Adventure Bike Rider Forum

Phil was one of my childhood heroes.

LONDON, Oct 6 (Reuters) - Britain's Phil Read, the first motorcycle rider to win world championships in the 125cc, 250cc and 500cc grand prix categories, died on Thursday aged 83, his family said.

Read, who competed in the world championship from 1961 to 1976, was a seven-times world champion and an eight-times winner at the Isle of Man TT races.

His son posted a statement on Instagram announcing the death.

Read became Yamaha's first world champion in 1964 on a 250cc bike and took four more titles with the Japanese manufacturer. He won the 500cc championships in 1973 and 1974 with Italian brand MV Agusta.

Many decades ago, I spoke to Phil Read on the phone!

I was working at Three Cross Motorcycles, and inspired by Mike Hailwood's Ducati comeback at the IoM TT, my boss Graham Miles had got into contact with Phil Reed (whose Honda had blown up in the 78 TT, giving Hailwood the win) about riding a 3X Moto Guzzi Le Mans at the TT the following year.

The phone rang...I picked it up:

"Good morning. Three Cross Motorcycles."

"Can I speak to Graham Miles."

"I'll see if he's available. Who is calling?"

"Phil Reed."

So, I put him through...

Later, I said to Graham..."Was that really Phil Read?"

"Yes...we're possibly looking at getting him to ride the Le Mans."

"Christ...I'm glad I didn't say 'and I'm Barry Sheene!'."

It was difficult to get a laugh out of Graham sometimes...but he cried with laughter at that. Later he retold the story...but of course it was slightly rejigged so I had actually said "I'm Barry Sheene."

I've actually raced with him with CRMC, and shared the occasional beer. I was slow, he was always at the front on the saturday but often missed races on the sunday Even giving away decades to the other top riders he was fast. A legend who still enjoyed a nice bit of bike time when he was old enough to know better