McGuinness gives Bainbridge a go
By John Dickinson on 3rd Aug 16
COMPETITORS and crowds who turned out for the Bainbridge MCC hillclimb last Wednesday evening at Aysgarth, deep in the Yorkshire dales near the market town of Hawes, were thrilled when Isle of Man TT legend John McGuinness turned-up with his Honda CRF450!
McGuinness, 23 times a TT winner and the first man to lap the Isle of Man circuit at 130mph, is a big off-road fan having started his motorcycling career as a youth motocrosser. He still loves MX training and can often be found at Preston Docks when he gets a break from road racing.
It's typical of the Morecambe Missile to turn up for an event like the hillclimb as he also used to enjoy a blast up the Barbon Sprint Hillclimb, a road-based event now sadly defunct where John's one- time sponsor and fellow MXer Paul Bird was once track record holder on a CR500!
John's practice run at Aysgarth was almost his last as he nearly flipped over the front when the Honda's rear wheel kicked over the lip of the hill.
"I didn't walk the hill and just went for it,” he said. "I honestly thought I was heading for the air ambulance but luckily just got away with a big front wheel landing!”
Despite being more wary of the hill after his experience McGuinness enjoyed several victories in the head-to-head knockout competition until eventually being pipped by Austin Gregg.
