Fast Eddie: a short film about a lifelong passion

An amazing gentleman there. I hope I make it that far with the where-with-all to ride.
 
Al he knew when to give up racing but he is still game enough to ride on the road, riding motorcycles keeps him feeling young at hart and I hope he is around for many more years of enjoying riding his collection of bikes, the same with me the day I can't ride will likely be the last day here lol.

Ashley
 


Stan Dibben is a real gem of a bloke and has done so much in his life other than being a motorcycle race champion. He was even involved with Campbell's Bluebird. If you get the chance read "Hold On", it's an inspiring read.
I've been lucky enough to have met and talked to him a few times.
Fast Eddie: a short film about a lifelong passion
 
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Al he knew when to give up racing but he is still game enough to ride on the road, riding motorcycles keeps him feeling young at hart and I hope he is around for many more years of enjoying riding his collection of bikes, the same with me the day I can't ride will likely be the last day here lol.

Ashley

I gave up riding on public roads and went road-racing to stay alive. I also drive a car, so I know how stupid road users can be. These days many car drivers have mobile phones. I would hate to become dead because of that.
 
What good is a motorcycle if you cannot use it to have a go ? Police have no sense of humour when they see you fang the bike. They are paid by party-poopers to ruin the days of healthy kids. When I was a kid, we used to practice at Calder Raceway and the police were there doing training. We used to pass them so fast, we would almost suck them off their BSA Gold Flashes. Then they used to come and complain. They did not realise that they were the reason most of us were road-racing.
 
In Victoria, many middle-aged guys buy Harleys and ride them on the Great Ocean Road, then have the crash. They have money and a mid-life crisis. My son is 52 and was talking about moving to a country town and buying a motorcycle. When he was very young he had watched me crash at about 100 MPH at the end of a straight on a race circuit. So he never had a motorcycle. I simply told him not to be stupid. One of my friends is a big millionaire and used to race cars. He thought racing motorcycles would be cheap. He landed on his head and almost died when the golden staph got into him. If you are going to play with motorcycles, it is wise to start early.
 
Al a true lover of motorcycles will ride them everywhere on roads to riding tracks to bush riding dirt bikes I have a love of all and at 61 still ride my dirt bike as hard as I can I have just never grown up it makes me feel young when on any of my bikes, the thought of crashing never comes into my mind and having good eye sight I know what is happening around me at all times, after 45 years of being on the bikes and on the road I have had my first broken bone in my whole life just a few years ago when the Norton decided to throw my over the handle bars in a slow speed emergency stop, so really not bad for such a long time on the road, I ride more that I drive and feel safer on the bike and I do drive a Land Rover Defender dual cab ute, being retired now I am not riding everyday as I use to but am doing more longer travels on the bikes, not so much my Norton but my Thruxton 1200S and now preparing to get back into my CRF450X dirt bike after my broken arm and thumb has recovered, its taken a while to get back on the dirt bike but can't wait to push it to its limits again.
Life is great on two wheels and the more time out on them the better, so I am on the same track of mind to Fast Eddie and life is my motorcycles and wouldn't have it any other way.

Ashley
 
Ash, I know my limitations, so I stay away from dirt bikes. I have ridden motocross bikes on scramble circuits and I don't like jumping down-hill past gum trees which have 3 foot diameter trunks. I once rode an MX bike in a trial and put it through the spectators while it was up on end. I have also ridden a sidecar on speedway. So I stay with road racing where I am safe. Even with road racing, I tend to ride mainly at Winton, because I can almost ride that circuit blindfold. It takes a different mentality to ride on public roads, or through the bush. I did it when I was young, then I got smarter.
When I ride at Winton, it takes me 5 laps to get up to speed, then I am as quick as any, and quicker on the slow parts. The worst accidents are always the nasty slow ones. At high speed, you are usually safe. If I ever ride on public roads, I always ride faster than the traffic, that way YOU are in control. I never worry about crashing because I don't do it - 'been there, done that'.
 
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When I was a kid in the 1950s, people would give you old motorcycles for nothing. I had them when I was 15 years of age and went through a stage of fitting all the good race bits into 650cc Triumph twins. At age 29, I wet road racing and did it regularly for about 12 years. I stopped in the late 70s after a bad crash, and could almost not bear to even look at a motorcycle. I came back to racing in about 2003, and still find the hardest thing is to keep the urge going. I love road racing but these days there are many more hurdles to jump over before you can get on a race track. What surprises me, is that with the Seeley 850, I am better than I ever was. I think that is mainly due to the heavy crankshaft and the 2 into 1 exhaust. It is much easier to be super-smooth.
 
I would like to apologise on behalf of my generation. I think we have seen the best of the world and are moving on leaving a mess behind us. We copped to many restrictions without even a bleat. I would personally never ride a motorcycle without a crash helmet. In some American states helmets are not compulsory and I think that is probably a good thing. If you are not prepared to wear one, you probably deserve to die - but taking that risk is your CHOICE. Insurance is like any other form of gambling - the house always wins. But the requirement to have insurance is the greatest killer of motorcycle fun.
 
I would like to apologise on behalf of my generation. I think we have seen the best of the world and are moving on leaving a mess behind us. We copped to many restrictions without even a bleat. I would personally never ride a motorcycle without a crash helmet. In some American states helmets are not compulsory and I think that is probably a good thing. If you are not prepared to wear one, you probably deserve to die - but taking that risk is your CHOICE. Insurance is like any other form of gambling - the house always wins. But the requirement to have insurance is the greatest killer of motorcycle fun.
Al,
We are getting periodic angry posts - does the doctor keep changing your meds or are you finishing off the whiskey you got for Christmas?
Ride more, it’s good for the soul.
John
 
Al,
We are getting periodic angry posts - does the doctor keep changing your meds or are you finishing off the whiskey you got for Christmas?
Ride more, it’s good for the soul.
John
Old bike racers never die. . . . They just fade away. . . . . .(oh God! I hope there isn't even more to come)
 
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