A STRANGE LIST - WHEN and WHERE I'VE FALLEN OFF

This topic has come up twice in the last week so I though, what the heck I'll post it here so everyone can read it. This is a list of the number of times I've fallen off a motorcycle. My fault or someone elses, its all here, including a brief description of each one.

#1 1979 : Simson Sears 5hp mini-bike : Yes, my first crash. This one was somewhat intentional. I was trying to do some jumps like some of the other guys but alas the 5hp Sears does not have any suspension to speak of. So when I came off the whoop and flew through the air all was fine until the landing. I bounced off and landed in the bushes. I walked away from that one with just some scratches.
#2 1983 : Honda XR80 : My friend at the time Steve gave me this bike to ride for the day. He didn't tell me that he had removed the return spring on the throttle so he could 'surf' with the bike.
#3 1987 RZ350 hwy 55
#4 1988 FZ600 shannonville
#5 1989 RZ350 niagara parkway
#6 1989 IT175 niagara falls industrial park
#7 1990 YSR50 parking lot
#8 1990 YSR50 endo CDN Tire parking lot
#9 1991 SXR600 pennsivania
#10 1992 Honda MiniTrail 50 niagara escarpment
#11 1993 R5350 mosport
#12 1994 SRX600 glendale off ramp
#13 1998 YZF750 niagara parkway
#14 1998 YZF750 rural notl
#15 2002 TRX350 ATV timmins
#16 2003 BMW F650 northern ontario trail
#17 2005 KLR650 rual notl
#18 2006 TZ250 mosport

THE DIFFERENCE BETWEEN STREET AND RACE PRODUCTION.

Do I convert a street bike of my choice into a race bike or do I buy a purpose built race bike and try to repair it back to its former glory? Good question. The answer of couse is up to you. Its alot easier to find parts for your converted street bike, but on the other hand, will it ever be as fast as a real race bike? I have both machines. Both are 250's, two strokes and Yamaha's. The difference?
Thrill factor.
I can modify my TZR250 as much as I want but inevitabley it falls short of that sharp handling and incredable cornering that the TZ250 provides.

WHAT IS A VINTAGE RACING MOTORCYCLE?

Put simply, it is a bike that is, or looks like, a racing bike from a specific era in time. Depending on the racing organization, the displacement, and the age of the machine defines which class it can compete in. American Racing Motorcycle Historic Assocciation in the US, The Vintage Road Racing Association in Canada, and Forgotten Era Racing in the UK all have different definitions of classes and age cut off dates. The VRRA, I believe, is the most progressive of the clubs, allowing bikes manufactured up to 1989 in the Period 4 class.
That aside, a vintage bike has to look old. Replica frames and engine parts are big business thses days as owners and collectors try to keep everything running. Basicly, the frame and the motor should be from the same year. Not to mention the forks and rims too. Something about a mid 70's bike with late 80's rims thats makes it look out of place. The big question however, is a new replica frame vintage? I say it is. As long as you are using materials, designs and specifications of frames made in that era, its vintage.
Lets face it, my TZ250 is now 30yrs old. If I'm going to keep racing it for at least the next 10 to 15 years, I'll most likely need a new replica frame for 2010. The original frame just wasn't designed for that amount of long term abuse.

VINTAGE RULES.

The VRRA to which I belong, is a club with the mantra of 'the racing and preservation of vintage racing motorcycles'. Which can be easily explained as 'we ride old bikes as fast as we can'. There are a number of 'periods' that you can race in, along with a number of defining displacement levels within those periods.

WHAT THE FORK IS GOING ON?

The big controversy at the moment, is possibly allowing 'inverted forks' into period 4. Currently, if an inverted fork came equipped on that model during the 1983 to 1989 time period, then you are allowed to have it on your bike. Easy enough to understand, but these rules usually get taken a bit further than they were intended to. For example, 'if it was available on the XYZ750 during my period then I can fit one onto my ABC250'. This technically is allowable but is not in the spirit of the club.
Inverted forks were used on select GP machines and the odd Superbike during 1989. That does not mean that they were readily available to fit up to every bike on the racetrack. And definitely not fit up to bikes older than 1989, say a 1985 Honda NSR250. I think that if you do own an original GSXR750RR front end from 1989 it has to be attached to a 1989 GSXR750RR. You know, the one with the dry clutch. Then and only then, can you use it.
If not, then no, you cannot use it.
Even better is to add an overall rule stating that you are only allowed to use parts on your bike up to the year of manufacture of your bike. Meaning that, if you have a 1986 EX500, you can use any parts 1986 and older, not 1989 and older. Terribly hard to enforce, but the best way to recreate the racing of the era.

Don't agree? Email me at TIMOTHY@SPEEDDEMONRACING.COM