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Clubroom => General Discussion => Topic started by: Kenneth S (222) on August 13, 2013, 06:07:27 pm

Title: When Giants Roamed the Earth - An article for 60s MXers
Post by: Kenneth S (222) on August 13, 2013, 06:07:27 pm
http://motocrossactionmag.com/Main/News/WHEN-GIANTS-ROAMED-THE-EARTH-THE-THREE-MOST-IMPORT-10337.aspx
Title: Re: When Giants Roamed the Earth - An article for 60s MXers
Post by: 80-85 husky on August 13, 2013, 06:57:47 pm
Thanks for that. for some reason I always thought BSA triumph and Norton were the mainstays of those early 500 gp's.

couldn't have been wronger. ???...more wrong :-\ :o way off from right... :D
Title: Re: When Giants Roamed the Earth - An article for 60s MXers
Post by: crs-and-rms on August 13, 2013, 08:15:38 pm
thats a good read
Title: Re: When Giants Roamed the Earth - An article for 60s MXers
Post by: VMX247 on August 13, 2013, 08:26:59 pm
Very nice acknowledgment from a modern site !  :P

New book out soon by Ian Berry "Motocross On Air" , who last published "Out Front"
More big toys  8)

Motocross On Air tells the story of the BBC Grandstand Moto-Cross series that was televised in the UK from October 1963 through till March 1970
Title: Re: When Giants Roamed the Earth - An article for 60s MXers
Post by: GD66 on August 13, 2013, 08:50:32 pm
The only Norton that got it done was Les Archer's, and that had a Manx engine. BSAs in the middle 60s. Great to see not only that these three still exist in great nick, but that MXA saw fit to feature them. If young 'uns aren't shown the origins of the sport, its history means nothing. Hats off !
Title: Re: When Giants Roamed the Earth - An article for 60s MXers
Post by: firko on August 13, 2013, 10:09:23 pm
Alan Jones is taking forever to build a 1959 Monark identical to that in the article. It should be finished but he keeps getting sidetracked onto other projects. He's currently getting a Carillo style con rod made for it's Albin motor by a bloke in the Hunter area, once he's got that back Frank Stanborough can finish building the motor. The Monark, Lito and Husky are basically the same bike. .....beautiful things.
Title: Re: When Giants Roamed the Earth - An article for 60s MXers
Post by: pancho on August 13, 2013, 10:28:58 pm
The only Norton that got it done was Les Archer's, and that had a Manx engine. BSAs in the middle 60s. Great to see not only that these three still exist in great nick, but that MXA saw fit to feature them. If young 'uns aren't shown the origins of the sport, its history means nothing. Hats off !
I believe it was an International Norton with a Manx head. Imagine man handling that through muddy ups and downs! In his book he wrote "I always hated wet meetings"
cheers pancho.
Title: Re: When Giants Roamed the Earth - An article for 60s MXers
Post by: 80-85 husky on August 13, 2013, 11:11:40 pm
The only thing I guess is that they had never ridden a yz exc or crf 450!! or they would be pissed with those bikes. similarly in 20 years, people will look back and say how did they ride those camels.....

But yes, what a nightmare on a sloppy muddy track....
Title: Re: When Giants Roamed the Earth - An article for 60s MXers
Post by: GD66 on August 14, 2013, 09:06:38 am
I believe it was an International Norton with a Manx head.


Longstroke Manx with originally an Inter head. Later full longstroke Manx , then shortstroke.
Title: Re: When Giants Roamed the Earth - An article for 60s MXers
Post by: huskibul on August 14, 2013, 09:39:01 am
   MXA has as far as i know always had a regular page on vintage bikes called "Classic Iron" probably because of editor Jody  being a racer back in the early 70's, unlike a lot of modern mags they have alway had the nads to tell it how it is which is refreshing these days :) great article
Title: Re: When Giants Roamed the Earth - An article for 60s MXers
Post by: Rusty on August 14, 2013, 11:42:51 am
A Good read - pun intended.
Title: Re: When Giants Roamed the Earth - An article for 60s MXers
Post by: firko on August 14, 2013, 11:51:50 am
The Archer Manx was actually a series of different bikes, each a slight improvement on its predecessor. Here's a couple of different versions. Archer was a bit different from the usual struggling GP racer of the day, while most racers used Bedford vans or a rudimentary trailer behind a Ford Zephyr or something similar, Les who was an independently wealthy 'toff',  towed his bikes from race to race behind a Rolls Royce.
                                                                                                               (http://i1112.photobucket.com/albums/k495/firko2/archer-norton-w_zpsc43b1c83.jpg) (http://s1112.photobucket.com/user/firko2/media/archer-norton-w_zpsc43b1c83.jpg.html)
                                                                                                (http://i1112.photobucket.com/albums/k495/firko2/Archernorton_zps12b051c7.jpg) (http://s1112.photobucket.com/user/firko2/media/Archernorton_zps12b051c7.jpg.html)
Title: Re: When Giants Roamed the Earth - An article for 60s MXers
Post by: firko on August 14, 2013, 02:40:08 pm
Frank Stanboroughs street legal Manx Norton powered Metisse
                                                                                        (http://i1112.photobucket.com/albums/k495/firko2/frankandbonanza018.jpg) (http://s1112.photobucket.com/user/firko2/media/frankandbonanza018.jpg.html)
Title: Re: When Giants Roamed the Earth - An article for 60s MXers
Post by: supersenior 50 on August 21, 2013, 10:59:52 pm
Pre60 is again the Featured class at the 2013 Classic Nats to be held at Queensland Moto Park same date as was set for Canberra.
See main "Competition " thread