Comment (December)
By TMX Archives on 11th Nov 03
Don't worry, dbr isn't turning into a cutesy baby magazine but I would like to kick off this month's comment with a huge thanks to everyone for the kind messages, flowers, bottles of booze etc since little Hazel Lily turned up to ruin my Don't worry, dbr isn't turning into a cutesy baby magazine but I would like to kick off this month's comment with a huge thanks to everyone for the kind messages, flowers, bottles of booze etc since little Hazel Lily turned up to ruin my sleep - and jimjams. She's gorgeous and being a dad is even better that a five-day gentleman's excursion to Namur. With lots of spending money! Okay, subject closed.So, what's new? Well, I'm about to break the habit of a lifetime and apologise for something...A few months ago Doc Wob answered a letter from someone who was considering buying an ex-Rob Wrayford race bike, advising him to steer well clear as Rabbit's been known to sling his steeds down the track (as well as emptying nightclub dancefloors). What he - and we - should have done is add that while the Fast Bunny can, on occasion, demonstrate the sublime co-ordination and throttle control of Mr Bump on a bender, he is very professional in his approach to racing and lavishes tons of TLC on his machines. Apology over.The big news this month (or was it last month - sleep deprivation is making monkeys of my memory) is that after our recent GP famine we're now in line for a GP feast. Not one, not two but three British GPs for '04 are now inked in on the FIM calendar. Yippee! First there was the MX1/MX2 round on the Isle of Wight on May 30, then we got wind of another helping of the same at Ballykelly on September 11. Now we're in line for a MX3 GP (this year's 650 class) at Pontrilas on May 16. Seems like these days GPs are like buses...or bananas! I was lucky enough to go to the last GP at Ballykelly in, I think, '95 and - apart from having to negotiate the Road to Hell to the Stranraer ferry - it was a storming weekend of Guinness and motocross (in that order). Can't wait to make a return trip.The bike launch silly season's just about peaked for another year so I'd like to take time out to spare a thought for our plucky test team. It may seem like a dream job to you lot...getting to ride all the very latest machinery at top-notch tracks before tucking into a full-factory buffet - but there are drawbacks. The long drives, hours spent hanging around at foreign airports, sharing flights with T+MX bike tester Johnno White...That's yer lot for another month - once this mag's done and dusted we're breaking out the papier-mache, crayons, double-sided sticky tape and Sutty's round-ended scissors and getting to work on our stand for Dirt Rider Expo. Visitors to the show (full preview on pages 14/16) are more than welcome to swing by stand A08b and say hello - we'll be the ones covered in glue and Elastoplast!