Another old fart

[sporty03]

Pete,

Yeah I tried that a few times but somehow the rotten thing would move on me. Usually found out when it wouldn't start miles from home.
How did you get into speedway? I used to watch the guys, Andrews, Sibritzky(sp?) and even Mauger a few times up at Western Springs. Always figured that for the ultimate ride. How did you get those turns down? Still like to learn that trick but I'm not sure the nerves would let me.
See ya

[pete376403]

The stock cars had been at Te Marua for a while when a new promotor (Tony Nesbitt, from Christchurch) was bught in to improve things. One of the improvements was to introduce bikes. Once they started appearing on track, it didn't take long before there were a few for sale. I bought the Jap for $500 and started learning. There was no where to practice, just get out on the track and wobble round. Because of the short wheelbase and very steep fork angle, they go sideways really easily. So it was just a matter of trying to keep the power on into the corner, lean over a bit and nail it. (I crashed a lot, too). And that was basically it, then got on the upgrade cycle ("a new motor is all that stands between me and the world championship, I know it...")
Finally gave it away when I was made redundant from a job that included full medical insurance, and would not take the chance of being injured and forced to rely on ACC. I'd love to try it again, though. Just one more time. Really, just once.

[sporty03]

To Scumdog anyone else interested,

Finally got a photo to load. This has been scanned from a picture my neighbour took the first time I showed up on on the bike, so it's got a bit grainy getting it down to size. Looks okay as a 3M bmap.
Anyway there it is in all it's glory. Have a few things in mind for it but will have to see how the money pans out.
Cheers

[White trash]

To Scumdog anyone else interested,

Finally got a photo to load. This has been scanned from a picture my neighbour took the first time I showed up on on the bike, so it's got a bit grainy getting it down to size. Looks okay as a 3M bmap.
Anyway there it is in all it's glory. Have a few things in mind for it but will have to see how the money pans out.
Cheers

Loving that bike, Sporty.

Thought about changing the bars to something more natural?

"Westerns" spring to mind and you shouldn't need to change the cables. It'll give you better leverage and you wont get the "weavy wallows" in high speed corners.

Braided front line will make a good increase in front braking power.

High flow airfilter and she'll be a hauler!

[Cajun]

and he forgot to add he can sell you all these parts,

down boy

[scumdog]

To Scumdog anyone else interested,

Finally got a photo to load. This has been scanned from a picture my neighbour took the first time I showed up on on the bike, so it's got a bit grainy getting it down to size. Looks okay as a 3M bmap.
Anyway there it is in all it's glory. Have a few things in mind for it but will have to see how the money pans out.
Cheers

Good pic s.03, like the idea of the "bra" - wished I'd got one now.
As W.T. says, a better set of bars will help the handling, have a look at the two Sportster 'S' models in M & V in Dunedin for an idea.
I'm real happy with the bars on my 'S', both for handling & for touring but I'm use to narrow flat bars.
You'll have a heart attack when you see genuine H-D part & accessory prices (but the quality is right up there too).

[Motu]

I'd love to try it again, though. Just one more time. Really, just once.

About 10yrs ago I was pusher for a mate of mine at Rosebank,we were both 40 at the time - he'd had a prang the meeting before and was concussed and still sore all over.I duct tapped a length of bar from hip to ankle,hinged at the knee,to his left leg and sent him out.The third time I went out and pushed his bike back to the pits he had gone off in the ambulance - I loaded the bike into his ute and went home.Didn't see him again for a couple of years - ''how's it goin',how'd it go after that last speedway meeting?'....''Oh yeah,I'm ok now,but have no memory of my whole childhood''....'oh,choice,that's good mate'...

No,one more time could be your last - cherish the memory.

[sporty03]

Hey guys,
Scumdog, Motu, Cajun and Whitetrash and all others following this. Yeah, I've thought about bars. What do you call 'westerns'? When I was a teen I put, what was known then as 'semi westerns' on my Triumph. They were 18" high and let me ride sitting straight up with my hands about shoulder level. Over 140km the wind starts to knock me around abit so I figured something abit smaller would be better. I can't bring myself to put a screen on the HD, no matter how sensible it is. I would rather go the way of a small fairing and end up looking like a halfway Buel. I was thinking about a riser with the more or less straight bars across the top. The guy that sold me the bike has something like that on his new custom. Says he will give me a try one day. I'll check out the bikes in M & V and see what they are like. The tank bra was custom built by Frank before he sold me the bike. Can find out about it if you like. It really protects the tank. I'm looking at the plastic stick ons for the front as well. A local guy that does heaps of motifs etc and has some really clear stuff that goes on wet and disappears. Hardly notice it at all. Will protect the front from top to bottom. Just where all the stones hit. It's similar to the stuff they use as stoneguards on headlights, just abit thinner. Cost about $50 last time I looked.
You are right about the wallows. Even a bit of rough road will get the front all twitchy. No real dramas, just suprised me a little. Any advice or opinions on forward controls? They look pretty cool and confortable but how do they affect the body placement / handling if things get abit curly. I guess what trail rider there is in me, is coming out. Standing on pegs and muscling front ends around etc. Not that you could do much of that on one of these big beasties. Just curious before I commit good money.
Shame about your buddy Motu. The track always did look like a hard way to have fun. Mind you a smoothly done turn with the bike finely balanced looked as close to flying as you could get and still stay on the ground. I guess that is what Pete thinking about with his 'just one more time' comment. They used to call Bryce 'Iron Man Sibritzky' (sp??) up in Auckland. The mad beggar seemed to fall off and get run over and all sorts of dramas but always managed to get up. Mind you, he never backed off the throttle. Another local hero, Bobby Andrews must have been a hard wee guy. Raced horses all afternoon and would then show up and race bikes all Saturday night. Crazy, but gave us young fellas some real role models. All for 50c as well.
Anyway, any and all advice eagerly read and even possibly acted on.
Thanks everybody. :spudwave:

[Motu]

Bryce was a tough old bastard alright,he still took a bike out a year or two before he died,the hearse took his body around the track at his funeral - now called The Bryce Subritzky Memorial Speedway.

[Jackrat]

Sporty,I put standard FXR bars on my 96 XL1200.
Don't know what their called but their lower and flatter/wider than the standard sporty bars.
Welcome aboard

[scumdog]

Go with the 6" risers and narrow flat bars, look cool and don't handle too bad also!!! :cool2:

Forward control are good and comfortable for cruising, leave the original pegs on for rough-ground stuff (to stand on) and slightly better handling when you're 1-up on the twisty bits, generally you don't loose too much handling though with the forward controls.

Yeah let me know about the bra costs etc

[sporty03]

Thanks for the info. I'll have a look at those bars. My buddy from up Taranaki has something like that on his duce I think.
I had an idea tha the forward controls would be that way. Guess I'll go for some highway pegs.
Didn't know Bryce had passed on but then it was a lot of years ago I watched him. Had a pretty cute daughter I remember.
Glad to know he rode till the end. Last time I saw him was the 1970 Champs. He lost the plate off his boot about lap #2 but only Bobby Andrews caught him. Hell of a guy.
Anyway thanks all, for the words of wisdom. Any stray tanks going cheap might be of interest as well. If I can't get one made I may have to 'modify' an old one so I guess MILD denting wouldn't be too much of a problem.
Regards
Graham

[sporty03]

SCUMDOG,
Frank may still be cruising somewhere so don't worry if it's a week or 2 before I can get details of where he got that cover cum bra made.
Cheers ears

[sporty03]

Hey Jackrat,

Thanks for the hello. How does that Japanese Triumph go?

[Jackrat]

Hey Jackrat,

Thanks for the hello. How does that Japanese Triumph go?

Runs fine but the electric bits are dodgy as.
Lives on the battery charger
Seems just about everybody USED to have one of these.