After reading a thread on another board the question has been asked! Who in your opinion should be in the list of best British riders of all time? And why? cheers Leech

Its been said before and I'll say it again !!

You can't compare any rider/machine etc in
different era's.

Come on John you should know that !!

I agree...I can pick out at least seven riders but there are specific reasons for which I have picked each one....

We have to go back many years to pick some of them but Hailwood, Woods, Surtees and Dunlop(J) must be featured in this list somewhere.

Jock Taylor, Dave Saville, Steve Hislop.......

As i posted on other board in my era,.. Hizzy for me no contest. Not seen a racer with the class and style of Hizzy both on the roads and short circuits also. The outright lap record that i witnessed at Donington BSB was total poetry in motion and he never even looked as though he was trying. Others ? Niall Mac, Jock Taylor, just coincidence that they are all Scots of course ???
cheers,
Stella

Quite----You mention drivers, riders in a number of disciplines !!

Who is the best British athlete ?? Same sort of question, so many disciplines.
Is Paula Ratcliffe better than Daley Thompson ??

We will have to set criteriae...

Who was the best British TT rider on an MV in 1965 who fell of and yet still won...............
or who was the best Irish rider who won 26 TTs ??

Impossible to name any others than the defined gentlemen !!!

Ray McCullough..not Scots!!

Gail read the post again! I never asked "Who is the best" i asked who should be included in this list! Not just one individual, I know it can have a varied selection but just interested to see the choices of others! cheers John

Well John give us your ideas please ????

In my opinion the greatest rider of all time is Mike Hailwood, therefore by definition he must be the greatest British rider. Other greats would include J.Simpson, J.Guthrie, Woods, Frith, Duke, Surtees, McIntyre, Read, Ivy, C & J.G.Williams, Taylor, Webster, Dunlop, Hislop, Jefferies. These are in no particular order but after the above would probably come Sheene.

In my opinion the greatest rider of all time is Mike Hailwood, therefore by definition he must be the greatest British rider. Other greats would include J.Simpson, J.Guthrie, Woods, Frith, Duke, Surtees, McIntyre, Read, Ivy, C & J.G.Williams, Taylor, Webster, Dunlop, Hislop, FOGARTY and Jefferies. These are in no particular order but after the above would probably come Sheene.

Xenophobia rears its ugly head again!
I am surprised that you didn't ask what is our list of the best British bikes of all time. Or should that read 'of times past'.
For the record,according to the Oxford Dictionary, Britain is the proper name for the whole island containing England,Wales and Scotland.
So our Irish friends as well as us colonials would not rate a mention in the list.
As a side issue for Helen I notice that Scotland is sometimes refered to as North Britain for postal purposes!!

I definately didnt want anyone to start arguing over this one but i think Mike has said it all! How many riders of his choice were of an older era?
There just does not seem to be any depth to the sport nowadays! of course there are the few that are there for the love of the sport but others(as pointed out by none other than Nick Jeffries) were there just to milk it for what its worth! I have read books etc on how people years ago would scrape together just ebough to go to a race meeting! that was for the Love of this great sport!
back to the original point! My choice would include in no special order! Hislop, Mcintyre, Niall Mac, J Dunlop, Surtees, Uphill , Ivy,
The strange thing is i can go on with a few more names but none really of the modern era?
why not? i do not know! Hence i am asking opinions of others!
Just a fair question looking, for nothing more than a few simple answers!

Regards Leech!

Sorry to give you a hard time John!
Well we could add some later riders who are all pretty great. McGuinness, Moodie, Archibald, Simpson, McCallen, Duffus, Lougher and Rutter. Only ever saw Mike Hailwood once and he is right up the top as far as I am concerned. But when you think of it there have been so many good riders over the years and changes to the roads and bikes make it an academic exercise as to any ordering of such a list. I believe the current riders are just as good but memory tends to cast a rosy view over the riders from the past. A bit like painters who are still alive, nobody buys their work.
Regards Don

This always causes people to think and debate! So many ways to define great! I feel priviledged to have seen racing in the 60s with the usual suspects. But, even the supporting cast was high quality. Paddy Driver, Chris Conn, Paul Smart, Alan Barnett, etc etc. But I would plump for Mike and Joey, of course.
One name you cant leave out?
Jim Redman....
With hindsight, I believe he was a better rider than give credit for.
Keep the discussion going!
Mike

What about Phil Read? I know he was a controversial character but you can't argue with his record, after Hailwood he was the best British rider. He was an all-time great and he had some fantastic battles with Mike, Redman, Ivy, Ago etc - 52 GP wins, 8 World Titles, 7 TT wins, need I say more?

George Formby!! For his spirit as the under dog

George Formbys character, to me, is the real TT rider in a sort of nutshell...
I'm not being detrimental in any way, but "George" had the right attitude which few of todays top riders actually have. He was a "winner" in more ways than one. He got his best ride as a result of his ability (albeit it was enhanced a bit !).

Every year, I get dozens of letters from riders demanding, (yes, demanding even though they ain't got a snowballs chance,) sponsorships and financial help as though it was their right, and quite frankly they offer and give nothing in return..

Ones I have sponsored, supported etc, generally make it worth my while getting involved because they get RESULTS...
What is more pleasing than a young up-and-coming rider, racing in the Manx for the first time, bringing me his finishers medal with the obvious joy burning on his face, handing it to me with the words "Thanks, Ian, for ALL your help, that was great !!" ...A mutually great feeling..(1990, Ben Hines, by the way (No.8 in N/C Manx))
And others have reciprocated in similar ways.
Liz Skinner, Margret Lingen, Ago Murphy etc etc.

I am pleased Phil Read has been mentioned, he was a rider od great ability and still is !!

ME

WOT ABOUT MR BILL SMITH ??

HE WON 50 REPLICAS IN THE TIME HE RODE THE TT AND WON SOME RACES TOO !!!