28 replies to this topic

[mark71]

Does anyone have any pictures of Harold Coppock race bikes?

In particular I interested in any Yamaha F2 race bikes.

I've got a spondon framed Yamaha F2 race bike with a Manchester engine, the frame from which was apparently supplied by spondon to the Harold Coppock team in the early eighties.  I wondered if anyone has any period pictures detailing the colour schemes used at the time.

 

Cheers

Mark  

[Paul Collins]

I honestly can't remember Harold ever running anyone on an F2, but I think Steve Henshaw rode a TZ350 in his colours (same frame) so it could have been that one.

Sorry I can't help,with photo's but I'm sure there are some on the net if you do a spot of googling based on the above.

Good luck

[mark71]

Thanks for the reply Paul,

 

I'll do some searches based on that as I can't be certain the frame was ever converted into a race bike by Harold's Team.

 

A few years back Spondon said the frame was originally ordered by Neil Tuxworth who cancelled his order and the frame apparently then went to Harold.

 

There are the letters HC in the chassis number so I'm trying to find out whether that is coincidental or a customer ref?

 

Thanks

Mark 

[k4racer]

I believe some frames were made by spondon for Donny robinson

[Paul Collins]

I'm sure the F2's used tbe same frame as a TZ350, they where basically TZ engines with LC top ends from what I remember, I think they might even have used complete TZ bottom ends, including the dry clutch etc, but I may be wrong, as its getting on for 30 years ago now since I last saw one.

[mark71]

From the research I've done Paul (I'm no expert) I think the frames are slightly different, engine cases, barrels and heads are LC.  The rest is TZ including the dry clutch. 

The spondon frame number has an LC reference in it, whereas a tz350 frame i was looking at online didn't although the general layout of the frame spars looks very similar.

 

Here's a few pictures of my bike.

 

 

 

 

[knickerbrook]

The TT Database, has Steve Henshaw down on a Yamaha in the 1983 Formula 2 race, if that's any help.

 

http://www.iomtt.com...TT83&race_seq=5

[Paul Collins]

Yes its all starting to come back to me now, they did use the LC cases and the engine mounts were different on the LC cases.

I see yours is a later alloy frame, I was thinking it was the earlier steel tube frame.

The Tuxworth connection could be right, Neil was running an F2 in a steel frame, and could well have ordered a later frame but had a really nasty crash at Aberdare which caused serious injuries effectively ending his career, so the story of the cancelled order would make sense.

Well done on the detective work Barry, I knew i'd seen Steve Henshaw riding a 350, in fact I remember being on the 350 grid with him a few times, although I was usually a few rows behind the likes of Steve!! but oddly the internet seems devoid of any photos of him on one.

PS Your bike looks lovely Mark, I can almost hear and smell it : )

Edited by Paul Collins, 21 October 2016 - 21:08.

[mark71]

Thanks for the replies Barry and Paul.

 

Glad you like the bike Paul.  My plan is to parade it and get it out on show so you never know you may hear and smell it in the flesh .  Will hopefully be at the Classic TT with it as well, would love to do the parade lap there.

 

Would be nice to try and fill in the missing history of the bike (although there is not too much to fill in as the previous owner had it from 1985).

 

It was the fact that it was an F2 bike that appealed to me.  I've not seen many although next week I'm visiting a guy who has an ex Kenny Irons Yamaha F2 DRS framed bike so will try and get a peek at that.

 

Mark

[Paul Collins]

If you get to the Classic TT Mark I'll certainly hear and smell it, My lounge window is around 4ft away from the circuit

[mark71]

You're very lucky Paul to live in such a wonderful place

 

I visited the IOM for the first time 3 years ago for the Classic TT and became totally hooked.  I've been back each year since.  First year I took a Honda 400/4 so I would not get into trouble,  also took an all singing and dancing racing bicycle on which I set the strava cycling record from the Bungalow down into Ramsey albeit helped by the impending road closure and the thought of being stranded on the mountain for the day and a near force 10 gale which was strong enough to postpone the racing.  Topped out at something like 57mph heading down towards the gooseneck in lycra shorts and vest!  I wasn't so fast over an entire lap though about 1hr 58min for a full cycle lap although I wasn't much quicker on he Honda

 

I've stayed in Ramsey each visit and loved it.   

[Paul Collins]

Still a very reasonable effort, the cycle lap record is currently held by Peter Kennaugh in 1:23.48

 

I also use strava but mainly for running, I did however accidently set some fastest cycle sectors last year when I completed a mountain bike race along the old railway line from Douglas to St Johns, and completely forgot stop my watch before driving home, so it recorded some amazing times through some of the segments which automatically uploaded to strava, I bet the local cycle gang wondered who the hell this new whizz kid was!!

[mark71]

Hi Paul,

 

I only took up cycling about 3 years ago as I picked up an achilles injury running.  I've been a runner for years.  I enjoyed the cycling and went on some wonderful rides, 110 mile ride around the dales in the Yorkshire Dales (very hilly),  also took part in the Pikes Peak Cycle Hill Climb Race last year in Colorado where I finished mid-field (only 12 miles but started at 9000 ft above sea level and finished at 14000ft).   I live in Yorkshire near the Peak District so did lots of cycling in the hills around me. Only rode on roads not off road, I don't have the skill set for that.  I'm now back to running but work prevents me doing much more than 40 mile a week but I still get out.

Edited by mark71, 22 October 2016 - 18:38.

[mfd]

Paul is right about the F2. It wasn't one of Harold's bikes. By 1985 Steve was starting to ride bikes for other people - there was a "Loyblox" 600 Ducati and later one if not two F2 Yamahas belonging to someone else. The Len Manchester connection was close because Arnie Fletcher was one of the leading F2 (Yamaha) men, he'd also recommended Steve to Harold Coppuck back in 1978 

 

I can ask Steve's Brother-in-Law when he gets back from the Scott Trial if he remembers. I do have three poor photos which won't help much. As I can't figure out how to post photos on here, you can e-mail me & I'll send them to you

[mark71]

Hi Mike,

 

Thanks I'll send you an message.  I did find a picture (there's not many) of Steve in 1982 with a spondon RG500 which was not a Harold Coppock bike so obviously he raced without Harold.  Your'e right about Arnold Fletcher being a leading man in F2.  It was the pictures of Graeme Mcgregors TT bike in a 1984 magazine that made my bikes previous owner yearn for a manchester yamaha, and when he decided to rebuild it (it had been stripped and stored in his house since 1987 until this year) he had it painted in the same colours as the Mcgregor bike.  It was blue and yellow when he raced it in the mid eighties. 

 

I would love to put the bike back to it's original colours if I could find out what they were, if not the colours at present are still wonderful and i'll leave as is.

Cheers

Mark

[mfd]

Thanks Mark, I'll e-mail you in a bit

[sulzeruk]

It would bee worth speaking to Val Henshaw as she may pictures of it. I know Harris around that time put customers initials in the frame numbers so possible Spondon did the same.

[greg1953]

I've got a few

[greg1953]

Olivers Mount

[mark71]

Thanks Greg

[greg1953]

Slipping inside Dave Dean at Mountside Hairpin, Olivers Mount

[greg1953]

Same place RG 500

 

[greg1953]

Not a very good shot at Croft chicane, RG500

[knickerbrook]

Great photos there Greg ! Are they yours?

If so, do you have any more you would like to share - other riders from that era perhaps?

[greg1953]

Great photos there Greg ! Are they yours?

If so, do you have any more you would like to share - other riders from that era perhaps?

I think I posted most of mine a few years ago but I've still got some others to scan when I get around to it, and yes all shots are mine, Pentax MX & Hanimex 200mm lens or Pentax 135mm

Greg 

[bobness]

  I did find a picture (there's not many) of Steve in 1982 with a spondon RG500 which was not a Harold Coppock bike so obviously he raced without Harold.  . 

 

I would love to put the bike back to it's original colours if I could find out what they were, if not the colours at present are still wonderful and i'll leave as is.

 

Steve was definitely riding for Harold exclusively in 1982, I'm 99.9% sure? The Tillstons/Loyblox/Len Manchester rides were later in the 80s? (Unless he did something at the TT I'm not aware of.)

Good photo of the 350 above.

Anyway...

I once heard (and I have no way of knowing if this is on any way true)  that he had the 350 at Scarborough once when it seized, the crank somehow kept going, pulled the con rods until they snapped in half (leaving the pistons in the top half of the cylinders) and then basically cut the engine into 3 bits....

Probably a write off....

[mark71]

Steve was definitely riding for Harold exclusively in 1982, I'm 99.9% sure? The Tillstons/Loyblox/Len Manchester rides were later in the 80s? (Unless he did something at the TT I'm not aware of.)

Good photo of the 350 above.

Anyway...

I once heard (and I have no way of knowing if this is on any way true)  that he had the 350 at Scarborough once when it seized, the crank somehow kept going, pulled the con rods until they snapped in half (leaving the pistons in the top half of the cylinders) and then basically cut the engine into 3 bits....

Probably a write off....

 

You're right Bob about time periods.  Stuart from Spondon recently confirmed the chassis was built in 1985 for Steve Henshaw which ties in with the later 80's.  Looking on the iom database Steve didn't compete on the island in the F2 class in 84 or 85 but did compete in 86.  So it could be the 86 race chassis.  

[knickerbrook]

This appeared on Facebook today - its Steve Henshaw on an F2 in 1985.

 

 

[Domlowe27]

Hi Mark

I have stumbled across your thread and have a picture of the Steve on the 350 in the junior TT IOM.. PM if you would.like a copy.

Thanks