The better riders earn good money in road racing. In BSB next to no one earns decent money. I went to the Foggy and Whit show last week and asked why the best road riders are generally nowhere near the front on short circuit races. They both said the best short circuit riders would win at road racing if they put the effort into learning the roads. It's a strange world and we don't always understand why we do and like different things.
Too old for me to remember him competing, but he did own and run a motorcycle accessory and parts distribution company that i used to deal with in the 80's and early 90's. Obviously loved his two wheels. RIP
Met him once, seemed a nice enough bloke. Certainly heard plenty about him over the years. RIP fella.
He also a had a film stunt company (which is still going) and he 'invented' the 'cannon' which you see in most action films where a vehicle gets flipped over by an explosion.......... .........basically an effng great pipe welded into the vehicle with a lump of telegraph pole inside, and an explosive charge behind it..... BBC News - Motocross star and Bond stuntman Dave Bickers dies aged 76