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Post by mikael on May 8, 2018 7:22:56 GMT
The following might have limited interest for the RRT members, but I can't resist posting it. (And if nothing else, it showcases the point just made (in the previous post) about the strength of the American riders from the early 80's and onwards.) As I wrote in my answer to Jamie's 16 questions, as to "Favorite motorsport memory", one is definitely the 1982 250cc motocross World Championship final (title decider), in Vimmerby, Sweden. In an article published last summer, called "Flashback Friday", the American magazine "Motocross Action Magazine" wrote the following about the winner of that GP, Donnie Hansen: " The 1982 season was incredibly good to Donnie Hansen—and incredibly bad. The good? Donnie Hansen won both the 1982 AMA Supercross Championship and 250 National Championship. Selected for the 1982 American Motocross des Nations team, Donnie flew to Sweden to race the final 250 Grand Prix before heading to Germany for the MXDN. Donnie won the Swedish Grand Prix easily, but four days later he crashed at Rolf Dieffenbach’s practice track and suffered a closed-head injury. Hansen never fully recovered enough to race at the highest level again, but has successfully transitioned into coaching young riders and teaching motocross schools." (Link at : motocrossactionmag.com/flashback-friday-donnie-hansen-top-worlduntil/)  Georges Jobe, Donnie Hansen and Kess van der Ven on the podium in Sweden four days before Hansen's crash.The other day I came across a quite good amateur video-film from that GP - a full hour of footage. It shows how dominant Hansen (start number 14 on his red Honda) was - I believe he could have lapped # 2 if he had wanted to - it was simply amazing to watch (I will never forget it). Heat 1 starts at time 5:00; heat 2 at 27:00. Hansen "storms away" in both heats. (P.S. The track in Vimmerby (with a "V", not with a "W" as the video says) was a truly great track. Super-fast, and "natural", just following the "flow" of the forest where it was laid out.) |
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Post by Carl on May 8, 2018 15:43:05 GMT
Although seldom challenged, racing often needlessly proves itself the cruelest sport.
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Post by Deleted on May 9, 2018 18:43:21 GMT
Reading today's Il Corriere della Sera, full pdf version, and came across the very sad news that Eric Geboers, multiple world champion in 125, 250 and 500 in the '80s, motocross legend, died last Sunday, drowning in a lake in Belgium trying to save his dog from drowning. Only 55.
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Post by charleselan on May 10, 2018 9:53:46 GMT
Reading today's Il Corriere della Sera, full pdf version, and came across the very sad news that Eric Geboers, multiple world champion in 125, 250 and 500 in the '80s, motocross legend, died last Sunday, drowning in a lake in Belgium trying to save his dog from drowning. Only 55. That is indeed a tragedy at such a young age. I saw Eric Geboers ride several times in British MX GP's, I believe he was related (possibly a much younger brother?) of Sylvain Geboers one of the three truly great motocross riders from Belgium in the 1960's early seventies. |
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Post by René on May 10, 2018 11:19:33 GMT
I read it in the newspaper here. Sad indeed.
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Post by mikael on May 10, 2018 11:19:58 GMT
Reading today's Il Corriere della Sera, full pdf version, and came across the very sad news that Eric Geboers, multiple world champion in 125, 250 and 500 in the '80s, motocross legend, died last Sunday, drowning in a lake in Belgium trying to save his dog from drowning. Only 55. It's tragic indeed. Yes, Eric G. was a younger brother of Sylvain G. Sylvain was born in 1946 and Eric in 1962, so Eric was really an "afterthought". (P.S. From Motocross Action Mag.: "According to Belgian newspaper reports, the dog, which was a young puppy, actually survived by swimming to shore.") |
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Post by charleselan on May 10, 2018 12:15:55 GMT
Reading today's Il Corriere della Sera, full pdf version, and came across the very sad news that Eric Geboers, multiple world champion in 125, 250 and 500 in the '80s, motocross legend, died last Sunday, drowning in a lake in Belgium trying to save his dog from drowning. Only 55. It's tragic indeed. Yes, Eric G. was a younger brother of Sylvain G. Sylvain was born in 1946 and Eric in 1962, so Eric was really an "afterthought". (P.S. From Motocross Action Mag.: "According to Belgian newspaper reports, the dog, which was a young puppy, actually survived by swimming to shore.") I was more or less certain that they were brothers Mikael, but not absolute. That was some afterthought. It is more often the case that the beloved dog actually sorts itself out of trouble in situations such as that, and the human ends up dead. It is incredible what us humans will do for our "best friends". Tragic all the same. Incidentally with reference to poor Donny Hansen and his life changing injuries, how often have we seen Motocross riders become seriously injured, three in more recent years that I know of have become wheelchair bound which I am certain were initiated by MX accidents. JC |
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Post by chrisb on May 10, 2018 19:55:34 GMT
these indoor arena's are testament to some sort of skills but for me motox or scrambling as it once was always needed the elements to influence matters and whilst the skills of the arena guys is awesome it isn't what i enjoy, i do like the Paris Dakar type events because you really are competing with what nature throws at you - real adventure- but I miss the days of a good scramble, with Vic, Dave Bickers [was it?] and Dave Smith?
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Post by charleselan on May 10, 2018 22:02:52 GMT
these indoor arena's are testament to some sort of skills but for me motox or scrambling as it once was always needed the elements to influence matters and whilst the skills of the arena guys is awesome it isn't what i enjoy, i do like the Paris Dakar type events because you really are competing with what nature throws at you - real adventure- but I miss the days of a good scramble, with Vic, Dave Bickers [was it?] and Dave Smith? Absolutely Chris. It was Jeff Smith a 2 times 500cc World Champion, a truly great rider who was a master tactician and exceptional rider. not my favourite back in those days but as with so many things I have grown to respect and appreciate his great skills. He is still going strong living in Canada where he emigrated after he retired to work for the Bombardier company. There is a great film clip of him at home in Canada on YouTube where he shows a guy one of his beloved BSA Goldstar MX bikes and still rides it with gusto. Dave Bickers another UK great sadly passed away a couple of years ago, way before his time, he was one of my dad's favourites. The Rickman brothers Derek & Don were great riders and of Metisse motorcycle fame, Donald one of the most stylish riders there have ever been, just pure class. They never entered the winter TV scrambles series, probably too busy with the manufacturing of Metisse machines. |
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Post by mikael on May 12, 2018 7:54:50 GMT
Incidentally with reference to poor Donny Hansen and his life changing injuries, how often have we seen Motocross riders become seriously injured, three in more recent years that I know of have become wheelchair bound which I am certain were initiated by MX accidents. JC
JC,
I have had the same thought several times in recent years. In "the old days" the injuries were typically a broken leg or a broken collarbone, but recent years have seen many much more severe ones.
I have, admittedly, not attended an MX race since I stopped myself in '83 (35 years!) - but judging from, say, recent World Championship races on e.g. Youtube, the speeds are now much higher indeed; it seems almost surreal how fast they go on the modern "ultra-driveable" bikes, when comparing with, e.g., the video from Sweden '82. Falling off a such high speeds you will hit the ground - and the ground will hit you - really hard ...
M.
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Post by mikael on Sept 26, 2020 11:09:18 GMT
I am - again - aware that the interest in this may be limited; but in the early spring months of this year I came across the attached documentary from the German 500cc motocross Grand Prix of 1984, at the track in Beurn - a classical, fast, natural layout type of track (no "show" jumps). I found it so enjoyable and impressive that I wanted to note it here.
It's interesting to note, in the beginning, how heavy rain, apparently, has turned the paddock into a "mud hell" - while the track itself has tried out neatly, as is in good condition :-D
On a melancholic note - strange to think about how hard destiny was with some of the top riders of this era (and of this particular race). Georges Jobe was paralyzed due to a motocross training accident. He somehow recovered partly, only to be diagnosed with leukemia, to which he eventually succumbed. Andre Malherbe was paralyzed from the neck down, due to an accident, not in motocross but in the Paris-Dakar rally. And - as was noted here a couple of years ago - Eric Geboers drowned (in 2018, while trying to save his dog ...).
Thinking also about Michael Schumacher and Alex Zanardi, it seems that destiny often is particularly hard with ex-top-drivers/riders. But it may, of course, just be because they typically are of a more dare-devil nature than most "ordinary" persons.
YouTube link: |
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Post by charleselan on Sept 26, 2020 18:09:49 GMT
I enjoyed that one Mikael, a very good film indeed. So many things come to mind as I watched this, so I doubt that I will remember to comment on everything that I would wish to. Firstly as you mention this is a traditional type of motocross circuit without the current day gimmicks and all the better for it. I was familiar with all of the riders that featured in the film although my last motocross grand prix that I attended was the 1984 British GP at Farleigh Castle. Strange that at that event Hakan "Carla" Carlqvist completely dominated on his factory Yamaha and yet one year later he was gone and so were Yamaha and Suzuki. I did notice that the former British world champion Graham Noyce was running on a privately entered Honda and doing quite well but by then not the rider he had once been, I recall seeing Graham coming onto the scene in the 1970's, just amazing how short a front line career some riders have. Also Kurt Nicoll was seen and he would later become runner up many times but never the champion. I am more familiar with his dad Dave Nicoll who was a superb rider in the 1960's, very tall and outstanding in wet muddy conditions. (Below) Dave Nicoll on a factory Matchless in the early 1960's.  The mud in the paddock was very familiar to me from many a motocross/scrambles meeting in the 1960's. In fact often it would be so bad in the spectator car parks (which were just grassy fields) the local farmers had to be called into action to tow cars out. Strangely my dad never ever got stuck or needed a tow as not only was he an excellent driver, although never fast, and we always had a pretty old rudimentary car that performed better in such conditions than the more modern vehicles. It is very sad that all those riders have had such devastating injuries or ill health, you can add to that list Pit Beirer of KTM and the American David Bailey. The latter I knew little of as a racer as he was in action after my interest went but I became aware of him from the USA Supercross and Motocross commentary teams. I would say that this 1984 German GP was around the time that the motorcycles were transitioning into the things they have today with the very long travel suspension and tall seats etc. Although obviously technically amazing I do not like them at all, not my era I am afraid. |
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Post by charleselan on Sept 26, 2020 18:21:44 GMT
Further to my above post I have attached a short Pathé News film of the 1967 British Motocross GP from Farleigh Castle near Trowbridge in Wiltshire UK. A great traditional track and a wonderful race meeting that I attended with my parents. The meeting was one by the great East German (as it was known back then) Paul Friedrichs on his factory CZ.
Something very strange happened when I first watched this clip two or three years ago. Just before the winner is presented with the trophy there is a shot of the crowd applauding and even though it was simply a rapid panned shot I was certain that i saw my mother in the crowd. I replayed the film and eventually froze the shot and no doubt it was my mum and not only that but my dad and I as well. Such good quality is the movie that I was able to print out a screen capture of the frozen frame and have some unbelievable shots that I never ever knew existed.
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Post by Carl on Sept 27, 2020 1:10:05 GMT
Further to my above post I have attached a short Pathé News film of the 1967 British Motocross GP from Farleigh Castle near Trowbridge in Wiltshire UK. A great traditional track and a wonderful race meeting that I attended with my parents. The meeting was one by the great East German (as it was known back then) Paul Friedrichs on his factory CZ. Something very strange happened when I first watched this clip two or three years ago. Just before the winner is presented with the trophy there is a shot of the crowd applauding and even though it was simply a rapid panned shot I was certain that i saw my mother in the crowd. I replayed the film and eventually froze the shot and no doubt it was my mum and not only that but my dad and I as well. Such good quality is the movie that I was able to print out a screen capture of the frozen frame and have some unbelievable shots that I never ever knew existed. A well done race summary with excellent film quality, as you said. Are you and your parents in the crowd shot at 1:16 in the film? Are you the young man in black jumper just left of center? Come clean, John Charles. By now, any youthful misdeed that day must have been cleared from the constabulary books.  |
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Post by Carl on Sept 27, 2020 1:43:55 GMT
I enjoyed that one Mikael, a very good film indeed. So many things come to mind as I watched this, so I doubt that I will remember to comment on everything that I would wish to. The mud in the paddock was very familiar to me from many a motocross/scrambles meeting in the 1960's. In fact often it would be so bad in the spectator car parks (which were just grassy fields) the local farmers had to be called into action to tow cars out. Strangely my dad never ever got stuck or needed a tow as not only was he an excellent driver, although never fast, and we always had a pretty old rudimentary car that performed better in such conditions than the more modern vehicles. John Charles,
The comfortable and sophisticated Riley 1.5 you once mentioned most likely was not exposed to heavy mud conditions. What a cool sedan and beautiful interior, corresponding to my English dream car of the mid-60s when American cars were too large and clumsy.
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