Bathurst

[Kiwifruit]

You Aussies all sorted....... got your beers cold and the food sorted. Sent management out for the day to go shopping. Put the TV through the speakers and got the mates round.
Should be a great race. Even got a Kiwi on pole.
So who you got your money on ??
Ford or Holden ??

[Batkwaka]

Engage "Rant Mode".

Bathurst was great, for ten years or so then the Cars turned up, started building concrete walls everywhere and eventually the bikes stopped because it became too dangerous. A great track ruined for bikes by trolley loving enthusiasts.



My father at Bathurst in the 50's

[Kiwifruit]

Have to say Batkwaka, i agree. I went to Bathurst at Easter for a couple of years when i lived there. It was a great era. To see those bikes wheelie off the last hump on Conrod was something else. I was in Rodger Freeths pit when he won the Arai 500. So many great memories. Even the riot. I fell asleep in the back of a mates panelvan outside the Farmers Arms i think it was. Then woke in the back of the panelvan at the top of the mountain. Wonderful memories.......and thats all there is of the bike days.
So i'm going to enjoy the V8's today.

[Sweaty]

Been out for a quick 80km squirt on the bike & now sitting in front of the TV for the start 
Want Holden, but think Ford will win it.

[Tony Nitrous]

I done a few laps of Bathurst.
Most recently in a new 4ltr Territory (nearly got messy going down the Esses!)

I'm surprised they raced bikes there as long as they did.
The track would need a HUGE restructure and dumbing down before there'd
be the slightest chance of running bikes there. I don't blame the cars and walls,
Its gone the same way as fireworks in the shops, kids having BB guns, cars with
no if bags or seat belts and a thousand other things. We are wrapped in cotton wool and kept away from anything risky.

Its a very odd track even for cars.
It (in a strange sort of way) is Australia's Pikes Peak, IOM-TT, etc etc.
An Old Skool track that's only there due to its history and hasn't gone away.
As a Pom I was surprised its a street circuit with several houses using it.

Don't get me wrong, I'd LOVE to see bikes race there or anywhere similar.
In reality Australia makes sure these things never happen.

[Irish in Oz]

Apparently there is funding for a second track motorcycle friendly. A young bloke with 2 wheels connections told me and Beast about it the last MCR there. Then a good mate of mine whom was out for the Barry Sheen Festival of speed at Eastern Creek early this year was going there for a promotional thing I was going to meet him there but it was cancelled, he wasn't sure what it was for or he wasn't allowed to say. Time will tell.

[Irish in Oz]

http://www.abc.net.au/news/2017-06-07/plans-for-world-class-mt-panorama-motorcycle-track-gather-pace/8598454

[Tony Nitrous]

http://www.abc.net.au/news/2017-06-07/plans-for-world-class-mt-panorama-motorcycle-track-gather-pace/8598454

That's good to see !

There's been a few idea's bounced around up here in Queensland.
The Lions Rd TT,
The Sunshine Coast TT,
A Motorsport precinct between Brissy and the Gold Coast.
Most are "Away with the fairies" idea's that don't have a hope in hell.

The Bathurst upgrade looks like it has a grasp of reality about it! 

[Sweaty]

Looking like a bloody exciting finish coming up safety car at lap 144 of 161
Go Holden 

[Sweaty]

The Kiwi VG has really given it away now Kiwifruit   

[Kiwifruit]

Yep David Reynolds showed him how to  restart properly. Still you cannot go off the road so many times and expect to win. It was always going to be about keeping it smooth and tidy. Reynolds and Youlden did a great job and deserved their win. 


Thought some of the de-misters were a bit primitive

[Kiwifruit]

My father at Bathurst in the 50's

Great photo of your Dad Batty.

[KiwiCol]

Yep, watched most of it, enjoyable sunday avo / evening as it was wet all day yesterday & all day today, couldn't do much else except watch tele.

[Batkwaka]

My apologies if you don't have Farcebook, it is a link to video of Bikes doing a lap of the Bathurst track in 1981. Note Conrod straight before they added Caltex Chase.

https://www.facebook.com/Silodrome/videos/1523679844367288/

[Kiwifruit]

Great footage Batty. Thanks for the link.
Dennis Neill had a massive accident which must have been later that day. Going up Mountain Straight his front wheel fell out. Was talking to Robbie Phillis about it recently. He told me he was beside Dennis when it happened. Dennis was a hard charger, always very quick where ever he rode..
.