I know you're not meant to write long passages on Web pages, but sometimes there's no other way, so please bear with me....

I’ve outlined briefly that my current and very active interest in Bike racing stems from about 1999. I recall this gritty character called Chris Walker who rode a Kawasaki with the number 2 plate in the British Superbike Championship which I used occasionally to catch on Grandstand. I got the impression that this guy never gave up and always seemed to be fighting back from some adversity or other. 

In 2000 I determined to follow the Championship in detail and also resolved to follow World Superbikes which was now also showing on the BBC. I’d heard of Carl Fogarty but was certainly not a close follower of that series. In June or July I took the plunge and went to a round of BSB at Silverstone, yelling myself hoarse for Chris Walker who was now riding a Suzuki. I was not alone as he turned out to have a huge following. I was captivated by the atmosphere at the event and in due course I went to Brands Hatch for the weekend to see both days of the BSB meeting there, and also to Donington for the final round hoping to see Chris clinch the title he so richly deserved. Sadly that was not to be as his bike blew up leaving Chris and his thousands of fans devastated. 

The following week I went to Brands Hatch again, this time to see the World Superbikes. My good friend Malcolm Cook also came up on his bike and we watched in delight as British Superbike wildcard John Reynolds won the first race. Colin Edwards clinched the title by winning the second race and we duly went back to the car where Malcolm had left his gear, had a quick chat and a cup of coffee and agreed to meet at Reading Services for a bite to eat. 

In due course Malcolm rang from Reading and at first refused to believe that we were only 100 yards from where he had last seen us. We in fact took nearly three hours to get out of the car park, and when we eventually rang Malcolm from Reading, he was at home in South Wales with his feet up watching the telly. That horrendous queue getting out of the car park was in fact a major factor in my decision the following summer to buy a bike again!! 

The following year I set out to follow the BSB series from the start and as Chris Walker had left for 500cc Grands Prix I sat in the car at the first round at Donington overlooking the Old Hairpin, reading the programme and various bike magazines trying to decide who in particular to follow. I was torn between John Reynolds and Steve Hislop, who it seemed were the two ‘elder statesmen’ of the series and I settled on Hizzy largely because he was about the same age as me, JR being a year or two younger. 

I supported Steve loyally from then on, and it looked as though we were to be rewarded with a Championship win. A crash at Rockingham in the penultimate round put paid to that but the fans cheered magnanimously for John Reynolds as he took the double and the Championship at Donington – the first bike race I’d attended on a motorbike, as I’d bought the Bandit in August. It’s difficult to explain but believe me it makes all the difference!! 

In 2002 I was again cheering for Hizzy from the off. We went to a number of rounds, and did our fair share of walking round the paddock at various venues meeting riders and other racing personalities and collecting autographs, including Steve Hislop’s. In early September we went to Mallory Park and on the Saturday night stayed at the Travel Inn in Leicester. We were sat in the bar with a pint and to my amazement in walked Steve Hislop. Once I recovered my composure I went up and offered to buy him a drink. He politely declined as he was meeting some friends for a meal, but it is a vivid memory and to an avid fan almost more fun than all the racing put together. 

Of course Steve went on to win the title in style, but then lost his place with the Monstermob team and was to ride for Yamaha in 2003. I wasn’t that unhappy about this as by now I rode a Yamaha so I thought a bit of brand loyalty would be OK. For 2003 I had Season tickets to all the rounds of BSB and WSB at the then Octagon Motorsports circuits, and we had a brilliant year planned attending every mainland UK round of BSB except for Knockhill in Scotland. Sadly it became apparent very early on that Steve was not really getting on with the R1, but I continued to be loyal. In June Steve released his autobiography and while at the Brands Hatch round I found that he would be signing copies. I hadn’t planned on buying a book as I’d gone there on the bike and luggage space was at a premium, but I decided to brave the queues as this was too good an opportunity to miss. As it turned out I didn’t have to queue and I was able to chat with my hero for a few minutes completely undisturbed. I wish that I’d had the opportunity to read the book before speaking to him as I would have had so much more to ask, but instead we talked about set up for the bike for the weekend and he seemed quite cheerful and optimistic. 

Two weeks later after the Rockingham round Steve left the Yamaha team and it was announced shortly afterwards that he would be reunited with his bike from the year before with the ETI team and would debut at Oulton Park. As everyone knew this was one of his favourite circuits we were looking forward to him beating everyone in style. In the meantime I had read his autobiography and I was determined to try to get to talk to him again as he seemed an interesting character and something of a kindred spirit in many ways.

 On July 30 2003 the racing world was rocked by the news that Hizzy had died in a helicopter crash near his birthplace of Hawick in the Scottish Borders. I was stunned. It is really strange to be so affected by the death of someone I could not even claim to know, but even now  I still feel a sense of loss. It is very hard to explain. I thought very seriously about going to the funeral but ultimately could not as I was working. We paid our tribute at Oulton Park however, having prepared a large Scottish flag with the legend Hizzy #1, 1962 – 2003, and this was fixed to the fence in front of us at the Knickerbrook chicane, which was in fact renamed the Hislop chicane at that meeting in tribute.

 I resolved that I would visit Hawick to pay my own respects, practicalities dictating that this would have to be a trip for 2004. I read that an exhibition had been opened in Drumlanrig’s Tower in Hawick commemorating Hizzy and although I would have gone anyway this was something to else to see. I particularly wanted to see the cairn that I knew had been built near where he died, and also to find his grave. 

Following a search on the web I’d booked accommodation at the Elm House Hotel in Hawick and duly set off on a Monday morning in June. After a long motorway trip we got onto the A7 near Carlisle and headed North East into Scotland. I remembered from all the reports at the time that Steve’s helicopter had crashed in the hills near the A7 South West of Hawick and was driving along wondering if the cairn would be visible from the road, or whether we would have to ask its whereabouts once we arrived. I also had in mind that it might be a long walk to the spot and had come prepared. Suddenly we spotted a small painted notice beneath a normal signpost, stating simply ‘Hizzy Cairn’. We took the turning up a no through road which climbed rapidly into the hills and onto the moorland. Sure enough, there was the cairn. We waited for the shower to pass and soon enough it stopped raining and brightened up. It is a quiet and remote spot, but with extensive views. The cairn itself says simply ‘Hizzy’ and a small plaque on the fence gives an explanation of how it came to be. 

That evening, having enjoyed a fine meal in the hotel, we decided to go for a drive and see if we could find the grave. I knew the name of the cemetery where Steve had been laid to rest but I was not sure where it was. Some studying of maps suggested that it was in fact a little way out of Hawick and in due course found it in the little hamlet where he had grown up. There, on a quiet fine evening in the lowering sun I was able to find Steve Hislop’s final resting place marked by a polished headstone with an engraving of him riding the Ducati that took him to the British Superbike Championship. Steve lies close by his father Sandy who died from a heart attack in 1979 at the age of 43, and his brother Garry who was killed in a motorcycle race in 1982 aged just 19. 

The next day we went to Drumlanrig’s tower to see the exhibition. The visitors book has been signed by numerous famous people from the world of motorcycle racing, and all sorts of poignant memorabilia is on display, ranging from the Suzuki fairing bearing the number 1 plate that John Reynolds presented to Hizzy when he won the championship, to school reports, old leathers, and all Steve’s trophies. 

There is a jeweller’s in Hawick who have made a memorial pendant in the form of a crash helmet, and we got talking in there about Steve. We were even directed out to the garage where Hizzy served his apprenticeship and got started in racing. There, despite feeling awkward at turning up with no real business, we were made welcome by Wullie Simpson who took the time to talk to us and show us the old racing bikes and various photographs and books. 

The feeling is that the people of the area are justly proud of the quiet man from their midst who became one of the best motorcycle racers who ever lived.  

For my part I was captivated by Hawick and the Borders and shall certainly return. 

I have written rather candidly of my feelings in all this, and have no wish to cause offence to anyone by doing so. We should never forget that although many race fans like me lost a hero, two young boys lost their father and a very brave lady became the only survivor of a family of four. I earnestly hope that the respect that I and countless others still feel for Hizzy will be some small but continuing help to them.

My comments about Steve Hislop and the photographs (which are my own) are published as a mark of respect. I apologise if anyone is in any way offended by them.

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