A pic from the past

[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.