Ridefast July 2021

A LIFE IN MOTORCYCLES
We took some time out to visit Mr Phil De Gruchy
AKA Mr Aprilia. Phil is an avid motorcyclist who
now collects and restores 2-Stroke road bikes.
Here’s his story…
I guess my life in motorcycles began long before most
of you reading this article were born . The dawn of my
unbridled passion for two wheels began in the U.K.in the
1960’s, this was the post rock n roll era of the Beatles,
Rolling Stones , Led Zeppelin and Black Sabbath, back
in those days every guy in our street had or wanted to
ride a motorcycle, and if you didn’t own a motorcycle then
your status was that of some sub species . On two wheels
this was the era of the “mods and rockers” in the teenage
culture back then, if you rode a Lambretta scooter you
could be classed as a mod and if you rode a Triumph or
any other roaring British twin you were a “rocker” whose
status in the gang and with the girls was
determined by how fast you could ride . The rockers of
that time were also known as the ‘ton up’ boys , due to
the fact that some motorcycles back then could achieve
top speeds of more than 100 miles per hour, which was
referred to as a “ton”. My road bike back then was a Triumph
Bonneville and my ambition was to race and follow
in the footsteps to international stardom like my heroes
Mike Hailwood and Phil Read, but being short of money
and talent meant that a good day on track was when the
bike didn’t break and I didn’t fall off .
In the early 70’s, Japanese two-strokes first appeared
on the market and having seen the performance of these
Yamaha TZ race bikes on the track coming past me like I
was looking for parking on the straights meant, of course
that I had to have one…