1970/71...MACH III Style !!!!!

[SPman]

No full face helmets back then either. Imagine sliding down the track using your chin for brakes. The dirt, the flies and midgies whacking your face and getting stuck in your teeth.

.

Got my first fullface - an Arai, in Sept 72. Orange. Got it from Sydney and it cost $60!!! Fecking expensive!! My brother borrowed it (and the S2 Kwaka 350 I'd just bought) proceeded to highside at the Torbay shops and came back with the visor and temple area somewhat scuffed. Lucky boy - but not after I'd finished with him!
Then got a white Bellstar a bit later.....
Wet weather gear - oiled parkas.......

[Paul in NZ]

It took a lot of rain to get through an Army great coat too,and the
Air Force ones were even better.You could turn the collar up and button that thing from the inside of the coat to both sides of the collar - you felt like some girl from the Congo with bangles on her neck....but no rain went down there.

Oh god yes - army surplus! I still have a pair of german army trou that I think must be bullet proof. Submariners socks and wollen gurnsey - brill. I had some kind of surplus duffle coat thing that dragged on the ground it was so big... jesus - what a sight it must have been... Oily oiks!

[Edbear]

Yep! The old Army greatcoat, steelcapped forestry boots and the open face helmet with leather face mask and goggles. Why have'nt I got a pic!? Have to check through Mother's photo albums...

[Motu]

We were so good looking back then eh? Better not post a picture or else all these young guys will have a personality crisis.I had an Air Force great coat...nice in blue....but they didn't allow short people in the Air Force,but the Army great coats were available in short sizes.Kinda helpfull if you were a shorter size.I think all this woolen padding must of helped in those prangs....who needed leather when you had the superior qualities of wool.

[Ixion]

That's the stuff. Worked really well if it was pissing down but really cold. Otherwise it was a toss up if you were going to get wetter because of your own body heat.

Another reason it's good to be a biker today. Who'd have thunk it. Bikes that handle (Mach 111 - ahhh I'm going to die), tyres that grip, disk brakes that actually brake, and wet weather gear that works (mostly). Oh happy days.

I've still got (and sometimes wear) a pair of Line 7 bib front leggings. And a fleece lined Line 7 jacket. That was WAY cool back then , normally cost a fortune, way beyond my pockets. I got a "special deal" .

My first bike came with a genuine "Corker Skid Lid". Corker was the brand and "Skid Lid" was the model. A pudding basin with leather bits and webbing inside. My mother constantly nagged me to wear it " Ahhh - Mummmmm!! Everyone'll think I'm a real DORK ".

[Edbear]

We were so good looking back then eh? Better not post a picture or else all these young guys will have a personality crisis.

...who needed leather when you had the superior qualities of wool.

Yeah, I was skinny and handsome once upon-a-time!

I'm pleased to say I never did have to try out the protective qualities of the Greatcoat! I felt very safe and secure in it though...

[Bandit Rider]

Good memories, had a Mach III too. The old "Great Coat" - hadn't thought about them for years.

Have to admit the gear and the bikes are so much better - but not being 18 anymore isn't all good.

[Pwalo]

Good memories, had a Mach III too. The old "Great Coat" - hadn't thought about them for years.

Have to admit the gear and the bikes are so much better - but not being 18 anymore isn't all good.

What, you mean you don't enjoy laughing at the youngsters, and not having to be a dick because that's what teenagers do?

[Paul in NZ]

I remember the first proper boots I purchased for the bike. Jeeze - what a laugh. Tall leather things with a zip up the back and a buckle at the top. More like horse riding boots than proper bike boots. They were utter shite - leaked like a sieve and the inner sole was compressed cardboard or something - literally fell off my feet within a year. Replaced em with the old green river tramping boots until the dog ate one (why always just ONE) and then surplus MOT style boots (commando sole, full length tongue, 3 buckle flap up top) except mine were black and theirs were brown - much better - still got em, still use em.

[Podo]

I had some of the first Bell's in NZ and I can remember returning from Aust with white "Stagg" brand leathers. At the time I can only remember a few in white, Perry, Discombe and some guy on a Mach 3 , Kingston or some such name.
Gaz.

The some guy you referred to was Cliff Kingston from Tauranga, a champion rider (and our local hero). Cliff rode a T20 race kitted Suzuki. There was a posting just after the most recent Wanganui Street races ,which contained photos of the historic display there, most, if not all of these riders were featured.

[roogazza]

The some guy you referred to was Cliff Kingston from Tauranga, a champion rider (and our local hero). Cliff rode a T20 race kitted Suzuki. There was a posting just after the most recent Wanganui Street races ,which contained photos of the historic display there, most, if not all of these riders were featured.

Thats him ! I was at a reunion of old racers a couple of weeks ago and Pete Fleming said he was his hero . (pete was production champ a couple of times around 75)
The first Mach3's were white but that was in Sydney Aust. I don't remember seeing them here. Gaz.

[pete376403]

My first full face helmet was an AGV that I bought from the guy who imported it from Italy. I recall getting stopped by a cop one night and he was going to book me for not wearing an approved helmet - at that time f/faces were not legal. Let off that one, but still got the speeding ticket.

[SPman]

The first Mach3's were white but that was in Sydney Aust. I don't remember seeing them here. Gaz.

The white ones were over here as well - the "100mph down View Rd (Mt Eden)), we all had turns on was a white one with the purple? stripe on the tank and drum brakes. (110mph indicated was the record before having to slow down or risk flying through the lights onto Dominion Rd - the drum brake wasn't very effective)

[MacD]

Remember Line 7 motorcycle gear?

I still have my black one-piece Line 7 rainsuit hanging in the shed. No rain could get in through that, but the sweat didn't get out either! It was an upgrade from the Oilskin gear.

My first helmet was also a red Jet-style with peak. My brother, who's a few years older than me, had a pudding-basin style helmet with domes, but he gave up riding before I started.

No Mach III here though, I was an RD350 guy.

[Silage]

Kept looking through old albums and found these !!!! They were titled "1970-71 season at Ruapuna - 1/2 production race"
He (Dad) is the one on with the green helmet (I know, hard to tell with B&W pics)on that 3-cylinder beast from Kawasaki !!
Dale Wylie (on the Commando) and Owen Galbraith feature in those pics too if that means anything to you older guys here on the forum.

Just who are you calling old, young fella!!

Great pics NM. I have a chat with Owen Galbraith most weeks. He still rides a lot of miles but not on the track any more. Which pic(s) is he in as I will print it off for him.