YOUR most influential bikers....

[Mr Moofo]

Oddly, mine would be a guy I met on the first day of University - and the only person doing the same course as me. He was very tall, in a well aged and patinated Bellstaff, and a pair of Brutus Gold jeans 3 inches too short. I vowed to avoid him - and his BSA (A10?) for the next 3 years.
I went to Paris on the back of a bike with him, crashed his mate's c60 into some dustbins in Holloway, as my first every motorbike ride. Had a ridiculous ride with him and me on a MotoGuzzi LeMans ( both over 6 foot and well built), following his C60 owning mate, who had a Jota ( and was about 5 ft 6 and 9 stone) around the north circular.

Met him just outside Orleans, soon after I had passed my bike test, and we went to then Bol dOr, coming back via mountain passes to CH.
Since then have done a million mountain passes with him, been to the SoF for a weekend ( including loads of mountain passes) from Geneva, been to the ManxGP once - and again this year. And he has a penchant for odd bikes - which kind of rubbed off on me.

[Whysub]

When I was about 11, I saw a mate riding along the disused railway line (it ran behind my parents house) on an old moped, a Mobylette.
I went down to the railway line and a few minutes later he came back. He offered me a go on it, and we spent a few hours that day racing it around a field, up and down the railway line, and finally through a small wood. Hooked from that moment on, and never looked back.

A week later I bought a moped from a mates mum for £1, which I hid from my parents on the railway embankment. I don't think I have been without a moped or bike since then.

[Rockburner]

I watched all of Joey's TT races between 1978 and 1994 and he was always considerate of other riders and also super smooth. And always devastatingly quick. I loved the way that he never worried about practice leaderboard times, as he was being timed Ballacraine to Ballacraine, not at the start/finish. I don't think he was ever quite as quick after his bad 1989 WSBK crash at Brands as he was before, but he was fast enough to win a hatful more TT races.

IIRC it was either 92 or 93 when Joey broke the 250 lap record? I vivdly remember that race: we were up at Brandywell and you quite literally couldn't see a frigging thing, the mist was so thick. Everyone was trickling it round - you could hear them coming up Hailwoods on only about 3/4 throttle... but not Joey: full bore every lap. He didn't need to see the course.

[Bigjawa]

They broke the mould when they made Yer Maun. But Phil McCallen was a disaster waiting to happen, if not for himself then for those in the vicinity. I've spoken to more than one journeyman TT rider whose biggest fear was that McCallen would pass them at a fast bend, as they knew he would show zero consideration or respect and seemingly liked to put the shits up those he was lapping.

That was very much my impression of McCallen, watching roadside and on the box.

It was noticeable that Joey often paused for a second or two, to set up a safe pass. Didn't noticeably slow him down, at least not at the TT!

They're very different people though, McCallen rode like he was pumped full of amphetamines, the bloke would visibly vibrate in the paddock, it was a funny thing to see. Joey was from a part of the world where everything is taken a lot slower pace, for a few years, McCallen was faster than Joey, but Joey ditched the fegs, got himself in shape and right at the very end he was absolutely on it.

I saw McCallen overcook the Dundrod hairpin and go sown into the wee triangle of grass at the junction, he physically grabbed the bike and literally threw ity up a 3 foot bank onto the road, then pushed it and took off again. The guy was mental.

[Yorick]

Over the last 2 weeks I've watched about 10 of Barry Sheenes races.

He was my idol since I was 15.

[Felix]

Anyway, that night it was decided i'd buy a motorbike the next day and ended up in Blacks Bikes. This was a proper old school place, half way between a dealer and a scrap-yard.

My choices on the day came down to a ZXR400 and a 535 Virago. In the end one of the fellas told me to get the ZXR400.

I learned to ride about an hour later

Was this Blacks Bike shop in West Lancs? They were notorious,dodgy as it gets!

Was there not a Blacks in Southport who started as a breakers and made a name as grey importers in the late 80's to mid 90's?

[Felix]

Over the last 2 weeks I've watched about 10 of Barry Sheenes races.

He was my idol since I was 15.

Who was the big breakers in Bradford in the mid 80's? He was in an old red brick building what looked like the ground floor of an old factory. He ended up moving out of Bradford and dealing in 2nd hand bikes in what i want to say was Harrogate but cant be 100% sure

[Yorick]

Over the last 2 weeks I've watched about 10 of Barry Sheenes races.

He was my idol since I was 15.

Who was the big breakers in Bradford in the mid 80's? He was in an old red brick building what looked like the ground floor of an old factory. He ended up moving out of Bradford and dealing in 2nd hand bikes in what i want to say was Harrogate but cant be 100% sure

Steve Rhodes.

[Noggin]

No one in my family ever had or even liked bikes until my brother was in his early 20's. I grew up with various adults pointing out all the dangers and didn't know anyone to say any different

Then, at about 18 or 19, I saw some bike racing on the TV. Solos and outfits. Instantly I wanted to have a go. Had no knowledge of bikes or racing or anything, I was just hooked!!!

I went pillion on a VMax with a friend in Guernsey, nearly bought a bike in Guernsey, but was too late, they'd sold it before I got there to look

Went pillion for the coldest ride to Silverstone and back - think it was a ZZR600 - didn't have any of the right gear and the lid I had borrowed was a bit shonky!! LOL

Nothing put me off but I was scared of my mother's reaction and also just didn't have the money to take my test

Managed to sort out taking my DAS test in 97 - passed first time (not sure how!!) and bought a CB175 (I think) then promptly broke my back (parachute, not bike!) so when I was able to ride again, I couldn't kick start it, so sold it.

All the way through this I didn't really have bike mates as such. My mate that ran a pub was a biker so he and a couple of his mates talked to me about bikes, but not very seriously. Did have a friend who rode but not a close friend and he was a bit dismissive of my wanting to!

My brother had a Fireblade (urban tiger version I think) and took me pillion one time - he told the people we were with that he was going to scare me, funnily for me, he failed!! He binned it a couple of times, but at last I had someone close to talk about bikes to sometimes (he lived in London, I was in Somerset!!)

Then at the end of 2002 I was made redundant and given an unexpected payoff - bought a very cheap car and took dismissive friend to look at a ZZR600. He stood there and listed all the faults (chain, tyres, service and various other stuff!) and I got it REALLY cheap!! Rode it for the winter - did about 10,000 miles in 5 months!! Absolutely in love with everything about it

In the spring I did a service on it and had some serious issues with bits being stuck. Whilst talking to my BDad I told him about it. He was horrified and told me to go find a ThunderCat (I'd told him about them before and that one of those was my goal!) from a dealer so he knew it was good condition and he'd buy it

By then I'd had a go on a ZX12r and realised that a bigger bike was what I wanted, so I told Dad that maybe a ThunderAce would be better (I regularly went to Manchester from Somerset to see him, so said the litre bike would be bettor on the motorway/long distances!!). And then I found a Blackbird for the same budget he'd given me. Luckily he knew absolutely Nothing about bikes, so didn't realise what he was buying for me!! Later we did have a couple of conversations about the fact that he didn't really like that I was riding bikes (bought the newer bike because he'd rather I was on something in better condition!). But as I knew quite a few stories of what he got up to as a youngster and in the Army, he didn't really have a leg to stand on!!

Went to Le Mans 24h with the guys from the pub in April 2003 on the ZZR600 and came home and picked up the Blackbird!!!


The main influencers -

meeting someone I sort of knew from work at a bike meet. Ex racer and Ducati fan. He sort of took me under his wing a bit and I learnt a LOT about how to ride smooth and fast on the road - no racing lines!!

Then, my riding buddy from Bristol. Another ex racer but very different background from the first guy. Steve taught me sooo much more about riding smooth and safe on silly little roads!!! Miss him a lot

Once I started finding forums and doing TD's I met a load of people and can honestly say that I've been helped and influenced by so many people.

Having met people and having friends that still did TDs and raced with metal joints and limbs, two friends that did the same but from wheelchairs massively influenced me when I was told I'd never ride again due to the damage to my shoulder. How can you accept you won't ever do your passion due to a shoulder injury when so many other people have different but similar and worse injuries to deal with and still get on and ride??!!

I'm a bit of a weirdo in that I don't really watch any particular racers. I just love watching bikes and riders do their thing!!! But I do think that everyone that I've ever met that has talked to me about bikes has influenced me (talking about not being able to do wheelies with John McGuinness and getting advice on how to do them while he had an injury from not doing a wheelie very well on an off road bike was pretty cool!! LOL). Having a ridiculous amount of passion for bikes and the sport has meant that even just watching the maniacs race the IoM (or the Irish) courses, or any of the circuit racing, has made me smile and to a degree influenced me!!



I haven't made it into the passenger 'seat' of a race outfit, but still want to!! My friend that originally taught me to ride the BB was interested in getting an outfit for him to ride and me to passenger - but he grew up/got old and didn't want to do that when I got my race licence

[Bustaspoke]

Anyway, that night it was decided i'd buy a motorbike the next day and ended up in Blacks Bikes. This was a proper old school place, half way between a dealer and a scrap-yard.

My choices on the day came down to a ZXR400 and a 535 Virago. In the end one of the fellas told me to get the ZXR400.

I learned to ride about an hour later

Was this Blacks Bike shop in West Lancs? They were notorious,dodgy as it gets!

Was there not a Blacks in Southport who started as a breakers and made a name as grey importers in the late 80's to mid 90's?

No that was West Coast Salvage,which became West Coast.They were a big outfit,even had theis own clothing with their logo,Paddock jackets & jeans,a few of my old mates worked there.They used to go to the States & fill containers up prioritising Kawasaki KZ900's. They also went to Japan & brought in all manner of JDM bikes.
There was also St Lukes motorcycles,fronted by the one & only Billy chips.A proper chaacter,he specialised in JDM bikes I bought my JDM FZ750 from him.
Blacks started out as a breakers in Ormskirk in the early 90's,then moved to Burscough.They never imported motorcycles

[Bigjawa]

Was this Blacks Bike shop in West Lancs? They were notorious,dodgy as it gets!

Was there not a Blacks in Southport who started as a breakers and made a name as grey importers in the late 80's to mid 90's?

No that was West Coast Salvage,which became West Coast.They were a big outfit,even had theis own clothing with their logo,Paddock jackets & jeans,a few of my old mates worked there.They used to go to the States & fill containers up prioritising Kawasaki KZ900's. They also went to Japan & brought in all manner of JDM bikes.
There was also St Lukes motorcycles,fronted by the one & only Billy chips.A proper chaacter,he specialised in JDM bikes I bought my JDM FZ750 from him.
Blacks started out as a breakers in Ormskirk in the early 90's,then moved to Burscough.They never imported motorcycles

Wasn't there a copyright issue over their logo? Something to do with a cartoon?

[Trogladyte]

A guy at skool the year above me. He had long hair and came to skool on a BSA A10. He was as cool as penguins' feet, and gurls' buzzed round him like flies round s fresh turd. And I wanted some of that. And I wanted it badly. For some reason, I never managed to replicate the effect with the gurls'. I've been working in it for over half a century. I think I'm close.

[Taipan]