Monday 14 December 2009

Maggot Tracker

The Honda CX500 was THE weapon of choice for London despatch riders for almost a decade. With a polystyrene cup of tea wedged inbetween the crash-bars and knee-warmer cylinder heads, and wide comfy seat, it was the perfect cross-town donkey. Topping up the radiator with one's own piss was part of the maintenance routine.
But Stateside, Jerry Griffith must have been even more possessed than a Mercury rider on Friday night last drop in W1. He rotated his lump from transverse to in-line, and junked the shaft-drive. In 1980-81 Jeff Haney and Mickey Fay rode it (probably without shoulder bag, top-box, and a ciggie poking out of the visor). And gloriously, in 1982 Scott Pearson scored Honda's first 1/2mile national win at Louisville Kentucky. BP

2 comments:

Skylar said...

When I was in London I loved seeing all the dispatch cycles everywhere.

Anonymous said...

Does anyone else think that guy looks like Will Ferrell?