BEARS? What's the point?

[Crasherfromwayback]

Tried taking my own bike out and realised very quickly that there are a lot better riders out there than myself

That's the thing with motorsickles! No matter how good you are, or think you are, there's always someone that'll come along that's much faster than you.

So you've gotta be big enough to appreciate it when they come flying by!

[Kickaha]

John Britten & company on their alcohol burning cast iron Triumphs were making the Classic Register guys feel uneasy about things & there was a kind of vacuum which the BEARS later filled.

If my scanner hadn't just shit itself I'd put a picture up I have of him on that bike

The one that stands out most from those early days was Joe Hannah, that 650 was a rocket

Mention was made of the "eligibility"of the Britten bike it was welcomed as it was still non Japanese & of course a local production, not forgetting that John & the other 2/3rds of the Three fools racing team were original members of the BEARS.

Well the original did have a Ducati Motor in and then a Denco, but there's probably bugger all people think of those when the name Britten comes up

The BEARS of course have taken on a life of there own with I imagine not too many of the original BEARS still around or participating, that is testimony to the BEARS themselves having that special character of their own.

There's probably only a handful that were involved in the "early days" still about

And yes there really isn't anything quite like the song of a Triple at full howl.

Jon Whites would have the been the first one I ever heard, such an awesome sound

[ellipsis]

Jon Whites would have the been the first one I ever heard, such an awesome sound

.....oh..fuck yeah....instant hard on when that blew past the pit wall.....and such a beautifully prepared bike....

[fuknKIWI]

That's the thing with motorsickles! No matter how good you are, or think you are, there's always someone that'll come along that's much faster than you.

So you've gotta be big enough to appreciate it when they come flying by!

This brings me back to John Britten, who flew past me during the aptly named Flying Farewell (SoT '88?) making me feel totally inadequate as a rider. I remember thinking how can anyone ride so fast, the next lap my question was answered. John was sitting on his prostrate bike watching the racing, I was pleased to know you can't ride that fast, well not for ever. As thaey say to finish first first you must finish

Yep there were some great bikes at those early meetings Joe's sprunghub "7T" with its 5 speed gearbox shoe horned in.
Whitey's triple what a weapon.
Lucifer's Mallet how could you forget that one.
There was also another Denco powered bike there too, went really well too.
There was also a country boy on a BSA Bushman

[ellipsis]

.....was looking for a pic of Joh Hannah on the Triumph....came across this one ....country boy on a bushman...

[avgas]

.....was looking for a pic of Joh Hannah on the Triumph....came across this one ....country boy on a bushman...

Cool! gotta anymore?

[Crasherfromwayback]

This brings me back to John Britten, who flew past me during the aptly named Flying Farewell (SoT '88?) making me feel totally inadequate as a rider.

I was at Ruapuna in 1991 on my KR1SP thinking I was doing the business, when Andrew Stroud went by me on the back wheel of the Britten. The draft he made nearly sucked me off my fucking bike. Only my dry cleaner and myself know what that did to me that day.

[ellipsis]

...gotta look in my...back when I cant remember much...boxes...I.will dig them out and get them scanned...taken on one of those old 110 cartridge cameras....laugh now to think about what we had in those days...

[avgas]

Once things get established they tend to stay that way

Are you sure?
I remember 500 2-strokes
I remember a 750 supersport class
I remember a 600 supersport class
I remember a 2L Touring car class
I remember a Group B rally class
And I am a young'n
Things change all the time. Most due to the Ducati Riders Complaint Club (DRCC) whom don't like losing on overpriced machinery.

[avgas]

I was at Ruapuna in 1991 on my KR1SP thinking I was doing the business, when Andrew Stroud went by me on the back wheel of the Britten. The draft he made nearly sucked me off my fucking bike. Only my dry cleaner and myself know what that did to me that day.

Shit happens man, you have moved on.


(pun intended)

[Crasherfromwayback]

Shit happens man, you have moved on.

Only recently

[ellipsis]

.....Joh Hannah....

[jellywrestler]

Shit happens

technically it's caused by an arsehole...

[avgas]

technically it's caused by an arsehole...

Arseholes are handy when you keep feeding the system however.
Otherwise you end up with a blowout.

[300weatherby]

I havent trolled through the posts that follow yours but Im of exactly the same opinion Bruce. It seems a nonsense to run seperate events ( politics notwithstanding and maybe some prejudice ) when we only have a tiny population. European bikes especially are a lot stronger in the race scene and its great to see them mixing it with Japanese bikes.

You, along with most Nth Islanders, show your ignorance of the BEARS scene in the South, educate yourself on the subject before making such statements- you of all people might not want to alienate motorcycle riders of any type......

Among other things, Bears is a racing community thing, rather than the self absorbed, individualistic racing thing that afflicts lots of the so called "mainstream" motorcycle racing in NZ- and since I race in both and see both sides of the argument, my opinion is more informed than yours, untill you (and a boat load of others) make an effort to understand what Bears is actually about.

Andy, 675 Daytona: Christchurch, Mainland NZ.