Mike Healey on Whiskey Throttle Show

Suicidal_Tendencies
Edited Date/Time 12/16/2020 8:29am
Always been a fan of Mike's, but he seemed a bit nervous and uncomfortable in this interview. He also made some dubious claims. I'm wondering what Ping's thoughts are. I hope Mike is doing good these days.





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Ted722
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Ted722 12/11/2020 9:17pm
12/11/2020 9:17pm
I'm 45 minutes in. Not getting that impression...yet. Mike showing up is a win and good to see him reflect on his unique career on WTS.
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DoctorJD
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DoctorJD 12/12/2020 4:51am
12/12/2020 4:51am
Yea, I heard an interview with him a few years back and it was really good. This one, he seemed to be making stuff up. Like the part about the KTM dealer in Florida threatening to close his shop if Mike didn't get a 250 GP ride, and then KTM suddenly gives him a 250 ride...Ping and GL wanted to cal BS on that one.
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davistld01
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davistld01 12/12/2020 7:06am
12/12/2020 7:06am
Mike made some destructive, life controlling decisions...with addiction, and incarceration as a result of his actions fueled by that issue. He also got brutally slammed in the moto-media. He is an official "shoulda been", and I'm sure he's trying to gain some respect that maybe he feels he lost and is due. A lot of people "embelish" stories to create a buzz. Here is a great piece on Mike by Tony Blazier...

https://themotocrossvault.com/2018/07/27/mike-healey-adversity-addictio…
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Suicidal_Tendencies 12/12/2020 8:28am
12/12/2020 8:28am
DoctorJD wrote:
Yea, I heard an interview with him a few years back and it was really good. This one, he seemed to be making stuff up. Like...
Yea, I heard an interview with him a few years back and it was really good. This one, he seemed to be making stuff up. Like the part about the KTM dealer in Florida threatening to close his shop if Mike didn't get a 250 GP ride, and then KTM suddenly gives him a 250 ride...Ping and GL wanted to cal BS on that one.
He also said that in 91, at Washogual, he made Stanton crash out and it's what cost him the title to Bayle. But Stanton went 2-2 that day, and Healey was outside the top 10.
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8tensolutions
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8tensolutions 12/12/2020 8:28am
12/12/2020 8:28am
I listened to the whole thing yesterday and thought it was good. Mike seemed honest to me and some of the racing stories may have been embellished, but who knows? It sounded to me like he was always a little against "the man" with his tattoos etc and this cost him a lot of opportunities.
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Hamster 75 12/12/2020 8:34am
12/12/2020 8:34am
Just watched it & from over here he was certainly loved for his wild flat out racing style in Europe, he was one of the riders that stands out in my mind, pretty much all of the GP stories they told fit in with what I've seen & heard at the time.

My particular memory of him was going flat out into the massive whoop's at Hawkstone park 125 GP & laying his bike flat over a massive uphill jump at Hatherton Hall GP in England, we had never seen anybody do that at the time only Magoo in the magazines, that's why he is still loved in Europe.
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Suicidal_Tendencies 12/12/2020 8:44am
12/12/2020 8:44am Edited Date/Time 12/12/2020 8:49am
8tensolutions wrote:
I listened to the whole thing yesterday and thought it was good. Mike seemed honest to me and some of the racing stories may have been...
I listened to the whole thing yesterday and thought it was good. Mike seemed honest to me and some of the racing stories may have been embellished, but who knows? It sounded to me like he was always a little against "the man" with his tattoos etc and this cost him a lot of opportunities.
I like Healey, and I liked his stories. He just seemed really nervous to me, and I'm not quite sure how accurate a couple of his recollections were, like the Stanton/Washogual one.
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dpingree101
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dpingree101 12/12/2020 9:37am
12/12/2020 9:37am
I’ll say this about his recollection of events: We’ve had many long-retired racers on the show and their memory is often kind to them. There are many instances where guests said they finished on the podium or top-five, and a peek at the results will show them well outside those positions. It’s been over 20 years since some of these events, with a lot of hard miles in-between for Mike. I don’t focus on the exact results, but rather the story surrounding them. Mike is a sweetheart, always has been, he just made some really bad choices throughout his life and career.
One thing you can’t refute: he was inches away from being a supercross champ and a 250 world champion.
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crowe660
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crowe660 12/12/2020 9:50am
12/12/2020 9:50am
I was too young to remember him as a GP racer as I didn't follow GP's as a kid. I think I remember him being in a Crusty movie or two with baggy pants and bleached hair?? Anyone recall which movies he was in by chance?

Dude's made some rough choices, and while I could sit here and judge those decisions, he made it to a level I only dreamed of. So hats off to him for hanging it out his way. I think the sport needs a few guys like him in the pits once in a while to keep it interesting. I'm sure he has some haters, but I doubt he gives a fuck lol..

Thanks for the stories Mike. It was a good listen.
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Sprew
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Sprew 12/12/2020 9:54am
12/12/2020 9:54am
dpingree101 wrote:
I’ll say this about his recollection of events: We’ve had many long-retired racers on the show and their memory is often kind to them. There are...
I’ll say this about his recollection of events: We’ve had many long-retired racers on the show and their memory is often kind to them. There are many instances where guests said they finished on the podium or top-five, and a peek at the results will show them well outside those positions. It’s been over 20 years since some of these events, with a lot of hard miles in-between for Mike. I don’t focus on the exact results, but rather the story surrounding them. Mike is a sweetheart, always has been, he just made some really bad choices throughout his life and career.
One thing you can’t refute: he was inches away from being a supercross champ and a 250 world champion.

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fullfloater
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fullfloater 12/12/2020 11:40am
12/12/2020 11:40am
Loved Ping's reaction to the Trampas Parker story. Great show Ping. Keep it up.
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toomanykaws
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toomanykaws 12/12/2020 11:48am
12/12/2020 11:48am
There have been a few Trampas Parker interviews in pod form. They are pretty interesting if even just for learning about the GP’s of that era. As fans we may all love MX/SX in the US. But the GP’s in the 80-90s were a whole different level just in terms of fans.
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Darrin Willis
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Darrin Willis 12/12/2020 1:53pm
12/12/2020 1:53pm
I friggin loved that interview. Yes im thinking a little bit was bs. But hey we all stretch the truth now and again.
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SCC
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SCC 12/12/2020 2:39pm
12/12/2020 2:39pm
Great show. As real as it gets. Proud of Mike for doing it.
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wpark89
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wpark89 12/12/2020 2:47pm
12/12/2020 2:47pm
This was 30 years ago. Sure doesn’t seem like like...but it was. I don’t at all think Mike was trying to make up stuff or lie...that’s just how he remembers the stories and he’s been through a lot so I’d say he gets a pass. Maybe he jacked with Stanton a little in practice or something at Washougal in 91...but no big deal, most every old racer I know is half full of BS. These guys generally aren’t super fans of themselves like some of us and spend time studying all their race results in the vault.

I appreciate Mike coming on the show. I’d say it takes some guts after the road he went down. You can watch old Golden State or GP videos on YouTube and see that despite his image he always seemed a little shy and bit uneasy in interviews.

Good work asking the hard questions Ping...keep it up.

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tuttle425 12/12/2020 3:57pm
12/12/2020 3:57pm
DoctorJD wrote:
Yea, I heard an interview with him a few years back and it was really good. This one, he seemed to be making stuff up. Like...
Yea, I heard an interview with him a few years back and it was really good. This one, he seemed to be making stuff up. Like the part about the KTM dealer in Florida threatening to close his shop if Mike didn't get a 250 GP ride, and then KTM suddenly gives him a 250 ride...Ping and GL wanted to cal BS on that one.
Suicidal_Tendencies wrote:
He also said that in 91, at Washogual, he made Stanton crash out and it's what cost him the title to Bayle. But Stanton went 2-2...
He also said that in 91, at Washogual, he made Stanton crash out and it's what cost him the title to Bayle. But Stanton went 2-2 that day, and Healey was outside the top 10.
One thing I’ve learned watching all these old riders in interviews is that their memories are horrible.
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CPR
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CPR 12/12/2020 5:07pm
12/12/2020 5:07pm
DoctorJD wrote:
Yea, I heard an interview with him a few years back and it was really good. This one, he seemed to be making stuff up. Like...
Yea, I heard an interview with him a few years back and it was really good. This one, he seemed to be making stuff up. Like the part about the KTM dealer in Florida threatening to close his shop if Mike didn't get a 250 GP ride, and then KTM suddenly gives him a 250 ride...Ping and GL wanted to cal BS on that one.
Suicidal_Tendencies wrote:
He also said that in 91, at Washogual, he made Stanton crash out and it's what cost him the title to Bayle. But Stanton went 2-2...
He also said that in 91, at Washogual, he made Stanton crash out and it's what cost him the title to Bayle. But Stanton went 2-2 that day, and Healey was outside the top 10.
tuttle425 wrote:
One thing I’ve learned watching all these old riders in interviews is that their memories are horrible.
Except Reed’s WTS- that guy’s memory is freaky!
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3N1MX
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3N1MX 12/12/2020 5:10pm
12/12/2020 5:10pm
Mike was a incredible rider and I was thinking of Mike “Young Gun” Young when they were talking about the Cagiva days as Mike Young was a young kid also on the Cagiva factory program, he would have 6 bikes in the garage to keep 1 running haha
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Sierra Ranger
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Sierra Ranger 12/12/2020 5:44pm
12/12/2020 5:44pm Edited Date/Time 12/12/2020 5:46pm
I enjoyed it, and have a lot of respect for what Healey accomplished. He always seemed to be swimming against the tide. As I heard story after story about how we was screwed over by this person or that, it occurred to me the common denominator was a hot-headed Mike Healey. Grinning I'm glad he's in a better place these days.
I just watched a bio of Mickey Rourke and they remind me of each other- they don't like authority and enjoyed raising hell in their prime.
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crashnuke
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crashnuke 12/12/2020 7:56pm
12/12/2020 7:56pm
Married the same woman THREE Fuckiiing times. WTF.
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Boomslang
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Boomslang 12/12/2020 9:02pm
12/12/2020 9:02pm
crashnuke wrote:
Married the same woman THREE Fuckiiing times. WTF.
You kidding right????
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Sierra Ranger
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Sierra Ranger 12/12/2020 9:41pm
12/12/2020 9:41pm
crashnuke wrote:
Married the same woman THREE Fuckiiing times. WTF.
Boomslang wrote:
You kidding right????
Matiasevitch married the same woman at least twice.It happens more often than you think. Any dude that has been married might understand the complexities of these types of relationships. Grinning
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Boomslang
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Boomslang 12/13/2020 1:11am
12/13/2020 1:11am
Mine was a serious question. People get divorced for whatever the reasons then realize that they are still in love and give it another go...but three times boggles my mind. Anyways....moving on.
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cdm806
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cdm806 12/13/2020 2:29am
12/13/2020 2:29am
08r1dilla wrote:
Punched Stanton in the face?
Yeah, that didn't happen.
Muscle-Milk-KTM 12/13/2020 4:02am
12/13/2020 4:02am
08r1dilla wrote:
Punched Stanton in the face?
cdm806 wrote:
Yeah, that didn't happen.
I haven’t watched the show yet, but are you telling me they talk about the Stanton incident ?
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cdm806
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cdm806 12/13/2020 7:55am
12/13/2020 7:55am
08r1dilla wrote:
Punched Stanton in the face?
cdm806 wrote:
Yeah, that didn't happen.
Muscle-Milk-KTM wrote:
I haven’t watched the show yet, but are you telling me they talk about the Stanton incident ?
I by talk about it, you're asking if Healey lied his ass off about most of his career, then yes.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4HNxpwRiOcs <--- Moto 1 1991 Suzuka

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6vJqGkV5isY <-- Moto 2

Stanton never touched him either moto, Healey just wasn't fast enough. Period.
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