put your bike in a hat

[TM BILL]

I would just bring along a piece of shit so it wouldn't matter. A barn find TS185 comes to mind. 

TS 185 with a CZ ignition perhaps 

[firko]

Anyone who knows me will tell you that I've put more people on board my bikes than just about anyone. Shitloads of riders ranging  from Laurie Alderton and Per Klitland right through to Joe Bloggs and Neville Nobody have raced my bikes and we've had some success and a few failures but most of all it's given the riders and I a lot of pleasure.  At the Coffs Harbour Nats I offered my 350 Maico to Darryl Lewis for the pre '70 class and he rode it to a fine second in the class despite my less than adequate pre event preparation (illness had prevented me doing much more than giving it a polish and a quick once over. Darryls a hard charger who used every last ounce of everything he and the bike had to offer but he didn't mistreat the old girl. He rode her as she was intended and I'm proud of the way he and the bike performed. I'd let him ride any of my bikes any time, anywhere.

On the other hand I once lent my '73 440 Maico to a noted ADB journo who did everything he could to bugger my bike (a long and sad tale that 10 years later still makes me angry when I think of it) .  He nearly destroyed a bulletproof gearbox, bent a gear lever and trashed the spline by kicking the gear lever with the heel of his Axos without even leaving the line. He later rode a mates CZ and trashed it so bad he left it on the track and walked off without even a thank you.

The moral of the story is that while there is a lot to be gained by letting seriously good racers like Darryl ride your bike, if you aren't selective as to who you let on board you may end up with a tosser like Mr ADB abusing your bike.

[mainline]

I suppose it depends on whether you're worried about someone thrashing the bejesus out of your bike and having it cartwheel down the track shedding parts as it goes, or some sort of mechanical failure.

Realistically, a mechanical failure should be the bike owners problem if the the bike was just being ridden as per usual.

I'm imagining most guys would have a bit of respect for the fact that they were riding someone else's bike, and do their best not to throw it away.

I'm pretty keen to have other people ride my bikes to get another opinion on setup, as I don't have a clue what I'm doing

[Hoony]

God I can't wait for Bluerock....
I think it's a great idea but where would I carry all those spare Hoonda kick-starters if I got one of your bikes? 

one "O" in Honda   

[worms]

hey, i loved my TS185 suzi,in 1975?, ya all bastards

Cheers Worms

[Stan S]

It just hit me.You go to the starting line with your piece of bike.Or very expensive mogen ,then andy marshall lets you pick a bike out of the hat..you have got one minute to get to know your new stead.5 up 2 down .the gate drops ..... and then you race it as best you can,Three laps.It would be vvvvveeeery interesting at the finish.Oh we would have to rig simon healy with a moped or a 465 or simalar ...what do you think lets have some fun.Or is this just to freaky.....commonn.ps imagine a 414 (motor only ) gettin  to the corner first and  then  plowing the paddock out back.wow

Gday mcmuffin,
I think its a great idea. This is a photo of several riders that swapped bikes at a western centre meeting back in 1977. It was the last race of the day and we thought it needed a bit of excitement.
Notice in the background Gary Adams and the late Lyall O'brien.
Stan

[GMC]

Sounds like a good idea to me.
Somewhat conveniently I already have put my bikes in a couple of milk crates and cardboard boxes.
I often read on here that guys like rebuilding bikes, so they could have immense fun building mine while I enjoy riding theirs.
Sounds like a win-win situation to me

[Curly3]

How about presenting your bike to the officials and then getting blindfolded.
The bikes are then jumbled about and you have to find your baby by feel before removing the blindfold and heading off?
We all think we know our bikes intimately.

[yzhilly]

Mcmuffin will just have to bring the mugens out to a Parwan ride day to get to ride a YZ . Hilly.

[caps 999]

theres a new mugen in the mix to 

[mcmuffin]

Curly i like the blindfold thing ,,,,but it would be a lot more fun if you had to keep the blind fold on

[mcmuffin]

yzhilly do you mind if i check my life insurance before getting on a yammy

[Billet YZ]

yzhilly do you mind if i check my life insurance before getting on a yammy

Ahh Mr mcmugen,
                         would your question to hilly be admitting that you have a fear of the speed of a Yamaha.? Ha Ha.    Peter.