Steve Parrish
Parrish’s take on all things bike-racing.
It seems as though every month just gets more and more manic! Since the last time I put pen to paper there’s been a lot going on in the world, and I’m not just talking about bikes. I mean, have you seen that thing about Kleenex tissues not being able to make ‘mansize’ ones any more? Jeez, either I’m getting old or everything’s going tits up.
Well, when I say everything, I don’t actually mean that, as the biking world is spinning pretty well. I’m hot out of hosting the new Triumph Scrambler launch party which was an awesome event, and the bike looks like it will be a real hoot to ride – although I still reckon I’m a bit old for that whole hipster thing. But then again, I really did like the racing on the night and sideways action.
Oh, and talking of some sideways action, we’re already at the end of another racing year, and Marquez has only gone and bloody won the title. Again. When he made the jump to MotoGP I actually got death threats for saying Vale would never win another title with Marc on the grid, and it actually looks like it could be a reality.
It’s a real shame, but there’s no denying the Spaniard’s class – he’s making guys like Dovi and Lorenzo push way beyond their comfortable limits and crash regularly, which we don’t see too often at all. My biggest regret is not seeing Stoner and Marquez head to head. Just imagine that; in my opinion two of the very best modern racers going at it, each with their own distinctive styles. We can only dream.
But then again, when talking about the best riders of the modern generation let us not forget the World Superbike masterclass from Jonathan Rea; the man is in the wrong championship. If only the timing of his career would’ve been slightly different then we probably would’ve seen him on a good package in MotoGP, but then again if my grandma would’ve had a cock then she’d have been my grandad. It’s all ifs and buts, yet at the end of the day I really do think Rea could’ve been one of the top draw riders in GP. Bit of a shame, but it’s much better being first in World Superbike than it is languishing at the back in GP; there’d
be absolutely no fun in that.
And isn’t that part of life, having fun? Well it is for me, which is why I’ve been up to all my usual tricks this month. It’s been a crazy time for me so at the recent Intermot show in Germany I decided to let loose a little bit, and seeing all the Germans being a bit straight, I couldn’t help but swap their much loved hard-boiled eggs for regular non hard-boiled ones at breakfast; you should’ve seen the look on their faces when they smashed them up against the tables. It was priceless. And that’s not even it either, I went to visit my lovely lady in hospital dressed up as a doctor to which people actually asked me for advice – me! And of course I obliged. All wrong, but still helpful mind you. Oh, and before I forget I’ve even got a new stamp to send off my books with. It’s fair to say I’ve been getting blokes in trouble left right and centre. Got to stay smiling though, and that’s me off for another month. I’ll see you at the NEC!