Wednesday, 6 July 2011

Goodwood Festival of Speed

More day job related fun...
Long shadow... Left home at 5am for the ride to the Goodwood Festival of Speed because...
I'd been promised a ride on Johnny Rea's full-on 2011 Castrol Honda Superbike. On cold slicks, not detuned, so 220bhp. It was a pussycat, the speed I rode it. What a cool experience. Shame about the crap phone pics.
Cam Donald, Sam Lowes, Tom Sykes, Craig Martin.
I parked it up against the post, then went for a cup of tea. The bike just pulling up is one of those ridiculous turbine bikes with the helicopter engine. The rider crashed it, spectacularly, in the afternoon run. It's ok, now one was watching. Er...Keith Amor TT bike and 1998 Aaron Slight WSB RC45.
Ron Haslam Honda RS1123 F1 bike
1990 (I think) Lawson YZR500 just about to be lent against a post in the ground.
Sir Alan Cathcart, the world's most widely read motorcycle journalist, said lots of nice things about Sideburn. He's been reading it since issue 1 and promised a bunch of interesting bikes for future issues. Behind him is bike designer John Keogh and Maximum Bob Steffano - El Crusher!
Freddie Sheene, Barry's son, on the Turbo Suzuki Icon. Someone has polished the tyres with silicone spray before he got on it. Not ideal.
The Irving Vincent, with Craig McMartin on board, came over from Australia. Absolutely stunning.
Waiting for the return back down the hill.Gorgeous Ringhini tiddler next to an S1000RR.
Keith Amor was riding. We talked about his amazing TT crash escape.
Two of the hundreds of amazing cars. The thing with the ironing board wing is a 1966 Chaparral Chevrolet. Miller Time is a 1983 Buick Regal NASCAR. I'd love a road version (in matt grey). That's Sideburn collaborator Fly the photographer on the right, shooting for his new project Accler8.com.
Goodwood is too much. There's just so much going on, so much to see that, especially when I'm trying to work, I get home and realise I didn't see half of it. I'll try go next year and not work.
The pits is great place to meet up with people. This is Robert Steffano (of Acme Rocket Bikes and now the new owner of Kosman Specialties), Roland Sands and me. GI
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8 comments:

  1. Jeremy Melling6 July 2011 at 13:45

    I was painting door frames yesterday.

    But I did get to put the forks back on my Montesa and go for a ride (around the garden).

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  2. Harley6 July 2011 at 15:51

    Nice shots! I still don't get that Sheene Turbo Suzuki though, in what way is a black, modern, four stroke, turbo, 'fighter(ish) creation linked to Baz?

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  3. User.One6 July 2011 at 18:46

    Bastard. I am utterly jealous.
    Nice shots of some interesting machinery. I had a '79 Buick Regal Turbo (pre GNX) and an '80 Regal lowrider. We should talk old yank knackers some time.

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  4. Sideburn Magazine6 July 2011 at 18:53

    flash bikes GI, but I want to know about the paddock posts. Were they actually designed for gypsy nags? or are they rustic sidestands at their best?
    city dweller BP

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  5. Sideburn Magazine6 July 2011 at 19:02

    The hefty wooden posts are specfically for leaning race bikes against while their riders have a cuppa in the temporary, but very suave cafe, wait for the cars to do their run and ride back down the hill to the pits. All very civilised. G

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  6. daws7 July 2011 at 05:04

    It always makes me smile to see priceless racebikes propped up against a hay-bale or wooden post :)

    The Irving Vincent is a thing of beauty, I was lucky enough to have a chat to the brothers Horner about it at Eastern Creek last year.

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  7. Nick7 July 2011 at 07:08

    I was building shelves, so thanks for the interesting pic's love the Vincent, and the Haslam bike has a certain brutal beauty

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  8. -|Giannis~SpeedJunkies|-8 July 2011 at 21:02

    A race bike on a wooden pole LOOKS so Classy!!!! U Lucky Man and Goodwood just got in my list of places to visit in the near future....

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