The Summer of ‘69
Reader Dave Head sent us in some wonderful shots he took at the Production TT in 1969, along with what he could remember from a great week.
Reading Chris Williams’s letter (CBG, March 2021) requesting some information about production racing on the Isle of Man in the early 1970s inspired me to dig out my old photo albums. The year was 1969, I was 17, had just started my apprenticeship, passed my bike test, and had money in my pocket. This was my 12th TT but what I looked forward to this year was the production races. Looking back now, I’m not too sure why I preferred this class to the exotic racing machinery; perhaps I could relate more to bikes I could see in my local bike shop!
Equipping myself with the family Kodak 126, I positioned myself on the main road just before the start line. The proddy race was a Le Mans-type start, so all the machines were pushed past me to set up opposite the grandstand. The 750 class must have not interested me because I didn’t take any shots of those, then the 500s, a T500, slightly earlier than Chris’s replica being pushed by my schoolboy hero, Nobby Clark! A legendary Kawasaki triple (I’d never seen one of these in the flesh before), and finally a CB450 which won its class, ridden by Graham Penny.
Next came the 250s; a Honda CB250 and a Yamaha YDS. Sadly, apart from a few blurred images, these are all the snaps I took of the entrants. It seems odd now, what with our smartphones and limitless memory, that I had to ration myself to how much film and processing I could afford that week.
And off they went
When all the competitors were at their starting positions, we were allowed to line up across the road and see the start.
There was deathly quiet. The riders for the first class away were on the grandstand side of the start line, and mechanics holding their machines across the road.
The starter’s flag dropped, and the faint sound of a dozen or so riders running across the road before the 750s all kickstarted. Some fired at first kick, some reluctant, then they were off. Next the 500s; same procedure, but this time some machines had kick starts, some electric starters, some four-strokes , some two, so it was an eclectic mix of whining electric starters and frantic riders jumping on the kickstarts, surrounded by clouds of twostroke smoke. Finally, the 250s were away... a similar mix of machines like the 500s. Sadly I don’t remember much about the race itself, apart from the 450 Honda winning its class after the leading Kawasaki retired. This all happened more than 50 years ago, so there may be differences from what actually happened, but this was ‘One day in June’ I’ll always remember.
“Looking back now, I’m not too sure why I preferred this class to the exotic racing machinery; perhaps I could relate more to bikes I could see in my local bike shop!’