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Post by truenorth on May 22, 2018 7:11:43 GMT -8
LENA THE KILLER OCTOBER 30, 2017|IN MOTORCYCLES|BY PAUL D'ORLÉANS For a moment in the 1930s, sporting contests became a surrogate battleground for rising international tensions. While international-level sports (like the Olympics) have always carried the flag of national pride, in the 1930s the rise of ultra-nationalist politics – Fascism – saw motorsport used as a propaganda tool to bolster new regimes. Everything from foot races to the Grand Prix circuit carried the weight of ‘proving’ the superiority of an ideology and/or a people. By the mid-1930s Germany and Italy began to subsidize motorsports via cash and technology to particular companies (BMW, DKW, Gilera, etc), while their rival factories were roundly ignored by their home governments. In Britain, for example, racing was the purview of a few factories, and their racing teams backed by wealthy amateurs, using a pre-industrial model of patronage. The contest for World Speed Records were a glaring example, with independent teams in the UK cobbling up land speed racers in sheds, combating increasingly well-funded teams from Germany. It was a romantic story of technocratic teams versus old-boy amateurs, documented in our ‘Absolute Speed, Absolute Power’ series. Regarding the British teams; while AJS made an occasional attempt on the World Record, in the end only George Brough (Brough Superior) had the will, the connections, and available expertise to make a World Record happen. The Germans and Italians had the engineers, factory backing, wind tunnels, and cash from Adolf and Benito. The Brits had grit and plenty of track experience, and were the best engine tuners and chassis builders in the world. Thus, in 1932, one could witness a group of Australians riding British machinery on Austrian soil, snatching the World Land Speed Record from German hands. Alan Bruce was well-known in Speedway circles, having set the sidecar lap record at Wembley Stadium in 1931. Australians have a dirty affinity for three-wheeled cinder sliding, then as now, and one commonly sees Vincent-powered crabs even today kicking up dirt Down Under. Bruce got the notion of a sidecar Land Speed Record while watching Paul Anderson take a national record with his Indian outfit, down Sellicks Beach, South Australia, in 1925. It took another 6 years of toil to modify an S.S.100 Brough Superior for a total speed attempt; a supercharger was added to the engine bay, and Alan Bruce hand-pounded a shapely set of aluminum alloy bodywork… which as you can see from the photos addresses the issue of drag by streamlining the rear of the outfit (including the rider’s bum!). Which was the current thinking of the 1920s and early 30s, before extensive wind-tunnel testing of aircraft, cars, and lastly motorcycles, revealed that a very small frontal area was the real ticket for piercing the brick wall of wind which hits any vehicle at high speeds. When finished, Bruce named his beast Leaping Lena, and sought a flat, straight road to set his record. In 1931, there were only a few suitable locations for a really fast run; Hungary (Gyon and Tat), Austria (Neukirchner), the U.S. (Daytona/Ormond beach), the U.K. (Pendine or Southport beaches), France (Arpajon), and Germany (Ingolstadt). As speeds increased for record attempts, beaches became increasingly undesirable due to Neptune’s fickle road-laying efforts, and attendant delays (read:money) for a perfect surface. As all but the beach venues were public roads, the political machinations (read:money) required to arrange a few days’ testing and eventual full speed runs could be daunting to a small and dedicated bunch of amateurs. And amateur is a fitting description for ALL speed-bitten enthusiasts, until National (Socialist) pride began investing in sporting contests, and little swastika roundels appeared on the tails of wingless two-wheeled aircraft. But I’m getting 5 years ahead of our story. For a moment in the 1930s, sporting contests became a surrogate battleground for rising international tensions. While international-level sports (like the Olympics) have always carried the flag of national pride, in the 1930s the rise of ultra-nationalist politics – Fascism – saw motorsport used as a propaganda tool to bolster new regimes. Everything from foot races to the Grand Prix circuit carried the weight of ‘proving’ the superiority of an ideology and/or a people. By the mid-1930s Germany and Italy began to subsidize motorsports via cash and technology to particular companies (BMW, DKW, Gilera, etc), while their rival factories were roundly ignored by their home governments. In Britain, for example, racing was the purview of a few factories, and their racing teams backed by wealthy amateurs, using a pre-industrial model of patronage. The contest for World Speed Records were a glaring example, with independent teams in the UK cobbling up land speed racers in sheds, combating increasingly well-funded teams from Germany. It was a romantic story of technocratic teams versus old-boy amateurs, documented in our ‘Absolute Speed, Absolute Power’ series. Regarding the British teams; while AJS made an occasional attempt on the World Record, in the end only George Brough (Brough Superior) had the will, the connections, and available expertise to make a World Record happen. The Germans and Italians had the engineers, factory backing, wind tunnels, and cash from Adolf and Benito. The Brits had grit and plenty of track experience, and were the best engine tuners and chassis builders in the world. Thus, in 1932, one could witness a group of Australians riding British machinery on Austrian soil, snatching the World Land Speed Record from German hands. City officials of Tat were successfully cajoled (read:money) into allowing Lena’s run on short notice, and our crew high tailed it towards Hungary in their truck, which blew up and delayed their arrival. Meanwhile, Arthur Simcock trained back to England for blower parts, returning to find lousy weather (why April?), but it was decided that April 30th would be The Day, and it dawned with strong winds. Clearly, the slab-sided aluminum body of Leaping Lena wasn’t lethally beset by side wind handling anomalies, and a two-way average of 124mph was finally recorded, with a best one-way speed of 135mph… really going some for a rigid-frame bicycle on an iffy concrete surface. Bruce had the scare of his life while aviating the whole outfit at speed after hitting a bump with the chair wheel, the entire plot lurching nearly off the road. While distracted and momentarily shutting off, he didn’t realize he had passed the timing strips and carried on at full bore, only to hit a railroad crossing at 135mph! Man, motorcycle, and sidecar shot into the air, split the streamlining on impact, and nearly sheared off the carburettor, but the hard Aussie Bruce kept the animal between the hedges, and their day was done. As he said, “Yes, it felt fast all righ
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Post by truenorth on May 22, 2018 8:23:40 GMT -8
Giacomo Agostini—The Italian Pioneer Of Marc Márquez’s Style If Márquez’s domination at Jerez got you down, just remember there’s no domination like Agostini domination By Seth Richards May 15, 2018 In the early decades of motorcycle grand prix racing, circuits weren’t designed for maximum safety with loads of run-off. Road circuits like the Isle of Man and the Czech grand prix at Brno were littered with stone walls, hedges, and lamp posts. Safety gear was rudimentary at best: pudding bowl helmets and barely padded leather suits. And by the 1960s, the bikes, though old-fashioned by today’s standards, were brutally fast, capable of reaching speeds more than 160 mph on hard rubber tires less than a few inches wide. In those days, to be champion meant having unwavering self-confidence, fortitude, and an indomitable will to win in the face of certain danger. In the ’60s and ’70s, Giacomo “Ago” Agostini had that and more. He personified the Italian campionissimo: Hollywood good-looks, charm, and guts. I began thinking about the era of Ago after watching Marc Márquez’s recent performance at Jerez—complete with YouTube-inspired celebration dance. Unless you’re a total Márquez fan, it’s a bit disappointing to see him exert his will on the championship only four races in. I consoled my inner racing nerd by remembering Agostini’s dominance was on a whole other level. Fifty years ago, Ago stamped his authority on the grand prix paddock in a style Márquez can only dream about—unless Márquez starts racing Moto2 for good measure. In 1968, Agostini won every 500cc and 350cc race he entered, for his first double championship-winning season. Agostini has a record 15 grand prix titles, including seven consecutive 500cc titles and five consecutive 350cc titles. His dominance made him the first Italian racing legend and an international celebrity, blazing the trail for the likes of Valentino Rossi. He was the man to beat. And still is. His 122 total grand prix wins has yet to be eclipsed (though in the premier class—500cc/MotoGP—Valentino Rossi has 89 wins to Ago’s 54). When you talk about the GOAT (Greatest of All Time), Ago’s is among the first names to be mentioned. However, those incredible statistics belie the fact that for much of his career, Ago was on machinery that far surpassed that of his competitors. And for many modern spectators—to say nothing of the popolo giallo, the yellow-clad legion of Rossi fans—when it comes to Rossi’s status as GOAT, it’s not easy to ignore bias, having witnessed his incredible displays of brilliance for the past 20-plus years. Still, none of that really tarnishes Ago’s record. Rossi himself admits in an interview with European press, “I am on the podium of history. But it is impossible to say if I am better than Ago or Mike [Hailwood].” Over the course of his 17-year career, Ago beat the best in the world (like Márquez is doing today)—Mike “The Bike” Hailwood, Phil Read, “King” Kenny Roberts, and Barry Sheene. In that time, as technology advanced and two-strokes replaced four-strokes, he proved he could adapt his riding style to remain on top. Decades before Rossi traded in his Honda for the Yamaha, Agostini left MV Agusta for the Yamaha 500cc two-banger. In his American debut at the Daytona 200 in 1974, he beat Roberts and Sheene in his first race on the Yamaha 500 before going on to win the world championship in 1975. Whether he’s the GOAT or not, he is perhaps the first GP star whose success made him a national hero, broadening the reach of motorcycle racing, and embodying its pursuit for glory. While I started thinking about Ago to keep Marquez’s whole-other-league performance at Jerez in perspective, I ended up asking myself another question. How deep is Márquez’s sense of history? Could he eclipse both Rossi and Ago? We’re already talking about him when we discuss the GOAT. The important thing is, there will only ever be one Ago.
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Post by truenorth on May 22, 2018 15:43:33 GMT -8
Stanley Woods on the 500 Velocette....he’s 80 here!
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Post by truenorth on May 28, 2018 18:42:33 GMT -8
18 year-old Soichiro Honda with Sakakibara brothers Yuzo and Shinichi (driver) back in 1924
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Post by Pistola on Jun 20, 2018 18:56:21 GMT -8
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Post by truenorth on Jun 29, 2018 9:56:13 GMT -8
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Post by truenorth on Aug 27, 2018 17:22:40 GMT -8
New Zealand Herald Herald on Sunday Michael Brown Tuesday, 28 August 2018 Legend of Kiwi Kim brought to the fore
Kim Newcombe went to the gentlemen at race control. What had initially been a genial reception turned frosty when they learned the true nature of his visit. Soon a frumpy man in his late 50s bustled into the room and coolly stared at Newcombe. He knew what Newcombe wanted but had no intention of acquiescing and placing straw bales on an unprotected part of the race track. Railway sleepers would greet anyone unfortunate enough to come off at 160km/h at Stowe corner on Silverstone. Newcombe wanted something done about it. Instead, Vernon Cooper threatened Newcombe not only with expulsion from the race meeting but future events in the UK if he tried to interfere further. That also went for anyone else "foolish" enough to get involved. Newcombe left incensed. The following day, a lanky rider in yellow leathers rode wide of the track at Stowe corner and on to the grass. He fought to regain control of his bike, his legs flailing as the bike bucked for nearly 200m. He very nearly rejoined the race but, as the bike lost speed, he fell off and struck an unprotected wall of railway sleepers. It looked an innocuous incident. Three days later, Kim Newcombe was pronounced dead. The continental circus was a circus in almost every respect. It was a circus in the way the riders were treated and in the fact riders and their support teams were effectively gypsies travelling and living together in caravans as they followed the world 500cc grand prix series. They camped in paddocks next to the racetracks where conditions were often spartan. The financial rewards were slim, certainly nothing remotely close to what today's rider's earn, and the risks great. Kim Newcombe entered this environment in 1972. The young Kiwi had ventured to Europe in 1969 to ride and develop bikes and had proved a remarkable rider. In 1971, he received his licence to race on the road. In 1972, he endured a frustrating first season of grand prix racing, marred by an accident when he broke his neck, which put him out of a number of races. In 1973, the year he was killed, he finished second in the world championships. It was just one of the reasons why author Tim Hanna wrote Kim: The Kiwi on the Konig and is putting together the final scenes of a 90-minute documentary on Newcombe. Hanna, who also wrote John Britten and the No 1 best-seller One Good Run - the Legend of Burt Munro, spent six years writing Newcombe's story. Few New Zealanders outside of the motorcycle fraternity know much about him, let alone have heard of him, but Hanna found it a compelling process. "I believe this guy belongs up there with Ed Hillary," Hanna says. "I really do. I think he is one of our greatest sporting heroes and he's a huge example of what you can do if you back yourself, which was one of Kim's favourite expressions. "He was incredibly, intuitively talented in almost anything he did. "When he was given a crack in Australia on a speedway bike, the first night he threw his leg over it, he won four races. "People who race speedway will tell you it takes several years before you really get up to speed. "And even then, if you don't have some innate talent, you won't be any good at it. But he won four races that night. That's unheard of. He was the same on the road." Newcombe was a similarly talented mechanic. He designed, built and raced his own bike. He teamed up with German Dieter Konig, widely recognised as one of the world's best designers of outboard motors. The Konig motors were established winners in powerboat racing. Konig had also piloted many of his hydroplanes to a number of world championships. The combination of Kiwi Kim and the Konig was a spectacular and successful one. Newcombe led the 1973 world 500cc grand prix series for large parts of 1973 against more established manufacturers and riders such as Phil Reid and Giacomo Agostini. People couldn't help but notice the impact Newcombe was making and he was doing it at the same time as he was building and servicing bikes for regular customers. "Talking to Phil Reid, who won [the world championship] in '73 and was an established GP star, he was utterly amazed when he learned Kim hadn't actually been road racing since the 1950s like him," Hanna says. "So you've got this guy who comes out of nowhere on a bike that comes out of nowhere that suddenly is really fast and people begin to notice it. "To come second in 1973, the first year he was full-time on the circuit, was an astonishing achievement." What he might have been able to achieve will never be known. Newcombe would have gone away at the end of the 1973 series and, together with Rod Tingate, an Australian mechanic, would have built a faster and better Konig bike for the 1974 championships. Hanna is convinced Newcombe could have won the series that year, despite the emergence of a stunningly good Yamaha bike. Newcombe's real dream was to retire from racing and become a GP manufacturer. He knew the risks and loved the thrill of racing but it was generally accepted among racers that you didn't expose yourself to the risks any longer than you had to. This was especially true in the 1970s, which was arguably the most dangerous time to be a motorcycle rider in the history of the sport. Safety measures struggled to cope with the developments in technology. "If he had become an established GP manufacturer, he would now be in his 60s," Hanna muses. "Who knows? He probably could have been one of the grand, old men of GP." Newcombe was a pioneer, not only as a rider and designer. He mobilised other riders to insist on improved safety, helping create the Riders Safety Association and organising a petition seeking improved safety measures from race officials who seemed to care little for the safety of riders. He and his wife Janeen, and their pre-schooler Mark, were also the soul of the Continental Circus. They brought a cohesion to the wandering band rarely experienced before and since. Newcombe won one 500cc race, the 1973 500cc Yugoslavian Grand Prix, and finished on the podium on six other occasions. He is best remembered in Germany, where a Kim Newcombe fan club still exists and where 20,000 Germans were said to chant his name when he raced there. The Konig engine is revered and his win in Yugoslavia is the last time a German bike won a grand prix. Newcombe's son Mark was just four when his father died. He has some memories of his father, the most vivid being when he was given his first motorbike as a three-year-old. Other memories are hazy and he's not sure if they are true or etched in his mind because the stories have been told so often. "I feel I know more about him now than I ever have," Mark says. "More than anything, I'm surprised how much his memory is still alive. He's still so highly regarded by so many people. I have met many of the guys he raced against and they are all so passionate about that era. It gave me a feel for what my Dad would be like if he was alive today." As the racing concluded at Silverstone, Vernon Cooper asked what happened to the "silly bugger" who fell off at Stowe corner. "I believe he was carted off to hospital with a bump on his head," one of his minions replied. "It might be best to put some straw bales in front of that damn wall, after all," Cooper said. "You'll find plenty in the storage area and, if you grab a couple of marshals, it won't take more than a few minutes. Then you can join us at the bar."
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Post by truenorth on Nov 8, 2018 7:29:27 GMT -8
Chas Mortimer won 8 TTs and is the only rider to have won Grand Prix races in the 125, 250, 350, 500 and Formula 750 classes. He also continued to race successfully in classic events long after his professional career ended.
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Post by wilmywood8455 on Dec 17, 2018 7:35:22 GMT -8
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Post by truenorth on May 1, 2019 7:06:13 GMT -8
Around about April 20, 60 years ago, Honda's first GP team (l to r: Giichi Suzuki, Junzo Suzuki, Naomi Taniguchi, Teisuke Tanaka) left Handea airport, Tokyo, en route to the 1959 Isle of Man TT. Part of an ongoing thread that'll mark various important moments in this historic event The Tokyo to London flight took 36 hours in a BOAC de Haviland Comet: Tokyo to Hong Kong to Bangkok to Calcutta to Karachi to Beirut to Frankfurt and London. Not surprised the riders look worried - the Comet had a bad accident record
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Post by truenorth on Jun 13, 2019 5:29:25 GMT -8
Mat Oxley: This is the engine that won the first 'MotoGP' title in 1949, the AJS E90 twin, nicknamed the Porcupine for the multiple spiky fins on its cylinder head. AJS had so much trouble getting rid of heat that they considered casting a cylinder head in silver
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Post by struns on Jul 27, 2019 14:10:02 GMT -8
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Post by truenorth on Nov 18, 2019 6:08:23 GMT -8
LJHgrumpyoldgit: The Harley-Davidson team at the 1973 Daytona 200, l to r, Renzo Pasolinni, Dave Sehl, Cal Rayborn, Mert Lawwill & Mark Brelsford. Pasolini & Rayborn were both killed in 1973 and Brelsford`s career ended in a fireball during this race.
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Post by truenorth on Nov 27, 2019 9:01:03 GMT -8
Giacomo Agostini opens the room of his treasures in Bergamo: The fifteen times world champion inaugurated the trophy room, among those present at the event also Gigi Dall'Igna, Lino Dainese and Lin Jarvis
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Post by truenorth on Dec 2, 2019 8:27:44 GMT -8
RIP Ken Kavanagh at 96 Here on(500cc Moto-Guzzi single cylinder), c1956
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Post by truenorth on Dec 19, 2019 4:35:01 GMT -8
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Post by truenorth on Dec 19, 2019 16:16:09 GMT -8
BUD EKINS Desert Racer. Stunt rider. Genuine motorcycle legend. 1962. A huge Hollywood production team is in Bavaria, preparing to film a daring motorcycle jump that will provide a gripping iconic sequence for the action-packed escape scenes in the all-star blockbuster movie ‘The Great Escape’. Set during World War Two, Steve McQueen’s leading character must make a dangerous motorcycle jump over barbed wire in a desperate effort to evade capture by enemy soldiers. To risk an injury to the movie’s biggest star in a movie full of big stars is of course unthinkable, so instead all turn to Bud Ekins. He’s McQueen’s close friend, and here because the Hollywood A-lister has invited him to perform a few ride chase stunts for the film. Ekins is no novice rider. He’s already an off-road racing legend in his native California who can draw upon around twenty years’ global motorcycle racing experience and has multiple awards for his riding exploits. Everyone at the movie location understands the incredible level of riding skill required to make this jump. But McQueen knows that if anyone can do this successfully, Bud Ekins can... RACING STAR Born in Los Angeles in 1930, Bud Ekins learns to ride in the nearby Hollywood Hills, honing his off-road skills long before he could legally ride on the road. Luckily, California is host to a thriving off-road racing circuit and even by his late teenage years he is earning a mighty reputation as one of SoCal’s top motocross and desert racers. By the time US Triumph superdealer Bill Johnson provides Ekins with a TR5 Trophy, on which he wins the Catalina Grand Prix, Ekins knows well that in Triumph he has found a manufacturer that builds the kind of strong, fast and light motorcycles with all the agility, responsiveness and power that he yearns for. Ekins’ success in the mid-fifties coincides with Triumph’s emergence as a major player in world motorcycling, with both parties playing their roles in re-defining what a motorcycle is capable of. Triumph’s famous MD, and design chief, Edward Turner continues to develop incredible Triumph twin engine motorcycles that are becoming increasingly powerful, efficient and reliable. Johnny Allen holds 1955 and 1956 motorcycle land speed world records using Triumph factory engines, and Ekins is forging a lasting alliance with Triumph motorcycles that will ultimately see him regarded as America’s top off-road racer. In 1956, when Ekins finishes 2nd in the 153-mile off-road Californian Big Bear Motorcycle Run, the first-, second- and third-placed riders were all on Triumph TR6 Trophy motorcycles. Triumph’s racing domination was such that when Ekins won the same race the next year, 20 of the top 25 finishers all ride Triumphs. TOP US DEALERSHIP Shrewdly understanding the massive potential and performance superiority of Triumph motorcycles in the context of an emerging popularity for the more reliable, lightweight and powerful British bikes, Ekins’ racing successes leads him to open a Triumph dealership in North Hollywood. It quickly becomes a magnet for many young up-and-coming movie actors including Paul Newman and Clint Eastwood. Ekins lives and breathes Triumph motorcycles and selling them comes naturally, leading to considerable business success to go with his considerable racing achievements. STEVE MCQUEEN One local motorcycle enthusiast is Hollywood legend Steve McQueen. His favourite early bike is his TR5 Trophy, which is serviced by none other than Ekins’ dealership where the pair strike up an instant rapport. Ekins introduces McQueen to the burgeoning Californian desert racing scene and the latter is instantly hooked on this exciting underground movement, spending as much time as he can either hooning across the dunes or just enjoying the anonymous normality of passing time with Ekins and his rider buddies back at the garage. In spite of the demands of running a successful Triumph dealership Ekins is still racing, successfully competing in several off-road races including the Hare and Hound, Mint 400 and Baja 1000 (which he helped establish). McQueen often joins him to race. He’s a fast learner and a fast rider, and as Ekins is such a highly regarded rider who has previously represented the US in the incredibly high profile International Six Days Trial - the Olympics of motorcycling - he facilitates McQueen’s famous entry to ride for the US team in the 1964 East German ISDT – both on Triumphs. Ekins would go on to win an impressive four ISDT Gold Medals in just seven years. THE GREAT ESCAPE In autumn 1962, McQueen is preparing to fly to Europe for filming what would become one of the following year’s highest grossing movies, The Great Escape. McQueen notes the script requirement for several motorcycle stunt riders and recommends his good friend to the producers. Ekins is employed on a four-month contract, though it takes far less than that for McQueen (with Ekins’ help) to conceive of and rewrite the dramatic highlight to his character’s storyline. McQueen’s character, Captain Virgil Hilts has escaped a prisoner of war camp, stolen a bike, and is being chased through stunning Bavarian meadows in an attempt to locate the Swiss border. As enemy soldiers close in, Hilts must desperately make a spectacular motorcycle jump over a high barbed wire fence, and thereafter reach the relative safety of neutral Switzerland. Between them, using small trial and error practice jumps, McQueen and Ekins work out the capabilities of their favourite off-road choice, a Triumph TR6 Trophy, to squeeze maximum dramatic effect from the scene. They calculate that an 80mph run-up is required to clear a raised twelve-foot barbed-wire fence onto an inclined landing area around 60ft away. All on grass. Much to his frustration, McQueen is sensibly prevented by the movie’s insurers from performing the stunt himself, so Ekins steps up. The jump is still one of the most iconic moments in Hollywood movie history. In 1962 a TR6 Trophy would redline at 6,000rpm and peak at around 42bhp, but the powerful Triumph engine responsiveness and its mighty twin torque makes it McQueen’s and Ekins’ first choice STUNT RIDER Ekins’ racing success and friendships open up a new career path. As ‘that jump’ gains the widely-held distinction as the most famous motorcycle stunt ever seen in a movie, the demand for Ekins as a stunt rider increases. Considered one of the best in Hollywood, he’d continue performing movie stunts for the next 30 years or so, happily returning to his dealership business in between filming responsibilities.
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Post by truenorth on Dec 29, 2019 8:34:35 GMT -8
Mick Doohan’s 1994 Honda NSR500 GP bike Phil Aynsley looks at Mick Doohan's Championship winning 1994 NSR500 MCN.con Aus Phil Aynsley - December 29, 2019 1994 Honda NSR500 GP Mick Doohan There are extremely few Honda NSR500 motorcycles outside the factory. Undoubtedly the largest number in private hands are Mick Doohan’s five World Championship winning bikes. I started with his first, the 1994 bike. It continued to use the “big bang” firing order motor that had been introduced in 1992. This had all four cylinders firing within about 70 degrees of each other. Torque, traction and acceleration had all been markedly improved with this design, as was the overall ease of use. A heavier balance shaft (originally introduced when the cylinder angle had been increased from 90 to 112 degrees back in 1987) also helped ridability. Fuel injected was tested on Shinichi Itoh’s bike but did not offer enough gains to be adopted As an aside during 1993 Honda experimented with electronic fuel injection on Shinichi Itoh’s bikes but it was deemed not enough of an advance over the standard carburettors to warrant continuing with. One interesting feature that was introduced during 1994 was water-injection into the exhausts. The cooling effect and resultant lowering of the gas speed gave an increase of 10 hp in the 6000 to 10,000 rpm range. Mick chose to use the normal motor however as the carburation was compromised by the injection.
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Post by truenorth on Jan 3, 2020 9:32:13 GMT -8
Kel Carruthers, 250cc world champion with Benelli, is celebrating his birthday Hanuary 3. Although, for many, he is better known as a "tutor" or Team Manager of pilots like Roberts or Lawson. Happy Birthday.
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Post by truenorth on Jan 7, 2020 16:20:18 GMT -8
Colin Seeley has left us. He changed racing history, with the immediately identifiable G50, and unbeatable 350cc Yamsels. The SEELEY name lives on in racing all over the world. .we are going to miss you everywhere.............
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