Great bike pictures and videos.

[Bustaspoke]

I've spectated and photographed there for over 20 years.

First went in 1990. Is this like Top Trumps

If you want it to be... My point (as I'm sure you'll agree) is that at the Island you are way closer to the action than you are at short circuits. As the years go by, the barriers have gradually been moved further back, but you are still much closer than you would be anywhere else. You've been there, I've been there, so why are we debating this?

I first went to the TT in 1970 and my last visit was in 1994, when Hizzy won the Senior on the Norton in his epic battle with Foggy on the Yamaha. For most of the intervening years I was there for Practice week and Race week and photographing for local papers and Superbike mag, so I've spectated at a large number of the corners. At Ramsey Parliament Square you could sit on the low pub wall next to the braking area with a pint in your hand and you'd be close enough to reach out and touch the riders (if you were stupid enough). I can't imagine they still allow that now...

I avoided the place until my mates retired from racing,riding at race pace around that place is borderline lunacy. IMHO of course.
I first visited the TT in 2014,I went back a few times since,but I prefer the atmosphere of the Manx / Classic TT. I also prefer the wider variety of bikes at the Classic TT.Seeing bikes like the Norton rotary,750 Srad,Ducati 888 etc in the Superbike race,plus the TZ250's & RS250R's in the lightweight .
Favourite place to watch up close is the Gooseneck,watch them coming in on the brakes & walk up the hill to watch them on full gas on the exit



You can still get close to the bikes at the Gooseneck,just that little wall between you & the bikes,but I look at where I'm going to dive to should someone slide off.The first time we visited,as a one off I took my Road Race / TT virgin mates to Bray Hill for Friday evening Practice & I was wondering how many of the spectators had wondered what they would they would do if a bike was out of control.I've since been told a few horror stories about spectators getting 'Caught up in events' at Bray Hill...

[Demannu]

Being pedantic, Slop won in 1992 on the Norton. Was there on my CBR600

Yer right. It was 1992. I think McCallen won lots in 1994 mainly because Hislop and Fogarty had moved on. I wasn't a fan of the bloke and was also finding it restrictive to lose 2 weeks out of a meagre holiday allowance every year, so decided to stop going. Been meaning to go back just for curiosity's sake and Mrs Mango is keen so may start checking out Classic TT sailings...

Was up at Waterworks behind the wall in '92, our noses were level with the wheel spindles.
Been there for about 1/2 hour when we are joined by some middle aged bloke with a couple of nice cameras and several lenses.
We chatted for a bit, I asked him if it was a hobby or was he a 'serious' snapper.
He gave me his card, Don......fucking.........Morley!
As for Barregarrow bottom, issue there is a fast left with compression mainly on the n/s fork leg, which is why some of the really quick boys have had issues there.
My favourite is Ballascary/Balllacrye for the big bikes.

[mangocrazy]

Being pedantic, Slop won in 1992 on the Norton. Was there on my CBR600

Yer right. It was 1992. I think McCallen won lots in 1994 mainly because Hislop and Fogarty had moved on. I wasn't a fan of the bloke and was also finding it restrictive to lose 2 weeks out of a meagre holiday allowance every year, so decided to stop going. Been meaning to go back just for curiosity's sake and Mrs Mango is keen so may start checking out Classic TT sailings...

Was up at Waterworks behind the wall in '92, our noses were level with the wheel spindles.
Been there for about 1/2 hour when we are joined by some middle aged bloke with a couple of nice cameras and several lenses.
We chatted for a bit, I asked him if it was a hobby or was he a 'serious' snapper.
He gave me his card, Don......fucking.........Morley!
As for Barregarrow bottom, issue there is a fast left with compression mainly on the n/s fork leg, which is why some of the really quick boys have had issues there.
My favourite is Ballascary/Balllacrye for the big bikes.

I bumped into Don a few times at various corners in the years when I was photographing and he always came across as a really sound bloke, no airs and graces. I was in awe of him as well. One year my photo of Joey was on the front cover of the TT program, I mentioned it to him and wanted to know what film stock I was using as the colour balance was different to the film he used. I think Don used Kodachrome/Ektachrome whereas I used Agfa or Fuji.

I used to stay in Ramsey so May Hill, Whitegates, Stella Maris, Hairpin, Waterworks, Tower bends and Gooseneck were favourites.

[Dodgy69]

Rencullen is good, otherside of Kirkmichael, passed total garage, field on left. Very fast and about 6ft away. It'll blow your wig off no worries. Burger van also.

[Demannu]

I used to stay in Ramsey so May Hill, Whitegates, Stella Maris, Hairpin, Waterworks, Tower bends and Gooseneck were favourites.

Hope you didn't stay at Mad Liz's place!

[mangocrazy]

I used to stay in Ramsey so May Hill, Whitegates, Stella Maris, Hairpin, Waterworks, Tower bends and Gooseneck were favourites.

Hope you didn't stay at Mad Liz's place!

I stayed at Dolly's emporium on the coast road out of Ramsey. She was a legend - sprightly as you like and in her 70s. Last time I saw her was nearly 20 years ago.

[The Spin Doctor]

...at the Island you are way closer to the action than you are at short circuits.

Scarborough (if it ever reopens) still allows you to get fairly close to the action... not as close as my first visit in the mid-80s when I wandered over to a couple of people leaning on a fence and asked "where's the track?" "There" one of them said, pointing at the footpath on the other side. A moment later Mick Grant came past and nearly took my head off with his helmet as I leaned over to get a good look down the hill.

Belgium also had some scary spectator points. First visit to Chimay we paid our ticket, walked up the road past a farm and we could hear 400s in the distance getting closer. A moment later, a gendarme started frantically blowing a whistle and waving for us to get off the road. It turned out that was the track and the single barrier with a couple of straw bales on it had been our warning not to go further. Having dodged the first lap leaders, we watched the rest of the race from a bus shelter beside the road.

[Yorick]

At the Mitre pub on IOM they have a piece of string across the car park to keep folk safe

[David]

At the Mitre pub on IOM they have a piece of string across the car park to keep folk safe

Probably ballistic string.

[Skub]

I was standing in a garden,on the inside of a bend at the Mid Antrim,a few years ago. Safe enough,you'd imagine.

A bike tucked the front,slid and bounced off the fence on the other side of the road then rebounded from there to hit the 4ft wall in front of me. All of us seasoned bikers with reactions like a striking snake,jumped away from the wall AFTER the bike had smashed into it. If the bike had been a little higher we'd have been wiped before we knew it.

[Yorick]

Snetterton Marlboro Clubmans championship 1983. Production 350

I got a flyer and was leading. Exiting fast 2nd bend before long straight I high sided.
Stood up and saw the other 39 LCs heading for me.
No piece of safety string to keep me safe

[Le_Fromage_Grande]

...at the Island you are way closer to the action than you are at short circuits.

Scarborough (if it ever reopens) still allows you to get fairly close to the action... not as close as my first visit in the mid-80s when I wandered over to a couple of people leaning on a fence and asked "where's the track?" "There" one of them said, pointing at the footpath on the other side. A moment later Mick Grant came past and nearly took my head off with his helmet as I leaned over to get a good look down the hill.

Belgium also had some scary spectator points. First visit to Chimay we paid our ticket, walked up the road past a farm and we could hear 400s in the distance getting closer. A moment later, a gendarme started frantically blowing a whistle and waving for us to get off the road. It turned out that was the track and the single barrier with a couple of straw bales on it had been our warning not to go further. Having dodged the first lap leaders, we watched the rest of the race from a bus shelter beside the road.

Scarborough is narrow and scary at speed, the War Memorial corner was flat out on a 250, my mate loves it on an HRC Fireblade.

[Horse]

I was standing in a garden,on the inside of a bend at the Mid Antrim,a few years ago. Safe enough,you'd imagine.

A bike tucked the front,slid and bounced off the fence on the other side of the road then rebounded from there to hit the 4ft wall in front of me. All of us seasoned bikers with reactions like a striking snake,jumped away from the wall AFTER the bike had smashed into it. If the bike had been a little higher we'd have been wiped before we knew it.

One of the [late] flying Dr vids on YouTube includes the carnage from a TT bike going through gardens.

[wull]

[Taipan]

THE LEGEND

Alan Kempster started riding motorcycles in his teens and began racing when he was 20 years old, but his racing career was cut horribly short just eight years later.



Twenty five years ago in 1990 Alan was involved in a tragic accident that left him without an arm and a leg.
Alan was found by a man with a mobile phone (in those days not a lot around) who called the emergency services and he was told to wrap Alan in a blanket and hold him in a bear hug until the Ambulance could get there. The man did this and so Alan survived the tragic accident but only after a lot of medical work and 9 liters of plasma. Alan spent a month in Hospital and then a year in rehabilitation learning to walk with the aid of a prosthetic leg and how to dress and feed himself with one arm.
Despite his injuries, Alan was committed to his rehabilitation and took up water skiing where he represented Australia in 5 World Championships and Won 3 but always wanted to get back on the bike, so in 2009 he bought a Kawasaki 400 race bike and modified the controls himself to enable him to ride once again. Simply riding on track days was not enough for Alan and he decided to have a go at racing once again.
Alan is a member of the Hartwell Motorcycle Club Victoria and has competed in numerous events within Australia and overseas. Club events with the Hartwell Motorcycle Club Victoria. Barry Sheene Festival of Speed Australia 2010 2011 2012 and 2015. 2013 Burt Munro Challenge New Zealand where he was awarded The Burt Munro Family Trophy for Competitor Of The Year. http://burtmunrochallenge.co.nz 2014 by Invitation, the Di Di Bridgestone Cup Mugello Italy for Disabled Riders. The first ever race for disabled riders only. http://www.diversamentedisabili.it 2014 Australia Grand Prix Philip Island support races in the 600cc class with Oilee Racing.
There is no ‘disabled class’ for motorcycle racing in Australia so Alan races against able-bodied competitors and is well known and respected among his peers on the circuit. Alan now spreads his message of living life to the full and getting on with it through his entertaining and personable manner he is just one of those people you cannot help but like.


He crashed once and the marshal who was first on the scene asked him if he was all right. He replied, ''No, I'm half left''.

[Dodgy69]

There was a one armed racer at the Manx a few years back.

[cheb]

Was has left or right handed before his accident?

[Count Steer]

That might answer a few questions about steering by 'peg weighting' etc. I assume he gets round both right and left handed bends...

[Horse]

https://www.gpone.com/en/2018/04/18/sbk ... bikes.html

Farewell Alan Kempster, the "half man" who rode bikes

He has passed away in Australia at just 56 years of age. An example for us all, he was a source of inspiration who never gave up

Submitted by Mirko Colombi on Wed, 18/04/2018 - 09:54

[Horse]

NB just visible in the pic at the top of the thread, his racing number was '1/2'