Happy 50th Hizzy

Remembering Steve Hislop



On the 11th January 1962, Steve Hislop was born in Hawick, Scotland. Today would have been his 50th birthday, but he was tragically killed in a helicopter accident in 2003.

Hizzy was a genius on a motorbike and when he was happy with everything around him, he was amongst the best in the world.

From the early days of his racing career he was class act on a bike, sparring with Max Biaggi in the European 250 championship during the late 1980s, Biaggi would of course go on to become a multiple 250GP champion.

Apart from his successes at the Isle of Man with 11 wins in the TT races and being a two-time BSB champion. There are some moments in Hizzy's career that defined his exceptional talent on two wheels.

One is the titanic battle between Hislop, riding a privately entered rotary Norton, against Carl Fogarty on the Loctite Yamaha OW01 in the 1992 Senior TT - one of the greatest races to ever take place on the 37.73 mile Isle of Man circuit.

As they both obliterated the lap records set the previous year on exotic factory Honda RC30s, the pair were never separated by more than six seconds. Foggy would put in a last ditch effort - setting a new lap record of 123.61mph that would stand for seven years - but it would not be enough and Hislop claimed one the best wins of his career by 4.4 seconds.

Another defining (but unofficial) achievement of Hizzy's storied racing career was setting an outright lap record at Donington Park in 2002. For those who witnessed the phenomenal lap, Hislop was in the ultimate zone and would clock a 1:33 lap around Donington, quicker than a time set by Valentino Rossi on the Honda RC211V and all while on the production-based Monstermob Ducati 998.

Where ever you are Hizzy: Happy 50th mate.

Ditto! Nice sentiment for a true legend.

There is an annual memorial run takes place in the borders, if you fancy attending..?

When is it? Wouldn't mind doing that one year!

Not sure if this is up to date or not?
Looks like a good run though!

HIZZY

Thats a long run! Think we'd need to spend a night in the borders or else its another 2 hours each way for us central belters...

I'd be happy with that! Hawicks not bad for a night out, from what I can remember.. ask Roy..

Hang on.. scrub that. It's the same weekend as Stormin' the Castle which I will definitely be going to. Could maybe head straight there from Stormin' though.. It's probably closer!

G-force wrote:Hang on.. scrub that. It's the same weekend as Stormin' the Castle which I will definitely be going to. Could maybe head straight there from Stormin' though.. It's probably closer!

Sounds like a plan! What's the score with stormin the castle?

What's the score..? You turn up, pitch yer tent and start drinkin'!
Probably meet guys from my work at Newbridge services and head down the A68 again..

Sounds like my sort of biking weekend! Never mind the PBF rally I'm going Stormin'