Post by fast4 on Oct 10, 2023 21:05:33 GMT -5
Road raced my SR/TT 500 hybrid from 1980 thru 1995. Ran in Lightweight Superbike class against Yam RD 350/400s 2 strokes and Suzuki GS 450 twins. Won 3 championships, came in 2nd in points 3 times and third in points 3 times. Success due mostly to the bike. In 10 years it never failed to finish a race except when I threw it down the road twice. It simply out lasted and out handled it's competition. Our club(AAMRR) folded in 1992 thanks to a club principle stealing club funds. AMA/CCS took over and ovenight my bike had no class. Sold it to help finance a TZ-350 and raced a few more years with AHMRA in classic racing.
Oh yeah almost forgot I raced it in one AMA Pro race. It was the only night motorcycle endurance race ever run at Daytona. We were a support race for the NASCAR July 4th Firecracker race. I and two friends I raced against in LtWt Superbike teamed up and on a lark entered the race at the last minute. Thre were 84 starters. We started 84th!. We finished 19th. Each of us got 1 hour in the saddle. We were the only single cylinder bike in the race. Stan and Sharon Fridus were there on their Moto Guzzi twin. All other 82 bikes were Japanese 4 cylinders 600-1000cc bikes. We each won $125. The only money I've ever made racing bikes.
Jump ahead to 2019. Driving thru a neighborhood near my home there was my bike leaning up against a house in the weeds. The house was for rent. I called the land lord and asked about the bike. He said it was abandoned by the last tenant and he was going to have a scrap guy take it away. I said I would take now. He agreed. I went home and got my trailer and the thumper was back in my garage where it should have stayed all along. Had always regretted selling it.
It is currently apart and getting ready for next years Bonneville Motorcycle Speed Trials. The event was cancelled for the 2nd year in a row this year. The engine has a Carillo rod, 540cc big bore cyl with 12-1 Weisco piston (Bonneville will have the 500cc cylinder), full race ported head. Oversize stainless valves, single spring valve springs with titanium collet/keepers, Webco full race cam, Kedo hardened rockers, vernier cam sprocket, dual braided oil lines for the rockers, all other oil lines replaced with braided items, alloy oil cooler, 40mm Mikuni flat slide carb and open megaphone pipe. Racing clutch plates and springs. All moving parts have had the full Weddle Industries treatment: shot peen, REM metal finish and crack inspection. Will run it in the unstreamlined modified frame 500cc gas class at Bonneville. After that the plan is to supercharge the bike and run in the open frame partially streamlined 500cc fuel class.
Found out about you guys from the guys at the Australia SR500 club. Look forward to making contact with members.
Oh yeah almost forgot I raced it in one AMA Pro race. It was the only night motorcycle endurance race ever run at Daytona. We were a support race for the NASCAR July 4th Firecracker race. I and two friends I raced against in LtWt Superbike teamed up and on a lark entered the race at the last minute. Thre were 84 starters. We started 84th!. We finished 19th. Each of us got 1 hour in the saddle. We were the only single cylinder bike in the race. Stan and Sharon Fridus were there on their Moto Guzzi twin. All other 82 bikes were Japanese 4 cylinders 600-1000cc bikes. We each won $125. The only money I've ever made racing bikes.
Jump ahead to 2019. Driving thru a neighborhood near my home there was my bike leaning up against a house in the weeds. The house was for rent. I called the land lord and asked about the bike. He said it was abandoned by the last tenant and he was going to have a scrap guy take it away. I said I would take now. He agreed. I went home and got my trailer and the thumper was back in my garage where it should have stayed all along. Had always regretted selling it.
It is currently apart and getting ready for next years Bonneville Motorcycle Speed Trials. The event was cancelled for the 2nd year in a row this year. The engine has a Carillo rod, 540cc big bore cyl with 12-1 Weisco piston (Bonneville will have the 500cc cylinder), full race ported head. Oversize stainless valves, single spring valve springs with titanium collet/keepers, Webco full race cam, Kedo hardened rockers, vernier cam sprocket, dual braided oil lines for the rockers, all other oil lines replaced with braided items, alloy oil cooler, 40mm Mikuni flat slide carb and open megaphone pipe. Racing clutch plates and springs. All moving parts have had the full Weddle Industries treatment: shot peen, REM metal finish and crack inspection. Will run it in the unstreamlined modified frame 500cc gas class at Bonneville. After that the plan is to supercharge the bike and run in the open frame partially streamlined 500cc fuel class.
Found out about you guys from the guys at the Australia SR500 club. Look forward to making contact with members.
