Steve Gall's Montesa V75

[mx250]

I'm curious  , I've recently heard that Steve Gall first raced a Montesa V75. Anyone confirm, deny, add anything further. I beleive before that he raced and clean up on hodaka 100 or 125.

I've always associated Gally with Yammies  .

[firko]

From conversations I've had with Gally over the years I've always believed that he went from an XR75 straight onto an MX250A and soon after a YZ250A for Macklin Motorcycles. If he had a Montesa Cappra, he never raced it to my knowledge.
I can remember racing against him in C grade in those early days and can only ever recall him aboard Yamahas. He was a rocket straight out of the box and wasn't in C grade very long and I believe he bypassed B grade and went straight to A grade.

[mx250]

Thanks Firko, I meet a guy who believes he has Gally's V75 Hed seems genuine. He might be right. He does claim that he only owned it for a short time.

I told him about the forum and invited him along. He might chime in.

.....he went from an XR75 straight onto an MX250A ....

I never knew Gally had such good taste in motorcycles 

He obviously also had the good sense and talent to move on  .

I can remember racing against him in C grade in those early days and can only ever recall him aboard Yamahas.

First time I remember him was at Amaroo (he would have been a grade already and sponsored by Macklins).

Us; hung over from the night before, us; still doing a tune up by putting in a new plug, us; eating canteen meat pies and drinking coke before the 'off'. 

Gally; bike prepped and clean, tools all laid out on a clean towell. Gally; drinking water and eating bananas. 

He stood at from the crowd right from the start, and I'm not talking about his riding.

[czvmx]

Yes he did have a montesa in his early days for a short while, i saw him with it........

[jimg1au]

hi
i beat Steve in his first ever race out of the mini bike club he road his hot xr75 or 100cc depend who you talk to and i was on a cz250.it was at nepean and a novice race with st George motor cycle club.the very next dirt track he had a new 125 and beat every one in his class.the next race meeting he had a 125 and a new 250 both yamahas.these were club days but then st George and dirttrack (short circuit)we big events.i am talking pre 73 here.i never saw Steve ride any thing other than yamahas.i was lucky enough to be in his team in 1973 and 1974 for the club teams campionships,have the trophy's at home to prove it as well.CHRIS DIXSON  former Mr motorcross and owner of macklyn motor cycles sponsored Steve straight away.the Monty could have been in the gall family as there were 3 tracks on their farm in illawong (land value now about 10mill).his older brother used to race speedway cars and kept fit riding at home
cheers
jim

[firko]

Maybe the Montesa was his brother Deans bike? Harry Macklin himself sponsored young Steven right from the beginning. Gally would have been riding for the factory before Chris Dixon bought the shop. Dixon raced against Gally and was on the same team so it's doubtful he would have sponsored him.

[jimg1au]

i also remember him arriving in a morris Ute this was owned by the mechanic (English cars)where he worked.Chris Dixon worked with my dad at the aaec at meani.he left to race then he bought the yamaha shop.firko you are right about that.i was all of 16 when all this was happening.my brother was a a grade rider and i used to ride only in the novice race and trail bike race till i got my license
cheers
Jim

[Yamaboy]

That's the first time I've ever heard the words Montesa and Gall in the same sentence. Maybe he test rode one for one of the magazines? I well remember Harry Macklins shop accross the road from Miranda railway station. I bought my new silver tanked MX250 there. He took my immaculate ex Peter Scaysbrook/Vic Lyon built and sponsored genuine DT1MX as a part trade. That bike was a very trick and very fast bike with lots of chromed bits as Vic Lyon liked to do. I often wonder if it still exists. I was told that Harry put it into his private collection along with some other cool bikes. What ever happened to Harry, his collection and that bike in particular. Sorry to partially hijack the thread.

[Rosco400]

All i can say is when i was watching Gally at Jilliby, he was a deadset hero to us young sprouters  . Now i find out he'also rode a montesa although this does come as a complete shock , that makes him deadset legend status. Has anyone got any pics of this as i still cant fully grasp it . Ive been on a google mission for about an hour and cant find mention of this happening anywhere

[czvmx]

I did see steve gall and his brother with a montesa each, they were in thier mid teens , they rode them on thier  property, I had a picture somewhere. I have looked around but cannot find it, hopefully I will come across it and i will post it here.

[firko]

I remember a practice day at Nepean 20 years ago when one of the blokes managed to talk Gally into doing some laps on his CR500 Honda. It was like an M15 spy drama. We had to promise not to take any photos and he wore another blokes riding gear so he wouldn't be recognised. He did about 10 laps came in offered the owner a bunch of set up suggestions and then ducked away to change back into his Yamaha gear. He really looked after his sponsors and was petrified that Yamaha would find out he rode something other than his beloved Yamahas. I did manage to get a few laps on his TT600 dirt tracker that day. What a weapon. I wonder where that bike ended up?

[pokey]

For the penultimate answer...  Why not Email steven?
 Im sure he would be able to clear  this up

[GMC]

I don't know about Montessa's but he was seen on that "other" Japanese brand.



Courtesy of Ray Ryan & the Western Australian Vintage Motocross News, winter 96

[mx250]

Arh, the Hoey part of the story is true; the Monty connection gains traction....

[jimg1au]

hi
that pic says 1974 Steve is Little older than me i was 16 then he was already sponsored by macklyn yamaha then.we both rode dirt track in 1974 him on yamahas and me on a cz and also a 1968 capra.if Steve rode a Monty in dirt track i would have known.1973 and 1974 he raced yamahas in st George mccc dirt track.