Someone is in deep shizzle.

http://www.motorcyclecruiser.com/news/harley-dealer-ad-gets-it-wrong?src=SOC&dom=fb
"You have to figure that a company that’s been around since the inception of motorcycling would have literally tens of thousands of images to choose from, one that would sum all that’s good and true about them."

 

someone's in for a :spankme:

 

Thanks mofo, thats a classic. It's probably some marketing whizz-kid fresh out of university who chose it. either that or, all of HD's advertising is handled by a promotions company who wouldn't know a motorbike from a milkshake.

 

Got a laugh out of that.

 

Everyone should know that Gary Scott rode a special vertical twin Harley.

Another dude in that era from Pico-Rivera was AMA National Champion flattracker, Troy Lee (Sr.)

 

What year did yamaha begin to clean their clocks on flat tracks?

 

...................1842...................

 

Yamaha's entre into US racing began with the Catalina GP, in 1955-56. If memory serves the rider was Fumikio Itoh. The 650 (40ci) class was won by Big Bob Sandgren.

HD's larger nemesis on the pro (AMA Class C) was not Yamaha or Triumph or Norton but 500 cc BSAs. The bikes in the late 1940, 50s and 60s were 500cc OHV pusrod engines and the HD were K model 750cc F

heads.

In the teens until the 1930 the dudes to beat on the pro circuits were HD and Indian. HD hired, subsidized and managed pro teams of the best of the best. Not until Class C came into being (C for Claiming) Harley and Indian were the frontrunners.

HD has pretty much dominated pro level flat track with a list of riders who are legends. Many of the BSA riders share the same legendary status.

 

Thanks for that info. My first ventures into the 2 wheeled world (other than building mini bikes out of Briggs and Stratton engines) were in the early 70's with dirt bikes then mid 70's when I got my first RD 350 and modded it to a screamer.

 

I grew up in the LA area. Within ten miles was Micky Thompsons shop. Iskenderian, Moon, Slim Karnes HD where Jerry Branch worked, Lions Drag strip (walking distance) Moon and other cars and bike stuff. My first real bike was a 175 Francis Barnett I bought in a box for ten bucks. Turned it into a scrambler. Never rode the street until I was 22-23.

The local hotrod guys got ahold of a Cushman scooter I had and "massaged" the Briggs and Stratton in it. I am lucky to be still above ground..


A lot of this stuff is as far as I am concerned historically important to understand where some of what we do came from and where it might go. The POV from the "everything started the day I was born" crowd is BS and at best sloth. Yep, we gots motorcycle yuppies too..

 

Billy seeing where these guys you mentioned are from do you happen to know Gary Shumake? He owns Spec 2 out in Calf.
He has been around forever and is still one of the old great 2 stroke guru's. His chambers are still some of the best. His web site is ancient but he still does business. He was in a horrific car crash some time ago but seems to be doing ok now and is back at it.
http://www.spec2.com/rd.html

 

Forgot to post a video of his chambers. I want a pair.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gPWrJaHhal4

 

Hey Billy did you know Gary Shumake?

 

Nope, I left LA a long time ago. Do you know Jeb Bush?

Nice pipe on that Yahaha. Not many are chromed. The tuners back in the day were not privvy to factory port timing and were doing things like adding lead and bondo to the crankcases and messing with the port timing. Top dude in my hood was a guy named Frank Crow. He designed missle guidance systems and at one time had a couple of hundred engineers under his supervision. He did bike and car stuff because he liked them.

Rode a Gamma a couple of times.. Holy Shit! Big Bang that one!

 

Never got to ride a Gamma. I see them at vintage bike shows I have been to. Reminds me of the TZ 750, kind of like 2 RD motors in 1 engine. I could not imagine what a 4 cylinder 2 stroke would be like.

 

There are some famous words by Kenny Roberts on that TZ... Never got the opportunity to ride one of the 500CC GP two strokes but I have heard they are relatively mild until ya hit the pipe then all hell comes forth!

I got to see some of the 50cc GP bikes at Willow years ago before the track grew up.. They could hit 125mph.. Kriedlers.. The 125 Honda two stroke GP bikes that could be bought go like stink too. A friend of mine races one. No torque to speak of but all wound up they go even with my 215 lb. ass sitting on one.

The Gamma was owned by a guy in my club. Great rider, racer, builder and an EMT Seattle Fireman. Built an SR500 to look like a Manx Norton. Called it "The Nipton" The Big C got him.

 

The 75 RD that I have now is stock except for cheap chambers and I put electronic ignition in too. It is very ride able and the power does not come on too fast. I built a beast back in high school, also a 75 but all sorts of performance work. It was not very friendly, was a dog until it hit the pipe then it was hang on! I went through so many pistons with that bike, I swear they should come with a 6 pack of pistons. lol

 

KR is seen on some Utube vids talking about the 750. Mostly re hash and cleaned up for the PC crowd. The words of 1975 were some different..

Six packs is the way Harley pistons are sold.. Got a nephew that used to make the forging dies for the Nascar rides. He gave me one that didn't pass QC. Big sucker and big valves.. He also made the dies for F14 wing struts. I wanted one. No dice unless I wanted to do time in Leavenworth. I opted out of that one.