Cool Videos

In 1979 there was no Production TT, just Laverda entries in the Formula One (which was probably the pinnacle of Laverda triple racing at the TT) and the Jubilee TT race. Mick and Roger, among others, were riding triples. Both were riders for Sports motorcycles. However, in 1976, when Roger Slater took his Avon Production bike racer to the island and requested an entry in the 10 lap Production race he didn’t initially have any riders. Ray Knight was entered on a BMW, but his fellow rider, Dave Cartwright, binned it big style on the Cronky-y-Voddy section in qualifying so Ray was without a ride. Roger stepped in and offered Ray the chance to ride the Jota. They still needed another rider and Steve Wynne, boss of Sports, offered Roger the services of the pint sized Mick Hunt, who was due to race a little Ducati. Despite his size, Mick took to the Jota like a duck out of water and the rest is history..😄
 
I meant to say there was no production race in 1977, as the production race was binned in favour of the F1 race for a few years before it was reintroduced in 1984. The photo was Mick on the bike. If it is the same bike, then it was owned by former ILOC Chairman, Phil Trotter for a few years or so.
 

Following on from the Norton Rotary thing ..... Not sure if I`ve put this up before ( don`t think so ) ...... but it`s a nice little clip featuring the Hislop `92 TT Victory ........

Barry Symmonds said that it just couldn`t help but make power .... but ran hot ... I think they had to remove the front mudguard in some cases to help cooling ...... and it just drank petrol , asking for more and more ....... In fact it was virtually cooled with petrol .....

I like the way it chuckles to itself on the over run ......

There was a case where the Norton rotary team were at a same race meet as the 500 GP stars at time , Rainey , Mamola , Kocinski etc. , maybe the British GP ....... they all did a couple of parade laps together ........ Mamola or someone said later " those Norton guys really wanted to race " ..... They actually stopped halfway through and swapped bikes .... the Yamaha / Suzuki 500 GP riders on the Nortons , and the Norton riders on the GP bikes ........ I`ve tried to find footage of that , but no luck ......


Yes, thanks for sharing!

The sound of the Norton 588 is wicked, somewhere between a two-stroke and a four-stroke. Let's call it a furious three-stroke ...
And you can see it goes like the clappers!
 
Not a video cos there isn’t one, but a cool pic. Joe Smith, ‘60’s Drag bike racer- take a careful look and you will see him on a Nitro Harley changing gear by hand with a jockey shift, full throttle ( check the primary chain..) no hand grips on the bars and wearing desert boots & no gloves or front brake!
Of course this wouldn’t be allowed now - back then it wasn’t out of the norm.
 

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Not a video cos there isn’t one, but a cool pic. Joe Smith, ‘60’s Drag bike racer- take a careful look and you will see him on a Nitro Harley changing gear by hand with a jockey shift, full throttle ( check the primary chain..) no hand grips on the bars and wearing desert boots & no gloves or front brake!
Of course this wouldn’t be allowed now - back then it wasn’t out of the norm.
Would a Harley dragbike, nitro or otherwise, even break 100mph back then?
 
That's with a hand gear change and no wheelie bars, plus tyres from back then. That's bloody impressive. My favourite was that maniac with the car engine V8 and auto gearbox. He would have the engine engaged and run up on its centrestand and touch it down, and hold on for dear life. The look on his face said it all.
 
That's with a hand gear change and no wheelie bars, plus tyres from back then. That's bloody impressive. My favourite was that maniac with the car engine V8 and auto gearbox. He would have the engine engaged and run up on its centrestand and touch it down, and hold on for dear life. The look on his face said it all.
Wally Pushkey from Brisbane did a few runs at Meremere Dragway in the 70s.



Screenshot 2025-08-11 at 20-59-39 The history of Meremere part two — The Motorhood.png
 

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I can't make out the config of that Weslake rig??? 1700cc, how many cylinders? Is that some weird intake hanging off the weird cylinder thing at the front? Sounds quite tame and then he just goes BANG on the throttle!
 
Here’s a cool video, two Weslake ( Nourish) engines side by side in a side car. My mate Andy Nourish is driver and has taken over manufacturing, Harry Ross is doing the talking- I raced against both but actually passengered big Harry on the fabled EML Jumbo 880cc two stroke.That was coincidently two Maico 440’s on a common crank making it a parallel twin. Andy’s Dad was the super talented Dave Nourish who originally took on manafacture of the Weslake motor in the 70’s.
 

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Following on from Cal Rayborn`s 1970 world record breaking run at Bonneville ........ Here he is two years later taking part in the Trans Atlantic Trophy races in Britain .........

Taking place on three different circuits over the Bank Holiday weekend , Cal won three of the six races on his Harley Davidson , the other wins going to Ray Pickrell and his Triumph Trident .

This was despite Harley Davidson only supplying Cal with one of their spare second string machines , instead of his normal works racer .

MCD Director of Motorcycle Racing Chris Lowe presents Cal with the winners garland .

For the inaugural 1971 Match Races , Chris Lowe approached BSA / Triumph who supplied all the machinery ........ but by 1972 , due to their financial problems , BSA / Triumph had withdrawn their support ........ but still provided assistance to their works riders such as Ray Pickrell , Percy Tait , and Tony Jefferies .

Racing soundtrack provided by a Honda CB125 ..........
 
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Back in the day when villains drove Jags ...........

There was a tv advert based on a spoof " The Sweeney " Detective Inspector Jack Reagan character driving around in a Ford Granada shouting " SHUT IT " out of the car window at everyone he drives past ..........

......... there`s a newspaper seller on a street corner shouting .... " Eeening Standard , get yer Eeening Standard `ere " ........... " SHUT IT " ...........


Thought it might be on YouTube but can`t find it .......
 
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Back in the day when villains drove Jags ...........

There was a tv advert based on a spoof The Sweeney Detective Inspector Jack Reagan character driving around in a Ford Granada shouting " SHUT IT " out of the car window at everyone he drives past ..........

......... there`s a newspaper seller on a street corner shouting .... " Eeening Standard , get yer Eeening Standard `ere " ........... " SHUT IT " ...........


Thought it might be on YouTube but can`t find it .......
. Did you mean this one Guv?
 
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