Dinkum Pre 60 - 65 Dirttracker.

[JAP 454]

Yep, Doc's frame is a Godden alright, I was mentally taking bets that you'd be the one to spot it, Mark. I have a pic of this bike in an earler incarnation , I'll see if I can find it.
Foss

[Curly3]

Don't get me wromg, I wish I owned it by the way.
Unfortunately the Slider numbers continue to dwindle away, honestly I don't know what the answere is, although I do have a theory.
I - They take a while to master, if you're not prepared to ride one at full throttle you can & will look like a gumby.
II - Get it wrong and the repair bill can & will be high.
III - They're not being ridden at open meetings, hence viewed as the unknown art.
Short Circuit ( Dirttrack ) was built on modified bikes and I don't mean engine performance alone, that's a gimme in all forms of motorcycling.
What I'm talking about is, chopping frames, changing forks & rake angles, lowering, lengthening, swingarms & wheel sizes, the Slider came in at the end and refined the art.
Times haven't changed a whole lot but back then everything was done to a budget, the big manufacturers weren't really interested in DT.
Hang on, that's still the case.

[Slider29]

Yeah Slides,
 Point #1 is spot on : It's a young blokes game riding a slider hard and fast.
 What you need is some REALLY rich  dude to import 12 Antig classic Sandracers   with Weslake engines and get the top young guns to ride a 6 round competition at different tracks . The winner gets to keep a bike. If these young guns got hold of a decent slider,... yee-haaa,... look out. Then a few of the old boys might start to turn up and have a go as well. In the right class of course
  regards  Mark
 p.s. If only

[Curly3]

I know of one former leading rider from south of the border who has recently puchased a pre78 Slider and is building up for a comeback.
Word is that Broadford have put their hand up for the Classic/Post Classic titles next year.
how good would that be?

[jimg1au]

there is a young lad riding a slider atm no 70 he is still a junior so its a 250
his grandad and uncle have some senior machines for him to ride in the classic once he is old enough
 see what happens in the pre 75 4 stroke and 236 -500 then
last time i saw him ride he was leeding the pack of chookies on the slider

[Dono113]

Dennis's ride

[Shaun G]

I loved watching him ride the Goldy.

R.I.P. Kingy.

Cheers
Shaun

[firko]

I seem to remember from a conversation with Kingy that his old BSA Goldie had been Blair Harley's scramble mount back in the fifties. I love the Webco handlebars.

[firko]

I think Slidey's touched on the main reasons for the demise of the slider in classic racing. The golden era for the traditional upright slider was between the mid sixties to the early eighties when the big bore motocross bikes such as the Honda CR500 and YZ465 Yamaha began to emerge as the hot ticket in the 500 class. The majority of slider riders from that period would now be well into their fifties or sixties, an age in may peoples lives where they're looking for softer options for their leisure time. Riding a slider is a no compromise situation that is very different to ride than a traditional motorcycle. The skills that are needed to ride a slider properly are difficult to maintain in older years, especially if the racer has been away for a long time, making many comebacks one ride affairs when they realise (remember) just how difficult and dangerous a slider is to ride. Because the upright slider was pretty much dead in the water by the mid 80's, most riders coming into classic racing today would have competed in the day on traditional motocross based tackle, the slider being almost as alien to them as a model T Ford. It's a bit of an ask expecting young riders with no history on sliders to take up the challenge today.

Another reason for the demise of the slider is the the diminishing parts situation for the old singles, especially JAP's. The rolling frames to suit are also becoming thin to the ground. The legal sideport Hagon, Elstar or Antig frames are now quite rare with many frames that become available have had more bends (and therefore fatigue) than the Bells Line of Road. Good well looked after rollers go for premium dollar making building a Hagon Jawa from parts a very expensive undertaking. Buying a ready to ride bike is an equally expensive task (if you can find one).

Back in the 90's when we were getting full grids of two valve sliders in three different age groups the riders were in the late thirties to mid forties bracket and the bikes were still reasonably plentiful and parts were still around. Today, almost twenty years later the riders have retired to softer pursuits and the bikes have become garage queens. It's a shame that even dyed in the wool slider racers like Alan Jones, Trevor Hunter, Steve Constable and others have taken the "chookie" option with Rickman Metisse and/or American flat trackers. These riders are still quite capable of riding a slider fast but they also realise that by taking the 'chookie' option they can continue enjoying their racing without the stress a slider puts on aging bodies. 

[Shaun G]

I think you're right Firko.

While there are still a number of young fella's riding sliders in Dirt Track these are in the main 2nd and 3rd generation riders such as Hunter Anderson and TH's grandson, Matt.

I reckon these young gun's will no doubt go on to achieve great results in higher profile disciplines such as Speedway and perhaps Road Racing.

Hopefully one day, when they are ready, they will keep the sliders alive in classic dirt track. Unfortunately when that day comes we may be pushing up daisies. 

Cheers
Shaun

[Mick D]

Worthy of Websters

I think Slidey's touched on the main reasons for the demise of the slider in classic racing. The golden era for the traditional upright slider was between the mid sixties to the early eighties when the big bore motocross bikes such as the Honda CR500 and YZ465 Yamaha began to emerge as the hot ticket in the 500 class. The majority of slider riders from that period would now be well into their fifties or sixties, an age in may peoples lives where they're looking for softer options for their leisure time. Riding a slider is a no compromise situation that is very different to ride than a traditional motorcycle. The skills that are needed to ride a slider properly are difficult to maintain in older years, especially if the racer has been away for a long time, making many comebacks one ride affairs when they realise (remember) just how difficult and dangerous a slider is to ride. Because the upright slider was pretty much dead in the water by the mid 80's, most riders coming into classic racing today would have competed in the day on traditional motocross based tackle, the slider being almost as alien to them as a model T Ford. It's a bit of an ask expecting young riders with no history on sliders to take up the challenge today.

Another reason for the demise of the slider is the the diminishing parts situation for the old singles, especially JAP's. The rolling frames to suit are also becoming thin to the ground. The legal sideport Hagon, Elstar or Antig frames are now quite rare with many frames that become available have had more bends (and therefore fatigue) than the Bells Line of Road. Good well looked after rollers go for premium dollar making building a Hagon Jawa from parts a very expensive undertaking. Buying a ready to ride bike is an equally expensive task (if you can find one).

Back in the 90's when we were getting full grids of two valve sliders in three different age groups the riders were in the late thirties to mid forties bracket and the bikes were still reasonably plentiful and parts were still around. Today, almost twenty years later the riders have retired to softer pursuits and the bikes have become garage queens. It's a shame that even dyed in the wool slider racers like Alan Jones, Trevor Hunter, Steve Constable and others have taken the "chookie" option with Rickman Metisse and/or American flat trackers. These riders are still quite capable of riding a slider fast but they also realise that by taking the 'chookie' option they can continue enjoying their racing without the stress a slider puts on aging bodies. 

uummmh, a chance to show her my unselfish side
,,,buying a "Slider" now slashed from the bucket list!


 

[Curly3]

That's why I don't ride one, because of previous injuries I phisically can't.
And now I've got speedway riders leg without having ridden one for 25 years.

[pancho]

 Firko is pretty spot on about oldies riding a slider, however I feel I do manage some sort of a compromise situation to suit me.
 I finished riding in a 'competitive' state of mind about 1973, riding the old Jimmy Wyman slider frame fitted with the fast 'ex Debbo' Beeza B33.
 The responsibilities of family was the main trigger while the appearance of Goddens etc made it impossible for me to ever look like progressing from B to A grade. Added to this was that my riding style was heavily ingrained with experience in riding duplex BSA, AJS frames etc.
 However I really enjoy certain attributes of the Slider such as the amazing pull on the handlebars when you wind the twistgrip to the stop and what happens when you turn the power on out of a slow corner!
 SO I will carry one doing just that for as long as I can get away with it!
 Cheers pancho.
 P.S Seeing that shot of Dennis with his Beeza reminds me that Dennis really rode that bike very stylishly in his later years.

[Curly3]

99% of competitors at Classic meetings are guy's who for one reason or another never made it to the very top but the desire never went away, like me, then there are the guy's who are relative newcomers to competition who are enthusiasts and just love old dirt bikes.
The guy's who were successful at a high level don't see Classic racing as enough of a challenge to come out of their warm & cozy retitrement and I don't really blame them, dealing with a shattered leg in your 50's aint easy, I guess what I'm trying to say is that they have nothing to prove.
Now on to Sliders, they take more maintenance and adjusting to keep going, you are constantly fiddling with something during a race meeting, buy a modern MXer, change the rear tyre and gearing and away you go, a durable and reliable racer straight off the shelf, that's why we've seen a gradual decreasing number of guy's riding sliders on DT since probably the mid 90's, the glory days of the slider in DT will never return, they'll always be around thanks to Longtrack & Grasstrack in Europe. 

[Rosco86]

Gee I was really keen to finish off my Godden wessie but I think you've scared the shit out of me. Might have to keep a garage queen until another Romsey type track pops up. Once past the first corner out of sight out of mind! 
I also think the present tracks make it harder because their shape and size of corners being generally tight means you have to be well skilled. My local track would be Nudgee, Brisbane. Definitely no room for error compared to the huge size of the old Granite Park at Seymour I recently walked around.
Ah stuff it will take the bike off to the exhaust builder tomorrow, then only the clutch to do.