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Post by mekon on Jan 7, 2022 14:45:48 GMT
This is a good read. Way better than Johnny Reas boring tome. Also way better than Aaron Slight's book which should have been called 'if only I had a Ducati'. Literally every page is some sort of I couldn't get out of the corners moan.
Hopper's book, whilst not naming names and missing a couple of stories others have told about him, is still a very entertaining read. I'm guessing the party days of motogp are probably done now. I've not finished it yet but I'm up to the Kawasaki period when they paid him £5m a year but did nothing in terms of developing the bike.
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Post by armstrongracer on Jan 7, 2022 18:51:09 GMT
Can't remember if his career crossed over the Emmett, Scott Russell, Gobert years. Think some of it did, if so, no names mentioned is probably for the best.
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Post by mekon on Jan 7, 2022 19:51:51 GMT
It's the 'we went to brothel with x,y and z' sort of stuff that's missing names. Oddly enough he misses out the part where he burnt the fuck out of himself, which is strange considering it was in the Shakey book and everyone knows about it. He also claims to have nothing to do with Biaggi car tipping incident but only went out to have a look and got blamed for it. Shakey said he was in on it.
He does mention going round the Goberts and Anthony was well gone down the path of destruction by that point. Basically just a junkie.
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Post by philthewindsurfer on Jan 8, 2022 10:04:40 GMT
I thought Slight's book was good. Maybe because I bought it in Auckland airport's book shop after 4 months of touring NZ and had rose tinted views of NZ. It did pass the time on the flight home. The Honda was shite compared to the Ducati, it was down to cc. There is a chapter called 'There is no replacement for displacement'. Foggy kept writing in his book that the other bloke had a better bike. Why did Foggy go to Honda? I might have a read of his book again, I could even finish it next time.
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Post by mekon on Jan 8, 2022 10:50:55 GMT
Slight's book became less interesting as it went on. I knew it would end up that way given how far I'd got into it by the time the WSB era started. The bits about Muzzy Kawasaki were interesting but once the Ducati has more torque element started he never shut up about it.
The problem I had I guess was the aura of Slight was more intriguing than the actually reality. It's ok having green hair but actually you are early to bed. I expected some paddock dirt or at least some vitriol about other riders/teams. It was all quite tame. It's a shame it ended how it dead as I think he still had a championship in him but you can't expect to win one by asking the like of Hodgson to just let you by and then crying when he didn't.
What I have noticed with these books is they are all light on the mechanics of riding the bikes. You'll get the odd bit here and there, usually when it's about a bike they didn't like but sometimes you'd like a bit of description about what's and hows of riding these bikes.
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Post by bella on Jan 8, 2022 14:12:20 GMT
Yeah, i read the Slight book and did get fed up of him whinging about the Ducatis, he should have made sure he got on one and laid the bugbear to rest, its a pity because that one recurring theme spoils a good read.
Reminded me a bit of the Jon Ekerold book, that too was good with no small amount of cameraderie and sheer bloody mindedness, no doubt Jon was a brilliant small class rider but he had a bit of a hang up about not making it in the 500s, quite similar in the determination to get up there but not quite getting the big one.
I suspect you'll have read the Rainey book, that's a great read but a bit foreboding when you know what's coming later on.
To me the stand out is Jim Redman, Wheels of Fortune, there must be double the amount of material compared to other biogs but fuck me that mans lived the lives of 100 men.
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Post by pantah on Jan 8, 2022 15:29:59 GMT
"To me the stand out is Jim Redman, Wheels of Fortune, there must be double the amount of material compared to other biogs but fuck me that mans lived the lives of 100 men."
Best autobiography I've read. What a life he lead, everything he did was through hard work, perseverance and ingenuity. Father committed suicide, mother died young so he had no assistance into the world of racing. A brilliant story teller and unique character.
Highly recommend this book.
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Post by bella on Jan 8, 2022 16:28:15 GMT
As an aside i'm currently reading " a sailors odyssey " by Admiral Andrew Browne Cunningham, he saw service in the Royal Navy in both World Wars and is said to be Britains greatest Admiral since Nelson.
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Post by mekon on Jan 8, 2022 18:05:40 GMT
Did he wildcard at Donington?
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Post by armstrongracer on Jan 8, 2022 19:36:51 GMT
The Ekerold book was brilliant, brutal and pitiless in places. I had a slightly different take on the 500 years. By his own admission his abilities started to decline after 81, he wasn't a bad 500 rider just started too late in his career. Juan Garriga was similar, had his best days on a 250 and jumped on a 500 too late.
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Post by no66 on Jan 8, 2022 20:04:04 GMT
The Ekerold book was brilliant, brutal and pitiless in places. I had a slightly different take on the 500 years. By his own admission his abilities started to decline after 81, he wasn't a bad 500 rider just started too late in his career. Juan Garriga was similar, had his best days on a 250 and jumped on a 500 too late. Yes, great book. Pretty bitter , but so determined. |
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Post by mekon on Jan 14, 2022 9:12:35 GMT
That book is currently £192 pounds on amazon.
One of you cunts that has it should download a photo to text app and upload it. I've done some googling and I can't find an electronic copy.
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Post by bella on Jan 14, 2022 9:30:29 GMT
Pm me your address and i'll send it to you, send it back when you're finished.
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Post by no66 on Jan 14, 2022 10:00:11 GMT
That book is currently £192 pounds on amazon. One of you cunts that has it should download a photo to text app and upload it. I've done some googling and I can't find an electronic copy. For the privateer? Holy cow. I have a signed one. |
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