https://www.kentonline.co.uk/weald/news ... sh-256447/
What a man...rode for BSA Triumph, Ducati (won the Imola race that put the big V-twin on the map), and most if not all of the Japanese big 4.
Married Barry Sheene's sister and father of Scott.
RIP
Paul Smart RIP
-
Richard Simpson Mark II
- Posts: 3518
- Joined: Tue May 09, 2017 9:03 pm
- Has thanked: 1414 times
- Been thanked: 1669 times
-
daveuprite
- Posts: 4790
- Joined: Fri Dec 28, 2012 10:47 pm
- Location: Limousin France
- Has thanked: 2452 times
- Been thanked: 3293 times
-
Richard Simpson Mark II
- Posts: 3518
- Joined: Tue May 09, 2017 9:03 pm
- Has thanked: 1414 times
- Been thanked: 1669 times
Re: Paul Smart RIP
My favourite story about him is that after he got made redundant by BSA-Triumph he was in America racing little 2-stroke Yamahas.
The phone rang at his home, and his wife answered it. She was very worried about their financial situation.
It was Ducati...offering a massive amount of money to race a new 750cc V-twin motorcycle at Imola...and even more if he won.
So she said yes...and broke the news to him when he got home.
"I'm not racing a 750cc Ducati V-twin...it will be a bloody tractor"
"You will be when I tell you what they are paying you."
"Oh, OK."
Anyway, he goes off to race it...untimed practice, he runs a few laps and brings it back to the pits.
"Sorry, it's rubbish. It won't rev, it's really slow, the brakes are poor and it's really hard to get it to corner."
"You just unofficially broke the lap record."
"No, you're just saying that to make me feel better."
"No, you really did just break the lap record."
The phone rang at his home, and his wife answered it. She was very worried about their financial situation.
It was Ducati...offering a massive amount of money to race a new 750cc V-twin motorcycle at Imola...and even more if he won.
So she said yes...and broke the news to him when he got home.
"I'm not racing a 750cc Ducati V-twin...it will be a bloody tractor"
"You will be when I tell you what they are paying you."
"Oh, OK."
Anyway, he goes off to race it...untimed practice, he runs a few laps and brings it back to the pits.
"Sorry, it's rubbish. It won't rev, it's really slow, the brakes are poor and it's really hard to get it to corner."
"You just unofficially broke the lap record."
"No, you're just saying that to make me feel better."
"No, you really did just break the lap record."
-
daveuprite
- Posts: 4790
- Joined: Fri Dec 28, 2012 10:47 pm
- Location: Limousin France
- Has thanked: 2452 times
- Been thanked: 3293 times
Re: Paul Smart RIP
At least he died while riding a bike, not in some cancer ward. He made a big contribution.
You know those retro replica bikes that Ducati brought out in about 2005? Well they've largely been ridden and depreciated like all other bikes. Except for the Paul Smart replica - which now changes hands for at least twice its original list price. The name has a strong place in Ducati racing history (Imola etc).
You know those retro replica bikes that Ducati brought out in about 2005? Well they've largely been ridden and depreciated like all other bikes. Except for the Paul Smart replica - which now changes hands for at least twice its original list price. The name has a strong place in Ducati racing history (Imola etc).
