Author Topic: a retro pic (Read 2158 times)

petercb750 · « **on:** October 25, 2006, 02:26:45 AM »

Hi folks - thought you might like to see a pretty impressive line up of CBs from 1973 or 74. That's me on #72 (front row grid of course - ha ha) - there's a few 750's, a 500 and a couple of 350s in there somewhere. The guy at thr rear on the red 750 STILL has that bike and STILL races it in classic events, and it STILL looks just as good. Amazing!
And yes, that is a concrete wall with no padding anywhere - we were built tough in those days!! And about 20 kilos lighter too!!

Peter.
PS Hope this attachemnt works! First time for me.

Bob Wessner · « **Reply #1 on:** October 25, 2006, 02:44:49 AM »

The attachment worked fine. Great picture. Love the helmet style on #33.

6pkrunner · « **Reply #2 on:** October 25, 2006, 02:54:50 AM »

Excellent picture! Love the old stuff. And is that a Z1 sneaking in third from the left? See the fender and fork leg reflector.

Brunow · « **Reply #3 on:** October 25, 2006, 03:05:47 AM »

Whow great Foto!

petercb750 · « **Reply #4 on:** October 25, 2006, 03:10:48 AM »

yep, you're spot on 6pk - and come to think of it that was the first one seen on the track - ah memories. Needless to say he won that race! The blue bike next to him is an early RD350, and the rider was a kamakaze nut case.
And here's another bit of info - that guy on #33, it's a borrowed bike! The owner had lost his licence, and had lent it to that guy to take it for a Sunday ride - ha ha ha!! Little did he know............cruel ain't it.
And the concrete wall hurts - me and the bike tried to climb it when the front tyre let go one day - ouch.

750goes · « **Reply #5 on:** October 25, 2006, 03:34:50 AM »

gotta ask

where was the pic taken at

siter81 · « **Reply #6 on:** October 25, 2006, 04:09:09 AM »

Very cool pic.Gotta love the vintage stuff. Thanks for sharing it.

Siter81

petercb750 · « **Reply #7 on:** October 25, 2006, 04:13:41 AM »

750goes- it was taken at Adelaide International Raceway, South Oz.

750goes · « **Reply #8 on:** October 25, 2006, 04:23:00 AM »

still a crow eater ?? - I'm a cockroach..

petercb750 · « **Reply #9 on:** October 25, 2006, 04:25:14 AM »

nah - tassie for the last 4.5 years. Great roads but!

petercb750 · « **Reply #10 on:** October 25, 2006, 04:35:15 AM »

ok - I'm on a roll - found another pic - this one mixing it with some "real" racers at the same track, still '73 or '74. I reckon this was probably an open B grade event or something, hence my production bike in amongst racing bikes. Nice to be in front of a couple!
This gives a better view of that concrete wall with no padding - ouch, I can still feel it.

SteveD CB500F · « **Reply #11 on:** October 25, 2006, 04:37:36 AM »

Nice example of the "old" style - where the toes touch the ground first (no knee srapers in evidence)

It looks much neater and reminds me of the pictures of Mick Grant at the TT in the 70's (on the Green Meanie)

petercb750 · « **Reply #12 on:** October 25, 2006, 04:42:29 AM »

yes mate - and many pairs of boots with the sides worn through are proof of that!! Use to tape them up with insulation tape to get a few more races out of them - try and get away with that these days!

bill440cars · « **Reply #13 on:** October 25, 2006, 04:59:27 AM »

Incredible photo!! All those 750s, Yeah!!

Great observation by 6pk too!! I, on the other hand, probably wouldn't have zero'd in on
that like he did. I'd sure lik to have been there to have personally witnessed that event!

Later on, Bill

medic09 · « **Reply #14 on:** October 25, 2006, 05:12:15 AM »

truly excellent photos...thanks so much!

sparty · « **Reply #15 on:** October 25, 2006, 05:36:57 AM »

It is just amazing to think that at the time, that was a superbike race. Wow! Things have really changed. I love the 70s era superbikes. The only plastic on those bikes was the number plates and side covers. Sweet toe scrapers.

Sparty

tsflstb · « **Reply #16 on:** October 25, 2006, 06:28:14 AM »

Did anyone still ride a Norton or Triumph in the production class or had the Japanese take over by then? What kind of prep work was done? Looks like some of those bikes were just rolled off the showroom floor and ridden to the track. Awesome pics.

burmashave · « **Reply #17 on:** October 25, 2006, 06:49:38 AM »

Peter, super pics. Thanks!

bwaller · « **Reply #18 on:** October 25, 2006, 08:31:23 AM »

Great work Peter, takes me back to those days too, stock bars and all. Hide the sign and it could have been any track I was at. You guys needed mini-me Pedrosa to take that Z1 out!

petercb750 · « **Reply #19 on:** October 25, 2006, 12:52:34 PM »

Quote from: tsflstb on October 25, 2006, 06:28:14 AM

Did anyone still ride a Norton or Triumph in the production class or had the Japanese take over by then? What kind of prep work was done? Looks like some of those bikes were just rolled off the showroom floor and ridden to the track. Awesome pics.

From memory (and I wish I still had the race programs etc from those days) there were very few non-jap bikes around on the tracks by then. One guy tried a Hardley Sportster - I recall we choked laughing when he failed to finish one lap, and thanked him for the nice oil trail we had to avoid for the rest of the day!!

BUT, in the pic of the start line, what's the guess on the yellow bike at extreme left of front row? Looks like a drum brake, fairly upright cylinders - could that be a Norton or something? I really can't remember so am no help on this one.

And prep work - ha, what's that?? This was the days of true production racing, and it would be safe to say that none of them in that pic were doctored. All we did was wire up the sump plug, take off the lights and mirrors, attach numbers - and GO! Many of us used to ride the bike to the track, do the necessaries in the pits, and ride them home again after. Now that's a skinny budget! If the bike was extremely lucky, it got an oil change the day before, and a quick tune-up if we thought it needed it. I shudder when I think of how we used up the tires until there was barely any tread left, rather than spend money for a new one.
This really says something for the durability and hardiness of these bikes - 3 years of torture on the track, not much different on the road, crashed, thrashed, bashed, bruised and abused, and NEVER had the motor out of the frame, or replaced anything other than the normal servicing bits (and bits after crashes!

). Gotta love em!

Quote from: bwaller on October 25, 2006, 08:31:23 AM

Great work Peter, takes me back to those days too, stock bars and all. Hide the sign and it could have been any track I was at. You guys needed mini-me Pedrosa to take that Z1 out!

If we had known anyone like mini-me back in those days, he would have been taken out in the pits!!

BobbyR · « **Reply #20 on:** October 25, 2006, 02:23:27 PM »

I was wondering, what speeds you were hitting on the straightaways

petercb750 · « **Reply #21 on:** October 25, 2006, 06:47:15 PM »

bobby - I can't remember seeing more than 110mph, but it depended on which track and length of straight of course. i know some guys were known to tape over their speedos so that they weren't distracted by info they didn't need to know - just keep an eye on the tacho!!

BobbyR · « **Reply #22 on:** October 26, 2006, 07:35:48 AM »

Quote from: petercb750 on October 25, 2006, 06:47:15 PM

bobby - I can't remember seeing more than 110mph, but it depended on which track and length of straight of course. i know some guys were known to tape over their speedos so that they weren't distracted by info they didn't need to know - just keep an eye on the tacho!!

Thanks, 110 is pretty good and I would say keeping distractions down is a very good thing at those speeds on these bikes and those tires.

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Author Topic: a retro pic (Read 2158 times)

Brunow