Classic Racer 173 May/June 2015 by Mortons Media Group Ltd

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Fast Freddie’s 500 tested

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Southern 100 celebrates Formula for success - Bernie Ecclestone on bikes | Honda NR500 - Mick Grant speaks | Fast Freddie - What it took to do the double | TT notes & news - TT 1985 | And all the regulars

No. 173 May/June 2015

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WHAT’S INSIDE CLASSIC RACER REGULARS _006

Archive Shot Breaking records

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Paddock Gossip All the news

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Readers Write

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CLASSIC RACER PEOPLE

MICK

GRANT ON THE HONDA NR500

andnowforsomethingcompletelydifferent! Two minutes.That’s how long it took Mick Grant to consider the offer Honda’s Gerald Davison made. Somewhere behind the team trucks, hardly hidden from the camera’s eye, Davison asked the then Kawasaki rider if he would be interested in joining Honda’s Grand Prix team in 1979. Grant said yes and stood on the brink of two of the most challenging, interesting and frustrating years of his long career.

rant had already decided that, after years in green, it was time for something different – and theYorkshireman would certainly find out what different meant in Honda’s book. “Gerald said that this experimental bike was technically going to be absolutely unbelievably advanced,” remembers Grant. “It sounded very exciting. I expected that the machine would at least start from where the Hondas had finished in 1967. But we got a completely different thing altogether.” It wasn’t about the money, stresses Grant, some 36 years later. “Every time the money comes secondary. I just wanted to be a development rider in Honda’s Grand Prix team,” says Grant. “We did settle the money after a proper meeting and it was good.” In November 1977 the first rumours about Honda’s possible return to Grand Prix racing emerged, 10 years after the Japanese giant had withdrawn from the world’s racing scene, leaving a huge void. But the competition still piqued the company and Honda wanted to come back – with a bike that had to be different; it had to be a comeback with a bang. The Japanese management set itself three goals. Firstly, the new bike would have to make a dazzling impression because of its technical novelties, secondly Honda riders were supposed to return to their winning ways and last but not least, the project would have to serve as a platform for young engineers with fresh new ideas.The Honda management was adamant about one thing: the new racer would have to be an absolute standout bike. YoungTakeo Fukui, who would later become Honda’s director of research and development and president of

the Honda Racing Corporation, was appointed as the project leader. “We wanted a bike that would shock the world,” Fukui later said. And shock, it did. In February 1979, the first engine was running on the Japanese dynos.The 0X was certain to make many heads turn, because Honda had opted to build a 100° V4 four-stroke. Back in its heyday, Honda had always relied on its superb four-stroke technology; why would the company turn away from doing what it was good at?That selfwilled, remarkable approach meant that the engine would have to be extremely high-revving in order to produce as much horsepower as the competition’s lighter and ultra-competitiveYamaha and Suzuki two-strokes. The internal secrets of the new racer would prove to be even more jaw-dropping than Honda’s unorthodox way of thinking.To ensure maximum combustion, Honda’s interpretation of the technical regulations was very creative: the NR500 had four oval pistons with two con rods each and eight valves. With an unsuspected sense of humour, Honda dubbed them UFOs; Ultimately Formed Ovals. Piston sizes were 93.4 x 41 mm; the very short stroke of only 36mm allowed the necessary high revs.Tech wizards got it: the NR500 was in fact a cleverly disguised V8. By that time, Grant was still anxiously waiting in the wings in England. “The agreement was that my mechanics, Nigel Everett and Paul Dallas, would go to Japan and work on the bike,” says Grant.They’d been working on it for two months before I’d done any testing. So they would ring me up from Japan with updates. It was all looking good, they said, and I remember once on the phone I heard the engine really high-revving. It sounded promising.”

Words: Frank Weeink Photography: Honda and Mortons Archive

Why wouldn’t you?

CLASSIC RACER PEOPLE _014

Frank Perris

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Jock Taylor

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Freddie Spencer

A tribute

Pride of Scotland

Full and frank

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Bernie Ecclestone

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Nick Nicholls

Successful Formula

A tribute

CLASSIC RACER MACHINES _022

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Honda races, Honda wins. Well not always it seems, as Mick Grant explains to _22 Frank Weeink.

CCLASSIC LASSIC RACER RRAACER EEVENT VENT

GOLDEN ERA FOR

‘THE SOUTHERN’ Before the 1954 Manx Grand Prix success of Derek Ennett, George Costain and Sid Mizen, the Southern Motorcycle Club held its race meetings at Andreas Airfield. Words: Phil Edge Photography: Southern 100 Racing, Dave Collister and Glynne Lewis.

s a result of a double win at the Manx, the club members decided there should be a race in the south of the Island and to hold a meeting on what was to become known as the Billown circuit. In the early 1950s, the Isle of Man government decided to build a bypass to avoid the town centre of Castletown, and while

traffic was minimal compared with today’s motorised Island, the bypass provided an integral part of the new course. The first meetings to set up the organisation were held in the Station Hotel, now the Viking, in Castletown, which is where the Ennett family lived. This band of gentlemen with foresight also used to meet on a Sunday morning in the control tower at Ronaldsway Airport, with Theo

Watterson. In between landing planes, the time was taken up planning the Southern ‘100’. Among the first committee were George Costain and Joe Mylchreest, who officially measured the circuit, using the official ‘chain’ measure (22 yards) and walked around the course measuring down the centre line of the road. The total official distances was, and still is, 4.25 miles.

Honda NR500 Mick Grant remembers

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Fast Freddie’s 500 The best on test

CLASSIC RACER EVENTS _030

Southern 100

1959 –The unmistakable style of Bob McIntyre (Norton), Castletown corner. Derek Ennett – winner of the first 350cc race in 1955.

T TYNWALD YNWA AL LD AND AND D THE THE S SOUTHERN OUTHERN ‘100’ ‘100’

The Reason it Started – 1954.

The off tthe proposed new ew event event The organisers organisers o he p roposed n Tynwald, he IIsland’s sland’s g government overnment ffor or aapproached pproached T ynwald, tthe aassistance ssistance iin n rrunning unning tthis his ffirst irst vventure enture iin n tthe he ssouth outh o off tthe he IIsland. sland. T The he rreply, eply, aafter fter cconsideration onsideration b he T Tynwald Race ace C Committee, ommittee, w was byy tthe ynwald R as ssurprising urprising below: tto o ssay ay tthe he lleast, east, tthe he rreport eport iiss sshown hown b elow: The Tynwald Races Committee Report on T he T ynwald R aces C ommittee R eport o n tthe he major events was presented 1954 1 9 54 m ajor ssporting porting e vents w as p resented tto o tthe he A pril sitting sitting of of T Tynwald on April 19, 1955. April ynwald o nA pril 1 9, 1 955. TT 1954 were T The he T T aaccounts ccounts ffor or 1 954 w ere aapproved pproved aand nd off £ £10,000 was be tthe he ssum um o 10,000 w as rrecommended ecommended to to b e given ACU 1955 TT Races. g iven tto o tthe he A CU tto o rrun un tthe he 1 955 T TR aces. Similarly Grand Prix were S imilarly tthe he Manx Manx G rand P rix accounts accounts w er e ssubmitted ubmitted aand nd aapproved. pproved. T Tynwald was as p pleased leased ynwald w had not that that the the organisers organisers h ad n ot rrequested equested aan n iincrease ncrease grant 1955 in in ttheir heir g rant ffor or 1 955 aand nd aapproved pproved tthe he ssame ame previous £450. aamount mount aass tthe he p revious yyear ear – £ 450. The Motor Cycling Club had T he Southern Southern M otor C ycling C lub h ad aalso lso approached the the ccommittee ommittee ffor or ffinancial approached inancial ssupport upport for a motorcycle motorcycle race race to to b be eh held eld iin n tthe he ssouth outh o off for the Island Island on on July July 14, 14, 1 1955. 955. T The he ccommittee, ommittee, the however, however, was was not not prepared prepared to to rrecommend ecommend government government ffinancial inancial aassistance ssistance tto o tthe he rrace ace ffor or the the following following reasons: reasons: We cconsider onsider tthe he T TT TR Races aces aand nd tthe he M Manx anx G Grand rand We Prix to to be be established established e events vents o off u universal niversal aappeal ppeal Prix to to m motorcycle otorcycle enthusiasts enthusiasts iin nG Great reat B Britain. ritain. W We ed do o not n ot think think that that motorcycle motorcycle rracing acing sshould hould b be e ffurther urther extended during extended d uring tthe he vvisiting isiting sseason. eason. We We d do on not ot tthink hink tthat, hat, aatt tthe he d date ate ssuggested, uggested, up’ byy sstaging taging aan ne event vent tthe he sseason eason rrequires equires ‘‘build build u p’ b off tthis o his ccharacter. haracter. We event enterprise – W e rregard egard the the e vent as as a local local enterprise possibly from local local p ossibly justifying justifying support support as as such such from ccommissioners ommissioners in in order order to to attract attract visitors visitors into into their their aarea rea from from other other parts parts of of the the Island Island – but but not not as as an an iinsular nsular event event warranting warranting government government support. support.

Despite D espite tthis his ssetback, etback, tthe he cclub lub persevered persevered w with ith organising the organising the ffirst irst ‘Southern ‘Southern 100’ 100’ and and local local bbusiness usiness m an, T H C man, Colebourn, olebourn, sstepped tepped iinn aand nd pput ut uupp ££100 100 ttoo ssecure ecure tthe he rraces aces oonn JJuly uly 114, 4, 11955. 955. H appily, ssince ince tthat Happily, hat initial initial rebuff, rebuff, tthe he Isle Isle ooff M Man an ggovernment, overnment, vvia ia tthe he D Department epartment of of TTourism, ourism, hhas as given given its its full full aapproval pproval ooff tthe he S Southern outhern 1100, 00, aalong long with ttremendous remendous ssupport upport oover ver the the yyears ears aand nd with continues ttoo ddoo so. so. continues Summer frocks frocks aand nd sshirt hirt sleeves sleeves w ere the the oorder rder Summer were of the the dday ay iinn 11955 955 aass tthousands housands ooff sspectators pectators of crowded crowded tthe he vvantage antage points points around around the the course course to to witness w itness what what was was described described as as an an ambitious ambitious tthree-race hree-race pprogramme rogramme for for a ffirst-ever irst-ever m eeting. meeting. TThe he vvery er y ffirst irst rrace, ace, the the 350cc 350cc event, event, was was won won by by Manxman Derek Derek Ennett Ennett riding riding an an AJS AJS at at an an Manxman average of of 76.79mph. 76.79mph. average The The 350 350 was was followed followed by by the the 250 250 race, race, over over six six laps, laps, 25 25 miles miles with with Manchester’s Manchester’s Dave Dave Chadwick Chadwick ttaking aking tthe he cchequered hequered fflag lag aatt ssome ome 665.50mph. 5.50mph.

The The premier premier event, event, the the 500cc 500cc race, race, held held over over 24 24 laps, laps, a distance distance of of 100 100 miles miles and and from from w where here tthe he meeting gained gained its its title title saw saw LLiverpudlian, iverpudlian, TTerry meeting err y Shepherd, ttake ake vvictory ictor y bbyy just just 1100 00 yyards ards from from Shepherd, 350cc w inner Derek Derek E nnett. 350cc winner Ennett. TThe he three-race three-race programme programme completed, completed, competitors competitors and and officials officials took took part part in in a gymkhana gymkhana at the the nearby nearby Castletown Castletown Stadium. Stadium. at From an an ‘Open ‘Open to to Centre’ Centre’ status status meeting meeting in in From 1955, the the Southern Southern gained gained nnational ational sstatus tatus iinn 1955, 1958 and and was was iincluded ncluded iinn tthe he B ritish 1958 British Championships Championships in in 1969. 1969. Since Since tthen hen the the annual annual July July eevent vent hhas as bbeen een included included in in the the prestigious prestigious Irish Irish R Regal egal nd ggained ained Championships Championships dduring uring 11992 992 aand nd 11993 993 aand ull E European uropean rrecognition ecognition iinn 11995, 995, bbeing eing ggranted ranted a ffull FFIM IM International International status status iinn 22007. 007.. Sensation Sensation hit hit the the Southern Southern 1100, 00, when when in in 1960, 1960, aafter fter putting putting up up a brilliant brilliant riding riding display display to to win win the the S enior, B Bob ob M McIntyre cIntyre w was as e excluded xcluded ffrom rom tthe he rresult. esult. Senior,

lassicRacer 3300 C ClassicRacer

ClassicRacer C lassicRacer 3311

Golden Jubilee

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Bristol Show Fun in the West

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Isle of Man’s other road race, the Southern 100, reaches 60. _30 The Phil Edge shares its great moments.

Classic Off-Road Show Playing dirty

CCLASSIC LASSIC RACER RRAACER PPEOPLE EOPLE

CLASSIC RACER SPORT _086

Sport Down Under

CLASSIC RACER ARCHIVE _082 TT racing 30s style

JOCK

ON THE COVER Fast Freddie Spencer and the Honda NSR, on his way to a history making double top.

TAYLOR PrideofScotland Words: Chris Carter Photography: Mortons Archive

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Jock Taylor, the pride of Scotland, left an indelible mark on the sport. _38 Chris Carter tells the story.

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CCLASSIC LLAASSIC RACER RRAACER MACHINES MACHINES

HONDA NSR500

May/June 2015 Issue 173

RACER TEST Words: Alan Cathcart Photography: HidenobuTakeuchi and Clive Challinor

Firstandforemost

I guess I have Wayne Gardner to thank for beginning a 30 year career of track testing Honda’s latest and greatest Grand Prix hardware, writes Alan Cathcart.

EDITOR

Malc Wheeler mwheeler@mortons.co.uk Tim Hartley thartley@mortons.co.uk

PUBLISHER

CONTRIBUTORS IN THIS ISSUE Jan Burgers, Chris Carter, Hamish Cooper, Norm DeWitt, Phil Edge, Jack Harrison, Frank Weeink and Julie Wheeler DESIGNER REPROGRAPHICS

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Cathcart tests Freddie Spencer’s double top 500 and shares _48 Alan the experience.

DOING THE

GENERAL QUERIES AND BACK ISSUES 01507 529529 24hr answerphone Email: help@classicmagazines.co.uk Web: www.classicmagazines.co.uk ARCHIVE ENQUIRIES jskayman@mortons.co.uk Jane Skayman, 01507 529423

DOUBLE

Freddie Spencer’s story

After Freddie Spencer won his first 500cc title in 1983 at 21, making him the youngest person to do so, Honda created the radical NSR500 V4 for the following year. Teething problems and a broken collarbone relegated him to fourth in the championship, despite three race wins. Fast Freddie tells Alan Cathcart about the road to his 1985 championship double.

SUBSCRIPTION Full subscription rates (but see page 18 for offer): (12 months 6 issues, inc post and packing) – UK £27. Export rates are also available – see page 18 for more details. UK subscriptions are zero-rated for the purposes of Value AddedTax.

Words: Freddie Spencer – Alan Cathcart Photographs: Alan Cathcart

On the three the initial pickup was a lot better. But the new V4 took time to get going. However, as soon as the engine picked up, it really, REALLY motored. The characteristics of the three-cylinder motor were almost like a motocross engine, because Miyakoshi-san, who designed it, was used to working on dirtbike motors. The success of the three-cylinder meant he was put in charge of designing the V4; it was like a thank you for building Honda’s first 500cc World Championshipwinning motor. The philosophy behind it was the belief that you had to get the centre of gravity way, way low. So the bike was very flat, but with a very steep steering head angle, which caused problems with wheel clearance under braking, and radiator size. I usually find the weaknesses in a new bike pretty quickly, so my initial feeling was not so bad. The strength of this design was supposed to be high-speed stability, and through the Esses it felt pretty good. The initial feeling with the three-cylinder was very responsive, after that it would go flat and then pick up again, but on the V4 it was a little less responsive initially, but then it was more linear in delivery.

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“WHEN BARRY SHEENE GOT ON IT AND HAD THEM PUT THE ENGINE FURTHER BACK, THAT’S WHAT IMMEDIATELY MADE IT HANDLE BETTER.” lassicRacer 5588 C ClassicRacer

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CCLASSIC LASSIC RACER RACER PEOPLE PEOPLE

uring that 1983 season, it became clear we were limited on how much further Honda could take the three-cylinder.We’d suspected that theYamaha would be strong.When Barry Sheene got on it and had them put the engine further back that’s what immediately made it handle better. Unfortunately he got hurt at Silverstone; he would have been tough to beat if that hadn’t happened. As the season went on it became obvious Yamaha was catching up on handling, and already had the engine performance advantage. I heard a little bit about a possibility that there was a (Honda) four in the works. After we won the 500 championship I went to Japan and raced in the All-Japan GP at Suzuka, and won that. On Monday I heard there was a chance that we were going to see this V4. I was pretty much in disbelief; the fuel tank under the motor, the exhausts over the top of it. Really? OK, that’s fine; Honda knows what it’s doing. The first time I rode the bike it didn’t really feel much different in handling than a conventional one. I had my attention elsewhere, the main thing I was really focused on was the engine, and I immediately noticed that the power delivery was so much different from the three-cylinder.

Holly Munro Simon Duncan

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his photographic memory Freddie Spencerrelives the road to making _58 With racing history.

USA SUBSCRIPTIONS CLASSIC RACER (USPS:706-150) is published bi-monthly by Mortons Media Group Ltd, PO Box 99, Horncastle, Lincolnshire LN9 6LZ UK . USA subscriptions are $30 per year from Motorsport Publications LLC, 7164 Cty Rd N #441, Bancroft WI 54921. Periodical Postage is paid at Bancroft, WI and additional entries. Postmaster: Send address changes to CLASSIC RACER, c/o Motorsport Publications LLC, 7164 Cty Rd N #441, Bancroft WI 54921. 715-572-4595 chris@classicbikebooks.com Printed by William Gibbons & Sons,Wolverhampton ISSN No 1470-4463 © Mortons Motorcycle Media, a division of Mortons Media Group Ltd. All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced or transmitted in any form or by any means, electronic or mechanical, including photocopying, recording, or any information storage retrieval system without prior permission in writing from the publisher.

CCLASSIC LASSIC RACER RACER PEOPLE PEOPLE

BERNIE

ECCLESTONE OnewinningFormula

Words and Photographs:xxxxx

Bernie Ecclestone racing motorcycles? Norton in Formula One? This is the story of how motorcycle racing engines played a role in the careers of many Formula One drivers but also powered Grand Prix cars to the World Championship.

Having trouble finding a copy of this magazine?

Words: Norm DeWitt Photographs: Jim Hunter, The Klementaski collection, Norm DeWitt, and 500race.org

Why not Just Ask your local newsagent to reserve you a copy each month? Member of the Professional Publishers’ Association 6666 C ClassicRacer lassicRacer

1 supremo Bernie Ecclestone reflects on simpler times. _66 Formula Norm DeWitt reports.

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Independent publisher since 1885

CLASSIC RACER PEOPLE

MICK

GRANT ON THE HONDA NR500

22 ClassicRacer

ClassicRacer 23

CLASSIC RACER PEOPLE

38 ClassicRacer

JOCK

TAYLOR PrideofScotland Words: Chris Carter Photography: Mortons Archive

ClassicRacer 39

CLASSIC RACER MACHINES

HONDA NSR500

RACER TEST Words: Alan Cathcart Photography: HidenobuTakeuchi and Clive Challinor

Firstandforemost

I guess I have Wayne Gardner to thank for beginning a 30 year career of track testing Hondaâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s latest and greatest Grand Prix hardware, writes Alan Cathcart.

48 ClassicRacer

ClassicRacer 49

CLASSIC RACER PEOPLE

DOING THE

DOUBLE

Freddie Spencer’s story

“WHEN BARRY SHEENE GOT ON IT AND HAD THEM PUT THE ENGINE FURTHER BACK, THAT’S WHAT IMMEDIATELY MADE IT HANDLE BETTER.” 58 ClassicRacer

ClassicRacer 59

CLASSIC RACER PEOPLE

BERNIE

ECCLESTONE OnewinningFormula Bernie Ecclestone racing motorcycles? Norton in Formula One? This is the story of how motorcycle racing engines played a role in the careers of many Formula One drivers but also powered Grand Prix cars to the World Championship. Words: Norm DeWitt Photographs: Jim Hunter, The Klementaski collection, Norm DeWitt, and 500race.org

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ClassicRacer 67

So you thought the foreign invasion in to TT racing came from the Japanese in the 1960’s did you? You couldn’t be more wrong. Way back in 1935 no less a man than Stanley Woods highlights the threat of the ‘Foreign Menace’. Enjoy this snapshot straight from the archive.

Malc Wheeler

HERE has, in the past, been a tendency to treat foreign entries in the TT more or less as a joke. There have been, of course, one or two rather notable exceptions to this – isolated entries that have really deserved serious consideration – but, taken as a whole, within the past decade the foreign challenge in the TT has not been extremely formidable. This state of affairs is, however, no more, and today the foreign challenge is a very serious menace to the longestablished supremacy of the English motorcycle. Those Continental firms who have gone in for racing seriously have persevered with grim determination and the result is that nowadays their products can hold their own with the best. But I am dealing more with the foreign challenge so far as the TT is concerned, so I suggest taking a peep at the specifications of the foreign entries in the Island. In the first place, originality is the keynote of practically every design, so that in almost every case the machines present a rather unusual and unorthodox appearance to British eyes. Take my own mounts this year: Motoguzzis. The 500 twin, with its 120º engine, naturally attracts more notice than the 250 single –

which is not surprising, especially as the little one has been racing for years and is very well known. Now this Guzzi twin is of unit construction – a very praiseworthy point – and is the nearest possible approach to the ideal twin, which is, of course, a horizontally opposed unit. Housing such an engine in the type of frame that is considered ideal for racing is, however, far from easy, so the Guzzi people compromised with a 120º motor. EXPERIMENTS During the past 12 months the machine has shown up to great advantage and many experiments have been made with it. That is one of the strong points about Continental manufacturers; they are not in the least conservative. They are ready to try out every idea put forward – always provided it is a sensible one, of course. For example, Guzzis have been employing spring frames on their touring machines for about eight years or more, so last January, I suggested that it might be very advantageous to adapt spring frames to the racing machines. The firm consented to experiment with the idea immediately, and inside six weeks the first racing