Dave Hiscock
Encyclopedia
Dave Hiscock (born 25 May 1953 in Stokes Valley
), and is a prominent New Zealand competitive motorcycle rider.
grew up in Stokes Valley
, a suburb of Lower Hutt
in Greater Wellington, where the pair rode an old BSA Bantam in grass paddocks and later perfected their skills on the Rimutaka Hill
climb north of Upper Hutt
. David and Neville began racing in 1972 at the Gracefield street circuit in Lower Hutt on Commando 750s. Dave finished eighth and Neville finished in fifth place.
in 1982 on a Suzuki GSX1100 Katana
that Dave and Neville shared. In all, Dave won the New Zealand Castrol Six Hour race five times.
He also achieved placings in the Australian Castrol Six Hour Race five times. In 1977 he was second in the 750 class on a GS750, finishing fifth overall with fellow Kiwi Peter Fleming.
Dave Hiscock also competed in the Isle of Man TT
Classic gaining several place holdings, and also the British and World F1 TT Championships, finishing third in both the Isle of Man TT formula 1 and World Road Race Championship in 1982, and finishing 2nd in the British Street Bike Series in 1981.
in South Africa. Dave Hiscock retired from competitive racing shortly afterwards, and lived in South Africa for a number of years. He now lives in Australia. On Boxing Day 2009, Dave returned to New Zealand and rode a demonstration lap around the Wanganui
Cemetery Circuit
on one of his old bikes.
Stokes Valley
Stokes Valley is a major suburb of Lower Hutt, in the North Island of New Zealand. It is located at the northeastern edge of the city seven kilometres northeast of the city centre, in the valley of a small tributary of the Hutt River, called Stokes Valley stream which flows north to meet the main...
), and is a prominent New Zealand competitive motorcycle rider.
Early life
Dave and elder brother Neville HiscockNeville Hiscock
Neville Hiscock was a New Zealand motorcycle racer in the 1970s and 1980s. He raced competitively in New Zealand, Australia, and South Africa....
grew up in Stokes Valley
Stokes Valley
Stokes Valley is a major suburb of Lower Hutt, in the North Island of New Zealand. It is located at the northeastern edge of the city seven kilometres northeast of the city centre, in the valley of a small tributary of the Hutt River, called Stokes Valley stream which flows north to meet the main...
, a suburb of Lower Hutt
Lower Hutt
Lower Hutt is a city in the Wellington region of New Zealand. Its council has adopted the name Hutt City Council, but neither the New Zealand Geographic Board nor the Local Government Act recognise the name Hutt City. This alternative name can lead to confusion, as there are two cities in the...
in Greater Wellington, where the pair rode an old BSA Bantam in grass paddocks and later perfected their skills on the Rimutaka Hill
Rimutaka Range
The Rimutaka Range is one of several mountain ranges in the North Island of New Zealand which form a ridge running parallel with the east coast of the island between East Cape and Wellington.The ridge is at its most pronounced in the southern part of the island, where it consists of the Ruahine,...
climb north of Upper Hutt
Upper Hutt
Upper Hutt is a satellite city of Wellington. It is New Zealand's smallest city by population, the second largest by land area. It is in Greater Wellington.-Geography:Upper Hutt is 30 km north-east of Wellington...
. David and Neville began racing in 1972 at the Gracefield street circuit in Lower Hutt on Commando 750s. Dave finished eighth and Neville finished in fifth place.
Career
Hiscock achieved fame in the 1970s and early 1980s, when he dominated the big-bike production class in Australia and New Zealand, gaining 40 consecutive wins on Suzuki GS1000 and GSX1100 bikes over the course of two seasons. Dave's brother Neville was also an accomplished rider of 500cc, 750cc and 1100c motorcycles. The Hiscocks would race against each other or work together as a team, with one team win in the New Zealand Castrol Six Hour RaceCastrol Six Hour (New Zealand)
The New Zealand Castrol Six Hour Race was an endurance motorcycle race that was held for fifteen years at Manfeild, Palmerston North from 1974 to 1988...
in 1982 on a Suzuki GSX1100 Katana
Suzuki Katana
The original Suzuki Katana was a then-novel sport motorcycle designed in 1979–1980 by the southern Bavarian firm of Target Design at the request of Suzuki of Germany specifically for their market....
that Dave and Neville shared. In all, Dave won the New Zealand Castrol Six Hour race five times.
He also achieved placings in the Australian Castrol Six Hour Race five times. In 1977 he was second in the 750 class on a GS750, finishing fifth overall with fellow Kiwi Peter Fleming.
Dave Hiscock also competed in the Isle of Man TT
Isle of Man TT
The International Isle of Man TT Race is a motorcycle racing event held on the Isle of Man and was for many years the most prestigious motorcycle race in the world...
Classic gaining several place holdings, and also the British and World F1 TT Championships, finishing third in both the Isle of Man TT formula 1 and World Road Race Championship in 1982, and finishing 2nd in the British Street Bike Series in 1981.
Tragedy
Neville Hiscock was killed in February 1983 while racing at Killarney near Cape TownCape Town
Cape Town is the second-most populous city in South Africa, and the provincial capital and primate city of the Western Cape. As the seat of the National Parliament, it is also the legislative capital of the country. It forms part of the City of Cape Town metropolitan municipality...
in South Africa. Dave Hiscock retired from competitive racing shortly afterwards, and lived in South Africa for a number of years. He now lives in Australia. On Boxing Day 2009, Dave returned to New Zealand and rode a demonstration lap around the Wanganui
Wanganui
Whanganui , also spelled Wanganui, is an urban area and district on the west coast of the North Island of New Zealand. It is part of the Manawatu-Wanganui region....
Cemetery Circuit
Cemetery Circuit
Cemetery Circuit is a temporary motorcycle street racetrack in downtown Wanganui, New Zealand. It was named because the track circles the old town cemetery. The daylong meeting is traditionally held on Boxing Day each year and has been running since 1951...
on one of his old bikes.
New Zealand Castrol Six Hour wins
- 1978: Dave Hiscock and Neil Chivas – Suzuki GS1000
- 1979: Dave Hiscock and Neil Chivas – Suzuki GSX1100 (first model)
- 1980: Dave Hiscock and Neil Chivas – Suzuki GSX1100 Black piper
- 1982: Dave and Neville HiscockNeville HiscockNeville Hiscock was a New Zealand motorcycle racer in the 1970s and 1980s. He raced competitively in New Zealand, Australia, and South Africa....
– Suzuki GSX1100 Katana - 1985: Dave Hiscock and Neil Chivas – Suzuki GSX-750
Australian Castrol Six Hour placings
- 1978: eighth place, Dave Hiscock and Peter Fleming – Suzuki GS750; 350 laps completed.
- 1979: fifth place, Dave Hiscock and Peter Fleming – Suzuki GS1000; 357 laps completed.
- 1980: ninth place, Dave Hiscock and Alan Hales – Suzuki GSX1100; 313 laps completed.
- 1981: fourth place, Dave Hiscock and Neil Chivas – Suzuki GSX1100; 310 laps completed.
- 1985: sixth place, Dave Hiscock and Neil Chivas – Suzuki GSX-R750; 234 laps completed.