Yesterday's Heroes

[Dadpole]

I was flicking through a Cycle mag from 1976 (as you do) and found a small article about Kiwi racer John Boote. Thought I would post it here for nostalgia purposes, and to show to the youngsters what a Kiwi can do.

[James Deuce]

Really nice guy too.

[onearmedbandit]

Wow, thanks for that. I really enjoyed reading about how he couldn't get a mono-shocked chassis for his own bike so fabricated one himself from a motocross swingarm. And then to beat a factory version must've been the icing on the cake. A local legend that too little is known about, I should take a ride past his work and shake a legends hand I think.

[merv]

I remember him being credited as being the first person to race a TZ700 in the world which was awesome at the time.

Besides racing the Yamahas successfully I remember seeing him on a Suzuki RG500 at Ruapuna on a very windy norwest day in 1977 beating the hell out of everyone and because of the wind riding on quite a lean down the main straight which added interest as he peeled into the old tight hairpin.

Now White Trash will say I'm slipping because I don't have any pics nor can I remember the exact year, but in the mid 80's John had a kind of comeback and fronted up at Wanganui on Boxing Day riding a Kawasaki GPZ600 - remember them the red and white ones - and he put in a tremendous performance, passing others where no one else could and won at least one of the Junior Production races against by then much younger rivals.

[imdying]

That man has a shite load of bikes... some in his display room, some in containers. RE5s, CX500 turbo, RGs, lots of nice old classics.

[Toast]

Man!! What a cool story! What a cool bastard!

[What?]

Really nice guy too.

I'll second that.

I remember him being credited as being the first person to race a TZ700 in the world which was awesome at the time.

Quite something alright - frame made of plasticine and more power than, well, anything...

[paturoa]

I was flicking through a Cycle mag from 1976 (as you do) .....

Must have been a longggg session in the bog to get that far back in your mags - lol

[doc]

I was at Ruapuna when John Boote first raced the TZ700, got some crappy photo's of him and I think Dale Wylie had something pretty potent at the time time. Think it might have been the water cooled 750 suzuki.I'll try and find them...