38 replies to this topic

[rd500]

hi folks, i am asking if anyone on the forum could give me an insight to what it was actually like to ride a gp50/80/125/250/350/500/750/sidecars from any of the era's as i never got to ride a gp spec machine, but you always imagine how light a 125 is on the track or the brute force of a tz750.

any experiences or thoughts you could share?

cheers ian

Edited by rd500, 18 July 2011 - 09:54.

[tonyed]

Never too late to try:

For the 75 grand experience contact Jim.

http://www.racebikem..._1310822192.php

[rd500]

the bank manager would have me on speed dial if i had that sort of cash kicking about, thats when you hope the old lottery comes in tony! cracking bit of kit though

[tonyed]

the bank manager would have me on speed dial if i had that sort of cash kicking about, thats when you hope the old lottery comes in tony! cracking bit of kit though

Jim let me borrow the YZR and the TZ500 last year for the Stafford show.

I had them (and my Frepin TZ350) in my workshop for several nights.

I had visions of 'abducting' them and heading for the paint sprayers and denying all knowledge

Luverlly Jubbley

I've tried to persuade the better half to live in a motorhome whilst we travelled the European circuits, but so far no luck.

[Paul Collins]

hi folks, i am asking if anyone on the forum could give me an insight to what it was actually like to ride a gp50/80/125/250/350/500/750/sidecars from any of the era's as i never got to ride a gp spec machine, but you always imagine how light a 125 is on the track or the brute force of a tz750.

any experiences or thoughts you could share?

cheers ian

Well although it was 1978 I still have a clear memory of the first time I threw a leg over my TZ350 and accelerated up Coppice at Cadwell then tipped into Charlies, I merely looked at the first apex and the bike just went there, the overwelming feeling was that I was riding something purposely designed for exactly what I was doing with it, that gave me confidence.

In later years my 500 Shepherd Honda was roadster based and when I was on the limit with it I was always conscious that although heavily modified I was on a road bike doing something it wasnt really designed for.

[larryd]

hi folks, i am asking if anyone on the forum could give me an insight to what it was actually like to ride a gp50/80/125/250/350/500/750/sidecars from any of the era's as i never got to ride a gp spec machine, but you always imagine how light a 125 is on the track or the brute force of a tz750.

any experiences or thoughts you could share?

cheers ian

Aermacchi Metisse, Yamahas TZ 250G, 350D through to H, Formula Two: 1976 to 1986.

Circuits and road races - IOM, England and at home in Ireland.

It was FUN, Ian.



After I quit, it seemed that the only comparable acceleration "rush" that I got was when taking off in a jet airliner.

Looking at today's "sport", I don't believe it's fun any more . . . . . . .

[rd500]

cheers guys, i only ever raced on slightly modded proddie 250s, a guy i knew back then had picked up an ex mick grant tz350 and he said it was the fastest accelerating bike he hed ever been on and he was doing a lot of the bigger classes aswell.

i remember i got one of the kr1 kawas and was amazed at how light it was (123kg) but it shocked me to think at the time a 500 gp bike was abut 10kg lighter and had about 3 times the power.

was there a lot of diffrence engine wise on performance between a F2 and a tz350 ?

Edited by rd500, 19 July 2011 - 01:01.

[larryd]

cheers guys, i only ever raced on slightly modded proddie 250s, a guy i knew back then had picked up an ex mick grant tz350 and he said it was the fastest accelerating bike he hed ever been on and he was doing a lot of the bigger classes aswell.

i remember i got one of the kr1 kawas and was amazed at how light it was (123kg) but it shocked me to think at the time a 500 gp bike was abut 10kg lighter and had about 3 times the power.

was there a lot of diffrence engine wise on performance between a F2 and a tz350 ?

Very much depended on who built your F2 engine, Ian.

I did mine meself, and it was a hell of a lot slower than the TZ motor.

However, if you bought a "professionally" built one, it would be every bit as quick if not quicker!

First man I remember to show competitively against TZs was Ron Sherry on his self-modded 350LC, but then he was (is) quite eccentric, if anyone remembers.

Brian Reid, and others, were fit to win open 350 road races here in Ireland, leaving TZs in their wake . . . . . . . . .

Like I said, fun!!

[Paul Collins]

I locked horns with a few of the Arnie Fletcher prepared F2's and they were as quick as my TZ350, plus they could pull a yard or two out of slow corners.

Ian, talking of KR1's, after i'd packed up racing I got an offer to co ride in a 4 hour club endurance race on KR1S, I hadnt raced for nearly 3 years but had kept my licence going, as my co-rider was a steady plodder I felt that despite being a bit rusty I wouldnt be holding them back so I went for it.

The bike was pretty much bog standard but for a road bike I must say the handling and braking was amazing, it could have done with another 10mph or so down the straights but I think we finished 4th in class at the end.

In later years I was lucky enough to ride the latest 125 & 250 Hondas quite a bit due to my involvement with a couple of teams, usually just for tyre scrubbing and plug chops, the best RS250 I ever threw a leg over was the ex John McGuinness British championship winning bike from 96, the team I was helping bought it from Paul Bird at the end of the season and I got a gallop on it, that bike was fully sorted and had a JHA kit, it was basically one step behind the works stuff, a very tasty piece of kit, and a league above a customer spec RS.

The other thing which impressed me was just how quick the 125's got in the end, by the late 1990's the acceleration of those things was amazing, in comparison I would say the 96 onward RS125 was on a par with a TZ350.

[rd500]

i know a couple of guys who both ride supersport that have ridden 125s and they were shocked to say the least, i think it staggered them how something so small could be so fast!

yes the kr1 was a good bike but i felt it was geared all wrong, to the point in the year i had it i had put 4 teeth on the back sproket, didn't matter what track you went to you could never get the thing out of 4th gear as the gearing was set for 140 mph standard, as you say paul a great handling bike. i replaced it with a rgv in 90 which was my last year.

i remember the vimto trucks for the bird team sitting just down the road from me at a fabrication unit getting fitted out, it would have been nice to see the bikes up close but i remember them on track, bird had a 500 v twin for john to ride in those years also, he said the biggest problem with it was keeping the front wheel on the floor.

[jaybee49]

I remember when my brother asked me to help him run his 350/500’s one Wednesday practise session at Brands in preparation for a GP. He read me the riot act about not getting any ‘red mist’ moments, and the like - NOT to fall off and just circulate, ‘and put some miles on it‘. The bike felt okay but I had to keep the revs down as per my ‘orders’ so really did not feel the benefit of it.

John was circulating on the 500 and mostly me on the 350. Also, testing that day was Phil Read on a 350 Yamaha. So as I came out of Clearways he rushed by then as I exited the hairpin John shot by and as I exited Paddock the next lap Phil went by again then as I exited clearways John went by again and so it went on. I kept to the rev limit and the only possibility of me falling off was from the wind as they both rushed by me. Shame really, as I would loved to have given the bike its head and got a bit more fun out of the experience..

I did also get a ride on the G50 MEL Mettise that Pat Mahoney rode later (the one with stubby seat) also at Brands which was really nice.

A few years later I badgered him at the Nurburgring for a go on the restored URS/Fath sidecar or the solo version even but he said - NO!

Photo me at Paddock Bend on the MEL G50 - Note smile on face…

[Herr Wankel]

Remember Ron Sherry very well Larry.He made Joey (bless him) look tidy !

HW

[fil2.8]

John was circulating on the 500 and mostly me on the 350. Also, testing that day was Phil Read on a 350 Yamaha. So as I came out of Clearways he rushed by then as I exited the hairpin John shot by and as I exited Paddock the next lap Phil went by again then as I exited clearways John went by again and so it went on. I kept to the rev limit and the only possibility of me falling off was from the wind as they both rushed by me.

Fair play to you , Jim

[rd500]

pictures a classic, good stuff jim

[Paul Collins]

Another interesting one i've just remembered, I was setting up a 250 at Jurby one day when I guy I knew called Hugh Huws turned up with his Norton rotary, he'd basically built a JPS replica racer, the motor had been given the Brian Crighton treatment and it went, looked and sounded awesome.

This was around the time that Spray & Nation were dominating the UK scene on them, I got a blast on this one and it was very interesting to be able to compare it with the type of thing I was used to.

It had a fantastic spread of power and plenty of it, I did notice a couple of things that Spray & Nation had mentioned, in that it tended to run on a bit into corners when you closed the throttle, and had a little fueling glitch when you first got on the power, I recall them saying it was a difficult bike to ride in the wet and could see exactly what they meant, but all in all an awesome bit of kit.

The next day in the Senior Manx Grand Prix, one of the travelling marshals told me he'd followed Hugh down off the mountain and seen over 170mph on the run down to the Creg!!

Edited by Paul Collins, 20 July 2011 - 16:45.

[terryshep]

Aermacchi Metisse, Yamahas TZ 250G, 350D through to H, Formula Two: 1976 to 1986.

Circuits and road races - IOM, England and at home in Ireland.

It was FUN, Ian.



After I quit, it seemed that the only comparable acceleration "rush" that I got was when taking off in a jet airliner.

Looking at today's "sport", I don't believe it's fun any more . . . . . . .

Come on, Larry, of course it's fun! How can you ride a genuine racing bike and not enjoy it? Just you, the bike and that lovely road, there for your pleasure..... Sit yourself on a MotoGP Honda and tell me you don't feel a thrill. Never mind the politics in the pits, once you're out there it all melts away. Why do we have to get old?

[tonyed]

Why do we have to get old?

'Fraid it comes with time.

I was convinced by the time I was 60 I'd have paid off all the debts from my mispent yoof (30 year old yoof ).

My wifes divorce settlement from No1 helped.

Anyway, I suppose I was one of the lucky ones spent all my money, and my parents, living my Dads youth he spent having a whale of a time in North Africa, the Middle East, Italy, Greece etc between 1939 and 1945.

Anyway, had a great time, broke bones, lost friends, sunk a pint or two and survived with only a buggered spine, arthritus in both hands, partially deaf (half past two ), a limp (when it's my round) and memories of Snetterton when it's raining, Darley Moor, when it's snowing and 'Paris in the Springtime' (sorry wrong song )
Only a few things I'd rewrite:

No, no time for that - I've qualified for the winter fuel allowance - so it's down to the Elf depot for a barrel of 'Elf Mits 40'

[joeninety]

Come on, Larry, of course it's fun! How can you ride a genuine racing bike and not enjoy it? Just you, the bike and that lovely road, there for your pleasure..... Sit yourself on a MotoGP Honda and tell me you don't feel a thrill. Never mind the politics in the pits, once you're out there it all melts away. Why do we have to get old?

Trouble is, there was always two or three who made it hard work ! But an easy win would be a hollow affair, a hard fought second is far better, in my mind, than an easy win any day......Less of this why do we have to get old...it's all in the mind...It is after all the lifeblood of nostalgia
Bet some of you out there can share a few racing tales. Almost there but just not quite

Edited by joeninety, 25 July 2011 - 20:11.

[mba21]

hi folks, i am asking if anyone on the forum could give me an insight to what it was actually like to ride a gp50/80/125/250/350/500/750/sidecars from any of the era's as i never got to ride a gp spec machine, but you always imagine how light a 125 is on the track or the brute force of a tz750.

any experiences or thoughts you could share?

cheers ian

I guess 1982 was the year I remember most,when I purchased my first Morbidelli125,prior to that I had ridden a TZ125G,the first outing on the Morby was Thruxton,OOOOOOooooo what
a weekend that was,that machine was scary at first but then it was an absolute joy to ride,and was the most reliable 125 I have ever ridden,so I liked it so much I purchased another one about 18months ago :-)

[rd500]

i always thought the 125 twins were some of the best sounds i have ever heard, so raw.

[mba21]

i always thought the 125 twins were some of the best sounds i have ever heard, so raw.

When you get 4 or 5 of them in a battle they sound fantastic,but unfortunatley you dont hear much when your riding them........

[larryd]

Come on, Larry, of course it's fun! How can you ride a genuine racing bike and not enjoy it? Just you, the bike and that lovely road, there for your pleasure..... Sit yourself on a MotoGP Honda and tell me you don't feel a thrill. Never mind the politics in the pits, once you're out there it all melts away. Why do we have to get old?

Sorry, Terry, should have expressed myself better.

You're right of course about setting your a**e on a proper racing bike - problem is, of course, that there aren't any left except in Moto GP nowadays.

What I meant was that none of these buggers give the impression of having any fun.

For example, we here in N Ireland have a generation of very good riders, many of whom nonetheless, even after a win, can only whinge about their machinery, or the opposition, or the cost, or anything else that catches their imagination.

I don't really know why they do it at all!

I've said it before - the only fun and genuine sport left is with the Classics and the Barrowboys. That's why I'm still wobbling round Billown every year on the BM

[terryshep]

Sorry, Terry, should have expressed myself better.

You're right of course about setting your a**e on a proper racing bike - problem is, of course, that there aren't any left except in Moto GP nowadays.

What I meant was that none of these buggers give the impression of having any fun.

For example, we here in N Ireland have a generation of very good riders, many of whom nonetheless, even after a win, can only whinge about their machinery, or the opposition, or the cost, or anything else that catches their imagination.

I don't really know why they do it at all!

I've said it before - the only fun and genuine sport left is with the Classics and the Barrowboys. That's why I'm still wobbling round Billown every year on the BM ;)

Sadly, Larry, the costs these days mean you have to have sponsors and that brings pressure, the need to justify the expenses. Hard to enjoy it under those circumstances. However, that's just the off-bike stuff, no-one can take from you the pleasure of the open track when you are out there on the edge, deciding just how close you can get. No-one else makes those decisions for you.

Of course, you are right about real racing bikes. There was a time when I used to take the tram down to Liverpool landing stage to goggle at real racing bikes as they were pushed on board the King Orry or the Mona's Queen. Now, you can stand by the main road and see them all the time.

I'm pleased to hear you speak of wobbling round the Southern 100 each year, one of my fav tracks, never mind the walls. How did you get on this year?

[rotrax]

hi folks, i am asking if anyone on the forum could give me an insight to what it was actually like to ride a gp50/80/125/250/350/500/750/sidecars from any of the era's as i never got to ride a gp spec machine, but you always imagine how light a 125 is on the track or the brute force of a tz750.

any experiences or thoughts you could share?

cheers ian

Hi, I got to put a few road miles on one of Arthur Wheelers Moto Guzzi's. I think it was going to John Kidson and Arthur wanted it nicely run in. He gave me the hard word about playing boy racers on it and sent me off with the trade plate lashed to the seat hump with bungee straps. I must have done 60 miles by the time I came back. The bike was a revalation compared to anything I had ridden before in respect of braking and handling,probably because it was so small and light. The ex Mal Kirwan Drixton Aermachi felt very similar but with a harsher feeling motor.The most enjoyable however was the ex Gustav Havel twin cam,six speed Jawa from 1959. There was no doubting this ones pedigree. It was a tool room special,everything hand made from the best material Jawa could get. Even the levers had the mechanics initials stamped on the underside and had been milled from plate. I stuggled with downward changes-kept missing the next lower gear. I belive it was an old guy called Anton Vitvar who said not to lift the clutch when changing either way. This transformed it and the gears meshed with absolute precision thereafter. The Tatra truck factory back door had just supplied a new crankshaft and rods and I was allowed to use 10,000 RPM. At a Brands VMCC track event I caught and passed a new Rob North replica triple before a big off when the exhaust broke and got under the rear tyre. It sounded wonderfull and stuck to the road very well despite not realy being race prepared the way I would have liked it. There is no doubt in my mind that works machines from the sixties on must have been streets ahead of privateer ones in terms of speed and,because of the better preparation more reliable.

[greendog66]

I raced a variety of machines from 1967-1988 winning many races and club championships. The Maxton 350 tz was the most perfect and precise machine I rode. However the most exciting was a spondon Morbidelli replica 125 chassis with a 250 cc Suzuki rm 250 motocross engine, the bike was a real handfull but so light and agile it often won the unlimited race.It won the southern 67 formula 250 championship (single cylinder machines up to 250cc) the same year it also won the formula 500 championship (single cylinder machines up to 500 cc) . It also won the Bemsee single cylinder championship in 1985. Maintaining and running this machine ruined me financially and was seized by baillifs and sold somewhere. But it was worth it. so anybody out there my advice, is just do it. I never regretted one minute.

Tony Green

I am now 61 and have just prepared 1980 350LC for my comeback

here is the RM 250

Edited by greendog66, 16 September 2011 - 05:58.

[elmwood]

Have raced 50 , 80, 125, 250 and 350 classes and loved them all, favourite possibly a TZ 250 W reverse cylinder which seemed to have the perfect balance of power, lightweight and handling.....

Hardest to race was the 50, you have to be so smooth, fart and you'd loose 5 places........

Mike..........

[desmophile]

I raced a variety of machines from 1967-1988 winning many races and club championships. The Maxton 350 tz was the most perfect and precise machine I rode. However the most exciting was a spondon Morbidelli replica 125 chassis with a 250 cc Suzuki rm 250 motocross engine, the bike was a real handfull but so light and agile it often won the unlimited race.It won the southern 67 formula 250 championship (single cylinder machines up to 250cc) the same year it also won the formula 500 championship (single cylinder machines up to 500 cc) . It also won the Bemsee single cylinder championship in 1985. Maintaining and running this machine ruined me financially and was seized by baillifs and sold somewhere. But it was worth it. so anybody out there my advice, is just do it. I never regretted one minute.

Tony Green

I am now 61 and have just prepared 1980 350LC for my comeback

here is the RM 250

How well I remember that bike. Really tidy and very quick especially in the wet.

My first season was with Bemsee in '85 and I remember in particular following you at Snetterton wondering why you were riding through all the puddles on a rapidly drying track. In my naivety I hadn't really thought that anyone would be on wets. I'm not sure I even knew that wets existed.

There were a couple of other quick 250 singles that I remember, Andy Lloyd on a Yamaha being one.

Glad to hear you're still about and planning a comeback, I creak a bit much in the mornings to join you.

[rotrax]

I raced a variety of machines from 1967-1988 winning many races and club championships. The Maxton 350 tz was the most perfect and precise machine I rode. However the most exciting was a spondon Morbidelli replica 125 chassis with a 250 cc Suzuki rm 250 motocross engine, the bike was a real handfull but so light and agile it often won the unlimited race.It won the southern 67 formula 250 championship (single cylinder machines up to 250cc) the same year it also won the formula 500 championship (single cylinder machines up to 500 cc) . It also won the Bemsee single cylinder championship in 1985. Maintaining and running this machine ruined me financially and was seized by baillifs and sold somewhere. But it was worth it. so anybody out there my advice, is just do it. I never regretted one minute.

Tony Green

I am now 61 and have just prepared 1980 350LC for my comeback

here is the RM 250

Hi Tony,you may remember me from the Hartwells Honda workshops at Kidlington in the Seventies. I ran the service side there and Rod Scivier was manager at Seacourt tower. I was busy getting set for pure road racing with my Suzuki and you were getting it on in the local club scene. Good to know you are still around and interested. I live in the same village as Alex Taylor who is still into bikes and Vintage cars. Good luck,see you around perhaps? Mike Coombes.

[greendog66]

Hi Tony,you may remember me from the Hartwells Honda workshops at Kidlington in the Seventies. I ran the service side there and Rod Scivier was manager at Seacourt tower. I was busy getting set for pure road racing with my Suzuki and you were getting it on in the local club scene. Good to know you are still around and interested. I live in the same village as Alex Taylor who is still into bikes and Vintage cars. Good luck,see you around perhaps? Mike Coombes.

Hi Mike
I do remember and Iam still in rergular contact with Rod Scivyer.

[picblanc]

Hi Mike
I do remember and Iam still in rergular contact with Rod Scivyer.

Rod can still be found here on the forum every now & then.
Alex Taylor theres a name from the past!!

[picblanc]

Hi Tony,you may remember me from the Hartwells Honda workshops at Kidlington in the Seventies. I ran the service side there and Rod Scivier was manager at Seacourt tower. I was busy getting set for pure road racing with my Suzuki and you were getting it on in the local club scene. Good to know you are still around and interested. I live in the same village as Alex Taylor who is still into bikes and Vintage cars. Good luck,see you around perhaps? Mike Coombes.


Alex from 1975 @ Brands Hatch.

Photo Copyrighted to Graham Etheridge.

And again Brands 1975.

Photo Copyrighted to Graham Etheridge.

Edited by picblanc, 21 September 2011 - 21:56.

[rotrax]

Hi Picblanc, great shots-I'll let Alex know you have posted them.

[MikeCa]

I raced a variety of machines from 1967-1988 winning many races and club championships. The Maxton 350 tz was the most perfect and precise machine I rode. However the most exciting was a spondon Morbidelli replica 125 chassis with a 250 cc Suzuki rm 250 motocross engine, the bike was a real handfull but so light and agile it often won the unlimited race.It won the southern 67 formula 250 championship (single cylinder machines up to 250cc) the same year it also won the formula 500 championship (single cylinder machines up to 500 cc) . It also won the Bemsee single cylinder championship in 1985. Maintaining and running this machine ruined me financially and was seized by baillifs and sold somewhere. But it was worth it. so anybody out there my advice, is just do it. I never regretted one minute.

Tony Green

I am now 61 and have just prepared 1980 350LC for my comeback

here is the RM 250

Tony! Great to hear you're still messing around with bikes. You are without doubt one of the characters I remember most fondly along with Colville and a few others. Bloody good job you all had bikes to keep you busy and out of trouble (most of the time).

Cheers,

Mike

[rotrax]

hi folks, i am asking if anyone on the forum could give me an insight to what it was actually like to ride a gp50/80/125/250/350/500/750/sidecars from any of the era's as i never got to ride a gp spec machine, but you always imagine how light a 125 is on the track or the brute force of a tz750.

any experiences or thoughts you could share?

cheers ian

Hi, another very good bike I managed to get a go on was the ex Fritz Egli European Hillclimb Championship winning bike.It was at a private test day at Silverstone paid for by a pop music multi-millionaire. The owner, John Loring of Morphy Motors the laverda people was keen to sell it.It was an animal-a full house Vincent twin with a pair of Gold Star sized GP2 carbs. It was on a set of well knackered Dunlop Triangulars and would spin the back wheel with ease in all four gears-the tyres were that hard! It took three strong men to start it, as long as the correct compression was selected when pulling it back. I most certainly did'nt stick my neck out on this- one I went round on tiptoes! It was amazing having the surfiet of power and torque and hats off to Fritz who would ride it up narrow mountain roads with armco barriers or no run off at all. I declined to buy it for 2k, if we knew then what we know now eh! I imagine a good modern Ducati would be a similar feel,loads of torque but more revs and power but with tyres that could hang on to the track. I recon the Egli had 85+BHP and a 350x19 rear triangular which was as hard as a brick-no wonder it would spin it up.

[mba21]

Hi Tony,you may remember me from the Hartwells Honda workshops at Kidlington in the Seventies. I ran the service side there and Rod Scivier was manager at Seacourt tower. I was busy getting set for pure road racing with my Suzuki and you were getting it on in the local club scene. Good to know you are still around and interested. I live in the same village as Alex Taylor who is still into bikes and Vintage cars. Good luck,see you around perhaps? Mike Coombes.

Hi if you worked at Hartwells you may remember Roland Broadbent,one hell of a clever guy,he built me a 125mba frame,one of the best I have ever ridden

Pete

[rotrax]

Hi if you worked at Hartwells you may remember Roland Broadbent,one hell of a clever guy,he built me a 125mba frame,one of the best I have ever ridden

Pete

Hi, I was at Hartwells for almost four years, I left to go to KMUK at Slough in 1976. I dont remember Roland Broadbent-I'm sure I would if he was handy with bike bits.

[mba21]

Hi, I was at Hartwells for almost four years, I left to go to KMUK at Slough in 1976. I dont remember Roland Broadbent-I'm sure I would if he was handy with bike bits.

Roland worked at the Botley Seacourt Towers branch.
He then left and went to work for himself,doing race prep,and frame building,he did a lot of work for Micky Boddice ,and went under the name of ORS,Oxford Racing Services
.

[rotrax]

Roland worked at the Botley Seacourt Towers branch.
He then left and went to work for himself,doing race prep,and frame building,he did a lot of work for Micky Boddice ,and went under the name of ORS,Oxford Racing Services
.

Hi-Thats probably why-I was at Kidlington. Seacourt tower was Hartford motors and had a Motorcycle department first.My wife and I were often riding in long distance trials with Jock Huggins the govenor. Him and three other Oxford section VMCC members bought a Triumph Adventurer each-Tony Hale, Gerald Goodey and Andrew French and rode them in the MCC long distance classic trials. Rod was the only motorcycle person I knew at that time, apart from Tony Green. Andrew French was no slouch on a bike and used to bang handlebars with the best of them on a 125 honda twin. He went classic racing some years ago with an Aermachi untill a big off. I think he found that you dont mend so easy as you get older!

[HOTROD4442]

Hi, another very good bike I managed to get a go on was the ex Fritz Egli European Hillclimb Championship winning bike.It was at a private test day at Silverstone paid for by a pop music multi-millionaire. The owner, John Loring of Morphy Motors the laverda people was keen to sell it.It was an animal-a full house Vincent twin with a pair of Gold Star sized GP2 carbs. It was on a set of well knackered Dunlop Triangulars and would spin the back wheel with ease in all four gears-the tyres were that hard! It took three strong men to start it, as long as the correct compression was selected when pulling it back. I most certainly did'nt stick my neck out on this- one I went round on tiptoes! It was amazing having the surfiet of power and torque and hats off to Fritz who would ride it up narrow mountain roads with armco barriers or no run off at all. I declined to buy it for 2k, if we knew then what we know now eh! I imagine a good modern Ducati would be a similar feel,loads of torque but more revs and power but with tyres that could hang on to the track. I recon the Egli had 85+BHP and a 350x19 rear triangular which was as hard as a brick-no wonder it would spin it up.

Hi rotrax, i was there that day having been invited by the music mogul who was sponsoring me at that time (early 80s? ) on my double engined kawasaki dragbike, and he had the most amazing collection of classic race bikes I´ve ever seen in one place at his home in Bucks. I was introduced to Lord Hesketh and sent out on a MV 4cyl 500 everyones dream bike and told in no uncertain terms to stay away from the veterans who were riding on the outside of the track, and if I dropped it I´d bought it ! Well out of the pits and winding it up through the gears head down and all of a sudden the track is coned off ! they didn´t tell me it was only the short track round the back of the pits - Oh s**t  anyway almost made the righthander albeit on the grass but kept it upright no damage done apart from my pants at the thought of having to pay for what could have been a disaster.So returned to pits and they were really keen on me riding the Egli Vincent, I´d read about this bike in mags and now I was getting the chance to ride it, as you say what a tool, always admired Egli´s work and innovation, it was a proper old school ride and handled in spite of the tyres once you got used to them, I was used to sliding a bike sideways and I was told after enjoying many different race bikes on the day that I set ftd on the vincent, didn´t know they were timing, also didn´t know it was for sale at that time, if I had I would have bought it on the spot! If that was the price @ 2000 what a bargain for someone 

 

Regards Rod