What happened to Roger Willis?

The mad loon in charge of Bike for a while in the late eighties. Where did
he go?

 

Got married, got divorced, went to live on the IOM, did various
journalism and PR bits (I think he edited the NatWest in-house magazine
for a while), last heard of in charge of the m/c trade monthly,
whatever it's called.

Not forgotten because of the manner of his departure from Bike: after
he'd gone, the staff sported T-shirts bearing his ugly mug and the
legend: "**** Off Willis".

 

Dunno.
But what happened to these guys who used to write for Bike in the 1970s
:

Mark Williams
Phil Mather
Tony Thacker
Royce Creasey

And whatever happened to Tina Tailpipe from Superbike?
("Hey guys look who's got an Itchifanni")

Dave

 

What was the manner of his departure? I don't recall that, must have missed
a few issues. He was completely barking. Roger Willis and PR?
Interesting.

 

Royce Creasey

RIP ?

 

Shame ;-(
He was a good bloke. I liked him.
He used to ride a beaten up Velo Venom IIRC.
Advocated being prepared for breakdowns by doing routine maintenance in
lay-bys....

Dave

 

He is now editor of motorcycle trade magazine "British Dealer News",
published by Mayo Willis Magazines Limited, based on the Isle of Man.
His unique "style" can still be experienced from time to time in his
responses to readers' letters. ;-)

 

Williams is still around, after a speel at her majesty's pleasure.
Mather and Thacker - no idea. I think Creasey's dead.

 

Tell me more about Williams - what did he do?!

Done some googling around:
Mather - can't find anything.
Thacker is building Hot Rods
Creasy has a website about his feet-forward bikes, but it hasn't been
updated since 2003.....

Dave

 

<snip>

Not to mention "Wild Bill" Haylock. The first copy of "Bike" I
purchased featured his road test on the Mk1 Guzzi Le Mans.

 

Feckin Ell!
I'd forgotten him!

The first copy of Bike that I bought had a "giant" cafe racer road test
in it. (Is there a theme developing to my posts? <grin>). They had a
John Player Norton plus a Dunstall Honda 750-4 (Taken out to about 900
IIRC) and a Rickman Kawasaki 900
I forget the month but it must have been in 1972 or 1973. I'm pretty
sure it was one of the first two or three "monthly" issues (it started
as a bi-monthly).

Dave

 

I worked with him for a couple of years. The last I heard he was in the
Isle of Man still working as a freelancer. Although, judging by how much
he smoked, I'd be surprised if he's still around...

--
Veggie Dave
UKRMHRC#2 BOTAFOF#08
IQ 18 FILMS http://www.iq18films.com
Extreme Racing http://www.veggie-dave.co.uk
Toxic Shock Syndrome Gets More Girls Than Me

 

Got caught with about $200,000 strapped to his body at JFK, laundering
money for a female drugs gang, while jetting around the world for his
regular job.

Did time in the US (just for currency offences) and was then escorted
to JFK and put on a plane to the UK, where Her Majesty's Finest were
waiting for him, to question him about certain quantities of certain
substances found at his various addresses. They'd been monitoring his
activites anyway, before the US nicked him. He'd been laundering the
dosh through dodgy bureaux de change in London.

Copped three years over here. Didn't serve that long because of
remission and the fact that he was banged up on remand while waiting
for the case to start.

The whole business was televised as one of those true-life drama-docs,
a year or two back.

 

That is exactly the same one I first bought. I suspect I still have it in
the loft somewhere!

 

You mean there's some bugger else who's as old as me??!!
I read the print off my copy. I'd like to be reminded of the month and year
if anyone knows?

Dave

 

Likewise. That magazine and a 900SS in Jack Lilleys are two of the most
memoraable biking memories from the peiod. I suspect it was 1974 rather than
earlier. I'll see if I can find it.

 

A web search confirms it as Issue 16, June 1974.

 

"the loft somewhere!

Sounds about right.
This was the second issue I bought :
http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&item=6986277060&rd=1&sspagename=STRK:MEBI:IT&rd=1

I've made a bid on that and some other 1970s Bike mags.
I'll scan any stuff out of them you are interested in.

Dave

 

I recognise that one too. Isn't it the one that the following month they
pointed out the guy at the front on the cover had subsequently been killed
in a bike accident?

 

There was an MV 750S (red/silver one - "America" colour scheme) in Carnells
original shop in Doncaster (They built Yates on the site).
That was up for about (IIRC) 2500quid - it hung around a while and I
dribbled over it on a fairly regular basis until the salesman (desparate,
end of month sort of thing!) offered it to me for £1950 if I'd sign the HP
forms there and then....... Gods I wish I'd been braver - I was too scared
of my Mum at the time!

The first bike I bought brand new was a 1975 CB200 from Cusworths in
Doncaster.
Before I bought that, I'd drooled over an RD200 Yam, Ducati 250 Mk3, Ducati
250 Desmo, 250 Benelli,etc etc.
I must have driven the saleman nuts before I signed on the dott3ed line for
the Honda!!

Aaaaahhh!
"The memories of a man in his old age, are the deeds of a man in his prime"
(Pink Floyd)

Dave