Jim Redman won World Championships six times in the 250cc and 350cc class during the Golden Era of motorcycle racing. This is the extraordinary life story of the penniless orphan and colonial adventurer who, aboard the most glamorous racing motorcycles, roared to six World Championships and won for himself the reputation of hard man of the race track and shrewd professional of the paddock.
Book Description
Editorial Reviews
Review
Classic MotorCycle, December 2008
UK magazine
Six times World Champion Jim Redman, many people will be surprised to learn, was born in Hampstead, West London on 8th November, 1931. A bright student, he reluctantly had to leave grammar school at 15 "because the family needed the money" and started work as a motor mechanic. Taken for pillion rides by colleagues, Jim soon became an avid enthusiast and started a morning newspaper round, and later repaired neighbours' cars to pay for his first bike, an ex-WD girder-forked Matchless. Tragedy struck the Redmans when Jim was just over 16 when both parents died within a month of each other. Jim resolved to keep the family together by working long hours while his older sister looked after the 10-year-old twins. With National Service looming Redman joined a friend in Southern Rhodesia (now Zimbabwe), eventually starting his own motor-cycle repair business.
His first race there was on a borrowed Triumph Grand Prix, followed by an International Norton, scoring his first win in 1955 after purchasing a 1951 AJS 7R. Determined to turn professional, after winning the South African 350cc Championship he set off for Europe with his friend Paddy Driver and it was Jim who stunned everybody at a star-studded 1958 Easter meeting at Brands Hatch by finishing second to Derek Minter. Other similar results followed riding a brace of Nortons and a 125cc Ducati. Jim’s first ride for Honda came in the 1960 Dutch TT, standing in for friend Tom Phillis, who was unfit. Hondas at that time were not terribly quick and not many of the top runners wanted to know them. However Jim’s loyalty paid off and his tenacious yet intelligent riding style was rewarded by a team place and resulted in three 250 and three 350cc World Championships plus runner-up in the 125cc class to Luigi Taveri.
During 1957 Redman met a young English rider who had gone over to South Africa with Dave Chadwick to gain experience. He had been riding a 250cc NSU Sportmax, but told Jim that he was too nervous to ride his new 350 Manx Norton. His name was Michael Hailwood ... they later became team-mates, fierce rivals and great friends. Giacomo Agostini said he was one of his toughest opponents and he admired him for making racing both a business and a pleasure, setting new standards in getting the best deal possible from race organisers.
A successful businessman and also a very good writer, Jim Redman was awarded the MBE in 1971. This is an excellent book and an unrivalled narrative of the life of a professional road racer.
Product Details
Would you like to update product info or give feedback on images?
|
Customer Reviews
|
Share your thoughts with other customers:
|
||||||||||||||||||||||
|
Most Helpful Customer Reviews
4.0 out of 5 stars
An Excellent Autobiography of Jim Redman MBE,
Amazon Verified Purchase(What's this?)
This review is from: Autobiography of Jim Redman: Six Times World Motorcycle Champion (Paperback)
I bought this book out of curiousity. I am not much of a sports fan but when I read that Jim Redman was awarded the M.B.E. (Member of the Order of the British Empire), I needed to read about his response to such an honor by Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II. Also, I got a taste of his contributions to sports especially motorcycle racing which is still a popular masculine sport. Jim Redman's biography is rather revealing but not too much. I was surprised by how long it took him to get his M.B.E. because he was busy touring and racing. I found his book to be modest, humble, and rather engaging as well as charming. Good luck to Jim Redman MBE!
4.0 out of 5 stars
A modest Hero,
This review is from: Autobiography of Jim Redman: Six Times World Motorcycle Champion (Paperback)
I have had the pleasure of meeting Jim Redman as well as reading his book. Jim is a modest hero, to whom a 100 mile per hour "parade" is going slowly around the track. Jim's book is a great antidote for an era where people are afraid of taking chances and living their dreams.
Share your thoughts with other customers: Create your own review
|
|
Inside This Book
(learn more)
First Sentence:
The flag man signalled the start of the last lap and, at the same moment, I was passed by my team mate, Dave Roper, which dropped me back into second place again. Read the first page Key Phrases - Statistically Improbable Phrases (SIPs): (learn more)
life extension clinic, motorbike racing, factory riders, starting money, start money, lap record, motorcycle racing, factory team Key Phrases - Capitalized Phrases (CAPs): (learn more)
South Africa, Mike Hailwood, Isle of Man, Phil Read, Aika San, Cape Town, Golden Products, Gary Hocking, Tom Phillis, Luigi Taveri, New Zealand, Sierra Ranch, East Germany, Jim Redman, John Hartle, Alan Shepherd, Brands Hatch, Hugh Anderson, Jim San, John Surtees, Mallory Park, United States, Frank Perris, Paddy Driver, Charlie Young New!
Books on Related Topics | Concordance | Text Stats Browse Sample Pages:
Front Cover | Table of Contents | First Pages | Back Cover | Surprise Me!
The flag man signalled the start of the last lap and, at the same moment, I was passed by my team mate, Dave Roper, which dropped me back into second place again. Read the first page Key Phrases - Statistically Improbable Phrases (SIPs): (learn more)
life extension clinic, motorbike racing, factory riders, starting money, start money, lap record, motorcycle racing, factory team Key Phrases - Capitalized Phrases (CAPs): (learn more)
South Africa, Mike Hailwood, Isle of Man, Phil Read, Aika San, Cape Town, Golden Products, Gary Hocking, Tom Phillis, Luigi Taveri, New Zealand, Sierra Ranch, East Germany, Jim Redman, John Hartle, Alan Shepherd, Brands Hatch, Hugh Anderson, Jim San, John Surtees, Mallory Park, United States, Frank Perris, Paddy Driver, Charlie Young New!
Books on Related Topics | Concordance | Text Stats Browse Sample Pages:
Front Cover | Table of Contents | First Pages | Back Cover | Surprise Me!
Citations (learn more)
This book cites 3
books:
31
books
cite this book:
See all 31 books citing this book
- The Isle of Man by Douglas on page 77, page 79, and page 260
- When Nuvolari Raced by Valerio Moretti in Front Matter
- Angel of Death by James Anderson on page 66
- Velocette Motorcycles by Rob Burris in Front Matter, and page 160
- VW Bus Type 2 : Camper, Van, Pickup, Wagon by Malcolm Bobbitt in Copyright
- Triumph Sports Cars Colour Family Album (Colour Album Series) by David Sparrow in Copyright
- Porsche Colour Family Album by David Sparrow in Copyright
- Volkswagen Beetle Cabriolet: The Full Story of the Convertible Beetle by Malcolm Bobbitt in Copyright
See all 31 books citing this book
Tags Customers Associate with This Product(What's this?)Click on a tag to find related items, discussions, and people.
|
Sell a Digital Version of This Book in the Kindle Store
If you are a publisher or author and hold the digital rights to a book, you can sell a digital version of it in our Kindle Store.
Learn more
Customer Discussions
|
This product's forum
Active discussions in related forums
Search Customer Discussions
|
Related forums
|
