Still looking for Mr MOTOCROSS ...

[motomaniac]

Is the ex Weinert KX"380" the bike that Graeme Smythe rode in the '75 Mr Motocross series? If so, many of the gearbox internals and othe bits were made by Frank Stanborough when he ran the Amco Kawasaki team. He has fond memories of that particular ex Weinert bike. So do I.

No Firko it was a later model ,"A5" style works bike that came here late 78 or 79 . I think he first rode it at Wallan .I have film of it somewhere.

[Hoony]

isn't it great that a few works bikes are in the land of OZ !

[JohnnyO]

isn't it great that a few works bikes are in the land of OZ !

There's quite a few stashed in garages around the country.
Most of the ones that raced here in the 70's and 80's have been sold to overseas buyers unfortunately.

[Hoony]

still can't believe Gally parted with his OW51 a few years back.

[JohnnyO]

I think he's kicking himself now..

[Hoony]

yeah, considering he owned it since 1981, could not understand why he would sell it after 25+ years

[JohnnyO]

And it's not like he sold it for the money cos it went very cheap!

[holeshot buddy]

i am pretty sure that ow is still in oz
graeme smythe works kawasaki sr450 and sr250 are in the us
all 3 kawasaki sr500 are in oz
and both of trevor williams sr440s are here too
not too many more works bikes came too australia for riders
even leisks and goofs bikes were production modified (lots)

[BAHNZY]

My understanding of the OW51 is that it is in Melbourne, Australia.
Steve still owns his original 465, albeit sitting in the museum in NABIAC.

[JohnnyO]

Didn't the OW get sold on from Melbourne to Darwin or O/S.
Klitland, Landman and Gall all had works Yamaha's in the 70's.. where did they go?
That 465 in Nabiac is in pretty ratty condition now.

[motomaniac]

Didn't the OW get sold on from Melbourne to Darwin or O/S.
Klitland, Landman and Gall all had works Yamaha's in the 70's.. where did they go?
That 465 in Nabiac is in pretty ratty condition now.

Its still in Vic as far as I know . The 2 kaws that Elvis ahd went interstate but not the OW.

[BAHNZY]

I know the owner post Elvis (although not personally) and he is not the sort of person to move on such a machine. He was after that bike for a long time and i won't will part with it just for $'s

[JohnnyO]

Apparently there were enough parts with that OW to build a second bike.. is that still the case?

[motomaniac]

I know the owner post Elvis (although not personally) and he is not the sort of person to move on such a machine. He was after that bike for a long time and i won't will part with it just for $'s

Thats right , he wanted it and doesn't need the bucks.

[firko]

graeme smythe works kawasaki sr450 and sr250 are in the us

I thought that one SR left the country and the other is still here...not sure which is where though. When Alan Tomkins owned them he offered them too me for a ridiculous figure..I think it was 7k for the pair but I took too long trying to raise the readies and missed out. That's probably the subliminal reason I try not to let the rare ones go any more.

It was an 1975 SR400 Rusty, not a 450, the 400 was a cool bike but it was the 250 that had all of the real exotica. It had JW written under the seat and stamped on the triple clamps. I don't think the 400 had Weinert connections,I was told by the actual guy who prepared it for Smythe that it had been used by a Japanese works development rider in the All Japan series but it was a better story to give it Weinert connections like the 250 so the myth grew to become "the true story".

At the same time Per Klitland had left Maico and was riding an OW26 Yamaha in the Mr Motocross Series. The bike later went to Mike Landman and after that disappeared for years but was recently uncovered as a basket case by a friend who's restoring it. The big problem was that the original magnesium OW cases had long ago died but perseverance paid off and a complete OW26 engine has been found and purchased from Holland.