Lea Gourlay on the 500 Paton leading a team of poms : Rod Tingate demoing the Konig : Hugh Anderson demoing the RA31 V4 125 Yamaha : flypasts from a P40 Kittyhawk : LamboNZ appearing on a Benelli : how was it, Nigel ?

No pictures Glenn?

Let's hope, Gra : I'm in Perth !

Is that along way from New Zealand then?
Hopefully Nige has got some good 'uns'?

PS, you were just teasing with the list of riders then!

Not at all, that was the lineup but Nigel was going to have a gallop on a Benelli, so as he'd appeared on another thread tonight (NZ time) I was hoping he'd spring with some info. Looks like tomorrow now. Also I saw Ginger Molloy at the Island a couple of weeks ago, he'd entered for Puke and was hopeful of riding but early last year he had a big fall down some stairs at his joint and fractured his skull. He claims it's ok and he certainly looks well, but I seem to recall that these days in NZ if you have any form of head injury they immediately pounce on your licence. Fingers crossed for Mr Smooth : not only is he still quick (and he'd have to be in his 70s by now), but he is a good guy as well. And a GP winner ( '66 Ulster 250). And the first man to put a two-stroke on a 500 rostrum (Jarama 1970, 360 Bultaco). And got 2nd behind Ago in the 1970 500 title on the H1R Kawasaki. And third in the 1968 125 title on a Bully behind Read and Ivy's Yamahas.
Oh, ALL RIGHT ! I'm a fan....

Just off to work, but will give more detail and some pics later.
Basically to some it up for me, mechanical dramas on the bike I was supposed to run (never got it going) missed all of practice and not ridden one ot these before. Borrowed the other team bike for what would have been my second race- finished fifth. sunday shared one bike with Steve Jones again and rode in the unlimited scratch race finished third behind a 750 Norton and 500 something (Goldie I think?) should have been second but overcooked the hairpin on the last lap! God fun though, but very noisey!

Great stuff Nige

Good to see you still have the old book of excuses to hand

Hurry up and get the pics up

Sounds like you did quite well considering mate. look forward to some piccies


David

Thanks Brendan, You don't mind if I keep your book a bit longer, seeing as you are too old to race now do you?

One of me on the little Benelli

Little Benelli or BIG Nige!!?
Good pic Nigel, got any paddock shots?

Hmm, was a bit of a big Christmas!

Just uploading some more pics

Yamaha RA 31 A (V4 125) and a real eardrum splitter!

You got some of them ' fit all size stretch leathers ' then Nige ??

....and the rest of the line up Yamahas through the years




will post more tomorrow, have most of these individually, plus others.



Regards, 'a slighty deafer than before the weekend' Lambo

Great pics , Nige , I used to stand open - mouthed drooling over the RA 31 and it's big brother the RD05 , back in '67 , and they are still works of art

Yeah, they are that good, they might even fit you with the zip undone Philch

Great shots Nigel.

touche

Thanks Nigel, hope you had a good weekend. I think that #55 TZ700 used to belong to my brother...and what about the RA31 with... NO MUFFLERS !! Finally a victory for common sense...

That V4 125 is simply mouthwatering. It looks like it´s just been unpacked straight from the factory, copper locking wire and all. I take it Ferry Brower and team were there, or does that belong to a private collector in NZ?

You cant beat a bit of copper locking wire.


That 125 is georgeous drool drool,even the bike bench is spotless.


I was on the startline for the 07 parade lap at the tt and there was one of those v4 125s warming up amongst other exotica as well as legends such as Paddy Driver ,Stuart Graham etc etc the noise and fumes were something else.Put shivers down me spine i tell ya.

I might need to borrow the book back soon Nige,plenty of talk about going to Spa in the summer.(only talk mind)

Was my old mate Paul Dobbs having a run around?

Superb photos Nigel

Yeah Paul Dobbs had a couple of wins, not sure how many, he beat Lea Gourlay in one of the races I saw. This was the unlimited when Dobbsy was riding the trick F750 Norton.

Some more of the Yamamhas in the display

Hi Glen,

This TZ 700 is from Trevor Taylor's vast collection, not sure if it was your brother's one originally. I thought that Kerry and Alastair Wilton had that one?

Great photos Nigel, but where are the Benelli pics?

Here are 6 of them, plus a 350 Harley. The one I was supposed to ride is 570, but we swapped the fairings to use 757

This bike was mentioned on one of the recent threads with Dave Hiscock riding it in the TT etc.

No, that's the one, complete with the period Vesco seat as fitted. It was ex-Jim Allen (Dunlop USA gun), ex-Dale Wylie (Coppertone) bike. As far as I know, the engine in it now is out of the old Rodger Freeth TZ that was known as the Viko Special.

Rather a lot of Oriental gear invading the paddock...could the NZCMRR be weakening in their resolve....?

Hi have just been reading about the RA31/A what an incredible machine it had a 9 speed gbox and would rev to 17000 it must sound bloody awesome,anyone have a soundtrack of it.fantastic foto's too.

Just found this what a fantastic sound http://www.vintagebike.co.uk/Sounds/Yamaha...20V4%201967.mp3

28 YEARS ON SHE'S STILL A LOOKER

I read that Yamaha sent the bike over from their museum in Japan just for the event. So I guess you're right in it was just unpacked straight from the factory!

paul

Trevor also has the winged Freeth TZ in his collection.

The Yamaha display was just to sideshow the RA 31 A, apparentently Hugh Anderson had to convince mr McIntosh and Mr Mcreedy to allow them.

This is the follow on bike from the ally one, known as the Plastic Fantastic

Nigel,

Hi and hope you are well. Looks like a great meeting, and fantastic photos - 'TZ's through the ages' and the RA31 too. I can remember them racing on the Island when Dennis and I were still riding round on our pushbikes!! Yamaha and MV both used to stay at the Bay Hotel near where we lived - we saw the 125 being stripped down after practice and its tiny pistons and con rods. Occasionally they would start one up - fantastic sound, but I don't think the hotel management liked it when they did. We were fascinated by the Japanese mechanics - their blackboards with funny writing we couldn't understand, and the very strange looking stuff they would eat out of little bowls with sticks!!

Like the Benellis, and I see an Aermacchi HD twin in the background there too - a rare beast!

All the best.

Ray

This post is why I log on every night!!!

I hesitated for a while before commenting on the subject, in fear of wrongly being seen as trying to spoil the fun, however I feel it needs to be stated that if this splendid machine is part of Ferry Brouwer's Yamaha Classic Racing Team, then it is a brand new, newly built machine. Mind you, it is a very official "replica", built with Yamaha's blessing and help, and Ferry makes no mystery about it in the official YCRT homepage , if you read the descriptions many machines are described as either "newly built" or "re-built with genuine period parts", whereas some are said to be originals, like the two 125 twins of "Chas and Kent" .

http://www.yamaha-classic-racingteam.nl/si...p?page=machines

When you think about it, of course it wouldn't make any sense to parade the original models when they still exist , neither from a historical value , nor rider safety's point of view. I believe that the 250 V4 that was paraded at the 1998 Assen Centennial TT was the original one from the Yamaha museum - but the one which is in Ferry's team today is also a replica - it is well stated on the website, and I had gotten first hand confirmation of that fact at the 2008 Coupes Moto Légende at Dijon from the mouth of Michelle Duff, who was riding it there and told me it was "brand new" .

But there again, I'm not wishing to sound negative, I feel that Yamaha are doing a great job by helping and endorsing Ferry's team and it's great to see those machines running at a good pace, helped by the modern components they are built with. The only point that I'm not 100 % in agreement with are the totally new creations that are in the squad, of models which never existed at the time, like the Morbidelli/RTM engined 350-4 "Yamaha" , or the 4 stroke 250-4 ( gorgeous noise ) - lovely pieces of engineering, but which in my opinion bring a little bit of confusion to the "Yamaha Classic" concept. But it's no big deal.

I could live with a new one Phillippe Nice to know some of the background though. Thanks.



David

the race car fraternity get very animated about "recreations","replicas"or "continuations" I remember one member on here commenting that "Replicas are like Zombies ,they move but have no soul"

still a treat to see though

Stu,

Hi and thanks for your kind comment - I thought I might have been rambling on a bit there actually!! We were very lucky to have grown up on the Island, and been there during what I think was a great era of racing. Our dad took us to watch our first TT in 1965, and we saw every race up to 1972 when we left the Island, other than a couple when I was taking my GCE exams. I had to do one of them at the school on Bray Hill, with the 350 race going on outside - it was agony!!

All the best.

Ray

I had to endure that agony during the TT of '67 , I had to sit the City & Guilds on the friday morning , while we could hear the 50's screeching down Bray Hill and beyond .
But made it to Glen Helen for the Senior

Fil,

You too!! Why did they do that to us?? It should definitely not have been allowed!! Bad luck with the fifites, but then again missing the 67 Senior would have been far worse!! What a race - could it have been the greatest ever?? It has to be up there with the best of them. Were you clinging on to that steep Bank at Glen Helen then?

We were at the entrance to Bedstead Corner - perched on top of the bank, as everywhere else was really crowded. When Ago's chain broke and he didn't appear I think people were fearing the worst, but just after the news came through he coasted past us - and everyone stood up and clapped. He was obviously gutted, and just about holding it together. What an amazing effort by those two - and so determined of Hailwood to press on despite the problems with the throttle - a privilege to have been there.

I didn't realise you were a Manxman Fil - do you still live on the Island??


ATB

Ray

[quote name='Ray Oldam' date='Feb 14 2010, 14:36' post='4142835']
Fil,

You too!! Why did they do that to us?? It should definitely not have been allowed!! Bad luck with the fifites, but then again missing the 67 Senior would have been far worse!! What a race - could it have been the greatest ever?? It has to be up there with the best of them. Were you clinging on to that steep Bank at Glen Helen then?

We were at the entrance to Bedstead Corner - perched on top of the bank, as everywhere else was really crowded. When Ago's chain broke and he didn't appear. I think people were fearing the worst but just after the news came through he coasted past us - and everyone stood up and clapped. He was obviously gutted, and just about holding it together. What an amazing effort by those two - and so determined of Hailwood to press despite the problems with the throttle - a privilege to have been there.

I didn't realise you were a Manxman Fil - do you still live on the Island??


ATB

Ray

No , Ray , I was there on holiday , but had to take the C & G whilst there , from memory , I was'nt the only non-local who had to do the same
Wow , the Senior , as you say , what a race , yep , we were on the banking , and to see SMBH standing on the footrests , wrestling the big ( for that time ) Honda was indeed , something special , and i'll never forget .