steve roberts 9,246 Posted January 1, 2017 (edited) I can remember Ivan wearing his white leathers for Exeter riders all had there own identity something that is missing today. Slightly off topic but I could easily identify riders, not only by their leathers, but by the helmets and masks they used to wear. I'm obviously not advocating that riders should go back to wearing inadequate head gear but it was so much easier then (what with the differing styles also) My uncle (who used to be track photographer at Oxford) once asked me to view his archive of photos taken during the seventies (he had long stopped attending speedway) and identify the riders for him...I could name every one which is something I would have had difficulty in doing if asked to do the same thing when I stopped attending in the early noughties. Edited January 1, 2017 by steve roberts Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Sidney the robin 4,735 Posted January 2, 2017 Slightly off topic but I could easily identify riders, not only by their leathers, but by the helmets and masks they used to wear. I'm obviously not advocating that riders should go back to wearing inadequate head gear but it was so much easier then (what with the differing styles also) My uncle (who used to be track photographer at Oxford) once asked me to view his archive of photos taken during the seventies (he had long stopped attending speedway) and identify the riders for him...I could name every one which is something I would have had difficulty in doing if asked to do the same thing when I stopped attending in the early noughties.Steve maybe you would know this? did Briggo wear a full face helmet before Garry Middleton(Oxford).? Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
steve roberts 9,246 Posted January 2, 2017 Steve maybe you would know this? did Briggo wear a full face helmet before Garry Middleton(Oxford).? Garry first rode with one regularly when he joined 'The Rebels' in 1972. Never forgot his 'day-glo' orange helmet! Not sure when Briggo first wore one but I'm sure that he rode with one during the 1971 season if not before? Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Sidney the robin 4,735 Posted January 2, 2017 Garry first rode with one regularly when he joined 'The Rebels' in 1972. Never forgot his 'day-glo' orange helmet! Not sure when Briggo first wore one but I'm sure that he rode with one during the 1971 season if not before? Think he rode with one in America also i think briggo wore one maybe 1971 when he had pale blue and red leathers .???? Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
chunky 6,094 Posted January 3, 2017 Think he rode with one in America also i think briggo wore one maybe 1971 when he had pale blue and red leathers .???? Briggo definitely wore a full-face in 1969; not sure if he was wearing one before then... Steve 1 Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Sidney the robin 4,735 Posted January 3, 2017 (edited) Briggo definitely wore a full-face in 1969; not sure if he was wearing one before then... Steve Spot on Chunky 1969 deffo, i have a picture in 1969 of Briggo on the front of the Speedway Pix magazine.Can certainly remember him wearing a full face helmet in the 1970 World Final how time has flown by.😜 Edited January 3, 2017 by Sidney the robin Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
E I Addio 15,845 Posted January 3, 2017 (edited) Spot on Chunky 1969 deffo, i have a picture in 1969 of Briggo on the front of the Speedway Pix magazine.Can certainly remember him wearing a full face helmet in the 1970 World Final how time has flown by. I think you are right on that sid. I saw full face helmets for the first time at Brands Hatch about that time,then Briggo straight afterwards. I am sure he was the first Speedwáy rider to wear one. Correct me if I am wrong but I think he wore one of his own design, with the Briggo brand from the very beginning. Edited January 3, 2017 by E I Addio Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
steve roberts 9,246 Posted January 4, 2017 I think you are right on that sid. I saw full face helmets for the first time at Brands Hatch about that time,then Briggo straight afterwards. I am sure he was the first Speedwáy rider to wear one. Correct me if I am wrong but I think he wore one of his own design, with the Briggo brand from the very beginning. It's an interesting on...full face helmets. When I first started attending speedway they were few and far between. In fact if I put my mind to it I could probably list the riders who regularly wore one. However by the late seventies/early eighties most riders had them and It would be easier to list the riders who didn't own one! The Grahame brothers never went down that road (which was unusual) but I guess the influx of American riders helped speed up the transformation where in the States they were very popular. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Sidney the robin 4,735 Posted January 4, 2017 When did the old monkey mask go out of fashion the nineties i suppose.?I think Autrey/McKnight were two of the first group of imports that wore full face helmets a trend that now is the norm. 1 Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
iris123 20,989 Posted January 5, 2017 Briggo definitely wore a full-face in 1969; not sure if he was wearing one before then... Steve Was thinking about this and at first thought "who was the first i saw in a full faced helmet?",then it came to me .......Juri Gagarin!!!! He won the race into space with a full faced helmet.Quite possibly though Laika was a predecessor,and then thinking about it more maybe my great grandad who was a deep sea diver in the Navy beat them all Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
steve roberts 9,246 Posted January 5, 2017 (edited) Was thinking about this and at first thought "who was the first i saw in a full faced helmet?",then it came to me .......Juri Gagarin!!!! He won the race into space with a full faced helmet.Quite possibly though Laika was a predecessor,and then thinking about it more maybe my great grandad who was a deep sea diver in the Navy beat them all ...and. yes, I get the irony dear boy! I can go further back than that however...Buster Crabbe as 'Flash Gordon!' (or was that Ming the Merciless?) Edited January 5, 2017 by steve roberts Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Guest Posted January 5, 2017 I think that Alf Kaines had one. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
iris123 20,989 Posted January 5, 2017 I think that Alf Kaines had one. So did Hitler according to the song we used to sing in the school playground Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
steve roberts 9,246 Posted January 5, 2017 ...even further back. Ned Kelly! Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
iris123 20,989 Posted January 5, 2017 (edited) ...even further back. Ned Kelly! Yeah,Ned Kelly would be around the time of my great grandad give or take.Bit further back than Flash Gordon But his job(Deep sea diver) was going even further back.Around 1830 And of course if you consider Ned Kelly's head piece to be a full face helmet then why not one of the old Knights?Not Milton Keynes,i hasten to add Or Romans or or or Edited January 5, 2017 by iris123 Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
