Hi Jesse, A few Joey Dunlop titbits: With 26 wins he is the most successful TT racer in history; his last 3 victories in 2000 at age 48. He died in a race crash in Estonia a month later. He was twice decorated; once for services to motorcycling (Member of the most excellent order of the British Empire - MBE), once for services to charity (Officer of the most excellent order of the British Empire - OBE). The latter followed his trips to Romania and Bosnia after the fall of the Caeusescu regime. Appalled by the reports of conditions in the state orphanages he twisted various arms to donate food and clothing, packed them in his race transporter and drove across the continent alone - no fuss, no publicity. The locals could be resentful of all the bad press their country was getting and it's reported that on one trip the border guards didn't want to let him in, until the officer in charge realised who was driving and turned out to be a big fan. He was always an individual. Although most of his TT successes were on Hondas, he refused to sign a contract with the company, simply agreeing terms with a handshake. Generally scruufy and unkempt, he should have been a PR man's nightmare but instead was voted Northern Ireland's greatest ever sports star. One year he and a number of other Irish racers were travelling to the TT in a converted fishing boat when it suffered engine trouble, was driven on to rocks and sank. Fortunately all the people were rescued the Portaferry lifeboat and the bikes later recovered by divers. He once rebuilt another rider's gearbox eight times during an Irish road race meeting to help him back on the track. The other rider was his main rival. Rumoured tale: the head of Honda Racing Corporation was visiting the TT and being shown around by Neil Tuxworth, manager of UK's Honda racing team. They arrived at Dunlop's site to find a partially stripped works machine, no one around and a bank of priceless magnesium carburetors dangling from a handy bush. Tuxworth, appalled, started to mumble apologies but the HRC head just nodded and said "Ah yes, we know about Joey Dunlop". 50,000 people attended the funeral in his home town, and even the Northern Irish troubles stopped for that one day. Regards, Tony
My hat's off to you to wrote such a thorough and long piece! I had posted the charity work (which was a surprise to me) http://justacarguy.blogspot.com/2017/02/documentary-movie-about-dunlop-family.html 9 months ago, but only if people watched that movie, back when the video worked
Well... you've just reminded me that I bought that film on DVD and I haven't watched it yet! Thanks for the reminder. While looking for the post I saw one you did about a Robert Dunlop racing incident. Did you know he was Joey's younger brother? His son Michael (Joey's nephew) is currently probably the top rated TT rider. Tony
You're welcome! It's a good film! Robert, yup, I did... but only because I did so many posts around that time to learn the racers in the TT, the week before? I didn't know a damn thing. I really have learned (and forgotten) so much because of some post leading me to another topic, to more info, to some new post
I suppose after x zillion posts you're allowed to forget the odd detail. A well known Joey Dunlop film is "V Four Victory" from 1983 which covers a complete TT lap filmed onboard from Joey's works RC45 (V4 engine). Commonplace stuff these days but unique then. I think it was made using film cameras, certainly big bulky equipment that caused him a fair bit of difficulty. His commentary on the circuit runs all the way through but unfortunately that thick Northern Ireland accent means most of us can barely understand a word. Tony
30,864... or a zillion. They are both ridiculous numbers of posts! I'll see if I can find that movie! Being so far before the time I became interested in vehicle stuff, it's no wonder I haven't heard of it, especially since it was made in VHS days, and may not be on the internet, and I've never been a focused fan of motorcycle racing. I'm a fan, generally speaking, but that covers a whole lot of things with wheels over about 150 years of wheeled things
There's a YouTube preview that's worth watching at: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Cy0SPp6yy2c produced by Duke Videos who also sell the full DVD. That's Duke as in Geoff Duke, the first British road racing star, who started the company. For a change of pace (one thing leads to another...) there's a 1935 TT film starring George Formby (remarkably when you see his gormless persona, he became the highest paid UK entertainer of his day) as an amateur TT racer. Here's a few clips: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=unwHwZu7Swk https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eayllywNxUw https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ukCc3c6RVo4 Formby himself was a virtuoso ukelele player and also a keen motorcyclist who did a fair bit of the riding in the film. Overall it's totally daft but has a period charm that still keeps it popular (yep, Duke sell it). Regards, Tony
But by coincidence, I saw the statue, on another site I've been reading through, just an hour ago! http://mike-thistledown.blogspot.dk/2013/03/lamppost.html
By the way, George was considered very risque in his day and the BBC wouldn't play many of his records, including this one. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JRd0cp4MT3I How times change. Mind you, in those days they wouldn't play jazz on Sundays, considering it disrespectful. Tony
Hi Jesse,
ReplyDeleteA few Joey Dunlop titbits:
With 26 wins he is the most successful TT racer in history; his last 3 victories in 2000 at age 48. He died in a race crash in Estonia a month later.
He was twice decorated; once for services to motorcycling (Member of the most excellent order of the British Empire - MBE), once for services to charity (Officer of the most excellent order of the British Empire - OBE). The latter followed his trips to Romania and Bosnia after the fall of the Caeusescu regime. Appalled by the reports of conditions in the state orphanages he twisted various arms to donate food and clothing, packed them in his race transporter and drove across the continent alone - no fuss, no publicity. The locals could be resentful of all the bad press their country was getting and it's reported that on one trip the border guards didn't want to let him in, until the officer in charge realised who was driving and turned out to be a big fan.
He was always an individual. Although most of his TT successes were on Hondas, he refused to sign a contract with the company, simply agreeing terms with a handshake. Generally scruufy and unkempt, he should have been a PR man's nightmare but instead was voted Northern Ireland's greatest ever sports star.
One year he and a number of other Irish racers were travelling to the TT in a converted fishing boat when it suffered engine trouble, was driven on to rocks and sank. Fortunately all the people were rescued the Portaferry lifeboat and the bikes later recovered by divers.
He once rebuilt another rider's gearbox eight times during an Irish road race meeting to help him back on the track. The other rider was his main rival.
Rumoured tale: the head of Honda Racing Corporation was visiting the TT and being shown around by Neil Tuxworth, manager of UK's Honda racing team. They arrived at Dunlop's site to find a partially stripped works machine, no one around and a bank of priceless magnesium carburetors dangling from a handy bush. Tuxworth, appalled, started to mumble apologies but the HRC head just nodded and said "Ah yes, we know about Joey Dunlop".
50,000 people attended the funeral in his home town, and even the Northern Irish troubles stopped for that one day.
Regards,
Tony
My hat's off to you to wrote such a thorough and long piece! I had posted the charity work (which was a surprise to me) http://justacarguy.blogspot.com/2017/02/documentary-movie-about-dunlop-family.html 9 months ago, but only if people watched that movie, back when the video worked
DeleteDid you watch that movie? https://www.netflix.com/search?q=road&jbv=80079364&jbp=2&jbr=0 it's on Netflix
DeleteWell... you've just reminded me that I bought that film on DVD and I haven't watched it yet! Thanks for the reminder.
ReplyDeleteWhile looking for the post I saw one you did about a Robert Dunlop racing incident. Did you know he was Joey's younger brother? His son Michael (Joey's nephew) is currently probably the top rated TT rider.
Tony
You're welcome! It's a good film!
DeleteRobert, yup, I did... but only because I did so many posts around that time to learn the racers in the TT, the week before? I didn't know a damn thing. I really have learned (and forgotten) so much because of some post leading me to another topic, to more info, to some new post
I suppose after x zillion posts you're allowed to forget the odd detail. A well known Joey Dunlop film is "V Four Victory" from 1983 which covers a complete TT lap filmed onboard from Joey's works RC45 (V4 engine). Commonplace stuff these days but unique then. I think it was made using film cameras, certainly big bulky equipment that caused him a fair bit of difficulty. His commentary on the circuit runs all the way through but unfortunately that thick Northern Ireland accent means most of us can barely understand a word.
ReplyDeleteTony
30,864... or a zillion. They are both ridiculous numbers of posts! I'll see if I can find that movie! Being so far before the time I became interested in vehicle stuff, it's no wonder I haven't heard of it, especially since it was made in VHS days, and may not be on the internet, and I've never been a focused fan of motorcycle racing. I'm a fan, generally speaking, but that covers a whole lot of things with wheels over about 150 years of wheeled things
DeleteThere's a YouTube preview that's worth watching at: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Cy0SPp6yy2c
ReplyDeleteproduced by Duke Videos who also sell the full DVD. That's Duke as in Geoff Duke, the first British road racing star, who started the company.
For a change of pace (one thing leads to another...) there's a 1935 TT film starring George Formby (remarkably when you see his gormless persona, he became the highest paid UK entertainer of his day) as an amateur TT racer. Here's a few clips:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=unwHwZu7Swk
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eayllywNxUw
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ukCc3c6RVo4
Formby himself was a virtuoso ukelele player and also a keen motorcyclist who did a fair bit of the riding in the film. Overall it's totally daft but has a period charm that still keeps it popular (yep, Duke sell it).
Regards,
Tony
Did you know about the statue of George on the Isle of Man? You got me to looking up George! Thanks!
Deleteand that now explains the odd looking guy at Goodwood!
DeleteBut by coincidence, I saw the statue, on another site I've been reading through, just an hour ago! http://mike-thistledown.blogspot.dk/2013/03/lamppost.html
DeleteBy the way, George was considered very risque in his day and the BBC wouldn't play many of his records, including this one.
ReplyDeletehttps://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JRd0cp4MT3I
How times change.
Mind you, in those days they wouldn't play jazz on Sundays, considering it disrespectful.
Tony
While not complete statues, at Phillip Island there are three busts of Australia's 500cc/motoGP World Champions....Gardner, Doohan and Stoner.
ReplyDeletehttp://monumentaustralia.org.au/themes/culture/sport/display/108526-legends-of-moto-gp