Beach racing

[Expert]

Anybody know if that beach racing where loonys on GSXR1100's, z1000's and XS1100's on knobblies hoone up and down the beach still happens and where?
Apparently it used to happen in the Auckland area, it's in an old motorcycle data mag of '95 vintage i have and it looks like a laff.

[R6_kid]

lol, sounds like it would be too! Let me know if you find out, would be keen for a watch.

[Firefight]

seen it at karoitahi beach

i think it was a club based at papakura


F/F

[Motu]

Beach racing has a big history in NZ,cars and bikes.Bikes kept racing into the '80's but slowly died out.It was always a cheap sport,non competitive race bikes and modified road bikes were both used.When Classic racing started in the late '70's a lot of bikes were pulled off the beach and went on the race track again.I've had a few ex beach racing I used on the road - my Triton was built as a beach racer,then made road legal.My Rickman and Cheney were uncompetitive MX bikes and were used on the beach too.

Beach racing looks easy - just up and down the beach with a 180 turn at pegs 1/2 mile apart.But try riding on sand at 160kph.....

[xwhatsit]

lol, sounds like it would be too! Let me know if you find out, would be keen for a watch.

Lol, well looking at your avatar, you'd be well good at it :scooter:

[Dai]

seen it at karoitahi beach

i think it was a club based at papakura


F/F

You are dead right,

It was at karoitahi beach and the Papakura Motorcycle Club used to run it.

When I first started on a bike my old man insisted I join a club. Dragged me down to the above mentioned little knowing that it was a racing club.

Never looked back. Started on the beach and loved it from the beginning.

1/2 mile drag, drop it round a flag and drag back, 16 laps. Real good fun when up to 20 bikes are all heading to the flag near enough at the same time.

Dave Muller was the king then. He had the Honda shop in Manurewa. Ran a 250 Honda "Elsonore" on alky. WOn every event he entered on that bike.

I ran an RD 350. There was every sort of bike you could think of there up to 1050 JAP engined specials. These were usually built by Jim Bedgegood. A brilliant mentor for a young kid.

This thread brings back memories.

[DingDong]

The Papakura Motor Cycle Club ran their last meeting in 2002 because the consent to use Kariotahi Beach got too high and there wasnt enough interest to pay the maintenance... pissed me off because Id spent thousands making mods to my bike and the resale of something like that is crap.

Motu... try 200kph+ (one guy was clocked by police at 240kph) non-competitive...not!, easy... only until you get highsided, fun... ooohhh yes...

It can be as cheap as you want... if you find more interest in Auckland, I and 2 others will be in without hesitation.

Gisborne Combined MCC still run beach racing events... bit far tho...:yes:

[DingDong]

You are dead right,

It was at karoitahi beach and the Papakura Motorcycle Club used to run it.

When I first started on a bike my old man insisted I join a club. Dragged me down to the above mentioned little knowing that it was a racing club.

Never looked back. Started on the beach and loved it from the beginning.

1/2 mile drag, drop it round a flag and drag back, 16 laps. Real good fun when up to 20 bikes are all heading to the flag near enough at the same time.

Dave Muller was the king then. He had the Honda shop in Manurewa. Ran a 250 Honda "Elsonore" on alky. WOn every event he entered on that bike.

I ran an RD 350. There was every sort of bike you could think of there up to 1050 JAP engined specials. These were usually built by Jim Bedgegood. A brilliant mentor for a young kid.

This thread brings back memories.

Thats well before my time... but Ive seen photos that Alex had in his shed (he had an RD350 back in the day too)

[Motu]

Yeah,160kph was just to get them thinking.A friend of mine crashed at 125mph on the beach,he's punch drunk and lives on pain killers.Forrest Carden used to run a JAP V twin powered featherbed,it used to dig huge trenches at the pegs....I've seen that bike run at Puke too.

[Dai]

I wonder what it would take to run an event out there again?

Obviously a lot of planning.

If anyone is interested in organising an event they could count on my support.

[Dai]

Yeah,160kph was just to get them thinking.A friend of mine crashed at 125mph on the beach,he's punch drunk and lives on pain killers.Forrest Carden used to run a JAP V twin powered featherbed,it used to dig huge trenches at the pegs....I've seen that bike run at Puke too.

I wouldnt be supprised if it wasnt one of the bikes that Jim Bedgegood built.

Those things could fly.

I remember a racer by the name of Wendell.Thought he could buy a win on the beach. He spent thousands on bikes and very rarely finished an event. I particularly remeber an Aermachi 350cc racing bike he bought. Ran it with open carbs, no filter. Engine seized from all the sand sucked into it.

[Crasherfromwayback]

Yeah,160kph was just to get them thinking.A friend of mine crashed at 125mph on the beach,he's punch drunk and lives on pain killers.Forrest Carden used to run a JAP V twin powered featherbed,it used to dig huge trenches at the pegs....I've seen that bike run at Puke too.

Yeah mate.....it's fucking cool fun!

I won my first national title beach racing on a CR480 Honda age 17 when it was in full swing......the big bikes are too heavy.....500 2 strokes used to be the answer...way faster round the pegs......Craig Wilkie and I used to do battle with Peter Crinkle.....Wilkie used to run his CR 500's on alcohol.....well fast!
The wet sand off a knobbly hitting you in the chest/face at 180kph was like being shot with a 12 gauge! I have a picture of myself on one of my KX 500's doing the business at a beach racing meeting years ago I'll scan....even if no ones interested!:Punk:

[Dai]

Yeah mate.....it's fucking cool fun!

... I have a picture of myself on one of my KX 500's doing the business at a beach racing meeting years ago I'll scan....even if no ones interested!:Punk:

I for one would love to see it. Post away.

[WRT]

I'd second that, I'm keen for a look too. Post it, post it, post it . . .

[scott411]

Yeah mate.....it's fucking cool fun!

I won my first national title beach racing on a CR480 Honda age 17 when it was in full swing......the big bikes are too heavy.....500 2 strokes used to be the answer...way faster round the pegs......Craig Wilkie and I used to do battle with Peter Crinkle.....Wilkie used to run his CR 500's on alcohol.....well fast!
The wet sand off a knobbly hitting you in the chest/face at 180kph was like being shot with a 12 gauge! I have a picture of myself on one of my KX 500's doing the business at a beach racing meeting years ago I'll scan....even if no ones interested!:Punk:

Did you race that CR480 at Whakatane in the late 80's,

My father used to race a GS1000 on the beach in Whakatane and Gisbourne (won a national open title in gisbourne in about 1987)
i remeber a guy hitting him really hard on a CR480 one year at ohope beach in whakatane, i think he was from wellington and i am pretty sure he broke his jaw in the crash,

that GS1000 used to put up a rooster tail like nothing else i have ever seen, i remeber the guys racing Dad where trying to dodge the roost and it was powerfull enough to break roll off film.

[Maido]

There is alot of talk of making the Burt Monroe beach race a national title next year.
Good luck on anything but a modern(ish) motorcross bike. (i am thinking CR500)

[Crasherfromwayback]

I for one would love to see it. Post away.

Here ya go then.....Pekapeka 1989...holy shit...I was only 17 back then!
No brakes required....180kph gearing....flat out in top, then simply knock it back two gears and run wider than most people did into the soft stuff....throw it sideways speedway style to scrub off speed.....not always the fastest way round the pegs, but looked better and was way more fun than the guys that simply used to brake in a straight line all the way to the peg then tootle round it at 5kph and blast off again!

[Crasherfromwayback]

I'd second that, I'm keen for a look too. Post it, post it, post it . . .

Thanks for your interest!:sunny:

[Masterchop]

Yea beach racing was very cool fun back in the mid to late eighties.

I raced a YZ250 and a KX250 geared right up and jetted up for high speeds.
I tried all sorts of things to get more top end out of it,even jammed the power valve open for a while, but made it very hard to ride.

The KX was faster than all the 1000's and 1100's cause they didnt accelerate fast enough and couldnt turn tight enough.But they did get good top speed.

We raced at Peka Peka beach north of Waikanae and up in Gisbourne at Wainui beach I think it was called.
I won the Langford Cup at Peka Peka, it was an annual 30 mile race with pit stops and all.

[Crasherfromwayback]

Did you race that CR480 at Whakatane in the late 80's,

My father used to race a GS1000 on the beach in Whakatane and Gisbourne (won a national open title in gisbourne in about 1987)
i remeber a guy hitting him really hard on a CR480 one year at ohope beach in whakatane, i think he was from wellington and i am pretty sure he broke his jaw in the crash,

that GS1000 used to put up a rooster tail like nothing else i have ever seen, i remeber the guys racing Dad where trying to dodge the roost and it was powerfull enough to break roll off film.

Nah.....I thought I had the 480 at 17, but must've been 16, as I bought a new KX500 in '89' (the one in the picture)....was so broke paying the HP on it, that I only did local meets both beach and moto-x. I reckon it would've been either Peter Krinkle or Craig Wilkie. Both rode CR500's. Wilkie was a National Speedway Champ, and Krinkle was a multi Nat Beach racing champ. They both travelled doing it. Krinkle was safe and calculated, Wilkie was a bit like myself. Loose. We had more fun than Krinkle did, he took it really seriously....we did it mainly for fun.

Wilkie and I both started road racing our 500's at the same time too...in Masterton...they had a great street meet there....I could blow by him road racing, he'd give me a lesson at the beach and at Moto-x. I did the street race they had in Auckland by the warves years ago....Gisborne....and of course Wanganui. No one was really racing big two stroke dirt bikes in F2 then, and they were actually quite competitive....not now....135 hp 600's will suck your number board off as they go by! I last road raced a KX 500 at Wanganui about 7 years ago and struggled to get into the top ten....8th and 9th I think.

Now with the motard class....everyone's doing it!

Whoo hoo! I'd love to be racing at Wanganui this year....but my ankle's simply not up to doing jumps yet! Do you use you 450 for motard?:Punk:

[Masterchop]

Here ya go then.....Pekapeka 1989...holy shit...I was only 17 back then!
No brakes required....180kph gearing....flat out in top, then simply knock it back two gears and run wider than most people did into the soft stuff....throw it sideways speedway style to scrub off speed.....not always the fastest way round the pegs, but looked better and was way more fun than the guys that simply used to brake in a straight line all the way to the peg then tootle round it at 5kph and blast off again!

Well I may have raced you a couple of times,I raced Peters CR500 a few times about that era.

[Crasherfromwayback]

Yea beach racing was very cool fun back in the mid to late eighties.

I raced a YZ250 and a KX250 geared right up and jetted up for high speeds.
I tried all sorts of things to get more top end out of it,even jammed the power valve open for a while, but made it very hard to ride.

The KX was faster than all the 1000's and 1100's cause they didnt accelerate fast enough and couldnt turn tight enough.But they did get good top speed.

We raced at Peka Peka beach north of Waikanae and up in Gisbourne at Wainui beach I think it was called.
I won the Langford Cup at Peka Peka, it was an annual 30 mile race with pit stops and all.

Bet I was there with ya!:Punk:

[Crasherfromwayback]

Well I may have raced you a couple of times,I raced Peters CR500 a few times about that era.

Yeah his bikes were well fast....but seeing as I used mine for moto-x as well, I couldn't afford to make them as 'peaky' as his for that much top end.

Too much in the dirt!! Wilkie simply ran two carbs....one off his speedway bike using alcohol for beach racing, and the stock one for moto-x

[calmone]

My Avatar is my father between races at a Beach meeting in the late 1930,s. I am not sure of the location but it would be probably in the Wellington Kapiti area. He is on a 34 KSS Velocette which he raced at all the meetings around Wellington and in the north at Muriwai and Waiheke.
It was I understand the most popular form of racing then although they did race on the grass as well. The Langford trophy would be named after a fellow racer of the time I think named Eccle Langford. They were nearly all road bikes during the week and race bikes in the weekends.
If we could get some meets going in the north again I would bet that they would become very popular.

[Crasherfromwayback]

My Avatar is my father between races at a Beach meeting in the late 1930,s. I am not sure of the location but it would be probably in the Wellington Kapiti area. He is on a 34 KSS Velocette which he raced at all the meetings around Wellington and in the north at Muriwai and Waiheke.
It was I understand the most popular form of racing then although they did race on the grass as well. The Langford trophy would be named after a fellow racer of the time I think named Eccle Langford. They were nearly all road bikes during the week and race bikes in the weekends.
If we could get some meets going in the north again I would bet that they would become very popular.

I wish I could get a larger version of that picture mate.....it looks fucking cool! All it takes is for a few like minded souls to organise a one off event that's run well and is centered around having fun.....it'll take off again.

I remember as a pillow rooting teenager seeing this event where the best guys from various motorcycle racing backrounds had an all in (for a pretty big purse I think) wheelie race on the sand. Normal race start, but after about 50 feet there was a painted white line and they all had to have the front wheel off the ground going over it......the course was maybe about 400m (hey, a 1/4 mile even!) long, and if the front wheel touched the ground before the finish line they were out. Things like that on the beach would be fucking cool.

You could also do speedway style ovals as 2 lap time trials, or two up sprints...you name it...just a fun day at a suitable beach!

Lets go!:Punk:

[Dai]

I wish I could get a larger version of that picture mate.....it looks fucking cool!

All it takes is for a few like minded souls to organise a one off event that's run well and is centered around having fun.....it'll take off again

...... Things like that on the beach would be fucking cool.

...just a fun day at a suitable beach!

Lets go!:Punk:

It would take off. You dont need much to race on the beach. When I first started it was on a stock standard RD350 with road tyres. Used to ride to the beach and race then ride home. Later on I tuned the bike up and ran knobbly tyres.

If anyone cares to try an organise an event they can count on my assistance in any way they need.

Kariotahi beach where the Papakura Club used to run their races could be a good venue.

[Expert]

I've just got back from Wanganui and was impressed at how much traction the motards were getting on that dirt section with slicks on.
What would be a suitable tyre to use on sand? Knobblies seem the obvious choise but how would race wets grip on wet sand? Really good i would have thought on something light like a dirt bike.
Those motard blokes would be good at a beach race. Could be opened up to quads and sidecars.
Perhaps a Weston-super-mare beach race like the UK has would take off over here? Very popular over there, 3000+ bikes, quads and sidecars. Le tourquet in france is a big sand meet, why doesn't NZ have one?
There are so many long beaches,dirt bikes and nutters over here it seems a shame not to have one sand/beach race a year in Auckland or the north.

[Krinks]

Petes my dad lol.

Good days beach.

[ellipsis]

...dads are good...

[budda]

There is alot of talk of making the Burt Monroe beach race a national title next year.
Good luck on anything but a modern(ish) motorcross bike. (i am thinking CR500)
usually WAS a National Title - check out KB/s Leverarch file of National Titles, some of 'em on big, fast roadbikes ....... mind you, that was in the days of half and ONE MILE straights, before the wimp factor took over. Was always an absolute hoot ......

[Krinks]

usually WAS a National Title - check out KB/s Leverarch file of National Titles, some of 'em on big, fast roadbikes ....... mind you, that was in the days of half and ONE MILE straights, before the wimp factor took over. Was always an absolute hoot ......

In the mnz rule book isn't it a minimum of 800meters one way? So it's up to the club/ beach. I remember the long straights in Auckland

[Krinks]

Anyone got any old footage of beach floating about?

[scott411]

Anyone got any old footage of beach floating about?

we have some from Ohope on VHS from the late 80's with your and my old man in it, will look at getting it onto youtube someday,

[Krinks]

we have some from Ohope on VHS from the late 80's with your and my old man in it, will look at getting it onto youtube someday,

Nice that would be cool to see. What bikes were they on?