Two Stroke Race Bikes (picture thread)

[PJay]

Well, I'll see your standard TZ750:



(this is me at Pukekohe on a TZ750C);

and I'll raise you one:





TZ750A special, called "Monoca", with Harris monoshock conversion, TZ350 barrels, lots of other mods, and 152rwhp. This pic is at Phillip Island. My first race on it was in the wet at Pukekohe, 183mph - on wets, fortunately. The thing could fly, but it was a bastard in corners because the power delivery was crazy stupid: 55rwhp at 8K, 110 at 9,200, 152 at 10,600, said to be BANG at 11K. The tape on the alloy pipe cover on the LH fairing side was to give me a bit of cornering wear warning before the track surface went rubbing through the alloy and the pipe, causing seizure (don't ask how I knew to be warned...).

[pdxjim]

Originally Posted by JBSmith

Whoa! More info, please. History, rider(s)?

Dunno it's history but it is currently titled for the street and living in Modesto, CA.

[Short Shins]

Originally Posted by ADV8

Pukekohe - New Zealand.

Nah not Pukekohe at a guess Oran Park? Somewhere in Australia.
Murray Sayle and the late great Gregg Hansford

[Donzzilla]

I love 2 stroke race bikes!!!

[team ftb]

Originally Posted by Tim McKittrick

Here's mine. I bought it over the winter and haven't even started it yet.



It should be a step up from the 'Priller

Enjoy the RS, they are the truly fun. I rode and raced TZ250's (Kenny Roberts Jr.'s old bike before he started into the GP circuit, and an RZ500 with FZR1000 front end a fully built Ross Baron motor, ahh the memories) and thought the Aprilla was crap in comparison. You'll really enjoy your new thoroughbred!!!

Just curious how you'll keep the crank going as I heard they were impossible to get or source and almost impossible to rebuild. My info is more than eight years old so maybe there's new data out.

Best of luck with the new toy. Pure functionality at its sweetest.

[Tim McKittrick]

Cranks are my largest spares worry- mine has about 50 miles on it now and I have a serviceable spare, so I've enough for two of our very short seasons at least. There were rumors of them being rebuildable by someone but I haven't found a source yet... It looks like the problem is the inner webs have the crank pin cast into them, so the entire wheel would have to be remade to service the pin were it worn past spec. At least they last a little longer than the TZ units

Piston, rings and wrist pins are available aftermarket, and most of the gaskets and minor engine internals can be made or repaired if NOS isn't available. But the cranks.... they are vanishing and getting ever more expensive.

[JBSmith]

Originally Posted by pdxjim

Dunno it's history but it is currently titled for the street and living in Modesto, CA.

I rode an ex-Roberts one on the track once (see my avatar pic) and I just can't imagine riding one on the street. For one thing, it had a turning radius of an entire ZIP code.

[PJay]

Hmmm, I always thought they turned in rather sweetly; but, no, I never tried parking 'em on public streets. They do love long straights where they can wind out, and long sweeping corners suit them better than hairpins, true.

You read in magazines that they were/are "beasts" and "fearsome"; but that's rubbish. A standard TZ750 is a lovely pussycat to ride.

[JBSmith]

Originally Posted by PJay

Hmmm, I always thought they turned in rather sweetly; but, no, I never tried parking 'em on public streets. They do love long straights where they can wind out, and long sweeping corners suit them better than hairpins, true.

You read in magazines that they were/are "beasts" and "fearsome"; but that's rubbish. A standard TZ750 is a lovely pussycat to ride.

They do turn into a corner nicely--on the track. But I'd pay money to watch someone try to do a U-turn with one on a two lane road. I'd bring lunch and a chair, too, because we'd be there all afternoon.

I turned a TZ250 into a streetbike once. Only thing I couldn't change was the steering lock-to-lock. I had to plan every ride ahead of time to exclude sharp turns.

[PJay]

Originally Posted by JBSmith

They do turn into a corner nicely--on the track. But I'd pay money to watch someone try to do a U-turn with one on a two lane road. I'd bring lunch and a chair, too, because we'd be there all afternoon.

As a matter of fact, my experience differs. We used to run race bikes in on 2-lane streets, including both the TZ750s in the picture post above. Even Monoca would turn, feet up, in the 2 lanes of an urban street with parked cars on each side of the street. (Just needed to to turn the steering damper right down.)

I'd be happy to take your money, but I'd provide the chair and lunch - though I guess travel down here would be a bit tedious for you for that purpose alone.

[JBSmith]

Originally Posted by PJay

As a matter of fact, my experience differs. We used to run race bikes in on 2-lane streets, including both the TZ750s in the picture post above. Even Monoca would turn, feet up, in the 2 lanes of an urban street with parked cars on each side of the street. (Just needed to to turn the steering damper right down.)

I'd be happy to take your money, but I'd provide the chair and lunch - though I guess travel down here would be a bit tedious for you for that purpose alone.

I'd be happy to be proven wrong about the steering lock, since NZ is on my must-see-before-I-die list. Don't be surprised if there's a knock on your door someday and there's a old, fat Yank with a suitcase.

[ADV8]

Originally Posted by Short Shins

Nah not Pukekohe at a guess Oran Park? Somewhere in Australia.
Murray Sayle and the late great Gregg Hansford

That was in reply to Viv's query to Bendernz's Puke picture.

Of course that is not Sayle and Hansford at Puke although I saw both there in the late 1970's.

Don't panic this is not Meremere.

[ADV8]

Originally Posted by pdxjim

Dunno it's history but it is currently titled for the street and living in Modesto, CA.

There's a name I havn't seen since the Kawasaki triples forum.

[PJay]

Originally Posted by JBSmith

I'd be happy to be proven wrong about the steering lock, since NZ is on my must-see-before-I-die list. Don't be surprised if there's a knock on your door someday and there's a old, fat Yank with a suitcase.

Look forward to it, bro. PM me before you book accommodation.

[MCmad]

Originally Posted by PJay

Well, I'll see your standard TZ750:



(this is me at Pukekohe on a TZ750C);

and I'll raise you one:





TZ750A special, called "Monoca", with Harris monoshock conversion, TZ350 barrels, lots of other mods, and 152rwhp. This pic is at Phillip Island. My first race on it was in the wet at Pukekohe, 183mph - on wets, fortunately. The thing could fly, but it was a bastard in corners because the power delivery was crazy stupid: 55hp at 8K, 110 at 9,200, 152 at 10,600, said to be BANG at 11K. The tape on the alloy pipe cover on the LH fairing side was to give me a bit of cornering wear warning before the track surface went rubbing through the alloy and the pipe, causing seizure (don't ask how I knew to be warned...).

Yep thats what those 350s were like have a test and dyno run of one and they said it was a light switch, will go dig it out if you wish