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Probably should know better at my age - My wife thinks I'm crazy, kids love the idea.

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  • Probably should know better at my age - My wife thinks I'm crazy, kids love the idea.

    Hi everyone,

    Thought I'd introduce myself.

    I just bought a red 24mx4, having owned a red MX2 (or was it an MX3) as a teenager.

    I was 14 years old when my MX2 arrived. My brother was racing a Greeves Silverstone and falling off alot, whilst I was playng at trials on a box of bits for £30 that was turned into a 150cc BSA bantam. I couldn't keep up with my mates on their 2nd hand RMs when racing around farmers' fields so I happily ended up with a red Greeves MX2 with banana forks. I dont think my dad wanted me to go road racing!

    The red MX2 was bought in Birmingham around 1976. I remember travelling up and down the M6 with my dad late into the evenings, when I should have been doing homework. She was loud and fast, the gearbox sometimes found a false neutral and 2nd gear was fun when flat out and a little scary. I ended up in the hedge more than a few times, but strangely it never happened when I was on my friend's RM Suzuki?

    I was sad when my red MX2 was sold (I was at Uni and needed to survive), it went to someone in liverpool. It was around 1979/80 and was sold from our house by the canal in Preston Brook, it went with 2 BSA Bantams. If anyone still has her please get in touch. My son is hinting at a Greeves after his A levels.

    So after 20 years of looking at ebay, reading Colin's book, scanning Greeves riders for bikes for sale and 40 years after she left, I now have another.

    I've recently been to Maylandsea and Theale and love the camaraderie and banter around the Greeves boys. Big thanks to Dave Harper, Terry Sewell, Julian Smith, Geoff Nunn and Paul Andrews for their help, also Colin Sparrow and Dave Higgins for their encouragement.

    Hopefully the AMCA (they were great too) will confirm my request for a 3 digit number including 1 and 3, I have a race number on reserve subject to the paperwork going through via pre-65 (Dave Savill is a top bloke).

    Ray Wood has already called her the Fire engine, I like the analogy of going fast through traffic !

    Reading Bryan Wade's 'a Wild ride' tonight and can't put it down, he's about to leave Greeves, so it could be a late night!

    The 24MX4 is to race rather than for show, so I'll see you all out there soon and definitely this season, after a bit of work on her. I'm a newbie at racing but hopefully I'm not going to be lapped in the Greeves championship too often by Sam, Ray, and the boys upfront.

    All advice gratefully received on anything Greeves, mechanical, motorcross, technique or food (Dave Harper recommended the sausage bap, Julian Smith suggested the breakfast bap) !

    Finally my wife said last night "no van" (I had suggested a camper van as an opening gambit)? "no flourescent kit and wear protection"!

    Sort of sums it up!

    kind regards and good luck to all at Marks Tey this weekend.

    John

  • #2
    Welcome to the "Club", John. You sound just the kind of chap that Dave encourages to join his (our?) happy Greeves Championship throng. Regrettably, I have recently come to the conclusion of my active membership, probably due to "age", but I have nothing but the fondest of memories of the past 18 years of participating in one way or another in the Dave Harper Championship, and I can't agree more with your opinions of the great folk you have listed. I could list more names, but just about everyone involved is a real pleasure to know, and you couldn't be joining a greater bunch. Good luck with your riding.
    Another John

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    • #3
      Thanks John for your kind words and encouragement.

      Did you know you have 680 posts !

      Wow, skimming through your posts that's a whole library of useful information.

      If you're at Marks Tey can I buy you a coffee ?

      Key question is - on my first start do I a) go for it b) let them go and come back in 1 piece c) let them go and then go for it?

      Many years ago, an old friend (John Avery - the Oxford flier) and I were discussing me getting another Greeves. He said - "you can potter around at the back john, until the urge to dice a little takes over and it will inevitably take over, so you may as well go for it." I guess thats why he was so good. I'm actually trying to track him down to talk everything scrambling, so if anyone has a number can you contact me.

      Thanks again and best wishes

      john

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      • #4
        Any chance you can give frame number of your bike for survivors records.

        Comment


        • #5
          Thanks for your response, John, and for your good wishes. I wasn't intending to be at Marks Tey, even though you may see my name listed in the programme, but the temptation of a free drink may be too much to resist, who knows? It would be good to meet up with you anyway, although it might be a job to get a word in edgeways what with all the other riders wanting to make your acquaintance. If I don't happen to make it, be sure to have a word with my good friend, Adrian (riding number 335), as you'll be sure to get the very best of riding advice from him. For my part, I have always tended to err on the side of caution (ask any of the better riders) and there has always been somebody to "play with" wherever you happen to be in the field of fire. Just enjoy the ride!
          John R

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          • #6
            For johnrunnacles:

            Thanks John for the sound advice.

            Yes I'll definitely chat with Adrian Dickerson 335.

            Happy to raise my bid to a breakfast bap of your choosing and coffee to pry you away from the television, its only the Monaco Grand prix that the Greeves Championship is competing with... and there's a lot more overtaking in the Greeves championship.

            I like the 'field of fire analogy' as according to Ray Smith I have "the fire engine"

            I have to leave at 2 ish (prior appoitment I can't get out of) so get your order in early !

            Kind regards and thanks again

            John

            Comment


            • #7
              For John Wakefield:

              Hi John,

              Good to make your acquaintance.

              Thanks for the message re frame number.

              I sent pics of the frame number to Dave Harper prior to buying the bike.

              Dave alerted me to its availability as I was after another 24MX4, that on further investigation was a show bike not a race bike.

              My bike is a known bike that has been in the same hands for 27 years, and raced for many years in the Greeves championship by an active GRA member.

              Happy to chat more in person if you're at Marks Tey?

              Kind regards and best wishes John

              Comment


              • #8
                Now sorely tempted, John (M)!

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