Nick Harris
From Fred Clarke, THE commentator
The name Nick Harris will surely be remembered by many Moto GP fans as the ‘Voice of MotoGP’.
For the period 1999 to 2017, Nick provided the excellent, informative commentary on the official live World feed of Moto GP, as well as conducting all post-race Press Conferences.
……………….but how many I wonder, know that Nick was an experienced Isle of Man TT sidecar passenger??
Er, well, perhaps not that ‘experienced’……..possibly a bit of an exaggeration on my part……….but he did at least have the distinction of completing one lap of the Mountain Course alongside Trevor Ireson during practice for the 1981 sidecar TT.
How so?? Nick explains “I was a journalist at the time writing features & race reports for MCN & others. Now like all good ‘scribes’, a pint or two goes down particularly well at the (end of a days racing.
On this occasion I recall being at Donington Park, and visiting the Redgate Lodge (now long demolished), where I joined up with sidecar racers Trevor Ireson, Derek Jones, Mick Boddice & a few others for a convivial hour or so. We were enjoying some great banter, during which I jokingly made some comment about the TT not being that difficult to do!!
Well this comment obviously hit a nerve, as a couple of months later coming up to the TT, I was told…..”It’s all arranged Nick & the paperwork sorted. You’re doing a lap of the Mountain Course with Trevor (at that stage already a 3 x TT winner)!”
So there we are, 1981 and it’s the Tuesday evening practice for the sidecars in that years TT. I wasn’t going to miss this, so was already myself at the TT Paddock.
The session was already well under way, when Nick, wearing Clive Pollington’s leathers & helmet (Clive being Trevor’s regular passenger), gets onto the Joe Henderson sponsored 750 Yamaha sidecar & lays flat on the platform.
“Now don’t forget” instructs Trevor “Stay flat. Don’t move & hang on. If you want me to stop or slow down, just tap me on the leg”…..and with that they’re away, heading toward the top of Bray Hill.
Just to be on the safe side, Mick Boddice & Chas Birkes tucked in behind Trevor, staying there as far as Ramsey, to make sure Nick was OK.
Meanwhile we’re patiently awaiting their return, and sure enough some 24+mins later they were pulling into pit lane. A quick calculation indicating a 92-93mph lap……..very impressive!!!
Now I’ve known Nick for something like 50years. He remains one of life’s ‘happy people’, always upbeat & positive, with a wealth of good story’s to tell. So when I was speaking with him recently, I asked what, some 45years on, he still remembers about that lap of the Mountain Course??
“Just about everything” he replied. “I’d got my eyes closed down Bray Hill, before we braked for Quarter Bridge, and a few miles further on approaching Crosby at some ridiculous rate of knots, I remember thinking…..What have I let myself in for?
By the time we’d arrived at the end of the Sulby Straight, my body was already feeling as if I’d gone 10 rounds with Muhammad Ali.
However as we left Ramsey to make the climb up & over the Mountain, the roads were much smoother. So much so that the ride became…almost enjoyable, but only almost,….as equally it was so damn fast.
On the drop down from Kate’s Cottage to the Creg, Trevor casually looked down at me & gave a thumbs up. I responded with a nod…which meant that on the run away from Creg-ny-baa down to Brandish, he gave the 750 Yamaha it’s full head of steam…..now that really was an ‘underwear changing experience’ as we raced down the ‘green tube’ and the grassy banks either side.
Must admit it was a tremendous relief when the lap was completed. It then took me some time to release my hands which had just about locked onto the hand holds…..such was my effort to hold on.
……………..but what an experience!
My overriding memory? Got to be the pounding the body takes over the bumps. Literally skipping from one to another at ridiculous speeds. It’s relentless just never ending, probably made worse by the fact that I just lay flat all the way. meaning it was 37.73miles of constantly bouncing up & down, Sliding backwards & of being thrown from side to side through the corners due to centrifugal force.
Never have I been so bruised, which in turn made every part of my body ache for a couple of weeks after.
A couple of times I remembered Trevor’s words…..’If you want me to stop or slow down, just tap my leg’…the only problem being, there was no way that I was gong to let go with one hand!!!!!!
I can tell you though that my respect for every single sidecar passenger at the TT, straight away went stratospheric!!”
………and almost as an afterthought, Nick added with a smile “The things we do when we are young and carefree!!!!”
Nick’s lap took place 45years ago. A lap, I hasten to add, that would never be allowed to happen today.
***That 1981 TT was not to be successful for Trevor & Clive. In both races they retired whilst holding 2nd place (loose water hose Race1, Gearbox problem Race2).
Mick Boddice & Chas Birkes finished 2nd in race1. Retired race2.
Both races were won by ‘The Flying Scotsman’ Jock Taylor & his Swedish passenger, Benga Johansson.
PIC 1…Nick on his lap.
PIC 2…Nick with Valentino Rossi at MotoGP.l
