Introduction

[Deleted]

Hi Y'all,

My name is Mike and I'm currently the owner of a 1962 Mk2 Zodiac but am also an enthusiast of the Mk3's, having owned one many years ago and hence my being on here.

I'm a married bloke with four kids, three boys and a girl. My eldest son and daughter are both grown up and flown the nest. I used to work for the Metropolitan Police Traffic Division in London England but I'm now retired. I enjoy watching F1 motor racing, WSB, BSB and Moto GP racing, Flat Track racing, Speedway and Motor Cross, Classic Cars & Military Vehicles. I enjoy War bird air shows, riding my motorcycle, hanging with my biker mates and enjoying a pint. I am also a member of the following organisations:- Royal British Legion Riders Branch, The Triumph Motorcycle Owners Club, The Harley Davidson Owners Group, The '59' Club, The 'Ace Cafe' Club, The 'British Bikers Releif Foundation, The 'New Order Of The North And South' and 'The Military Vehicle Trust'.

I am quiet and a little reserved until I get to know someone then I become warm friendly and a little cheeky. Got no time for liers, bullshitters, wingers and moaners or Walter Mitty caracters and I have an eye for a nice set of wheels and a pretty face.

Mike 'The Bike' :-)

[Eddie]

Hello Mike and welcome to the forum.

[Deleted]

Hi Eddie and thanks for the add, am glad to be hear. :-)

[Eddie]

What cars did you drive in the job?

Anything that we would now consider classic?

I am thinking maybe Rover SD1?

[Deleted]

SD1's were few and far between when I started. They were being replaced by Vauxhall Vectra's and Omega's plus Land Rover Discovery's. By the time I retired they too had been replaced by BMW 5 series and Mitsubishi Shogun's. Our commercial vehicle unit had a Nissan Navara.

[michael]

Hello and welcome Mike! I have to admit I always associate 'Mike the Bike' with the late great Mike Hailwood. When I was 16 I had a Honda SS50 and Mike's book on how to go racing (misplaced long ago). Although I had a total of three motorbikes I never took my test and migrated to cars a few years later. In 2008 I was booked in for a Direct Access course but unfortunately broke my femur a few days before. Sadly I developed some complications and have been advised not to even try riding a motor cycle by my surgeon. However I am tempted by a 'trike'!

[Deleted]

Hello Michael,

Yes you are quite right about the late Mike The Bike Hailwood he was the greatest and in my opinion there hasn't been anyone quite like him since. I count myself among the lucky ones who had actually met him on several occasions. He was a frequent visitor, along with other famous names like Phil Read, at Tom Kirby Racing where I used to work.

As for my association with motorcycles well, my father always had a bike and so to did my uncle and my cousin who also used to ride in the Isle Of Man TT each year so I guess it was inevitable that I too would end up riding bikes.

My wife used to ride pillion with me until we had the kids but she hasn't been on the bike since, however she has always had a fancy for a trike, I said I'd build one one day but never got round to it somehow. Too many other projects got in the way like old cars and trucks, best get my finger out as I'm not getting any younger.

[michael]

I only had the pleasure of watching 'Mike the Bike' race once. This was at a post-TT meeting at Donnington after his comeback. Barry Sheene featured in the same meeting and their styles could not have been more different – Mike elbows and knees tucked in and very fast and tidy whilst Barry climbed all over his bike. They were also different in other ways. After Mike crashed out they interviewed him (the wording may be slightly incorrect after over 35 years) and he said “I was going a bit faster each lap and went that bit to fast”. When they spoke to Barry he moaned about a high revs misfire, gear selection issues, etc. Nigel Mansell had a similar attitude and I think that is why I was never really a great fan of his. When I watch F1 these days I think to many drivers moan about driving with issues rather than congratulating others. Had Mike lived I think he would a made a good expert on either motorbike or F1 racing. F1, in particular, has had some very dull experts in recent years.

[Deleted]

My favourite motor sport commentator of all time has to be Murray Walker he had such a wonderfully infectious enthusiasm for motorsport be it two wheels or four and of course he was a former racer in his own right. A lovely man, I do miss the sound of his commentary on motor sport events and F1 hasn't been quite so enjoyable without him. My favourite F1 drivers were Graham Hill, Jackie Stuart, Sterling Moss, John Surtees and Jim Clarke none of whom would whinge and moan about there cars or indeed about other drivers. They would just get in the car or on the bike and drive the pants off the thing and they were all gentleman.

[cardaft]

Met Barry Sheen,he was full of himself, as I expect you have to be.Had the privilege to talk to Stirling Moss, a real gentleman and Jackie Stewart,just quietly confident,he was responsible for a lot of safety reforms in F1.
I don't tend to follow F1 now,it seems to be, he who gets in front at the start wins! I wish some of the GP cars would come back, engines in the front,skinny tyres,drivers that been in a night club to the early hours before climbing into the cockpit armed only with a pith helmet and a polo shirt,thinking about the death toll, maybe not!!

[Deleted]

Those were the days when men were men and sportsmen were gentlemen. They seemed to do things just for the shell of it, for the challenge and not so much for the status or the money. Nowadays it's all about the money. A bit like mountain climbers of the day, they climbed it because it was there and not so much the prestige. They were the real hero's of their day.