Bragg Creeker Jon Paskett, independent mechanic of Bragg Creek Powersports, rebuilt a Honda RC30 motorcycle to enter in one of the most dangerous racetracks known to man.
The International Isle of Man Race Track, located in the Irish Sea and the British Isles, between England, Ireland, Scotland and Wales, is an infamous track that stretches across 37-and-a-quarter miles (close to 61 kilometres) of mountain course.
Paskett entered his Honda in the Classic Tourist Trophy (TT) competition Aug. 31.
“I bought the bike about 20 years ago for me to do the TT [Isles of Man] race and I never got around to doing it,” Paskett said with a chuckle.
“So I thought (the bike) sat around long enough and someone else should get a go on it.”
After rebuilding the Honda, Paskett found rider Michael (Jack) Russell through a friend-of-a-friend in Ireland.
“My friend said, ‘Give [Russell] a try, he’s pretty quick,’ – the first time I met [Russell] was when he picked me up from the airport,” Paskett said.
“I got off the plane and we found each other and away we went.”
Paskett, originally from the United Kingdom (U.K.), said it was his first time back home in seven years.
“Never been back [since moving to Canada], hadn’t had a reason to – no one got married and no one died,” Paskett explained.
“It was the first chance to go over and do something different. It was cool.”
After meeting up with the rider, Paskett and Russell prepared for the race.
The Honda, originally built in 1989, was entered in the classic section. Paskett explained the cutoff for classic bikes this year was 1992.
“[The Honda] was within that era – it became perfect timing to go over and race it,” Paskett said.
Out of 40 motorcycles and riders entered, Russell placed 16th overall with the Honda and Paskett won for top Honda (RC30), placed 10th for a 750cc motorcycle and also received a silver replica for 117mph for average lap speed.
“It was the first time this bike has been entered, it was a lot of hard work [but] that’s what this bike was made for,” Paskett said.
The Creeker said he used to race 600cc motorcycles in the U.K. before becoming a certified red seal motorcycle mechanic for U.K. based race teams.
“I realized I wasn’t going to make any money racing so I thought I might as well be a mechanic,” Paskett said.
The career-change agreed with Paskett, as one year while he was working in London, U.K. he won the Honda Motorcycles Mechanic of the Year competition.
So what brings a U.K. mechanic to Bragg Creek?
“Originally, snowboarding [and to] be near the mountains,” Paskett said with a laugh, choosing the town because he liked being in-between the city and the mountains.
“We kept travelling over from the U.K., so we thought we may as well come live here.”
Paskett said him and his family first lived in Calgary for a year before moving to Bragg Creek, where Paskett now fixes and rebuilds bikes as the independent owner of Bragg Creek Powersports.
“It’s a cool [town]. I love it. It’s great,” Paskett said.
“It is a really good community – my neighbours are good, they put up with me making noise every now and then.”
As the owner of four personal motorcycles, Paskett said he does not get out to race much anymore, as he is usually busy “working on someone else’s bike.”
But as he talks about his racing days over the phone, Paskett reminiscences about when he first started riding at 15 years old.
Why did the Creeker start racing?
“I’m not sure really,” he said with a laugh.
“Just the rebellious bit of it, I suppose, isn’t it? And the speed.”
