STN Interview Series: A Biography Workshop

[Gaolee]

So, we have to come full circle before finishing here.  How did you become a devoted Guzzisti?  And, when are you going to make the news as the team owner for Moto Guzzi's MotoGP championship effort?  Will it be 2012, 2013, or are you going to cut the established players a bit of slack and hold off until 2014?

[Orson]

So, we have to come full circle before finishing here.  How did you become a devoted Guzzisti?  And, when are you going to make the news as the team owner for Moto Guzzi's MotoGP championship effort?  Will it be 2012, 2013, or are you going to cut the established players a bit of slack and hold off until 2014?

 

I'm not a dyed in the wool Guzzisti...I just play one on TV  

I had Japanese bikes, and they all treated me well. I enjoyed my time with them. A '78 Suzuki GS750 which I took my first trips on...sans fairing   Had great times on it. Then there was an '84 FJ-1100 which was an excellent sport touring bike. Had that one for 16 years.

But again...I blame the U.S. bike magazines   The way the waxed poetically about Italian bikes, the way they handled...the way they sounded. They had me hooked. I bought a '78 Ducati Darmah. It was hard to start and you needed forearms of steel to function the levers...but oh what music it created. You knew you were riding a real MOTORcycle. What I really craved was the Ducati 750SS. When I saw the Guzzi Le Mans...again, the heartstrings were pulled. People tried to steer me away from it, but I couldn't be swayed. Too much of a romantic at heart, pulled in by those 1970s looks.

I don't regret it. I look forward to riding it all the time. A really nice sport tourer.

As far as team owner...I think I'll just stick to being a groupie of the Guareschi boys  

[Gaolee]

There you have it, ladies and gentlemen, everything you could ever hope to know about our globe trotting, international man of mystery, Orson.

[Orson]

Thank ya...thank ya very mush Gaolee  

[Orson]

I'm off to bed now so if there's any more questions, it may be a while before I can answer  

[Acadian Rider]

Canada...British Columbia and the Maritime provinces...all on the to do list.

Come on down for good times in the Maritimes.  

[Jeff N]

Who's next?

[Orson]

Who's next?

Probably one of their better albums, however I tend to lean towards Quadraphenia, as both Keith Moon and the Ox go particularly mad on that one...

Keith especially  

[Cpl Punishment]

Probably one of their better albums, however I tend to lean towards Quadraphenia, as both Keith Moon and the Ox go particularly mad on that one...

Keith especially  

I always prefered their first one and Live at Leeds. Bloody Mods, tho, all of em.

[Ant]

Bloody Mods, tho, all of em.

Says the man with the giant hair... When did you see a rocker with hair like this?



 

[Cpl Punishment]

Fecking mod.   Pleased to see you back...perhaps  

[Headmanbrewing]

Who's next?

Sorry, everyone.  I've had some personal stuff going on, and haven't had much time or opportunity to be on the site, much less take care of this thread.  Let's see...

We need someone to step up and get an interview started.  Orson was the last interviewee, but has already been on the other side of the table.  I think Cpl P still is on the hook to conduct an interview(?)  If someone else wants to throw themselves to the STN wolves and be interviewed, just remember that that person gets to interview the next victim! It would be nice if someone could help to keep this rolling along for a little while (I hope just a little while   ).  Thanks everyone!

[DogBoy]

Anyone want to interview Willie H from the Flattrack thread in Pit Row?

Seems like he has been elbow deep in riding, the mc industry and racing for long while. If no one steps up, I'll do it but you all will have to put up with my Chris Farley interview style.

[miles]

Go for it, DB.

[Headmanbrewing]

Anyone want to interview Willie H from the Flattrack thread in Pit Row?

Seems like he has been elbow deep in riding, the mc industry and racing for long while. If no one steps up, I'll do it but you all will have to put up with my Chris Farley interview style.

I've got no problem with that.  Have at it!

[Cpl Punishment]

Should be fun. If I do it, I could pick up anther ignore.  

[DogBoy]

Welcome back to KSTN studios for the first interview of 2008. Tonight's lucky subject is WillieH.  

WillieH has posted a few comments about his experience in the racing scene and motorcycle industry during the motorcycle boom of the early 70's. For the 99% of you who don't check the Flat Track thread in Pit Row regularly just click on this link, scroll down and pick your jaw up off the floor.

(Anyone else who has a picture of his or herself leading Eddie Lawson in a race can be the next interview.  )

Willie, make yourself comfortable here in the studio. There are complimentary refreshments in the bar behind you.

First questions are the warm up. Tell us a little about yourself. How did you get started in motorcycling? Does anyone else in your family ride?

[WillieH]

Started riding in the alley with a buddy up the block that had a Zundapp Super Sabre. We would go to the Colorado River at Needles and ride the levee roads when we were lucky. My parents were dead set against me riding, so I didn't get a bike of my own util I was 18. No body else in the family rides.

[DogBoy]

That's great about the Zundapp. I know the feeling of parental disapproval. I didn't start riding until I was 28 and two time zones away from home.

How long were you sneaking down the alley or along the levee before you couldn't hide your interest from your parents anymore?

Follow up: How did you make the leap from sneaking out on a Zundapp to development work for Suzuki?

[WillieH]

I was 13 at the time and we just hungout after school at his place. His father had motorcycles and it was a dream for me to be able to ride theirs. I grew up in So Cal and we would take ski(water) trips to the river with a truckload of bikes.
I got my first bike, as I said, at 18. It was a Yamaha YG1 that ended up with a trimmed rear fender, fork brace, J&R pipe and about half a GYT kit. I raced a couple times at the Elsinore TT track in Railroad Canyon. When I got out of the Coast Guard in 1967, I started to work for a Suzuki shop in Long Beach. They built an A100 for flattrack and I was fortunate enough to get to race it at Trojan Raceway in South Gate several times. They Baited me!!! They got another rider and got better results for him. So I ended up buying and building my own A100. In 1968 U.S. Suzuki made all the local dealers an offer of any motorcycle they wanted for no charge if they would field the bike in the ACA 12 hour production Grand Prix to be held at Willow Springs Raceway. The other rider the dealer put on the original flattracker and I teamed up on the bike, another A100 (tired of the A100 yet??). We won th 100cc class. Nothing like being flat-out on the front or back straight at Willow after dark and have Ron Grant, Ron Pierce, Don Emde, Steve McLaughlin or others come screaming by on 500's 350's ad others!! Later, the mechanic who bulit the bikes, Bud Parker was hired to testride at Suzuki. In Sept of 1969 he was moved to the Warranty dept and I was hired to fill his position.