Author Topic: 88 I4DE  (Read 20986 times)

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Offline GMC

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88 I4DE
« on: April 20, 2009, 09:16:21 pm »
The ultimate Enduro of the year is the 4 day Enduro. It is held in a different state each year & it is Australia’s answer to the ISDE.
For 88 it became the International 4 day Enduro or I4DE. It attracted many internationals & was set up as a Bicentenary celebration 1788 – 1988

I chose poorly in 88, I bought a TT 350. It seemed like a good idea at the time, more powerful than a XR 250 & lighter than a XR 600.



It always seemed though that the XR 600’s would go under me in the corners & the XR 250’s would pass me down the straights. >:(

I never really came to grips with it & the disappointment was exaggerated at the I4DE which turned out to be one big mud fest. Being a 4 stroke also meant I had to start at the back, the only class behind me were the 600 4 strokes & with over 300 entries the trails were pretty chopped up by the time I got to ride them.

Starting at the back is one thing that would worry me if I ever got my act together & rode the Masters class.
Interesting that at the 4 day just finished the Veteran’s & Master’s classes were quite popular.

The Park Ferme was at Corbould Park in Coloundra. I think it was a trotting track.





The start was in the park, we had an easy ride out the front gate, hang a left, cruise down the road 50 metres, turn right into the start of the trails & then the nightmare began.
The first trail was down beside some sort of drainage ditch, it was the size of an aqueduct & the dirt that had been dug out was beside the ditch. They had that much rain in the lead up to this event that the surrounding land was almost swamp like. What seemed the best line was to ride the mound of freshly dug dirt. Being higher it was a bit drier but was still rutted & boggy.
People stuck in front of you, no way to get around, having to lift my own bike out of holes to keep moving, their were guys going bush to escape it but I could see them getting stuck worse off in the distance so that ruled out that alternative line. The other tempting line was in the bottom of the ditch as the ground seemed harder down their. I resisted the temptation to drop down into it even though the guys that were doing this seemed to get quite mobile & quickly rode out of site. When I eventually got to the end of this section I found a heap of guys at the bottom of this ditch having all sorts of trouble getting out.

This is pretty much how I remember this event, crawling from one bog hole to the next.




The mud sapped what fitness I had & I found myself houred out after having traveled 200 K’s & still with another 100 to go on day 2

It had been such a struggle I was actually quite pleased to get the hell out of their, & so after parking the bike I picked up the camera……



« Last Edit: January 19, 2019, 09:12:40 pm by GMC »
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Offline GMC

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Re: 88 I4DE
« Reply #1 on: April 20, 2009, 09:19:46 pm »










« Last Edit: January 19, 2019, 09:37:38 pm by GMC »
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Offline GMC

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Re: 88 I4DE
« Reply #2 on: April 20, 2009, 09:24:23 pm »










« Last Edit: January 19, 2019, 09:40:43 pm by GMC »
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Offline GMC

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Re: 88 I4DE
« Reply #3 on: April 20, 2009, 09:30:21 pm »


The final MX special test was held here, I believe this is the same venue for CD6?



oops, here's the photo's I was going to start with...





« Last Edit: January 19, 2019, 09:43:02 pm by GMC »
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Offline GMC

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Re: 88 I4DE
« Reply #4 on: April 20, 2009, 09:32:25 pm »
It was really good of these guys to help pick up the bunting ::)



« Last Edit: January 19, 2019, 09:43:58 pm by GMC »
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Offline LWC82PE

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Re: 88 I4DE
« Reply #5 on: April 20, 2009, 09:36:34 pm »
im looking for a workshop manual for a 86 TT250 that looks the same as the TT350 in the first photo. Its been impossible to find one so far.
Also a good rear rim/wheel for a 86 TT250

These old enduro bikes look really good. Thanks for bringing out the photos!
Wanted - 1978 TS185 frame or frame&motor. Frame # TS1852-24007 up to TS1852-39022

Offline VMX247

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Re: 88 I4DE
« Reply #6 on: April 20, 2009, 09:38:45 pm »
In Championship Master’s, enduro legend Geoff Ballard will be contesting what is beleived to be his 29th A4DE and looking to retain his national title.

Ballard has been a top racer for decades and is still going strong at 50-years-old, while also managing Australia’s largest enduro racing team.

Also contesting the Master’s class this year will be Central West racer Bill Daly, 56, from Young.

Daly, who has raced enduro since 1972, said he wanted to ride this year’s A4DE for the “competition aspect” and to “touch shoulders again with past competitors”.

“I really enjoy the atmosphere. I love racing because of the competition aspect and you push your self to that level,” Daly said.
GMC,did you bash bars or throw mud at  these guys. ;D ?
cheers Alison
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Offline JohnnyO

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Re: 88 I4DE
« Reply #7 on: April 20, 2009, 10:07:59 pm »
Great photo's Geoff.. I think some of those shots are on the Conondale motocross track. Didn't Dave Armstrong win outright that year?

Offline GMC

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Re: 88 I4DE
« Reply #8 on: April 20, 2009, 10:13:44 pm »
GMC,did you bash bars or throw mud at  these guys. ;D ?

Nah, he would have started nearly an hour ahead of me, I doubt I could have caught him even he was broken down & pushing.
In 87 I rode the 125 class which was good because the 125's are the first away after the state teams so all those fast guys would cut good lines for me to follow & non of them ever got in my way, as I never saw which way they went.

I see Ballard did win the Masters class last weekend.
Anthony Day came 4th in the same class & he is pictured above fighting with some bunting.
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Offline GMC

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Re: 88 I4DE
« Reply #9 on: April 20, 2009, 10:23:46 pm »
Great photo's Geoff.. I think some of those shots are on the Conondale motocross track. Didn't Dave Armstrong win outright that year?

I can't find the results of that event but I do remember the final MX test was a good duel between Armstrong & Wicksell.
The different styles were interesting. Wicksell on the KTM enduro which sounded like a trail bike with it's Enduro muffler, while Armstrong was on a KX 250 which sounded really crisp.
Armstong in the attack position while Wicksell looked a bit gumby in style but they were pretty much the same pace allthough Wicksell may have been slightly quicker. If I remember corectly Armstrong got the start & Wicksell was winding him in.
I imagined them both wondering who the other was as they were both used to winning in thier own backyards
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Offline NSR

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Re: 88 I4DE
« Reply #10 on: April 21, 2009, 08:41:46 pm »
Great photo's Geoff.  Do you have any of Rick Madden he was the 3rd member of the Aust team on the XR250 with Ballard and Flanagan.  I remember M Watt commenting how relable and easy to work on the XR was while Geoffs KTM fell apart.  Rick will be setting out the CD6 enduro loop.

Hay Geoff how did you go on the kart track ST, man that was slippery :o

I rode CR125 but burnt the clutch out on day two. I sill remember day 1 one of the best days i have spent on a bike. 

I helped Dave out before the event with timing, tyre changes and stuff.  In fact before the event i told anyone that would listen He was going to win it and he almost did.  I think Wicksell just beat him for outright and Dave had to ride at the back of the pack.  It was amazing watching him on the conondale ST.
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Offline Curtis

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Re: 88 I4DE
« Reply #11 on: January 18, 2019, 10:13:17 pm »
WOW...this post is 10 years old.! Interesting as I have chosen a TT350 to do the A3VE. Its a shame I cant view the pics, would love to see them.

Offline GMC

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Re: 88 I4DE
« Reply #12 on: January 19, 2019, 09:51:09 pm »
Just updated the photo links, they should all work again now.

Wow, 10 years and I just realized I didn't reply to NSR :o

No Photos of Ricky, these are pretty much all I have.

Only vaguely remember the kart track, my times would have been poor as I was busy trying to stay upright.

Starting at the back its hard to imagine how you could have a good day on day one, it was just a big slopfest when I went through, guys always seem to get themselves stuck in the easy lines so going around them in the awkward lines just consumes time and energy, 300 k's a day of that shit was all too much for me :'(
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Offline Slakewell

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Re: 88 I4DE
« Reply #13 on: January 20, 2019, 01:24:51 pm »
I rode that event on the same minute as Dave Armstrong it was a tough one.
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Offline 80-85 husky

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Re: 88 I4DE
« Reply #14 on: January 21, 2019, 01:32:24 pm »
we were discussing enduro legends the other nite and i had forgotten Brooke Flanagan...thanks for firing this post up again! ...tt350 Geoff what were you thinking..... ::)