Mike the bike.

I have it on very good authority from one of my luvvy media pals :P , that a film on the life/career of the late great Mike Hailwood is to be made. His widow I believe is contributing actively in the research for the film and even if it does not go on cinema release it has to be a great option on dvd?

The recent Angel Nieto docu/film Doce mas Uno(12 plus 1...he never uses the word 13!) after limited screening on cinema screens is to go on general dvd release with extra footage from the Jerez Moto GP weekend. I could just snap up that little baby whilst I am there.

Wot u reckon?

Oh boy!! Bet they don't tell even HALF the truth!!!! There were some serious events happened in those days......

Interestingly, although massively respected, SMBH was not universally loved in the paddock, as I recall. Not unlike Phil Read - widely regarded as a great rider, not necessarily everyone's best mate.

Originally Posted by Peter Henry

Wot u reckon?

I'll tell you wot I reckon. I reckon you have the bleeding life out there, in Spain, sauntering about the shop on a drop dead gorgeous Duc. Stalling over to Jerez for the GP. Flogging a few gaffs about the place as your job.

I am jealous.Thats what I reckon.

Originally Posted by El Boccadillo

Oh boy!! Bet they don't tell even HALF the truth!!!! There were some serious events happened in those days......

Interestingly, although massively respected, SMBH was not universally loved in the paddock, as I recall. Not unlike Phil Read - widely regarded as a great rider, not necessarily everyone's best mate.

Was this mainly because Hailwood basically had unlimited money from his father to get the best bike's etc ?

I would imagine that the "Love of the Sport" motto coupled with the above would **** people off.

Please tell us more El Boc.

Phil...It is not all as great as it might sound mate,honest! :P

Tricky...To sum Mike Hailwood's achievements up as merely the result of a rich boy having all the best kit is quite frankly very narrow minded indeed. His Father did have a dealership and so yes Mike was able to benefit from good kit when many other young guys were cobbling together their race bikes. However although he had good kit he was still racing against full works spec bikes as a privateer and beating them!

Mike was before my time really....my era was more Bazza,Grant and Roberts...but I have read a lot about his achievements. You can also look at the top boys of today and see that it requires a lot more than the best kit to win championships,(If that were true then Nicky Hayden would be the present Moto GP champion) and Mike had it in abundance. He was a great racer and tough as nails...winning races after getting back on after crashing both bending himself and his bike.

Mike could have had a nice easy life spending his Dad's cash but he really wanted to race. To give an idea of his outlook on what he did "for a living" he was once quoted as saying that "a trained chimp could do what I do".

*I think El Boc might be referring to Mike's playboy image and him being well known for being something of a "ladies man!*

Loads of people will say they they "knew" Mike Hailwood, and were "friends" with Mike Hailwood....I certainly would never claim that. But I met him on a number of occasions in both bike and F3000/F2/F1 paddocks.

As I found him, he was not a fantastically extroverted person, not particularly friendly. Quite reserved, almost shy, and rather diffident - quite the opposite of guys like Barry Sheene. With his moneyed background (Kings of Oxford was, as I recall, his Dad's business), this led some people to suggest he was arrogant. And behind his back - particularly in the car world - there were plenty of people who "called" him.

I didn't think he was arrogant but, there were lots of people who tried to latch on to him because he was a very BIG name - one of those Superstars who was known Internationally - and I think this led him to be very selective in who he mingled with. He obviously let his hair down with them (big time!) and I did see that side once............awesome!!

Peter - I think you misunderstand me, my intention was not to "sum up" Mike's career, I just highlighted a couple factors that may have influenced other people's opinion of him for the sake of the discussion.

I have nothing but admiration for the man, never actually saw him race, although I did see him do a few exibition laps at a Honda day at Donno years ago.

Tricky,,,My apologies old chap,I simply misinterpreted your meaning.

I saw Mike race at the post TT meetings following his return to racing.....MAGIC.

I spoke to him for some 20 minutes in his shop after he broke his collarbone at Donnington, I was not buying anything and he knew that but still took the time to chat, my Dad and I really appreciated that.

I will buy 2 copies if the film is made.

Apparently the producers are trying to get Ewan McGregor for the role. He is a big fan, but it also has something to do with a suitable slot in his filming schedule being available.

Garry