Ducati Sporting Club UK > General > Idle Chat > BSB Bikes stolen

[Guido]

Having spent the whole season so far since the 1st test at Snett in March with Rizla Suzuki, I'm beginning to know how they 'click' so to speak.

Knowing what they and the other teams have to contend with over a race weekend and the run-up to it, I do not feel it is fully their responsibility to 'watch over' their bikes or equipment.

What these folks (i.e. the whole BSB paddock) bring to the sport week in and week out surely warrants at least a half-decent security setup if not a ****-hot dogs dangly one. The teams have to operate in the conditions they are presented with.....that goes for weather, track surface, paddock, series politics/regulations, rider condition/sharpness etc and also the garages. Yeah they have to show some regard for their gear but not in the same example as us…..members of Joe Public do.

Except for Thruxton which was a tent !!!!!! with some rope and a cr@p metal bar to secure it with, all the rounds have shutter doors which lock with at least one key. I've been told some of the garages breached at Croft had evidence of being 'jemmied' whilst others didn't. Knowing club racers who've had bikes and gear nicked at Croft in the past illustrates that this circuit is not the most impenetrable for scum-bag thieves. I'm not going to speculate that perhaps this was an inside job (i.e. the security know the garages, have mates and turn a blind-eye etc whilst they spend a considerable amount of time helping themselves to what is cumbersome and difficult kit to move), BUT...this aspect definitely needs to be included in any investigations by the Police, the MCRCB and Croft Promotions Limited. One thing is for sure, what they have at present is not adequate and is definitely not befitting of a World renowned National championship revolving around millions of pounds of cash injection.

I have been in the Rizla garage at 10pm on a Friday or Saturday night watching them strip engines and bikes. It’s a tough job with many of them having only a day’s leave out of every 40-50 or so.

I've walked the paddock at other rounds at 1am in the morning and seen security men walking around in pairs with walkie-talkies patrolling the trucks, garages and general area. Rumour has it this level of diligence was distinctly lacking at Croft and surely will cost them dearly in withholding a good reputation within the MCRCB. This is sad cos the circuit has obviously proven that it is a favourite with both the fans and riders (twas the highest attended round in 2004, its first year with the series). Goes to show though, your reputation and standing can only go as far as your weakest part or area.

The real sad part is that the team may now be forced to run just the one rider for the remainder of the season. This has huge implications for the sport from both the fans standpoint and the reputation of the BSB series as a whole. It reaches way beyond ‘theft’ and a crime number.

I’m saddened that low-life’s such as this can do such a thing and also that I wasn’t in my normal sleeping place of the Rizla team truck when this event was unfolding. I’d love to have seen 10 raging extremely protective & passionate team members with their ‘rival’ teams in tow descend onto the paddock in the middle of the night to confront these scuzzers. Would have been the most productive phone call I could have made in a long time.

Gc

[iang]

Duke2BSteve, I am from the north and find that it is no worse for theft than anywhere else in the country in fact much better than most which relects in a not too high insurance grouping for my postcode, you must live in cloud cuckoo land if you think your area is not affected.

Anyway, the thieving scum need their balls cut off, surely with so many supporters of the sport and the vast number of genuine bikers, someone, somewhere, knows who did this and where the bikes and parts are, especially so with a £10,000 reward on offer. I am sure that if I knew who it was they would have been lifted by now irrespective of a reward.

[LeeeeeeL]

To be fair there is more chance of them being returned in Rizla in one piece than James Hayden bikes !!!

[Guido]

Sketchy news recently in is that one of Shakey's bikes has been recovered and is already back at the circuit.

Don't know if it was 'dumped' with a view to collecting it at a later date which is normally the case with stolen goods.

Sadly no reports of hooded men found hanging from a tree

Will report back when I have more info.

Gc

[Guido]

News gets better......

Shakey’s race bikes recovered

RIZLA SUZUKI has recovered both of Shane ‘Shakey’ Byrne’s stolen GSX-R1000 race bikes.

Working in conjunction with the North Yorkshire police, the team received information leading to the whereabouts of the bikes which were stolen on Tuesday night from a locked garage at the Croft circuit.

The bikes were safely recovered on Wednesday and one was used by Shakey during the afternoon test session.

Rizla Suzuki Team Manager Robert Wicks said: “The team is delighted to have the bikes back in its possession.

“The theft has cost the team dearly, not least because of the development time lost by Shakey. It has also raised serious questions regarding circuit security at Croft and we will be working closely with the BSB organizers to make sure this cannot happen to us or any other team in the future.

“I would like to thank all the members of the media and the fans of the series who lent us their support after the bikes were stolen. I can promise you that Rizla Suzuki will be stronger as a result of this and we are already looking forward to getting back to the racing at Knockhill next week.”

[CK]

great to hear it

any news of the other 'bits/parts ' that went from others - as reproted in the first news item Guy?

[TP]

Originally Posted by CK

great to hear it

any news of the other 'bits/parts ' that went from others - as reproted in the first news item Guy?

Yes, I have a new set of gloves - Yay

But they're too small - Boo

That Leon chappy is a bit small ...

[domski]

Originally Posted by TP

Yes, I have a new set of gloves - Yay

But they're too small - Boo

That Leon chappy is a bit small ...

No, he's just not fat like us

[Guido]

Originally Posted by CK

great to hear it

any news of the other 'bits/parts ' that went from others - as reproted in the first news item Guy?

Apparently all gear has been returned to its rightful owners now Charlotte...

Networking seems to have been working overtime here....Either that or someone noticed a change in engine note on their neighbour's bike as he left for work this morning...

[TP]

Originally Posted by domski

No, he's just not fat like us

Ahhh .. .that'll be it