new responsibilities! The doctors have given Bill a clean bill of health and reckon they've got all of the cancer. Of course he's way off being totally out of the woods though and will require regular monitoring of his condition.
Unfortunately for the sport, Bill has been forced to hang up his helmet and will retire from racing, not wanting to place his remaining kidney in any risk of damage. Bill hopes to remain a part of the sport as an official and attending Classic Dirt and other such events. He hasn't decided what will become of his dual National Pre 70 class title winning 'clockwork orange' model 250 Cappra. I told him to hold off selling anything until he's had time to ocnsider his options. He loves that old bike and it'd be hard to part with it but as the medical bills pile up he may have to sell it down the line.