A pic from the past

[nudemetalz]

Here's my old man, plus my sister and me (sitting on the Kat)...back in 1982 at Pukekohe.

The TZ is a 1973 TZ350A and alongside is his wire-wheeler Katana (who knows, could be Katman's one).

[merv]

You have some fantastic memories.

[nudemetalz]

Thanks Merv, I've been putting some up on Facebook but thought I'd share this one here, as those TZ's and WW Kats are very special and sort after bikes nowadays.

[Dadpole]

Bloody 'ell. I was all old and growed up when that was taken. Damn young whipper-snapper...

[Paul in NZ]

Some pictures of my past - at about the same era....

[unstuck]

Some great pics there guys.:niceone:

[Maha]

Your dad looks puzzled....:confused:

[Rcktfsh]

Your dad looks puzzled....:confused:

TZ's will have that effect at times.

[nudemetalz]

TZ's will have that effect at times.

It was a real beast that TZ. I remember him telling me it was fast but the handling was sometimes a handful. Plus it would seize at the most inopportune moments...
I also remember him going for a blast up and down the road. It was hellishly loud !!!!!!

I have a couple of the old one-ring pistons that look "rather second-hand" from it as souvenirs.

[nudemetalz]

Some more pics of the TZ.....

plus one from Mt Maunganui in '82...with CB1100R and Kats racing...

[Katman]

Some more pics of the TZ.....

plus one from Mt Maunganui in '82...with CB1100R and Kats racing...

Hard case. Whoever took that photo at Baypark might easily have been standing next to my mate who took this photo.

263459

[Katman]

Actually, on closer inspection they seem to be two different corners.

You sure your one is at Baypark? I'm thinking maybe the hairpin at Puke.

[Maha]

Yes they are both Bay Park...Nudes one is of the back straight with a camping ground at the far end beyond the trees.

[Katman]

Here's some more.

263461263462263463

[Katman]

And some more.

263464263465263466

[Katman]

Yes they are both Bay Park...Nudes one is of the back straight with a camping ground at the far end beyond the trees.

Baypark only had one right hander though.

[Maha]

Baypark only had one right hander.

So they went anti clockwise at Baypark?

Is that Dave Hiscock in the gold leathers?

[Katman]

Is that Dave Hiscock in the gold leathers?

Neville. Dave is in the blue leathers.

The other person in the similar gold leathers is Robert Holden.

[Katman]

The line-up for the Le Mans start is (from pole) Bob Toomey, Robert Holden, Paul Pavletich, Glen Williams, Neville Hiscock and Dave Hiscock.

[nudemetalz]

Yup I def concur with Maha. Was definitely at Baypark. I remember that with my 12 year old eyes at the time. I was "chief TZ mechanic helperer" at the time.
"Get me the plug spanner, please?" ...
"Yes Dad"..

[Katman]

Yup I def concur with Maha. Was definitely at Baypark.

Must be just coming into the right hander.

The straight section looks longer than I remember it.

[jellywrestler]

The line-up for the Le Mans start is (from pole) Bob Toomey, Robert Holden, Paul Pavletich, Glen Williams, Neville Hiscock and Dave Hiscock.
looks to me like the first rider may be Richard Scott?

[BigAl]

Robbie Deans on 56?

those were the days.......

[Katman]

Robbie Deans on 56?



Yep, and Roger Freeth and (I think) Mike Hogan having a coming together on the start line.

[MIXONE]

Ah Baypark.That brings back some fantastic memories.
I even raced there once or twice myself.

[GD66]

It's Trevor Discombe on the ground with his TZ750. Roger Freeth did a wheelie off the startline on the McIntosh, tipped it sideways and landed on Discombe, whose fuse was pretty short in those days. At the next meeting at Manfield, Discombe appeared to have the better of Freeth, then inexplicably started to slow down, then speed up and re-take the lead only to slow again....the old Bee In The Helmet trick...:msn-wink:

[roadracingoldfart]

And some more.

263464263465263466

Skellatal pete with the Z1000J i assume ???

[Katman]

Skellatal pete with the Z1000J i assume ???

Close. ;)

The skeleton leathers are Paul Pavlitich on the CB1100R and the Z1000J is Glen Williams in the green leathers.

[GD66]

Dave Martin on the other Honda. Also, in the earlier post #14, in the central pic are 33 Alan de Lautour, 24 Norris Farrow and 6 Glenn Williams.
In the right-hand pic the Wellington Motorcycles trio are on the top 3 grid spots, then 7 Vince Sharpe, 31 Bill Biber and 56 Rob Dean. Further back, 131 Trevor Kirby and 25 Dave Martin are amongst the suspects.
Thanks for the pics, Katman. :mellow:

[dangerous]

Here's some more.

263463Hey... how the 1100R go against all them wire wheels, and how come there so many of em? cheaper or beter?

[GD66]

Probably not cheaper ! But supposedly better : introduced in limited numbers in Australia and New Zealand for the Castrol Six Hour.
Noticed #65 Kerry Chapman in Castrol leathers on row 3 in that pic : he raced here in WA for awhile before disappearing to the UK where he ended up swinging sidecar for Frank Wrathall in national races and a few GPs.

[jellywrestler]

1100R's were $9995
kats $7400
WW kats $7800


from memory, katman is this right?

[gammaguy]

1100R's were $9995
kats $7400
WW kats $7800


from memory, katman is this right?

but then there were the black pipers.....

[dangerous]

but then there were the black pipers.....
non Kat GSX1100's were they not, modded in NZ by Suzuki?

[Grumph]

non Kat GSX1100's were they not, modded in NZ by Suzuki?

Some controversy there D...Suzuki brought in 5 of the new GSX1100's for the 6 hour. Two came to the SI. Kirby and Pete Waters were the lucky recipients. Pete was telling me the other week that the NI bikes had the "South African market" bigger pipes and mufflers and he was offered an upgrade kit by Suzuki. Craig Coleman is adamant that no kits were ever offered.....

Incidentally Pete has tracked down and bought his original 1100 rolling chassis and he knows where the motor is too.

[gammaguy]

I was living in Wellington when all the controversy surrounding the black pipers went down,in the golden era of proddy racing in NZ

Of course there were fervent denials about any special machines by the then dominant WMCC team ran by Steve Dundon.That team was way ahead of the others in preparation and attitude,and the results proved it.I can remember people cheering when they retired or crashed because it meant there would be a different winner for a change.

Steve was and is a very skilled tuner but even then those WMCC bikes seemed indecently fast compared to the rest.

I think that is one argument that will rage on forever,maybe only Suzuki NZ or Mr Dundon himself could clear it up.....

[nudemetalz]

Back in the old days, cheating did happen quite a bit.

I remember my old man telling me of when he got his GSX750ESD brand new in, he raced it in the proddy class at Puke. Down the back staight, a rider well known for cheating (can't remember his name) passed him while he was at full noise on a "stock" GSX550E.....

Then,.....with regards to the pic I showed you earlier of my Mum's red GSX550E. She watched it get stolen from over the other side of the road in Queen Street and couldn't get over to it in time.
Apparently, the aforementioned 550 racer was connected to the theft.....
Go figure....

[dangerous]

So... any photo's of these elusive "black Piper's"

[Dadpole]

So... any photo's of these elusive "black Piper's"

I had one back in the day. Bistard is currently the proud keeper of one.