Anyone got pictures of Graeme Smythe on the works Kawasaki

[Rodpack]

Anyone got any pictures they could post of Graeme Smythe when he rode for Kawasaki? I saw the small promo pic in VMX but would like to see some race shots. Photos of the 1976 Mr Motocross series in general would be cool too. My dad had an issue of Revs or AMCN from the period that had a story on the works Kawasakis he rode that year, unfortunately long gone.

[Rodpack]

Found one image online after looking for hours. If I didn't notice the 01 numberplate and AMCO on the chest protector I wouldn't have known.

[firko]

Klub Kevlars own Grand Poobah Frank Stanborough was the head Honcho of the Kawasaki Works team at the time and because hardly any spares came with the bikes he literally fabricated all new innards for the fragile SR400 and SR250 including fabricating a complete transmission with stronger gears and more usable ratios for our conditions and various different weight crank flywheels for both bikes. Gary Treadwell built some different pipes and did some porting. The SR400 was an ex All Japan Series bike that presumably had been ridden by a Japanese development rider and the SR250 came from America where it'd been one of Jimmy Weinert and possibly Gary Semics team bikes. Weinerts initials were under the seat and other places on the bike. Frank treated those bikes and Smythie like they were his children.  Below, the SR400
                                                                         

[VMX247]

search this forum under "Wallan" as there is one of Graeme S on the startline at Mr Motocross.
Its in Roger Harveys 'Scramble Downunder' picture book.
Some of the pics are here from the book.
cheers A

[KTMaico]

Graeme was a great rider in W.A. He raced most tracks on his back wheel. I remember him riding CZ's and I think he was sponsored by Rick Gill. Nice guy and with all that hair and beard he looked like the Wolfman doing motocross. This was all in the 70's.

Kevin

[SON]

My best memory was at Curroo Park near Cessnock, I had a wrist in plaster and wasn't riding, so I got to watch from the infield,
Graeme gated perfectly, that SR400 kept the front wheel 6" of the ground for the entire straight,
I don't remember the result but I was impressed with both Graeme and that bike.

[Rodpack]

Great memory SON. I only lived about 1/2 an hour away from Curroo, yet never went there. My dad was into roadracing and I was only a kid at the time, so I saw plenty of roadracing and not much else. VMX247 I checked the forum under "Wallan" but most of Roger's pictures have been deleted. I contacted him, but he can't remember having a picture of Smythe and the Kawi. The program for the Wallan round of Mr Motocross was interesting though. I read the story about Frank Stanborough in VMX. It sounds like those bikes did the rounds. Good to see they are still in one piece. The 250 looked a bit more developed then the 400 when it left the factory race dept, notwithstanding the improvements they got when they were out here.

[VMX247]

Page 96 ??

cheers Alison

[Rodpack]

Wow, thanks Alison. Just what I was looking for. I guess Roger's taken that many photo's that he's forgotten what he had! I'm glad he took them though. Thanks again to everyone who replied to my post. Cheers Rod.

[VMX247]

I believe most of the photos where borrowed to Roger for the book,so hard to keep track.
As Graeme didnt ride green long,there isnt too much archived.
Shame as they where a nice piece of kit 
cheers

[VMX247]

http://www.gumtree.com.au/s-ad/birdwood/motorcycles/1974-kawasaki-450/1012958232
Another pearler 


Peter Smythe son of Graeme has started a facebook community page for his dad.
There are now a truck load of Kawa photos to view..
enjoy!!

[Rodpack]

Thanks again Alison, that's just what I'm looking for. Excellent stuff.

[Tossa]

was famous in early 70's for riding the infamous Suzuki Typhoon 400, spent more time flying through the air without the bike.  But boy did he make it go.  Then on a Bullie.  I believe he had a conversation with Sammy Miller who asked him if he'd broken the rear wheel yet.  Smythe said no.  Miller told him he wasn;t trying hard enough.  Next meeting broke the rear wheel!!