When Australian Bob Mitchell competed in the 1956 World Sidecar Championship on his Norton-powered outfit, one of the tricks he used was to spread talcum powder on the floor of the sidecar platform, thus making it easier for passenger Eric Bliss to move around. What other unusual tricks have been used in the past by both solo riders and sidecar pilots/passengers to help performance?
Tricks of the trade
Started by
Graham Clayton
, Feb 10 2012 00:55
16 replies to this topic
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#2
rd500
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Posted 10 February 2012 - 10:49
dont know if it was a trick or not but ive seen some things done to get hungover people through scrutineering!!! (not myself of course)
#3
Paul Rochdale
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Posted 10 February 2012 - 10:58
One method to prevent goggles misting up is to wipe over the lenses with a slice of potato, then wipe them clean. Fairy Liquid also is supposed to work. Personally I never found either worked.
Edited by Paul Rochdale, 10 February 2012 - 10:59.
#4
rd500
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Posted 10 February 2012 - 11:45
yes everyone seems to swear by fairy liquid but it never worked for me neither.
it was like taping your visor up in the fog/rain, it seemed to be pot luck if it worked or mabye i was doing it wrong.
it was like taping your visor up in the fog/rain, it seemed to be pot luck if it worked or mabye i was doing it wrong.
#5
MikeCa
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Posted 10 February 2012 - 12:59
yes everyone seems to swear by fairy liquid but it never worked for me neither.
it was like taping your visor up in the fog/rain, it seemed to be pot luck if it worked or mabye i was doing it wrong.
My own variation on the "how to see through your visor in the rain" theme, was to roll up a small piece of gaffa tape and stick it to the helmet to stop the visor closing completely. The resulting airstream kept fogging at bay. Only when it was torrential rain did this dodge have it's shortcomings as the rain would get blown in with the air leaving droplets on the inside which would stay there till the flag...
#6
Robin127
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Posted 10 February 2012 - 16:58
I always had pretty good luck with Fairy Liquid but I later took to putting tape across my face over the bridge of my nose to direct my breath down to the bottom of my helmet. One trick that I've heard about is the use of womens hygiene products on the front inside of the crash helmet to absorb sweat and prevent it running into the eyes.
#7
Rennmax
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#8
exclubracer
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Posted 11 February 2012 - 11:16
Maris Pipers are no good Paul, OK for making chips but too dry and gritty for the visor. A fresh Jersey is what you need.One method to prevent goggles misting up is to wipe over the lenses with a slice of potato, then wipe them clean. Fairy Liquid also is supposed to work. Personally I never found either worked.
#9
fil2.8
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Posted 11 February 2012 - 11:55
Another trick....
http://www.highsider...orati_83_07.htm
Yes , Renn , good old Walter
, you could tell where his mind was 
#10
Rennmax
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Posted 11 February 2012 - 15:53
Yes , Renn , good old Walter
Wasn't he imprisoned for dealing drugs?
#11
Sakkie
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Posted 11 February 2012 - 16:51
Don´t think it was for dealing, just transporting them from one country to another in his race transporter. Hell, a guy had to make ends meet some how, right?Wasn't he imprisoned for dealing drugs?
Particularly as the FIM kept the poor privateers on a shoe string budget.
#12
Marc Sproule
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Posted 11 February 2012 - 17:00
I don't know how effective it is/was but Bobby Brown used this method, something a lot of others in cars and on bikes snowmobiles reportedly used.....
http://www.flickr.co...157623311357576
http://www.flickr.co...157623311357576
#13
Robin127
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Posted 11 February 2012 - 17:31
I don't know how effective it is/was but Bobby Brown used this method, something a lot of others in cars and on bikes snowmobiles reportedly used.....
http://www.flickr.co...157623311357576
Yes it's very effective, a method I've used a lot.
#14
MikeCa
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Posted 11 February 2012 - 19:38
OK here's one that as far as I was aware at the time no-one else used....
Back in t' day when you had to push start your bike, TZs were not that easy to fire up. They'd always crack when you dropped the clutch but they would take a moment to pick up to the 10-11,000 revs you needed to get offf the line. I spent a long time and more than a few clutch plates perfecting my own TZ starting method.
We figured that when you did the zing, zing, zing thing that seemed to be obligatory on two stroke race bikes before shutting the throttles and letting the bike die, the cases were left full of pretty much nothing but warm air given that the carbs were set to close completely when you let go of the throttle.
So, our trick was to hold the bike at 3,000 rpm and stall it fairly violently. This worked a treat. As soon as you dropped the clutch all the vapour in the cases meant that the bike would 'explode' and take a wide open throttle pretty well immediately and hit the required 10-11K in no time. Once we had this figured I always stalled the bike well before everyone else to avoid them seeing or rather hearing what I was doing.
It worked so well you had to sit on the bike to start it. Pushing alongside you'd have not had the time to jump on the thing.
I actually won a few 'first into Riches, Paddock etc' bets thanks to this one and took money off a few names in the process.
Sadly my lack of speed everywhere else meant that I did not make the most of this one but at least we beat a few for the first yards.....
Mike
Back in t' day when you had to push start your bike, TZs were not that easy to fire up. They'd always crack when you dropped the clutch but they would take a moment to pick up to the 10-11,000 revs you needed to get offf the line. I spent a long time and more than a few clutch plates perfecting my own TZ starting method.
We figured that when you did the zing, zing, zing thing that seemed to be obligatory on two stroke race bikes before shutting the throttles and letting the bike die, the cases were left full of pretty much nothing but warm air given that the carbs were set to close completely when you let go of the throttle.
So, our trick was to hold the bike at 3,000 rpm and stall it fairly violently. This worked a treat. As soon as you dropped the clutch all the vapour in the cases meant that the bike would 'explode' and take a wide open throttle pretty well immediately and hit the required 10-11K in no time. Once we had this figured I always stalled the bike well before everyone else to avoid them seeing or rather hearing what I was doing.
It worked so well you had to sit on the bike to start it. Pushing alongside you'd have not had the time to jump on the thing.
I actually won a few 'first into Riches, Paddock etc' bets thanks to this one and took money off a few names in the process.
Sadly my lack of speed everywhere else meant that I did not make the most of this one but at least we beat a few for the first yards.....
Mike
#15
Robin127
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Posted 12 February 2012 - 02:56
OK here's one that as far as I was aware at the time no-one else used....
Back in t' day when you had to push start your bike, TZs were not that easy to fire up. They'd always crack when you dropped the clutch but they would take a moment to pick up to the 10-11,000 revs you needed to get offf the line. I spent a long time and more than a few clutch plates perfecting my own TZ starting method.
We figured that when you did the zing, zing, zing thing that seemed to be obligatory on two stroke race bikes before shutting the throttles and letting the bike die, the cases were left full of pretty much nothing but warm air given that the carbs were set to close completely when you let go of the throttle.
So, our trick was to hold the bike at 3,000 rpm and stall it fairly violently. This worked a treat. As soon as you dropped the clutch all the vapour in the cases meant that the bike would 'explode' and take a wide open throttle pretty well immediately and hit the required 10-11K in no time. Once we had this figured I always stalled the bike well before everyone else to avoid them seeing or rather hearing what I was doing.
It worked so well you had to sit on the bike to start it. Pushing alongside you'd have not had the time to jump on the thing.
I actually won a few 'first into Riches, Paddock etc' bets thanks to this one and took money off a few names in the process.
Sadly my lack of speed everywhere else meant that I did not make the most of this one but at least we beat a few for the first yards.....
Mike
My brother used to do the same thing with his Greeves, 3 paces and he was away, was always at the pointy end of the field into the first bend no matter where he was on the grid.
#16
Graham Clayton
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Posted 12 February 2012 - 04:11
Another trick of the 1950's was to get a mallet and make a couple of "dents" in the fuel tank. This was done so that your fingers would not jam against the fuel tank when you applied maximum steering lock.
#17
suzrg500
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Posted 12 February 2012 - 16:52
OK here's one that as far as I was aware at the time no-one else used....
Back in t' day when you had to push start your bike, TZs were not that easy to fire up. They'd always crack when you dropped the clutch but they would take a moment to pick up to the 10-11,000 revs you needed to get offf the line. I spent a long time and more than a few clutch plates perfecting my own TZ starting method.
We figured that when you did the zing, zing, zing thing that seemed to be obligatory on two stroke race bikes before shutting the throttles and letting the bike die, the cases were left full of pretty much nothing but warm air given that the carbs were set to close completely when you let go of the throttle.
So, our trick was to hold the bike at 3,000 rpm and stall it fairly violently. This worked a treat. As soon as you dropped the clutch all the vapour in the cases meant that the bike would 'explode' and take a wide open throttle pretty well immediately and hit the required 10-11K in no time. Once we had this figured I always stalled the bike well before everyone else to avoid them seeing or rather hearing what I was doing.
It worked so well you had to sit on the bike to start it. Pushing alongside you'd have not had the time to jump on the thing.
I actually won a few 'first into Riches, Paddock etc' bets thanks to this one and took money off a few names in the process.
Sadly my lack of speed everywhere else meant that I did not make the most of this one but at least we beat a few for the first yards.....
Mike
Hi Mike, I used a similar trick on my TZ's except I had a kill switch and used to hold it about 4k and then cut it on the switch which would suck in a nice gulp of fresh mixture ready for the start, as you say, 2 paces and a nudge on the tank, you did'nt even have to use any throttle on the initial clutch drop the revs would be straight up and you were away.
Was even easier on an RG, they had a thumb choke unlike the fiddly things on TZ carbs, so I used to kill it on the choke which would fill the cases nicely ready for the off, used to get some real flyers. Just ask mr Manley, used to really p**s him off
Martin
