We pay tribute to seven people the motorcycling community tragically lost during 2015 and send our dearest thoughts to the families without them this Christmas.
Dennis Neill, 1951-2015
Australian Production and Superbike legend Dennis Neill passed away in a Gold Coast hospital after developing breathing difficulties while in for a hip replacement procedure. He was 63 years old.
Warren Willing, 1952-2015
Australian racing legend and later grand prix team manager and technician Warren Willing lost his long battle with cancer during the year. The Sydney-born Australian had a long and successful career in motorcycles which spanned more than 40 years.
Michal Henrik, 1976-2015
Mystery still surrounds the death of 39-year-old Polish rider Michal Henrik who lost his life during the 2015 Dakar Rally. After failing to arrive at the evening’s checkpoint a search helicopter was sent. The rescue team found Henrik 300m from the track, with no signs of him being involved in an accident.
Michael McKenzie, 1968-2015
Aussie professor and shareholder in the Drysdale Motorcycle Company Michael McKenzie was fatally injured in a racing crash at Donington Park in the UK. A brilliant man, McKenzie was an Australian finance academic who was living in Britain.
Geoff Duke, 1923-2015
The six-time world champion and six-time TT winner, Geoffrey Ernest Duke OBE, passed away on Friday 1 May, aged 92. Duke was the first of the supremely successful motorcycle riders who have followed in his path. His six titles, 33 victories and 50 podiums were tallied in just 89 Grand Prix spanning just nine years.
Franco Farnè, 1934-2015
The legendary motorcycle engineer spent 50 years working for Ducati. His mum retired from the Bologna manufacturer to make a vacancy for him and he was hired as mechanic and test rider after winning the 1956, ’57 and ’58 Italian Junior Championship. He worked with Paul Smart, Mike Hailwood and Carl Fogarty and was heavily involved in the development of the 90-degree Desmodromic V-twin.
Kevin Cass, 1938-2015
Wollongong-born Kevin ‘Cassy’ Cass was a racer in his early years and a legendary two-stroke tuner in his later ones. He raced the Isle of Man TT, has been credited for giving Wayne Gardner a leg-up into racing and rode a 1920s Douglas twin around Australia when he was nearly 60. He passed away in October this year after a long battle with illness.
**We also pay our respects to Eric Winton who died peacefully 17 December, 2015.