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Best Race Suit Ever?

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11 minutes ago, steve roberts said:

 

The days of individual leathers where it was so much easier identifying the rider. Bert Harkins mentioned in his book that when team racing took off in the States fans found it difficult recognising their favourites after being used to watching them in their chosen race suits...

Is this down t American intelligence I wonder?After all in the UK speedway thrived for about 40 years when most had black leathers.Did the introduction of personal leathers mark the start of the downfall of the sport?We ended up having a group of individual riders,rather than a team.........

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14 minutes ago, steve roberts said:

...they were a feature of the team leathers adopted by Mildenhall if I recall. Bob Kilby also had a set one season.

Malc Holloway had a set black and gold with tassels

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2 minutes ago, iris123 said:

Is this down t American intelligence I wonder?After all in the UK speedway thrived for about 40 years when most had black leathers.Did the introduction of personal leathers mark the start of the downfall of the sport?We ended up having a group of individual riders,rather than a team.........

I was watching the 82 world final, they had right arm covers to match helmet  colours at the meeting. It was in the era when colours came off quite regularly.

I wonder what today's riders would do, organisers covering their sponsors logos, mass walkout 

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Have to say,Franky Zorn is always well turned out in his mostly white suit

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I was never a fan of predominantly white leathers, but I thought that the Gulf/Weslake leathers (mostly white, with orange and blue trim) used by a few (Gordon Kennett and Steve Weatherley etc) looked cool!

Steve

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Remember Nigel boocock in his blue leather s.  Little boy blue.  Eric having red  also mike broadbanks in red.   Annie Haley in his yellow leather s      God those we re the days lol

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8 hours ago, chunky said:

I was never a fan of predominantly white leathers, but I thought that the Gulf/Weslake leathers (mostly white, with orange and blue trim) used by a few (Gordon Kennett and Steve Weatherley etc) looked cool!

Steve

Yes i thought they look good as well, Simmo and PC wore them as well. My favourite leathers, were the ones PC wore in 77 the Castrol ones.

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9 hours ago, MARK246 said:

Malc Holloway had a set black and gold with tassels

I remember Dave Jessup once wearing tasselled leathers. Personally I felt it didn't match Dave's very conservative image as he wasn't the most flamboyant of riders although very successful over a number of seasons.

However even when black leathers were all the vogue (I perhaps saw the last years before coloured leathers were the norm) I was able to differentiate the riders by their distinctive riding styles (foot forward variety) and helmets, masks and flowing scarves. Tony Lomas who was recently interview in the excellent 'Backtrack' magazine used to wear highly polish black leathers as did Ken McKinlay with his socks tucked over the top of his boots...all individual distinctions.

Also football shirts that some riders preferred. 'Mad' Malcolm Ballard used to wear an awful cream coloured top over his black leathers I recall!

Edited by steve roberts
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24 minutes ago, steve roberts said:

IHowever even when black leathers were all the vogue (I perhaps saw the last years before coloured leathers were the norm) I was able to differentiate the riders by their distinctive riding styles (foot forward variety) and helmets, masks and flowing scarves. 

This has been discussed on here before. Basically, there is a generic riding style used by most riders today, and it is not easy to identify individuals. In the old days, everyone seemed very different, and we had no trouble picking out the styles.

We could identify riders wearing identical masks, and even when helmets like the Bell Moto III was popular, it wasn't hard to tell riders apart, even from just a head-and-shoulders pic!

Steve

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48 minutes ago, chunky said:

This has been discussed on here before. Basically, there is a generic riding style used by most riders today, and it is not easy to identify individuals. In the old days, everyone seemed very different, and we had no trouble picking out the styles.

We could identify riders wearing identical masks, and even when helmets like the Bell Moto III was popular, it wasn't hard to tell riders apart, even from just a head-and-shoulders pic!

Steve

I've often thought when the modern leg trailing style became the adopted 'norm' and I guess it's when the Americans graced our shores during the late seventies' early eighties? I remember the late Nigel Sparshott leg trailing and it was odd watching Henny Kroeze during the 1987 World Final in Amsterdam (seeded) when he was the only competitor riding the 'old fashioned' foot forward!

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Gotta go some to beat Havvy's title winning suit!

Image result for gary havelock 1992

Edited by RPNY

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Ronnie Moore with his red scarf flying behind him much to the annoyance of some of the referees, Peter Craven and Soran Sujostian (I know, the spelling is wrong!) with their balance style were the most easily recognised in the days of black leathers. 

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Ivan always seemed to hit the mark with his race suits he and Ole were always immaculately turned out  Simmo was another they just looked dressed for work as it were IMO, Hancock's are always eye catching as well seem  to stand out at the GP's . 

Edited by FAST GATER
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30 minutes ago, FAST GATER said:

Ivan always seemed to hit the mark with his race suits he and Ole were always immaculately turned out  Simmo was another they just looked dressed for work as it were IMO, Hancock's are always eye catching as well seem  to stand out at the GP's . 

Remember the occasion when Ivan wore different leathers each time he took to the track during Canterbury's celebration of 50 years of speedway in 1973!

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Off the top of my head (supposed to be working but hey it's Friday):  Ivan Mauger blue Circle Industries leathers & mostly white Exeter leathers with tassles,  Barry Briggs red with black & white sleeves, Joe Owen black white sleeves with checks on shoulders + blue & white Shepley Racing suit, Mike Curoso blue white K&N Products + red / blue suit, Scott Autrey ditto, Dennis Sigalos red / blue with stars, Kelly Moran mostly white with red / blue stripes & white stars, Graham Drury red / blue Roberts Racing he wore part 1976 before they were stolen (!), Shawn Moran black with red flames, Garry Stead blue / silver suit he wore in 2005 & 2006, Malcolm Simmons mostly white with Simmo on right leg, most of Bruce Penhall's suits, Kenny Carter Pharoah Racing red / blue suits he wore in 1981 & 82, Peter Collins red / green Castrol leathers, John Louis black with tiger stripes on sleeves, John Davis black suit Castrol in sliver with silver / chrome sleeves, Ole Olsen mostly black with orange sleeves silver stars down the arms + a blue & white suit,  Michael Lee blue suit with BAF on forearms + Poole Pirates suit, the Gulf / Weslake team suits (Lee, Kennet, PC, Louis, Simmons), most of Jason Crump suits, Erik Gundersen ditto, Tai Woffinden early black / orange suit.  Pause for breath.  I have good memory for design and favour the colour blue (really ?!) and like many modern kevvies but quite a few look similar with the barbed wire / razor wire design....

Edited by martinmauger
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