lodgings like mine where an equally nostalgic item
sits attached to the telly... a VCR. A very sound and
working one which I have been known to acquaint
with tapes I recorded years and years ago.
Back to the days of the Marlboro Series and the GPs of
the 70s and 80s. And I squeeze the volume up a tad.
However, I am equally swayed by the sounds
of four-strokes and the modern MotoGP irons
are superb in the arena of sound. And go back
to the MV Agustas when the likes of Ago’ and
Read and Bonera throttled them... aaah.
I saw them in action at Silverstone and Mallory Park
when I was over there in the 70s and while my memories
of lots of things I saw and did in those times have
disintegrated I can still see and hear those MVs.
It all comes down to sound, which is why I will
never cast an ear of envy or admiration in the
direction of electric engines... it’s just not cricket.
Racing four-strokes... great.
Racing two-strokes... great.
Together... memorable.
And so it came to pass that Croz and Randy
Mamola were both on the guest and rider list for
the gathering at Hampton Downs, and I had to
wonder if during their inevitable chats they talked
about a day at Pukekohe, when the Marlboro
Series was well and truly smoking back in the
early 70s. Randy was a teenager and Croz was a
ferociously fast and fearless young man. Randy
on a two-stroke and Croz on a four-stroke.
The indelible memory I still have is what I saw
from the pitside of the track as they howled over
the brow and down the straight to the sweeping
right-hander. I watched Randy at full throttle stretch
on his little yellow and white Yamaha ‘stroker go
by... only to have the booming Kawasaki with Croz
aboard blast past him as they neared the turn.
I don’t think Randy knew he was there... and I
suspect his yellow and white leathers featured
a brown attachment in the wake of that.
I’ll never forget it.
The sounds of action, two-stroke and four.
Like a gin and tonic... a great mix.
KIWI RIDER 65