Suzuki promo film from late 70's

[LWC82PE]

My self and several other Suzuki PE enthusiasts have been trying to locate a Suzuki promotional film from late 70’s/early 80’s that has 2 guys on Suzuki PE250’s  riding around in the Australian outback, but have had no luck as yet trying to find this film. We have tried Suzuki Australia and any of the old guys still there that could have an idea about it couldn’t help either.

So far no one seems to know about it. Even Geoff Udy doesnt know about it. We are not really sure what model PE’s they are but its possibly 250 B's, N’s or T’s

A brief description of what we are looking for was given to me and it goes something like this

Back in 1977 (or later), Volvo Australia and Mayfairs (The Queensland Distributor of Suzuki) got together and made a film that joint promoted the virtues of Volvo trucks (Perhaps for the Australian Military) and Suzuki motorcycles with regards to their durability in adverse outback conditions.
Mercedes Benz ended up winning the military tender for Unimogs after all that, but Suzuki sold lots of DR400's/250's and some years later DR600's to the Army. (See film "Deltaforce" with Chuck Norris for example)
The Volvo trucks were kitted out as support vehicles as you see in the Paris Dakar rally with supplies and spare parts for the riders. The PE250(B's?) were bone stock.

I wonder who the riders were? Perhaps it was YOU?

Does anyone know someone from Volvo heavy vehicles in QLD who may still be there after 30years???!!!
This was first bought up by one of our PE members from QLD who heard about it from someone, but his trail went cold and didnt go anywhere after that.   

if anyone knows about this it would have to be someone who was up in QLD at that time.

Can any one help us?

If anyone whos reading this is not a member of this forum you can pass on any info to following address's

http://groups.yahoo.com/group/PEmotorcycles
[email protected]
[email protected]

Reward will be offered for any information leading to the sourcing of this film



    



 

[LWC82PE]

issue october 21 -november 5 1977 of REV’S motorcycle magazine (which I am looking for) has an article/photos of 2 guys on 77 250 B’s riding in the outback with emus in the photo. This may be a scene from the film or be totally un-related, I’m not sure

[tc120]

lwc3077,from what i can remember of that story,it was an aussie adventurer,maybe Hans Tholstrup and a famous yank,actor or stuntman maybe.they were racing the very first model pe 250's from east to west across the middle of Aust.i think they went from the most easterly point to the most western point.they had 2 bikes each,one as a backup.the aussie done the whole trip on one bike,the yank blew his two up and finished on the aussies spare bike.the aussie used speed and momentum to get through the deep sand patches whereas the yank slowed and revved the hell out of his when he was getting stuck in the sand.i was 17 at the time i read that story and it made me a pe fan but i could never afford to buy one back in the eighties.have a 175 and a 400 now though.

[brent j]

CLose to what I remember TC,

I think I saw it in an Australian 4WD magazine as Volvo provided vehicles, including the truck mentioned.

I think it was a race, "name" guy challenged anyone to race him accross the island with $10,000 as prize money. The challenger was a stuntman but I think a local guy and like you say he used the one bike for the whole trip where as mr name blew up three. I have a feeling the name guy might have been a publisher or movie producer but he was local and not much of a rider by the account

Brent

[Doc]

Though I don't ever remember seeing the film I do remember the event very well as I wanted a PE250B from the moment I first laid eyes on them. Ironically it's the one zook model range I don't own and never have Here be the names and the article in question Luke also has this copy of Rev's in better condition than mine but maybe it's a secret  







most annoying part was I cried when I saw the pic of the now well thrashed PE lying in the Indian Ocean surf no respect at all!!

containing folder

http://cid-86267c09a3452a71.skydrive.live.com/self.aspx/Vintage%20Suzuki%20Magazine%20Tests%20and%20Articles/Across%20Australia%20for%20$20000%20PE250%20Suzuki%20Challenge%201977

[LWC82PE]

I got in touch with the guy who was originally looking for this film and he can actually remember seeing it. This is what he told me he remembers about the film..............

Actually I just didn’t hear about it I viewed the entire film.
I was at a ‘Brisbane 4 wheel drive club’ monthly meeting one night and one of the members brought it along.
As I recall He worked in some place where the film just happen to be passing through that day.
I was probably about 23 or maybe 24 at the latest.
The year would have been 1977 at the latest.
This is how I remember the story.
The film was quite long and it told the story about a race between an English rider of some note, and an American rider who was a side show shunt man (Evel Knievel type).
The race was from near Eyers Rock in central Australia to Broome on the west coast.
The weather was hot and the terrain was sandy and very rough.
They both had 2 X PE250 each to use. The bikes were straight out of the crate and they had no opportunity to tune or modify them.
The bikes were supported by large Volvo 6X6 trucks which I recall as having the nick name ‘Mud Gropers’.
 
The race started with the Englishman tearing off flat stick while the American spend the first day riding along at a very conservative pace.
It wasn’t long before the Englishman seized his no.1 bike and had to finish the first day on his no.2 bike.
That night the American pulled his engine down and inspected the piston.
I can still remember him sitting around the campfire rubbing back the ‘hot spots’ on the piston with what looked like some emery paper.
He put the engine back together and confidently said to everyone that it will now get to Broome without any doubt.
The next day the American set the pace and the Englishman soon seized his no. 2 bike trying to keep up.
The American then gave the Englishman his spare bike saying that he wouldn’t need it.
 
You guessed it. The Englishman soon seized the third bike.
 
The rest of the film had only the American riding his original bike across some of the worst country Australia has to offer.
I remember the side on shots of the bike, taken from the trucks. The suspension was literally being hammered mile after mile.
The American had a lot of trouble from his hands and forearms from the vibration and had to ride with one hand on the bars at a time.
On he went mile after mile.
Now comes the funny part.
When he got to the west coast he rode straight out of the scrub and through the township of Broome towards the beach.
The police then pulled him over for riding an unregistered bike through town and they all had to go to the police station to sort it out.
After a lot of explanation, the police allowing him to finish the ride under supervision.
 
Meanwhile down on the beach the delay allowed the sound and camera people to setup properly for his grand entrance.
 
The final scene of the movie was of a peaceful sleepy beach with only the rolling surf and the sound of seabirds.
Then in the far distance you could only just make out the ‘ring ting ting’, ‘ring ting ring ting ting’ of a 2 stroke motorcycle.
The engine noise got louder and louder until he came screaming over the top of the sand dune blasted down the beach and…….
 
You guessed it again, straight into the surf.
The rider catapulted over the handlebars into the surf.
Remember this guy’s job is a stunt rider.
 
The camera then zoomed in on the bike lying in the wash and the credits started to roll.
That was the end of the movie.
Every time the wave rolled back you could read PE250 on the seat and when it came in again the bike was completely covered.
 
I almost cried. After what that bike went through I didn’t think it deserved this fate.
It should have ended up in a museum somewhere.
Great film with brilliant scenery and camerawork.

That is the issue of Revs that I am looking for . If anyone has a copy in pretty good condition and wants to sell it please let me know as I want to buy it!

[LWC82PE]

i had another thought on this. Can anyone tell me who the editor of that issue of Revs was? if hes still around we can see if we can contact him and he might have some info on the who has a copy of the film.

does Rev's Motorcycle News still exist?

ive got someone trying to hunt this down. he reckons if he knows the name of the film that will help. so does anyone know the name of the film? is it mentioned in the REVS article?

I wonder why the film was made? Who did it benefit? Was it shown commercially? If we had a title then we can get closer.............It was a long film so it wasnt a commercial...............it must have had a fair bit of money poured into it, with trucks and a large support crew with international riders (who would still be alive today).............if we knew the production house............

[LWC82PE]

one of our members has actually found out the name of the maker of the film and has even been able to send an email to him!. We await a reply.............

[Doc]

jolly good ol' chap 

[frostype400]

Im interested to see it leith if you get it Thanks Michael.

[Tim754]

While we at it anybody got the 70s Suzuki television ad that goes "suddenly you see yourself just as you really are"  with the GT750 Water bottle powering up the road? Cheers

[Doc]

 not I Tim, I'm still trying to hunt up the old 1978 Pepsi TV advertisment featuring 'kini girls and MrMX Gunter and Gall on the RM and YZ respectively I wish I wish I wish but to no avail. Pepsi are of no help whatsoever even after writing them a snailmail because they didn't have an email contact address for such questions I got a big fat nope I can still remember the lyrics to the song

Baby come on and try, the action gets you naturally high
And Pepsi will see you through when you are doing what you're into
When you're doing what you're into PEPSI

and they say advertising doesn't work..I rushed out and bought a case of the crap

[EML]

LCP82PE, I hope I got that right as you did spell my name correctly (thank you).
I can just remember this from somewhere deep in the caverty of my brain. I think it was before I started at Mayfairs but I think I have read that article. It must be lost somewhere if Geoff can't remeber it as he was/is the worlds biggest PE advocate.
Now, we had a production firm the we used that came from Sth Bris whos name I can't recall as yet but he was Billy Roses brother in law and he handled alot of this sort of stuff. He became a baker(!) and started the Fernvale Bakery which Bill and his wife still run, so there is a lead there.
The add agency for Suzuki Auto, which did alot of national stuff, was called Shazam and I think they are still around.
The manager of m/cycle div, was Eddy Bailey and he lived at Mt Gravatt and if he's still with us, which I've heard he is, he might recall something.
So, go hard with that lot.
Cheers, Fletch

[gra1961]

i dont have that one but i do have one of beetle bailey doin a promo of drs in army hoo haa.

[LWC82PE]

Thanks EML that info should be useful.