Random 1980s racing pictures

[3WW Star-John_Neary]

The same guy who built our home made Can Am did the work on the first Honda conversion, Rob Selvy helped us with the Yz250 engine install and some engine work and Kenny Roberts built its pipe. Allen at CT built the second Honda conversion, the one that won at Porterville National in 86, and it was the best one of the lot.

Practice at Porterville in 86



I want my Rotax motor stripped to a bolt, cases blasted and powder coated and rebuilt properly like OC250R did on his Tiger engine. I am not touching spray paint just out of principal.The paint on it is in bad shape, looks fine but its not bonded to the metal well and lots has flaked off just from basic handling while working on stuff so im not gonna paint over that base.

I will dremal the back of the cases a bit to make swing arm clearance but i dont wanna spray metal shavings all over my living room, even im not that much of a slob.

[onformula1]

Thanks, this is so interesting to me, all of it.

I never owned a CT motor, but they always seemed fast and ran better than most. Any idea what Allen is doing these days? He seems to post stuff online and on the CT website, but heard we sold the shop years ago.

That YZ250 setup looked better than any Banshee I have ever seen.

I totally remember that small aluminum gas tank, I wanted one real bad.

[3WW Star-John_Neary]

ok no more nasty quadracers, back to the racing pics



i miss when we still had some green grass in California



@onformula1 - I have spoken to Allen a couple times since i stopped racing but we did not discuss his business much so i am not sure if he is still running it or not. He was always a guy trying to fit 28 hours into a 24 hour day and i am sure that caught up with him sooner or later, he was a hard working person.

The small gas tank was a simple, effective design that would be easy to reproduce. Think a small coffin shape welded out of aluminum sheet with the top piece rolled to give a smooth seat to tank junction. Mike Meade who had the machine shop next to CT hand made most of the cool one off alloy stuff my bikes had when i rode for Allen.

The tank worked great and made it much easier to move around on the bike and it never sprung a leak like my CalFab fuel tank did.

[ctk]

In the first pic in post#379, did you groove a strip out near the outside on the rear tires? If so what advantage did that have? These post are more and more amazing! Thanks

[onformula1]

In the first pic in post#379, did you groove a strip out near the outside on the rear tires? If so what advantage did that have? These post are more and more amazing! Thanks

I noticed that too, I am guessing so the outside edge "rolls over" in corners??

Mike Meade's company was MMF correct?

[3WW Star-John_Neary]

The groove on the outside is a cleaning groove so you can ride the cushion better than RAs normally allow, overall Carlisle RA tires shine when you groove them up and we tired untold numbers of different groove designs.

Yeah MMF = Mike Meade Manufacturing

[onformula1]

Mike Meade= Major Talent!

I am big fan of his.

[Mickey Dunlap]

Mickey in his prime had George levels of speed but the man could only do so much on his 200x/240cc bike when George can walk over and fire up the KTM495, that is bringing a slingshot to a gunfight.



Did George and I race a open class together somewhere where he raced a 495 against me on my 200x? I don't remember a lot of races so I was wondering.

[3WW Star-John_Neary]

@Mickey - usually you got stuck racing your 200x against the 250s, i do not recall you ever racing against the 495 but you may have at some point since a lot of the local races had 250 and open class lumped together. On 200s you had speed to match anyone

[Mickey Dunlap]

@Mickey - usually you got stuck racing your 200x against the 250s, i do not recall you ever racing against the 495 but you may have at some point since a lot of the local races had 250 and open class lumped together. On 200s you had speed to match anyone

No problem, I was just wondering if it was at a MT race or something..

[3WW Star-John_Neary]

Following Mike Coe to staging at the off road nats in 83, leading Stevie Wright out on the track at the same race.



Nice underside shot of a Franks KTM



Flat track is where three wheelers really shine, you guys that asked about the outside groove we added to our RA tires you can see here where when George drifts out to the cushion that "cleaning groove" as we called it will give his tire side bite as he bumps up against the pad of looser soil instead of trying to float over the top and make the rear end break free.



Rotax stuffs

Cleaning up the ignition today, gonna sand the paint off the lip of the case and magneto cover so they will seal properly.



had to get a new chain, the old one has stiff spots even after soaking it in solvent and then oil

[onformula1]

Looks great, very clean.

Do you have a picture of the flywheel?...LOL!

[3WW Star-John_Neary]

some funky tires, large rocks and a Tri Moto

not sure where these pics are from, they are out of George's album and i am not in any of the pics so i might of skipped this race. ambulance says Fremont on the side but that could be anywhere in the Bay Area

interesting in the first pic that the two bikes on the right are running rear tires on the front and that all three 250Rs have DG heads



that roost had to hurt



huge tires are huge but i don't see any dust in front of him as he crosses the line so must of worked

[phantomtracer]

I feel bad for the guy on the tri moto!
Could you imagine seeing the 250r's line up next to you and think you could still win?

[fabiodriven]

Such bizarre wheel and tire choices.