Ian Posted September 30, 2005 Report Share Posted September 30, 2005 Sorry Lionheart Macca was pretty smart but the 'least dirty leathers' title goes down to Ove Fundin. He never wore a mask or more than one pair of goggles either. Why: He never got filled in. <{POST_SNAPBACK}> The image I have of Ove includes that scarf he used to wear instead of a mask. I remember one night at Wolverhampton (there's an unlikely first line for a song!) when he was riding for Wembley. There was a bright evening sun, and the great man rode his first couple of races wearing sunglasses. I'd never seen that before, and I can't recall seeing it since (cue for Jim to produce several hundred photos of riders wearing sunnies!) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
cyclone Posted September 30, 2005 Report Share Posted September 30, 2005 The worst leathers I can recall were the one's that Rene Aas wore during his brief spell with the Monarchs. The looked like a pair that failed Warsaw Pact quality control standards and were obviously far too big for him, resulting in him doing a fair impersonation of an Eastern European version of Michelin Man on a speedway bike. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Trees Posted September 30, 2005 Report Share Posted September 30, 2005 Jim - Frigbo beat me to naming them all, I could though ........... owwwwww wish I had a time machine ............ lol Thanks for posting them tho, blinking great! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
miro Posted October 2, 2005 Report Share Posted October 2, 2005 (edited) The image I have of Ove includes that scarf he used to wear instead of a mask. I remember one night at Wolverhampton (there's an unlikely first line for a song!) when he was riding for Wembley. There was a bright evening sun, and the great man rode his first couple of races wearing sunglasses. I'd never seen that before, and I can't recall seeing it since (cue for Jim to produce several hundred photos of riders wearing sunnies!) <{POST_SNAPBACK}> Fundin would have been wearing the eyeshields he always used, known as 'gas goggles'. These could be had from army surplus shop and had their origins in WW2, perhaps before, and came in a brown cardboard wallet. There was a clear, shaped variety, a tinted version some riders wore as Fundin sometimes did, along with a wider flat one which was worn on the peak, as Ken McKinlay used. They were nothing more than a sheet of clear soft plastic with a strap and a glued strip along the top. Edited October 2, 2005 by miro Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Garry1603 Posted October 4, 2005 Report Share Posted October 4, 2005 The Belle Vue team sponsored silver leathers (in 1977 I think) were pretty horrible. They looked like astronauts PC and Mort changed back to their normal leathers VERY soon afterwards Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest speedyguy Posted October 5, 2005 Report Share Posted October 5, 2005 The Belle Vue team sponsored silver leathers (in 1977 I think) were pretty horrible. They looked like astronauts PC and Mort changed back to their normal leathers VERY soon afterwards <{POST_SNAPBACK}> Lloyd Goffe, the old Harringay, Wimbledon and St Austell was famed for his highly polished black leathers in the late 1940s. So much so, that a national publication actually ran a feature about him polishing them for every meeting. They really used to sparkle, believe me. A great spectacular rider. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
norbold Posted October 5, 2005 Report Share Posted October 5, 2005 Lloyd Goffe also used to stuff cotton wool down the seat of his leathers because he used to sweat so much... Sometimes, you can give too much information... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
cinderfella Posted October 5, 2005 Report Share Posted October 5, 2005 (edited) Just a few memories and questions going back to the early 70s when I was in my early teens. I've been racking my memory for a while now trying to recall the members of team Briggo and apart from Briggs himself I can recall Dave Jessop, Scott Autrey, Martin Ashby and Phil Crump wearing the distinctive red with black and white trim. I was just into my teans my recall is a bit vague. Was Terry Betts another of the 7? Can anyone tell me why green was always considered unlucky and few riders wore green leathers? I believe Bert Harkins was the first rider to wear a full face helmet in British Speedway (manufactured by Bell) along with his white boots. I also recall the yellow ocre with tartan trim leathers he wore and noticed he still had them at 75th anniversary parade at Coventry a few years back. John 'Tiger' Louis with his tiger striped sleeves always looked the part. The Glasgow Tigers's Supporters Club if my memory serves me correctly also purchased red leathers with white sleeves for the Tigers team around 1970. When I think back to the 'monkey masks' and bulldog clips for holding sheets of plastic rip-offs and gleaming chrome bikes under floodlights with the riders in shiney leathers I can't help thinking todays Kevlars and bike covers have taken some of the sparkle out of the sport. Edited October 5, 2005 by cinderfella Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
norbold Posted October 5, 2005 Report Share Posted October 5, 2005 Can anyone tell me why green was always considered unlucky and few riders wore green leathers? Green has long been associated with bad luck in the theatre. One reason for this is that it is believed to be the fairies' colour and therefore not proper for mortals to wear. So, make of that what you will in the context of speedway. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bucket Posted October 5, 2005 Report Share Posted October 5, 2005 (edited) I've been racking my memory for a while now trying to recall the members of team Briggo and apart from Briggs himself I can recall Dave Jessop, Scott Autrey, Martin Ashby and Phil Crump wearing the distinctive red with black and white trim. I was just into my teans my recall is a bit vague. Was Terry Betts another of the 7? <{POST_SNAPBACK}> I think the other 'Briggo' rider was Wimbledon's Kiwi, Graeme Stapleton. As pictured near the bottom of the page HERE racing with Tommy Jansson against Simmo. Edited October 5, 2005 by bucket Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Cliv Clav Posted October 7, 2005 Report Share Posted October 7, 2005 (edited) I loved Brian Karger's leathers and matching bikes from 1991-1993 when he rode for Arena . Here is a photo, but they were much nicer watching them for real. Edited October 7, 2005 by Cliv Clav Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
shazzybird Posted October 8, 2005 Report Share Posted October 8, 2005 One reason for this is that it is believed to be the fairies' colour and therefore not proper for mortals to wear. <{POST_SNAPBACK}> Oh dear Norby you're on dodgy ground now Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Team Man Posted October 9, 2005 Report Share Posted October 9, 2005 .One reason for this is that it is believed to be the fairies' colour and therefore not proper for mortals to wear. Well I'm just not saying anything....so there Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BertHoven Posted October 9, 2005 Report Share Posted October 9, 2005 Arthur Forrest of Odsal [bradford] wore entirely black gear. Nothing usual in that as many rides of the cinders era did. The uniqueness of Mr Forrest's leathers is that they were always highly polished! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Gemini Posted October 9, 2005 Report Share Posted October 9, 2005 Always had a soft spot for Briggo's, but absolutely hated Ray Wilson's, the Bostik episode, what was all that about.....horrible. Do you mean these? http://community.webshots.com/photo/153283...472389766xKENtK Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
norbold Posted October 10, 2005 Report Share Posted October 10, 2005 Talking of Briggo, there was the time he wore no leathers at all...or anything else for that matter. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Liontamer Posted October 10, 2005 Report Share Posted October 10, 2005 Always had a soft spot for Briggo's, but absolutely hated Ray Wilson's, the Bostik episode, what was all that about.....horrible. Do you mean these? http://community.webshots.com/photo/153283...472389766xKENtK <{POST_SNAPBACK}> Just in case my old mate Howling Gorgon can't identify the riders in Gem's picture, it's Ray Wilson (Leicester) LEADING Nigel Boocock (Coventry). No don't thank me, it's a pleasure. Where is HG anyway? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
cinderfella Posted October 10, 2005 Report Share Posted October 10, 2005 Do you mean these? http://community.webshots.com/photo/153283...472389766xKENtK <{POST_SNAPBACK}> Just in case my old mate Howling Gorgon can't identify the riders in Gem's picture, it's Ray Wilson (Leicester) LEADING Nigel Boocock (Coventry). No don't thank me, it's a pleasure. Where is HG anyway? <{POST_SNAPBACK}> Er can you tell me who the rider in yellow&black is and who belongs to the right foot? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Liontamer Posted October 10, 2005 Report Share Posted October 10, 2005 (edited) Er can you tell me who the rider in yellow&black is and who belongs to the right foot? Certainly can. The riders foot belongs to Malcolm Brown (Leicester) & the rider in fourth place (that's last) was, I believe Rick France (Coventry). 4-2 to Leicester I think you'll find. Edited October 10, 2005 by Liontamer Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Gemini Posted October 10, 2005 Report Share Posted October 10, 2005 At Coventry too. Mind you Leicester usually thrashed them on their own track as well as at Blackbird Road. Most notable memory (well I can't remember that much) was Mark Courtney beating Ole Olsen in a race at Leicester when he kept trailing his leg through a deep puddle on every lap, giving Olsen a right soaking. I suppose it wouldn't be allowed nowadays - health & safety and all that - as there was a risk Olsen could have had his vision impaired by all the muddy water. It was very funny though. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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