Laverda at the IOM TT

Haggis

Haggis

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Just found this in an old 1976/77 MCN Year Book...

See page 18 - M Hunt (Hunter?) - 19th place - Speed was [a bloody impressive IMHO] 94.48 mph. Production race was 10 laps or 377 miles.

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As it says in the entry list the riders were Ray Knight and Mick Hunt (not Hunter ) in that Production TT . I think he (Mick) was sadly involved in a fatal accident on a German autobahn whilst testing a Hinckley Triumph .
Fastest ever TT lap on a Laverda was by Malcolm Wheeler on a 500 twin , taken out to 600 I think ( Brightman Racing ? ) , and the only 100 mph plus Laverda lap ? , again going by memory , correct me If I`m wrong .
 
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rocketonarail said:
As it says in the entry list the riders were Ray Knight and Mick Hunt (not Hunter ) in that Production TT . I think he (Mick) was sadly involved in a fatal accident on a German autobahn whilst testing a Hinckley Triumph .
Fastest ever TT lap on a Laverda was by Malcolm Wheeler on a 500 twin , taken out to 600 I think ( Brightman Racing ? ) , and the only 100 mph plus Laverda lap ? , again going by memory , correct me If I`m wrong .
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Sadly correct regarding Mick. One of his Laverda race bikes is up for auction at Stafford.
Malc holds the fastest lap speed on a Laverda twin (and outright Laverda record) and Mick on a Laverda triple, which was not far short of Malc's best lap time on the twin. Malc is the only rider to exceed a 100mph race average.
'PK' came within a gnat's whiskers of a ton-up lap on a triple and Roger Taylor may well have topped the ton or got very close too. Tom Quaye wasn't far off on the 840 twin at the MGP.
 
Interesting how the 250s feature in the production class, way more than bigger faster bikes. Despite the high speed nature of much of the circuit the smaller bikes more than made up for it. Fastest lap 900SS not in the results.
 
Tippie said:
Interesting how the 250s feature in the production class, way more than bigger faster bikes. Despite the high speed nature of much of the circuit the smaller bikes more than made up for it. Fastest lap 900SS not in the results.
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The handicap very much favours the smaller bikes. The 500’s set off first and 11 minutes later the 250’s who only had to do 9 laps. The big bikes had to do 10 and started approx 20 mins after the 500’s.
 
Well the 10 laps was soon abandoned and a more traditional class based race introduced. However, it would be great if the organisers reintroduced a 10 lap race for the fiftieth anniversary.
As for this particular race, the Laverda entry was a last minute jobbie. Ray was originally entered on a 900 BMW but it was trashed in practice by his co rider, Dave Cartwright. Apparently Roger Slater just happened to be on the island with PK’s Avon Production championship leading Jota and offered it to Ray to ride. Mick Hunt was due to be racing a 250 Ducati but Steve Wynne, of Sports Motorcycle fame, volunteered Mick’s services as the second rider.
 
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