Brian Kirby , I see you
Posted by john vanlandingham
Haggis Muncher Professional Moderator Location: Haggisland UK Join Date: 01/04/2013 Age: Possibly Wise Posts: 409 Rally Car: VWs (for my sins) |
John Vanlandingham Mega Moderator Location: Ford Asylum, Sleezattle, WA Join Date: 12/20/2005 Age: Fossilized Posts: 14,152 Rally Car: Saab 96 V4 |
No, sorry, that was Lindstrand, sold thru Torsten "Torskan" Hallman Products (Now known as "THOR=Torsten Hallman Off Road" 
in San Diego--a 2-3 person outfit with Lars Larsson running it.. Met Lars in '69 (?) he never went home, became known as "Ol' Sueco" In a marvelous mixing of languages.. Ol' and Sueco is "Swede" in Spanish Last chatted with Lars in last bike race I did: Trask Mountain ISDE Qualifier 1992 A funny thing with this boot bidness is all the MFGs sold in USA substantially taller boots that in European markets....even in Sweden where a LOT of the guys were 6'4" and the boots sold there looked like Converse Hi Tops on these guys.. But in the US if you weren't 6'2" then the boots came to mid knee.. I wonder what years this "first avaialble in the US" was? Cause I tweren't here. John Vanlandingham Sleezattle, WA, USA Vive le Prole-le-ralliat www.rallyrace.net/jvab CALL +1 206 431-9696 Remember! Pacific Standard Time is 3 hours behind Eastern Standard Time. |
Brian Kirby Super Moderator Location: Newnan, Georgia Join Date: 01/12/2013 Age: Possibly Wise Posts: 18 Rally Car: 1981 Husqvarna 430CR |
Anders Green Mod Moderator Location: Raleigh, NC Join Date: 03/30/2006 Age: Possibly Wise Posts: 1,478 Rally Car: Parked |
Sorry Brian, but on this, you are mistaken. The "no two strokes" was implemented without any cares about which bikes were faster or slower, which were more powerful or effecient, which would dominate, and certainly without caring if any manufacturer would have a preference. Of course, any one of those would make an excellent rumor, but it's not true. It has everything to do with appearance of the sport and public relations with the towns and areas we go. You show up on a completely legal two stroke from 30 years ago, race, and everything is fine. But a week later _I_ am still getting calls about "those dirt bikes on the roads" from the mayor and the chief of police, because THEY got calls from their townspeople. Yes, this actually happens. "Yes, I knew about it" I explain "no, it's legal, yes, it's a two stroke, oh, yes, I know they were banned, no, this one is older, from before the ban, yes, they actually made those, yes, it was registered, ...." The end result of supporting it does not merit the effort of doing so. Guys, I'm a volunteer. It's enough work as it is. Bikes that are legal for RallyMoto can be picked up on craigslist for, what a couple grand or less? And likely sold the weekend after the rally for the same price after some nice race prep work was done. Pick one up and come join us. Or just borrow one! 
Anders Grassroots rally. It's what I think about. |
A.J. Johnson Elite Moderator Location: Pendleton OR Join Date: 01/07/2011 Age: Midlife Crisis Posts: 1,381 Rally Car: 88 Audi 80 |
Brian Kirby Super Moderator Location: Newnan, Georgia Join Date: 01/12/2013 Age: Possibly Wise Posts: 18 Rally Car: 1981 Husqvarna 430CR |
OK, I understand that. I really never considered the "week after the rally" issues. As long as the bike was legit it seems like it should absolve you of any responsibility, but I know thats now how it works in practice.
I already own a couple of legal bikes but I cant swing it this year, I have a race the next weekend in Gainsville Florida. Maybe next year, which will give me more than a year to find the exact bike I want for maximum shock value.
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Haggis Muncher Professional Moderator Location: Haggisland UK Join Date: 01/04/2013 Age: Possibly Wise Posts: 409 Rally Car: VWs (for my sins) |
I've had my brain twirling away since this thread started and was thinking back to all those bike magazines I read as a young one.
The name Dave Bickers came to mind as I recall he had created a crazy trike to compete in the Weston Supermare beach race here in the UK. I recall it was made from a CBR1100 road bike that had a trike axle fabricated on to it and presumably some work on the front end too. The article mentioned it had open exhausts and could be heard above all other bikes. Apparently he was slipping the clutch looking for traction at around 120mph as he howled his way down the straights! Think he only managed a handful of laps with ther beast. It certainly sticks in my mind and he seemed quite the character when he was pictured sitting on it for a photo. A bit of a google and he was also involved in racing long before that trike caper. Found some old footage from the Saturday sports programme called Grandstand. It is before my time but you can see even then the two strokes giving the four strokes a hard time. 
Disappointingly not yet a Jackass |
John Vanlandingham Mega Moderator Location: Ford Asylum, Sleezattle, WA Join Date: 12/20/2005 Age: Fossilized Posts: 14,152 Rally Car: Saab 96 V4 |
Dave, from the tiny village of Coddenham, about 12 miles outside of Ipswich IS a character... Before there was a 250cc WORLD championship, there was the 250cc European Championship, and Dave was the 1960 and 1961 European Champion on a Greeves 250---made in Thunderesly, in Essex.... Dave was absolutely central is guiding and assisting me on my road to being an international racers and all with the most warm patience and good honest humor... I have to run but a will add to this...actually I often bring up Dave to the poor bastids locally cause he had a strong influence....I should tell you about the infamous ex-Swedish Post office RHD Ford Transit (with a nearly new York 2.4 diesel) that I was selling him once when I was all divorced and going back here to the NW.....We nearly went into "The Trucking Business" together when some warehouse foreman mistook us for "truckers" as in "Oi! when you boys are done unloading that, ya want a do a run up to Birmingham? He looks at me wif a smile and sparklie eye, I grin back and so " Right guv, whaddya got?" Much misadventures.. Oh and I know its 12 miles cause that what the sign said when I walked the distance one very cold, foggy night in December, 1970 when I was a weeeeee lad of 17*, and on my way to Sweden for the first time. Train arrived at Ipswich around 10PM and hauling TWO duffel bags I set off and arrived somewhere after 1.30 AM More later * actually I'm back down to the same hgt I was then... John Vanlandingham Sleezattle, WA, USA Vive le Prole-le-ralliat www.rallyrace.net/jvab CALL +1 206 431-9696 Remember! Pacific Standard Time is 3 hours behind Eastern Standard Time. |
Brian Kirby Super Moderator Location: Newnan, Georgia Join Date: 01/12/2013 Age: Possibly Wise Posts: 18 Rally Car: 1981 Husqvarna 430CR |
John Vanlandingham Mega Moderator Location: Ford Asylum, Sleezattle, WA Join Date: 12/20/2005 Age: Fossilized Posts: 14,152 Rally Car: Saab 96 V4 |
Ah but Dave neighbor and friend (From up the road in Bury St. Edmonds) John Banks was 2nd in 69 and 70 just behind Bengt Ã…berg. Bank's works BSA weighed like 88kg, used titanium shafts and gears and axles in the box, manesium everywhere, was 499.5cc and revved past 10,000...all to beat a ordinary Husky 400 pulled off the line and cleaned up a bit And Bengt ''Bent Axle'' Ã…berg might disagree about the highlighted bit (I know you're saying won the Title, but.....on this bike here, developed right there in the Stockholm garages of "Hallman-Eneqvist" or as we said "Eneman-Halmqvist", which I had seen now and again and finally lined up against at my 3rd and 4th ever Internationals "Trophee d'Pasque" at Chateau du Loir 
he won the season final 500 GP at Ettelbruck, Luxembourg, winning first heat and 3 rd in the second for overall win... I oughtter dig out photos from Chateau du Loir 1977. It was a National Team Challenge thing, 3 heats one day then 3 the next about 100 miles North. I didn't have a signed contract (for start money) so I was hoping for a no show and a last minute deal and heard that a guy on the Dutch team had broken an arm during the week, so I talked with the other Dutch guys and we went together to the promoter and well I got my start, and they handed me a Dutch flag to wear.... I put on the flag and pulled a hat down---a hat I had had for years---still do---that my then wife had knitted---it was well know.... and walked over to where the Swedes" Bengt, Lindfors--(club mate and used to share his garage) and a couple of others, and head down pretended to stumble and did the ol knee into the back of the knee ploy and mumbled 'Oh sorry sorry..." and there all "That's OK" and they all see the Dutch flag. They all about choke WHA!!! WTF!!! After 4-5 years as a "National" "Swede" here I am as a Dutchman.... I 'splained and lots of laughs.. Bengt was blindingly fast like top speed fast and nobody hung it off INSIDE in the off cambers like he did.... John Vanlandingham Sleezattle, WA, USA Vive le Prole-le-ralliat www.rallyrace.net/jvab CALL +1 206 431-9696 Remember! Pacific Standard Time is 3 hours behind Eastern Standard Time. |
Brian Kirby Super Moderator Location: Newnan, Georgia Join Date: 01/12/2013 Age: Possibly Wise Posts: 18 Rally Car: 1981 Husqvarna 430CR |
Brian Kirby Super Moderator Location: Newnan, Georgia Join Date: 01/12/2013 Age: Possibly Wise Posts: 18 Rally Car: 1981 Husqvarna 430CR |
Sean Medcroft Mod Moderator Location: Edmonds, Washington Join Date: 02/12/2009 Age: Possibly Wise Posts: 1,802 Rally Car: Building a Merkur |
Brian Kirby Super Moderator Location: Newnan, Georgia Join Date: 01/12/2013 Age: Possibly Wise Posts: 18 Rally Car: 1981 Husqvarna 430CR |
John Vanlandingham Mega Moderator Location: Ford Asylum, Sleezattle, WA Join Date: 12/20/2005 Age: Fossilized Posts: 14,152 Rally Car: Saab 96 V4 |
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