Love, Speed and Loss

He loved motorbikes. And he loved my daughter.

– Janelle's mother Pat Gillanders

When he came to work in the morning he went straight to the bike. It left him no peace.

– Konig Factory engineer Ulli Collatz on Kim's work on motorbike

This was a bike coming out of nowhere that a guy built himself ... people used to say 'hey Newcombe it's not raining today, what are you doing with your outboard engine?' You know, giving him stick. But Kim just...nothing could ruffle him.

– Janelle Newcombe on her husband racing his bike in Germany

When you do stop racing you come down to reality with a bump, and it's quite a culture shock, because you're not doing what you want to do. Life is different. It's not the fame that I miss, it's the buzz of riding a motorcycle quickly.

– Seven times Grand Prix winner Chas Mortimer, who still races occasionally at age 54

...here's an interesting motorcycle folks. It's got an engine which is an outboard motor for boats, and somebody's cleverly stuck a gearbox on it, and it's very small and very light...

– UK motorcycle journalist Chris Carter, on the angle taken by some early stories in British motorcycle magazines

He was building the bike, he was riding the bike, he was transporting the bike, and he was working on it at the circuits. And that must have been unbelievably tiring.

– Grand prix winner Chas Mortimer

I was totally cared for and loved, and had someone strong for me for my whole life...but life isn't always how we think it's going to be.

– Janelle Newcombe