Any-one else going too the classic racing ?

[BarryG]

Thanks for the reports and the pictures, guys. Very much appreciated from over here. I never seem to be able to get back to NZ in time for the Pukekohe meeting, but one year I will...
It's a pity the Daytona historics are the weekend of March 1, as I'll be away this year, but that's always my historic bikes fix. I'll go to the 200 and get my fill of current racers, but there's nothing like the sounds and sights of bikes from my lifetime. Plus you can get up close and talk to the owners. I met John Britten there a couple of years when he brought the team to BOTT races, which were held on the same weekend. Also met Jim Redman, who gave a Honda 6 a run, and that sound echoing off the banking brought back Kyalmai to me from many years before.
OK, old fart mumblings over for now.....thanks again.
Cheers
Barry

[slimjim]

well what a awesome weekend, of racing and theeeeeee smell's yeeeeeaaaa , and thee girl's convexted lol, gee's hadn't realised how a newbe can get blowing away and recall more than me, gee's she's not stopped talking and smiling , reckon karen saw more than what i did, only cause i love to close my eye's and just listen, than allow the smell's to wash over , while the girl; she's bouncing around and giggling and looking lol yes next buz for her is the street racing this coming sunday,

[xwhatsit]

Kyalmai to me from many years before.

Kyalami, eh -- is that when they used to run it clockwise? That was a great circuit, would be fantastic on a bike (especially the second and third corner right/left complex), never seen any footage of motorcycles going around there though.

I dunno about all the post-classic mid-70s Jap strokers, I think for much of the audience they would possibly detract from the viewing experience, but it's a shame we can't see more of the Honda RC1xx bikes and stuff like Yamaha's Asama Spec clubman racers from 1959 onwards.

[BarryG]

Yes, the 'real' Kyalami
That 2/3 sweep (my aging mind forgets the name - after Crowthorne and leading up to the right hander that you had to enter on faith for the line down to Clubhouse, it was blind - was pretty testing, especially on a wobbly first Honda 750 4, but not as testing as on a Kawasaki 500 triple. Those things wobbled after the kink on the main straight, pretty terrifying to watch, especially from the pits!
It was a great place to get your first taste of racing a bike. They organised a race for us kids on 50's to get us off the streets. I'm sure we didn't go very fast, especially at that altitude, but it certainly felt like we were as quick as our heroes, hordes of us buzzing along.
They completely changed the track after I left SA, and run it the other way round and cut off half the track, and I have never been able to get my head around it as a place, from film and pictures. Odd, that, how the original is imprinted still, I can close my eyes and ride (or drive) it in my mind and probably do whatever lap times I would do then.
Cheers
Barry

[jellywrestler]

I really like this Goldie.

aint a goldie, its a b33 with a yamaha top end. exquisite though!
built by pete quilter i wanganui

[xwhatsit]

Yes, the 'real' Kyalami
That 2/3 sweep (my aging mind forgets the name - after Crowthorne and leading up to the right hander that you had to enter on faith for the line down to Clubhouse, it was blind - was pretty testing, especially on a wobbly first Honda 750 4, but not as testing as on a Kawasaki 500 triple. Those things wobbled after the kink on the main straight, pretty terrifying to watch, especially from the pits!

I think that's Jukskei Sweep. Watching the old F1 cars go through there, it looked like a very technical corner. Can't imagine what it'd be like on some ill-handling overpowered 70s four or stroker triple. The elevation changes and camber would play merry hell with that sort of suspension.

Beautiful track, they were mad to chop it up. I blame Jackie Stewart and/or Nicki Lauda.

[Atlas]

The Vincent outfit that spun in the wet and overturned... left its passenger with a broken pelvis in 2 places and an anticipated 10 week stay in hospital. The bikes not looking too flash either but both can be sorted.

that wasnt the one that spunout in the S before the main straight? I was up alongside the pits, sidecar did a 180 then slid backwards onto grass, spun round and smacked the swinger into the armco, then rolled ontop of the rider

Swinger was down for the count, got stretchered out. Rider was ok

Fark me, some impressive control there when it bucketed down, number 78 (i think) in the race that finished at 12, coming into the last corner before the main it looked like he aquaplaned, rear stepped way out both sides and he still powered away through the corner

Sad to see the poor bugger that highsided in the same spot, lucky he got the first of the bales and not the armco (only just)