The Team Bike and Howard Lees Racing Story | Taking on the big boys

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  • Опубликовано: 5 сен 2024

Комментарии • 62

  • @milnepe
    @milnepe 7 месяцев назад +4

    Thanks for resurrecting some great memories watching Team Bike. Some of my best biking trips were the annual pilgrimage to Le Mans, Spa and the Bol with my mates from Leicester. In those days you could get right up to the edge of the circuit as a spectator and the crowd was allowed on the track after the finish. We also used to ride round the track at the end on our bikes then set off for home again - amazing times!

    • @raceandretro
      @raceandretro  7 месяцев назад

      No problem, so glad the video brought back those great memories for you! We enjoy reading about people's experiences from that era, it must have been amazing!

  • @turboslag
    @turboslag 7 месяцев назад +2

    Mesmeric!!! I was absolutely obssesed with endurance racing, went to my first Bol visit in 1981 with my mate, both on Ducati 900SS's, black and gold bevels. Fell off on the way back, on a mountain road in the Massiv Central. Luckily I was ok apart from bumps and bruises, and the bike was only slightly damaged, saved by my tent poles lashed across the rear seat! Pulled a flanker on the insurance though and used the payout to convert it into an NCR replica. Had a mental aberration then and sold it to buy a Honda CB1100RC! Which was a great bike but I massively regret parting with the Ducati, it's the bike I most regret selling out of any I've owned since. Was a regular reader of Bike mag and very much enjoyed reading about Team Bike, still have all the Bike mags from that time. Howard and the lads were heroes to us endurance fans!! We would watch the pit activity for hours during the racing. Last of my endurance race trips was in the late 90's, they were great times. The most we had in a group was about ten I think, howling through France at speeds that would just not be tolerated now, back then the Gendarmes weren't bothered!! Staying at wonderful Logis for peanuts, fantastic food, cheap petrol and ferry crossings, route finding by actual paper maps, camping at the circuit, croissants and hot chocolate for breakfast, croque monsieur for lunch, fantastic, just bloody fantastic!! In the early 80's many of the pivateer bikes were heavily and imaginitively modified production machines, as nothing as standard would last 24 hours. I found that fascinating and have some incredible photos of these wonderful machines. I just missed the Nessie era, one of the most radical of the genre. Then of course the in line fours became dominant, and it became a bit formulaic. But the time of big Guzzis, Ducatis, strokers, Laverda triples, BMW boxers, etc, combined with the RCB Hondas and Kool Kawasakis, was a golden era. Very happy days.

    • @raceandretro
      @raceandretro  7 месяцев назад

      I think this might be my favorite comment!! What amazing memories - they must have been amazing times!! 👊

  • @kevinbaker26
    @kevinbaker26 7 месяцев назад +3

    Went to the Bol in 82 and 83. Have really fond memories of Team Bike

  • @SteveBrigden
    @SteveBrigden 7 месяцев назад +2

    My photo at 3:17 👌 Still going to Le Mans every year - can’t get rid of the Endurance bug once you have it ❤️

    • @raceandretro
      @raceandretro  7 месяцев назад

      Brillaint Pic, Steve! I'll pop you in the description :)

  • @bigjames3895
    @bigjames3895 7 месяцев назад +5

    5:28 bloody hell that's my dad in the denim jacket😂😂😂

    • @raceandretro
      @raceandretro  7 месяцев назад +3

      Superb!! 👌

    • @nedstewart
      @nedstewart 3 месяца назад

      0:54 Bloody hell that's my dad with the ginger hair

    • @raceandretro
      @raceandretro  3 месяца назад

      No way! This is ace.

  • @matmiller5256
    @matmiller5256 7 месяцев назад +1

    Thanks for sharing/ Damn, Team Bike 80's/90's bikes & Ogri/ malc/ & obviously the lovely Mitzi !

    • @raceandretro
      @raceandretro  6 месяцев назад

      Cheers for the comment, mate! Glad you enjoyed it! Hopefully, we'll have more content like this throughout the year 👍

  • @splodge5714
    @splodge5714 7 месяцев назад +2

    Wonderful video, brings back great memories. I went to the 24hr Spa, Le Mans and Ricard all through the 80's early 90's. The Bol d'or and watching Team Bike every year was a big part of my motorcycling life. Great times, cheers 🍺.

    • @raceandretro
      @raceandretro  7 месяцев назад

      Thank you for commenting, we're glad you enjoyed it!❤️ I bet they were awesome times!

  • @susanboucher2116
    @susanboucher2116 7 месяцев назад +2

    Still have the 1982 Bike issue with the CB1100f on the cover! Great times

  • @davidrailton8588
    @davidrailton8588 7 месяцев назад +1

    Well done Ian. Brilliant tribute to Howard and Dave.

  • @stevemorris289
    @stevemorris289 7 месяцев назад +2

    Me and my brothers sprayed the first faired CB900 for Howard and Matt Oxley

  • @cecilwilson5442
    @cecilwilson5442 7 месяцев назад +1

    Really enjoyed this video 📷 I'm 57 from northern Ireland and remember a lot of the racing,, brilliant stuff ☘️😁😁😁

  • @woodpeckerdrums6254
    @woodpeckerdrums6254 6 месяцев назад +1

    Full RESPECT

  • @brynfitton809
    @brynfitton809 7 месяцев назад +1

    Fantastic video. First met Ian at Cadwell and my claim to fame is helping him put the 900 back in his van. Met him a couple of times at the Bol since. Smashing fellow keeping some great memories alive. And Team Bike and the stories in Bike magazine were probably the reason that Endurance became my favourite form of racing. I have to say though that my favourite bike was the original un-faired 900. Keep up the good work Ian.

    • @raceandretro
      @raceandretro  7 месяцев назад

      Thanks for commenting! Yeah, Ian is such an intresting bloke and very articulate! We recorded another video with him going into detail of his RC30's. Maybe we could do a follow up vid with the 900! 😁

  • @motoquincini.45
    @motoquincini.45 7 месяцев назад +1

    Had the pleasure of being on track with Casey at Brands. Incredible to watch as he passed me up Hailwood hill, sideways to the white line before tipping into Druids, sideways on the way out... . Was amazing to see close up! Love the RC30s. Super cool.

    • @raceandretro
      @raceandretro  7 месяцев назад

      Thats ace! Think he's riding in the Spanish championship this year - so it'll be good to see how he gets on!

  • @moriwaki1105
    @moriwaki1105 7 месяцев назад +1

    Excellent video....Followed it closely back in the day.....Bikes always turned out beautifully too.....still have the Bike mags from back then.

    • @raceandretro
      @raceandretro  7 месяцев назад

      Thank you!! :) I think my dad still has a few of the old bike mag's knocking about aswell!

  • @MrDesmonick
    @MrDesmonick 5 месяцев назад +2

    I took the Ducati Superlight photo at 4.04!! That was taken one handed, from my Ducati F1, somewhere in France on the way to the Bol! It's my mate Wally, the SL locked up the motor on the way down to Bandol chucking him off. It got put into one of the race teams vans and bought back to the UK while he flew home. Great days!

    • @raceandretro
      @raceandretro  5 месяцев назад +1

      That’s an amazing story. So good that you have watched it and seen your actual photo! Thanks so much for taking the time to tell us. It adds some real character and detail to the story. Cheers 🍻🙏👍

    • @MrDesmonick
      @MrDesmonick 5 месяцев назад +1

      ​@@raceandretroNo worries 😁👍

  • @joecrow2829
    @joecrow2829 7 месяцев назад +2

    still got my team bike boldor t shirt from 1984 ! great memories thanks

    • @raceandretro
      @raceandretro  7 месяцев назад

      Brillaint!! Is it still in good condition? 😁

    • @joecrow2829
      @joecrow2829 7 месяцев назад

      yes it is ! 40 years old this year, gulp.@@raceandretro

  • @slackmouth
    @slackmouth 7 месяцев назад +1

    Great video,I saw Team Bike race at the 81 Donnington 1000km and the 82&83 Le Mans,Spa and Bol Dor races.Great times.

    • @raceandretro
      @raceandretro  7 месяцев назад

      Great memories chief! 👍

  • @terrycrawford1982
    @terrycrawford1982 7 месяцев назад +5

    What an excellent video, very emotional story .Brought back some great memories.

    • @raceandretro
      @raceandretro  7 месяцев назад +1

      Thanks so much. Such a great story and we are super grateful to Ian for letting us tell it.

  • @fishnchipper
    @fishnchipper 7 месяцев назад +1

    We were also racing at the Classic Bol in '23 - Casey passed me into turn 3 on the brakes, back stepped out and his boot on the floor - he was travelling so fast it bent my mind. About 1/2 an hour later, Stephane passed me into the chicane on the back straight - I just about managed to wrestle the Bimota I was on through the chicane with him and had the opportunity to sit the draft down the 2nd half of the straight before he disappeared. Has to be one of my most amazing memories of the event - we'll be on the start line of EELC at Ricard in May so I look forward to seeing the bike in action again. Thanks for the vid.

    • @raceandretro
      @raceandretro  7 месяцев назад

      Thats amazing! Is that the YBK 750 you're running?

    • @fishnchipper
      @fishnchipper 7 месяцев назад

      @@raceandretro YB6 with the EXUP1000 motor in it. Should have been faster that an RC in a straight-line but, unfortunately, I was riding it so it wasn't.

  • @willfriar5163
    @willfriar5163 7 месяцев назад +1

    Great memories of this 👍🏁🍻

  • @Guinnessisgoodforyou
    @Guinnessisgoodforyou 7 месяцев назад +1

    Excellent video so many great riders and bikes, quite emotional at times👏

    • @raceandretro
      @raceandretro  7 месяцев назад

      Thank you chief! We could have spent the whole weekend listening to Ian!

  • @jg5529
    @jg5529 7 месяцев назад +3

    I think i got something caught in my eye..

    • @raceandretro
      @raceandretro  7 месяцев назад

      We did too…difficult not too really. 🙏👍

  • @michaelcrouch5708
    @michaelcrouch5708 Месяц назад

    Rember well those bikes and the names of many involved, would read "bike" from cover to cover every month, a lovely episode, thanks.

  • @adeo.4473
    @adeo.4473 6 месяцев назад +1

    I went to Le Mans and the Bol, on my 900SS bevel, my mate on his Jota, tents on the back, following Team Bike...

    • @raceandretro
      @raceandretro  6 месяцев назад

      Very Nice! The bevel's are fetching good money now, arn't they? A 750ss went for just under £60k at the last Bonhams auction!

  • @themightylui9632
    @themightylui9632 7 месяцев назад +1

    Fantastic video - thanks for sharing this with us

    • @raceandretro
      @raceandretro  7 месяцев назад

      Glad you enjoyed it! Hopefully, we'll have more videos like this throughout the year! Thanks for commenting👍

  • @stevenlynskey7879
    @stevenlynskey7879 7 месяцев назад +1

    Great video ,really enjoyed it 👍

    • @raceandretro
      @raceandretro  7 месяцев назад

      Glad you enjoyed it! Thank you for commenting! 😁

  • @cabovermike
    @cabovermike 7 месяцев назад +1

    Lovely video, he tells some great stories, bit under the radar for me as endurance racing isn't something i normally follow and the only mainstream news is mainly the suzuka 8 hours event, although i have watched 44 teeth doing the 125,. 24 hour events which are brilliant ,.cheers R&R.

    • @raceandretro
      @raceandretro  7 месяцев назад

      Thanks for the comments. Ian did all the heavy lifting and we are super grateful to him for sharing his memories. 👍🙏

  • @grumpybugger1
    @grumpybugger1 7 месяцев назад +2

    shame you didn:t go back to the 80 and 81 seasons with the 350 lc.
    i owned and raced that 350 in 82 and 83 seasons
    great times😅

    • @raceandretro
      @raceandretro  7 месяцев назад +1

      Ah yes! We'd like to try and do a video around LC's and proddy racing at some point!! Thanks for commenting 😊

  • @alanssnackbardailyrelaxati8155
    @alanssnackbardailyrelaxati8155 7 месяцев назад +1

    Fantastic. Great job fellas.

    • @raceandretro
      @raceandretro  7 месяцев назад

      Thanks!! Much appreciated! 😊

  • @MF-Racing
    @MF-Racing 7 месяцев назад +1

    Absolutely fantastic video lads 👍🏼👍🏼

    • @raceandretro
      @raceandretro  7 месяцев назад +1

      Thanks Matt👍 How's the Plop prep going, chief?

    • @MF-Racing
      @MF-Racing 7 месяцев назад

      @@raceandretro getting there slowly lads. Will be on us soon enough! 😬

  • @jasonwebb2164
    @jasonwebb2164 7 месяцев назад +1

    Best vid on you tube 👍

    • @raceandretro
      @raceandretro  7 месяцев назад +1

      Wow! Thank you! Ian was amazing 👍