My wife and I had been invited to a fancy dress fortieth birthday party. The Flintstones and Rubble’s were there, as well as a couple of Batmen and a William Wallace large as life. But the major entrance wasn’t even the party girl herself, no it was Banana’s in Pyjamas that stole the show. Yes B1 and B2 were there, and it wasn’t till B1 spoke to me that I recognised the voice. Underneath the oversized bent yellow head (no he hadn’t taken it off yet !) was none other than motorcycle race ace, Graeme Morris and B2 was his lovely wife Wendy.

Graeme does of course run a successful motorcycle shop in Broadmeadow but unless you’ve been following motorcycle racing for the last twenty years you might not realise that he is an ex-national 600cc SuperSport champion, plus, the holder of some seven other state titles. Over the years he’s adorned the pages of all your favourite bike magazines advertising everything from motorcycles to engine oil. The last time I personally saw him race, was at Mount Panorama Bathurst in 2000 (one of his favourite tracks, he rates Phillip Island the best) where he led the first lap to Conrod Straight until Kevin Curtain and his factory Yamaha R1 blasted past. Graeme’s privateer R1 didn’t quite having the grunt to win, but the way he piloted it up and over the mountain was symmetry in motion. During the 1993 Eastern Creek race, where he won his SuperSport title, he set the lap record that stood for 2 years, and, at the same event current World SuperBike champ Troy Bayliss, finished behind him.

But what makes this Fitter & Machinist from Adamstown take on the very finicky world of motorcycle racing and then want the stress of trying to make a living from a mode of transport that only makes up 7% of road usage? In short, he loves motorbikes! He could have been very comfortable working in the mines, but he possesses that single-minded determination that makes champions, just like his hero Eddie Lawson.

Running a business can take a lot out of a person and Graeme offsets the stresses by watching a good comedy, or, having a laugh with friends. He admits that he doesn’t mind a bit of karaoke at times either, although I haven’t found anyone yet who’ll say whether he can actually sing or not. He’s not the type to blow his own trumpet either, he’ll rattle off the names of supporters and helpers going back decades and admits sadly that sometimes business and friends can’t always mix.

Graeme’s wife B2, oops I mean Wendy, is reasonably happy that he has ‘retired’ from racing as he can spend a bit more time with her and their 4 boys (obviously he was able to spend some time at home!). Some have said that he was getting too old to race anyway, but considering he didn’t really get serious about racing till he was 33, I don’t think age was a factor.

Newcastle is his favourite place and he can’t think of anywhere else he’d prefer to live, for that matter, neither can I. His first bike at 17 years of age, was a Suzuki TM125, while his first car a ’74 Ford Cortina. He still has a Suzuki, only it’s a GSXR1000, plus there are a few other toys.

If you’re a school leaver looking for good advice, Graeme says whatever you do, don’t be half hearted at it, find your niche in the world and hone it to perfection.