Want a colourful insight into what was perhaps the most vital, significant formative years of motorcycle road-racing in New Zealand?
You could not do much better that to read Ian Dawson’s new book, A Life With Two Wheels, a look at developments that helped lead to New Zealand becoming a driving force on the international scene … witness first-hand, through Dawson’s educated eyes, as he travels along with riders and teams, the movers and shakers during this important developmental period.
In January 1972, Dawson was a 14-year-old schoolboy who was just mad about anything to do with motorcycles. He would soon have a front-row seat to what many consider the most significant era of motorcycling … through the 1970s, 80s and beyond.
His chummy friendship with ground-breaking riders such as Mike Pero, Graeme Crosby, Mike Hailwood, Robert Holden, the Hiscock brothers, Neville and Dave Hiscock, Richard (Dick) Driver, Rodger Freeth, Tony Hatton, Richard Scott, Bob McCleary, Richard Scoular, Rod Harris, Brent Jones, Larry Spicer, Eddie Kattenberg, Andrew Stroud, Simon Crafar, Tony Rees and Russell Josiah, for example, gives us so much to be in awe over.
We particularly enjoyed reading about his antics alongside his mates of the “Team Toad” crew and this struck a bell with us too because we had created a “team toad” too (a collective name we gave our wayward toddler kids when they were growing up and team toad actually became a component of our first email address back then, in the 1990s), although we must confess that Dawson’s Team Toad mates sound like they were a whole lot more fun.
As Dawson himself explains: “Motorcycles have been my life for over 50 years.
“I was lucky enough to be part of the greatest period of motorcycling – participating in the industry as well as the sport.”
He takes us for a journey along the road to observing and participating in events such as the Marlboro Series, the Castrol Six-Hour, the final round of the World Superbike Championships (held in New Zealand in 1988, 1989, 1990 and 1992).
Dawson would experience the industry’s highs and lows in New Zealand.
He started as a motorcycle shop boy, then he was an apprentice motorcycle mechanic, joined his parents in the family firm and even became a motorcycle postie some 15 years ago.
He participated in Motorcycle sport in New Zealand as a rider and had some national-level success. Dawson organised several race meetings, and he was a major sponsor of many events and riders through the family firm.
He says his journey has not been all a bed of roses. There are some candid moments in the book. There have been so many experiences that he has witnessed or been a part of.
“To the many friends and acquaintances that I have met in the industry and sport, it’s been a hell of a ride,” said Dawson.
To order the book, email fkmnzl@gmail.com or via Facebook, by visiting the page “A life with two wheels”. It costs NZ$55, including delivery NZ-wide, and who could ask for a better deal than that?
© Words and photo by Andy McGechan, BikesportNZ.com
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