Jim Budd Motorcycle Racer

I had a brain wave following a phone call with one of my brothers, Neil.  We were talking about people that we knew from racing, and he asked the question “Where is … ?”

That got me thinking how to do this.  I’m currently researching for articles about Racing Legends of Australian racing, and of course getting back in contact with everyone.  Who best to answer the “Where is ….?” question, right?

So, my first find is Mal Pitman.

It was almost impossible for Mal Pitman not to become involved in the world of motorcycles.  During his young, impressionalbe years he was surrounded by bike engines, tyres, leathers, all sorts of road and race bikes, and the thrill of the two wheeled action.  Mal’s Dad and his 3 Uncles owned Yamaha South Austalia and were the whos who of the bike world Down Under. So when it came time to decide upon a career, the family motorcycle business in Adelaide South Australia was an obvious choice, Pitman Yamaha.

“It was in my blood.  I started as an apprentice mechanic and worked my way up through the ranks of the company in service, spare parts, sales and eventually I  became the Manager of the Dealer Network.”

Over the next two decades , Pitman lived and breathed racing.   From being, on the tools, to developing a mind for planning race winning strategies, he became highly successull in his field supported by a family of race fans.  Mal’s success was wide ranging from competitive road racing bikes to motocross and enduro.  Pitmans results included to many State Titles to mention in South Australia and the coverted National Champioship.

From 1990 to 1993, Pitman worked with many of the would be greats from including, Kevin Magee, Michael Dowson, Troy Corser, and the late Greg Pretty.

It has been a life long involvment with motorcycling that now finds Pitman in the key role of Technical Manager for the Red Bull Yamaha Team enabling him to call upon his wide experience at virtually all levels of motorcycling.

Pitman took on the role for 2001 after spending the three previous seasons since 1998 as Race Engineer for French GP 500 rider Regis Laconi who left the team at the end of 2000.

“Regis winning the Valencia GP in 1999 in difficult circumstances is a highlight of my four years with the team,” said Pitman of that dramatic, rain-affected day in Spain that also saw Garry McCoy in third place on the podium for the Red Bull squad.

Pitman counts a collection of restored motorcycles as some of his most valued possessions including two examples of Yamaha’s Australian championship winning TZ 750’s, a 1973 H2A Kawasaki and the authentic 1978 Castrol 6 Hour Production race winning XS1100 Yamaha (Team Avon ridden by Jim Budd and Roger Heyes).

Mal has a real job back in Australia finally, and happily settled back in Adelaide with his wife Sandy.  Their three daughters are happily married, and the tight knit Pitman family is waiting the arrival of grand-child #5.

FOOTNOTE: Mal Pitman is desperately searching for an real Avon Roadrunner rear tyre to complete the XS1100 project.  If anyone has one in their backshed, long forgotten about … please, please contact me.