Pictures from back in the day

[Bondo]

How about this one?

1973 Kawasaki S2 350 triple at Sanair

[Dewey]

751 Robin (Snake) Hardy 30 Don Vance

01 K Perry, I think

[ken marion #10]

keep the pictures coming, I love this kind of stuff. Hey Bondo, nice form, and no knee sliders!

[Dewey]

Hey Bondo, nice form, and no knee sliders!

I know!! And it looks like the passenger pegs are still there

[Bondo]

Knee sliders? In the 1970s? Sort of like asking where the fuel injection was - not happening.

If you look at the first pic of my 400, there's a patch sewn onto my right knee - I actually touched it down a few times and that's all I could come up with to cover the hole.

As for passenger pegs, Production Rules said the only things that could be changed were the bars, tires (to a better street type which meant K81 Dunlops) and chain and sprocket. That was it! In 1972, Ernie White, the CMA Chief Tech Guy took a stand that the 4.10 K81 we were using on the front wasn't stock and therefore, couldn't be used. Dunlop didn't make a 3.60 at that time so he actually wanted us to run with a good rear and crappy front. I know a couple of guys stuck on an Avon ribbed front and promptly ate the guardrail in Turn 1 at Mosport.

The rest of us said, "no way" so Ernie made the Executive decision that, seeing as we were flaunting The Rules, then we'd have to run in the racing class because obviously, the motorcycles were no longer stock. I dragged out a rule book and at the rider's meeting confronted him. "Ernie, the rulebook doesn't say anything about using a rear tire on the front and that's what we've done." We had him and the CMA backed into a corner that they didn't like so we got overruled and they actually sent us out in the 500 racing class.

Jim Allen on a TR500 Suzuki was engaged in a dogfight for the Number One plate with Yvon Duhamel on a Kawasaki H1R and in their wisdom, the CMA plugged up the track with a bunch of 350 Kawi triples and R5 Yamahas because they were using the wrong tires. The H1R and TR500 were doing about 150 mph at Mosport and our production bikes were lucky to hit 100 going into turn 8.

Imagine how pleasant that was for Jim and Yvon.

By the end of the year, they mad an "announcement" all by themselves that a 4.10 tire could be used in production racing.

And some people wonder why racers from that era absolutely detest the CMA. Well, that's just one instance in a whole logbook full of stupidity.

[BANDIT]

Not only is this a great picture thread (thanks to those that are posting) but it is also becoming a great annecdotal (sp) history thread (thanks to stories related by Steve) I hope it runs for a long time.
Much appreciated gents!

[ken marion #10]

I'm with Bandit. This thread has been facinating, especially the stories that go with the photos. I wish I had some photos to add myself. Up until the last five years all of my 30-something years involved in racing were as a spectator, but I do have some stories as a spectator. I remember the first world SBK race at Mosport in '89 and as I was walking around the paddock in awe of the international riders and their bikes I came upon a bit of a scuffle in behind the old garages. It was a young, still healing, Davide Tardozzi (he broke his collarbone at the previous round) getting literally pushed down the stairs behind the garage by a Mosport security member (maybe a young "Marcel Mosport"??) because he didint have the proper pass to be there. Kind of shoddy treatment for someone who would go on to become one of the most powerful men in the sport! After that had settled I turned to see then Ducati team boss Marco Luchinelli driving his rental car backwards down the paddock while staying alongside the walking Budweiser girls trying to find some companionship for that evening I would imagine! Ive got lots more but maybe we should start a new thread for stories only
ken

[Bondo]

Sanair again and it must be 1974, my first year as an Expert, this time on my 1972 H2 Kawasaki 750 triple. Number 66 is Derek Mitchell on a 1974 H2, who was sponsored by Manley's (which became Kawasaki Canada), the guy right behind me (can't recall his name) is on a Z1, and half hidden behind Derek is Jim Graham on another 1972 H2.

Later that year, Jim actually tossed this H2 into the pond at Loudon when he went down in the third turn. He said he hit the track, bounced and while he was in the air thought, "Man, this is gonna hurt." And then there was "sploosh." He said, "Sploosh??? What the f**k is Sploosh?" When he stood up (the pond was only about three feet deep), all he could see was one handlebar sticking up. We went and dragged the thing out later and towed it back to the pits behind his Z50 pitbike. The instruments were full of water but when we turned the key on, the neutral light lit up. Cool. We changed the oil, pulled the plugs and chuffed the water out, dried the ignition and it fired up that night. He rode it in the finals the next day.

[Dave M]

These stories and pictures are great. Thanks for passing them on . In fact,we'll take more-very entertaining. I often wish I had a racing history. I got here about 30 years too late!
Dave M

[Dewey]

The thought process was....I have to get a good start....which I did....but....



Two broken ankles got in the way

[BANDIT]

Sorry to hear that one guy had two broken ankles, but the rider in the second photo in red leathers and helmet, welllll, kinda looks like a "Power Ranger" getting ready to do battle with an enemy just out of frame!

[Dewey]

That's Tommy Douglas, he had just run over me. There were chucks of leather in the chain and sprockets of his bike, and my boots were scuffed up and very greasy.

Paul

[kozmo]

Great photos Paul!

Got to like that little dust cloud in the background, someone's taking a hard ride in the rhubarb!

That van brings back some memory's, I also had a ride in that van but with only one broken leg.

[thelittleguy]

Hey
I used to store that van every year on my farm when I was a crca marshall
I also had some rides in it too
Steve

[Bondo]

Couple more

1976 Nelson Ledges 5-Hour. There were so many entries, they split the field into "Under 500cc" and Over. I forget exactly how many were in the Under 500, but I'm pretty sure it was close to 60. The first pic is the LeMans start while the second is shortly after.





As usual, I'm bike number 8 and you can see in the bottom pic, I actually got a pretty good start.

This was one of the best races I was ever involved in as the first shift was a four way battle for the lead between Lang Hindle on an S3 400, Derek Mitchell on another S3, George Morin on an RD350 and myself on my S3. We started lapping guys on the fourth lap and every corner, there was a lead change. Or two.

Derek and his teammate, Ed Turjanica won, mainly because they welded up one big fuel tank out of two stock ones and made two less pitstops for fuel. My bike was second with Canadian 250 GP Champ Jim Arnold as co-rider and I think George and his riding partner was third.

I imagine some of our members would have a bird over 60 bikes on the track at one time but even at Mosport, some races routinely had over 40 entries. The 250 GP class used to have 45 bikes on a regular basis and there were NO two wave starts. The 350 Junior Production races would have bikes lined up from the overpass all the way down to turn 10 for the LeMans start.