NZ built racing specials

[husaberg]

The Roberts Plastic fantastic in action

[actungbaby]

Thanks dude was cool . Ive got video tape of the tv coverage of the wanaganui 85-86 scotty on the v3 honda . If u want it.


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[husaberg]

Thanks dude was cool . Ive got video tape of the tv coverage of the wanaganui 85-86 scotty on the v3 honda . If u want it.


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Yeah that would be neat

[husaberg]

I never heard of this one.
But its from Griff Country i think
Its shown on the TVNV on demand start it up with the Leyland van
https://www.tvnz.co.nz/shows/start-me-up/episodes/s1-e5
this is where the screen shots are from
Grump mentioned the owner a while back as he had beat colemans mile grass track record.

[F5 Dave]

Huh, I was in Peters lockup a couple of months back looking at his collection of 2 strokes.

[husaberg]

I just looked on the Map and was surprised how close it was to Welly, my nz geography is a bit shit i thought it was close to palm north.
Here is some more stuff.
Flet needs his own museum

[lozz900]

John pretty much admitted so himself, same as the CF composites. He also credited Hossack for the front. But like Mike Sinclear thought it looked ungainly.
It needs to be remebered how much input mike had into the suspension and frame geometry etc.
Yamaha also had a shock funny postitioned but mounted crossways arround that time.
https://www.kiwibiker.co.nz/forums/a...7&d=1329124408

ow61 then refined two years later into the RZ500 underneath.

THe KR250 also had it under the engine as well as the first buell XR1000s
https://www.kiwibiker.co.nz/forums/a...hmentid=330716

Do you know if Mike Sinclair had any input into the NZ racing scene around the time the suspension you mentioned appeared on the OW61?
One of my buddy's has an original condition Ducati GT race bike thats been lost forever. It has a modified frame and swing arm with no mount points for conventional rear shocks. It does however have mount tabs on the top of the swing arm right back by the axle and on the frame rails right below the riders ass.. a version of the OW61 rear suspension could have been in play.
We are trying to piece together its history and the rear suspension puzzle is part of it..
I'll try and upload a picture, its an interesting piece of history

[husaberg]

Do you know if Mike Sinclair had any input into the NZ racing scene around the time the suspension you mentioned appeared on the OW61?
One of my buddy's has an original condition Ducati GT race bike thats been lost forever. It has a modified frame and swing arm with no mount points for conventional rear shocks. It does however have mount tabs on the top of the swing arm right back by the axle and on the frame rails right below the riders ass.. a version of the OW61 rear suspension could have been in play.
We are trying to piece together its history and the rear suspension puzzle is part of it..
I'll try and upload a picture, its an interesting piece of history

he wrote a book i guess it would be in it?
I dont know mike but i know people that do talk to him.
a guy who used to be an air force guy "Nardo"did a Ducati square case with suspension like that in an alloy frame with a funny front end.
i have posted it before

[lozz900]

So Mike Sinclair is still around ? Thats good news.. I'd really like to know the history of this bike, its pretty distinctive, someone must remember it. I'll read his book and see what turns up..
Thanks for that.

[jellywrestler]

So Mike Sinclair is still around ? Thats good news.. I'd really like to know the history of this bike, its pretty distinctive, someone must remember it. I'll read his book and see what turns up..
Thanks for that.

Mike lives in chch, he won't be hard to find if you know the right people.

[husaberg]

The other Ducati
https://www.kiwibiker.co.nz/forums/s...post1130258030

[Grumph]

So Mike Sinclair is still around ? Thats good news.. I'd really like to know the history of this bike, its pretty distinctive, someone must remember it. I'll read his book and see what turns up..
Thanks for that.

I'd doubt if Mike's ever seen that one. When he was back in NZ he generally had little to do with the local scene. Apart from working with John, the only exception was when Cathcart shared the BMS Ducati with Holden, Mike looking after Cathcart was part of the deal. That lasted two meetings I think - until Robert blew the thing to pieces at the GP.

This Ducati I'd pick was a BEARS bike. I've never seen it in ChCh - but I know Dave Sewell has the mould for that seat and tank. The person i'd track down would be Lindsay Williamson. Currently I think an Indian agent with premises somewhere out Leeston way. Maybe ask Steve Bridge too. It may have been a NI bike back when there was an active BEARS scene there.

[lozz900]

I'd doubt if Mike's ever seen that one. When he was back in NZ he generally had little to do with the local scene. Apart from working with John, the only exception was when Cathcart shared the BMS Ducati with Holden, Mike looking after Cathcart was part of the deal. That lasted two meetings I think - until Robert blew the thing to pieces at the GP.

This Ducati I'd pick was a BEARS bike. I've never seen it in ChCh - but I know Dave Sewell has the mould for that seat and tank. The person i'd track down would be Lindsay Williamson. Currently I think an Indian agent with premises somewhere out Leeston way. Maybe ask Steve Bridge too. It may have been a NI bike back when there was an active BEARS scene there.

Hey thanks, thats a good lead, I'd forgotten about BEARS .
Was Lindsay active in the BEARS scene during this era?
I've talked to Steve and he's offered a lead also...
I don't know so much about the motor and front end but the rest of it looks like it went together...
It would be cool if I could get that suspension to work again..
It would be something different...

[Grumph]

Lindsay was one of the founding fathers - and active for a very long while in the club.

He'll have seen everything run at BEARS meetings in that period, but how good his memory is I don't know.

Another ChCh name who might know something would be Phil Payne. I have no idea where he is now, sorry.

The well known Photographer Euan Cameron was at all of those Sound of Thunder meetings. I'm told he's on facebook.
He might be able to find a pic of the bike in action. Another one is Brian Hopping who's recently put a lot of his pics up on facebook.

[lozz900]

Lindsay was one of the founding fathers - and active for a very long while in the club.

He'll have seen everything run at BEARS meetings in that period, but how good his memory is I don't know.

Another ChCh name who might know something would be Phil Payne. I have no idea where he is now, sorry.

The well known Photographer Euan Cameron was at all of those Sound of Thunder meetings. I'm told he's on facebook.
He might be able to find a pic of the bike in action. Another one is Brian Hopping who's recently put a lot of his pics up on facebook.

Thank you so much... there's a ton of research there.
Am I correct that the OW61 type suspension was disregarded relatively quickly because it wasn't that great but it kickstarted a new and rapid phase of suspension innovation ..
I thought of Sinclair because of its similarly to yamahas setup and thought maybe he had an idea of his own that he wanted to try..

There's also a pair of tabs on the swing arm in the center about 75 mm back from the pivot.. maybe the top mechanism pushed the shock down and the swing arm pushed the shock up,and the shock was vertical .. similar but different to the Yamaha version .

Very interesting. Thanks for your help.