Talk Morgan Forums Community The Malvern Arms Mike the Bike

Any Mike Hailwood fans on here ?

Seems impossible that it's already 40 years since he was killed in a tragic road accident.

https://www.telegraph.co.uk/cars/features/racer-genuine-hero-mike-hailwood-remembered/

I remember in the late 70's tribute races to him at Brands Hatch well before his death. Moto Guzzi brought over their 500cc V8 racer for the event in the custody of an ageing race mechanic. He coaxed it into life and, given the time expired tyres, performed a few gentle laps. What a sound though!

I remembered him from the time when he was racing the MV Augusta - amazing rider and machines.

An amazing rider. I always wanted one of those replicas.

My BIL at the time managed to write one off. I don't think it was his either, he being a motorcycle journalist then. Remember the same evening visiting him in hospital as the tib and fib was attended to

The big Ducati's did sound great though. It was MH's win at the 1978 IOM TT on the Sports Motorcycles sponsored 900SS that inspired the Hailwood Replica.

In 78 I was graduating & had my first job at £3,600 p.a. A Hailwood replica was well beyond my purse.
These days they are still not cheap.
Hailwood Replica
I do have a plastic model I made though.

Not just on the Island either:

I remember him riding around the outside of one of the top American road racers (Rainey or Schwantz?) on a Jap multicylinder bike at one of the UK circuits on a very sharp bend and just disappearing off into the distance to take a win. Days when we used to get m/c Grand Prix on the likes of BBC1 and ITV

Should anyone be interested in the island comeback:
https://www.amazon.co.uk/MIKE-BIKE-...ood+ducati&qid=1616341630&sr=8-6

Saw him several times at Mallory Park when I was working there selling programmes.

Lightening quick and totally fearless, which I suppose you had to be to be so successful.

A great rider.

It's great that he's being remembered here. Not only a great rider but great also in any machine he chose to race. I know a few people, real racers themselves, who met him when he came to Australia and they were in awe of his talents and also enjoyed his company very much.

One of the very few GP motorcyclists to progress to F1.

Awarded the George Cross for rescuing Clay Regazzoni from an inferno.

Prior to his 1978 TT comeback he did several laps incognito on a TZ750 at the 1977 Manx Grand Prix to see if he could still mut the custard.

For many, the greatest of all time.