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Post by mikael on Nov 9, 2017 8:20:10 GMT
JC
Among a large batch of old programs, I found the program for the last race (the "finals") of the European 500cc Championship 1956, which was held on the "Volk Mølle" track by the town of Randers, in Mid-Jutland, Denmark.
This was the last year of the European Championship, and the year where Les Archer took the title (on Norton, as you mentioned). The World Championship was inaugurated the following year, in 1957; but, as you also mentioned in your post, the European Championship up to '56 was equivalent with the World Championship - as any competitive rider was European ...
Attached is a scan of the front page and start/participation list. The two Dutch brothers Dirks, whom you mentioned, are in the list, as No. 15 and 16. (Funny enough, one is named A. Dirks, the other B. Dirks. One cannot help smiling ...)
For my father (start No. 27, Aage Langthjem), for which 1956 was his first year in the senior category, to be up against those giants must have been quite a baptism of fire ...
Start No. 13 (what a number to get!), Palle H. Andersen, was another young Dane, who went on to become a multiple senior 500cc national champion. After the end of his own career he took on various roles in DMU (Danish Motor Union, the governing body for motorcycle sport in Denmark) - he did a lot for Danish motocross (and he's "still going strong").
Attached is also a scan of a page with mini-portraits of some leading drivers. The portrait of Bill Nilsson is interesting. Look at those arms! He looks like a wrestler. (It was not for nothing he was called "Buffalo Bill".)
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Post by mikael on Nov 9, 2017 8:34:31 GMT
A scan of a map of the Volk Mølle track. Unfortunately, this track, the best in Denmark, was closed down already in the late 1960's. I don't know in detail why it was closed down, but its proximity to a village (and a church) might have been a problem. With best wishes Mikael Attachment Deleted |
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Post by charleselan on Nov 9, 2017 11:42:31 GMT
Mikael,
Thank you for the superb scans of a historic meeting, and your father riding at International level, that is some achievement. Interesting to see the program cover and a Maico featured; I was never aware of the make until the late 1960's when they began to become competitive.
How sad that what was obviously a great circuit is no more, it looked fantastic from the circuit plan, and with all the trees.
I saw Bill Nilsson win the British Motocross GP at Hawkstone Park in 1960, he was incredible at that time and made things look very easy. I believe he now does engine work in Speedway, I have often seen him in the paddock on the TV Speedway meetings. There was a really good film of him on YouTube so time back featuring him at home and preparing for a race meeting. Of course back in those days even the works/factory riders used to work on their own machines, some were lucky enough to have a mechanic.
JC
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Post by mikael on Nov 10, 2017 11:04:47 GMT
JC Thank you kindly for starting this, for me, very enjoyable thread, and for many interesting posts. Just one last post from me for now, as I'm afraid I can go on forever if I'm not stopped - or if I don't force myself to stop. (1) I recall that the fork design that Greeves used in the 1960's got a renaissance around 1980. It was, I believe, initiated by Roger De Coster ("The Man"). Included below is a photo of De Coster on Suzuki in 1979 with such a fork. De Coster went to Honda in 1980, where they (Honda) started experimenting with such forks on their factory bikes as well. But the concept disappeared soon again and was never used on the production bikes. (2) Regarding Maico: I recall there was another West German make around 1980 called Kramer. Mr. Kramer actually started out modifying Maicos, and this he developed into his own make. Around 1980 he supported just one rider as full factory rider, and that was actually a Dane, Søren B. Mortensen. He was on a level of his own in Denmark; but unfortunately he never really "made it big" in GP's. I'm afraid the Kramer wasn't a very good bike either, so although he had a full "factory ride", I don't think it did him much good. (I have also attached a photo of a 1981 Kramer 500cc, found just from a run of Google. (3) Finally I would like to recommend a French 500cc motocross Grand Prix documentary from 1980 (YouTube link given below). I understand that 1980 may be on the border of what you find interesting; however I think this documentary is outstandingly good. (It's interesting to note that in the last of the races shown, the spectators stand half-way out on the track, just like it was often seen in rallies at that time. A bit scary ...) Thank you so much again. Best wishes Mikael ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Attachment DeletedAttachment Deleted |
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Post by charleselan on May 3, 2018 18:40:27 GMT
While doing some picture searching of 1950/60's British Scrambling/Motocross I found an article published in early 2017 and was shocked to read that the British rider that I followed as closely as I did Jim Clark in cars and Mike Hailwood on the roads; one Vic Eastwood was now residing in a care home in East Malling Kent near his home suffering from that terrible thing dementia. I am deeply saddened by the news as he was a big part of my teenage years. At his peak a brave and very fast rider who on the verge of becoming a possible world champion had his career spoilt by a serious leg injury while competing in a winter television meeting on a frozen solid circuit that many predicted was too dangerous to race on. After more than a year recovering from the serious leg injury Vic began racing once more but the movement in that limb was restricted. He raced on for many more years, and at a competitive level, but was not the rider he had been before the accident. Vic was a definitive 5 feet 5 inch guy with sandy red hair, and defied belief when he first gained recognition riding the big heavy 500cc Matchless factory machine. His predecessor at Matchless the big burly Oxfordshire farmer Dave Curtis was a complete contrast to Vic. Dave was a world class rider who won all over Europe but often had to withdraw from meetings due to the needs of his farm. How Vic managed to manhandle that big Matchless was something to behold, especially in soft or very wet going, he was a genius in those conditions. It was the story of someone renovating Vic's later "lightweight" version of the Matchless that alerted me to his current condition. Here is a picture of Vic in action on the big beast in the early 1960's wearing one of his favoured competition numbers "52", the other was "7".  |
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Post by chrisb on May 3, 2018 20:07:09 GMT
as a young person I have the fondest memories of Saturday afternoons at my wonderful grandparents sitting at their feet with a roaring fire and the creature comforts watching these great scrambling heroes and dreaming of emulating then but the lovely memories are saddened by your news John, Vic was amongst many i revered - names of whom i have sadly forgotten but my best wishes to Vic
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Post by charleselan on May 3, 2018 20:38:08 GMT
as a young person I have the fondest memories of Saturday afternoons at my wonderful grandparents sitting at their feet with a roaring fire and the creature comforts watching these great scrambling heroes and dreaming of emulating then but the lovely memories are saddened by your news John, Vic was amongst many i revered - names of whom i have sadly foesrgotten but my best wishes to Vic Chris I used to shout myself horse cheering Vic on at race meetings; also had some huge arguments with my dad watching the TV Scrambles as he always supported someone other than my favourite(s). Here is Vic on what I consider to be the best looking motocross bike ever, the works 500cc BSA of 1967.  |
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Post by mikael on May 5, 2018 13:15:43 GMT
It’s sad to read this, JC. I hope it isn’t related to his motocross activities – that these activities will not haunt and punish him in this way.
But actually, there are many ex-motocross riders at or beyond middle age whose health-condition is less than average. It’s really hard on the body. Chronical headache is not uncommon. A large frequency of bone fractures also often gives trouble later in life. I read, for example, that Sweden’s Håkan Carlqvist (World Champion 1979 in 250cc and 1983 in 500cc), who died last summer, aged 63, suffered very much from the constant pain generated by the many injuries he had “collected” throughout his active years.
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Post by charleselan on May 5, 2018 16:14:01 GMT
It’s sad to read this, JC. I hope it isn’t related to his motocross activities – that these activities will not haunt and punish him in this way. But actually, there are many ex-motocross riders at or beyond middle age whose health-condition is less than average. It’s really hard on the body. Chronical headache is not uncommon. A large frequency of bone fractures also often gives trouble later in life. I read, for example, that Sweden’s Håkan Carlqvist (World Champion 1979 in 250cc and 1983 in 500cc), who died last summer, aged 63, suffered very much from the constant pain generated by the many injuries he had “collected” throughout his active years. Mikael, It was only about one month back that I found out that "Carla" had passed away, I was shocked by that as he was the last Motocross riders I really followed. I saw him win convincingly the British MX GP at Farleigh Castle in 1983, have a few good B&W photos I took of him that day which I must upload sometime. Interestingly that is the venue where Vic Eastwood won his first GP riding a 420cc Husqvarna in terrible wet conditions and with a flat rear tyre. It was annoyingly the only time I missed the British MX GP in many years, and my hero wins; unfortunately my dad was in hospital with a gall bladder problem, so my chauffeur was unable to take me. Motocross must be the most demanding physically of sports and as you mention body damage is part of the game as the years progress. You may remember that the rider I first followed had to retire very early in his career due to a serious back injury, he would I am certain have been a big player in the 1960's had he not sustained that issue. If you are able read up about Vic Eastwood British GP win as he was I believe the first rider to use a system that prevented a punctured tyre coming off the wheel rim. Vic was an engineer by profession and a great development rider throughout his career. JC |
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Post by Carl on Jul 8, 2019 6:43:59 GMT
A clever Honda television spot has Malcolm Smith (secondary only to Steve McQueen as the star of "On Any Sunday") portraying a small town preacher given a motorcycle by his congregation.
The link to it in the Ozark tourism website didn't function...
More about Malcolm Smith, reflecting on the great bikes he's riden
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