White is Right - Kiwi Yamaha

[MC]

Hi Guy's  - New to this site, been around MX since I was 7 and now 42 with kids, a few years ago I decided to throw my leg back over a bike and as the lead in says there was only gonna be one bike under this butt and it was always gonna be white.
Brother raced well in NZ until jumping the ditch to Brisbane in 1979, he raced for Moto Sport Yamaha in Queensland, after he broke his back ended up on a Suzuki with South port Suzuki for a season then headed back to NZ. I did as many do, raced locally throughout the top of the South Island NZ, until I found wages wouldn't spread around cars, woman and bikes so dropped the bikes.
In the garage now I have an 88 yz 250 (pet) an 84 250L (race bike) an 84 125L(toy) and a 1980 125G(next project) so not a bad start, these are the bikes I left in 83 so that's where I wanted to start back in racing.

Enjoy racing and enjoy the relaxed atmosphere around race day, still when the gate drops the brain takes over even if the body struggles to keep up at times, anyway great to see a few of those riders I idolised as a kid still involved in VMX.

thanks n catch you later. MC

[mx250]

For a Kiwi you show exceptional good taste 

Welcome aboard .

[mick25]

Welcome aboard from one kiwi to next  love the yammies aswell 

[MC]

MX 250 - Mick25 how's it going guy's - love white Yamaha's don't get off on yellow ones unless they have a steel tank - just never got to grips with the American colour scheme.
What do you guy's have in the garage? What are you racing or riding?

Thanks for the welcome and will look in from time to time, cheers MC

[Wombat]

Yeah welcome MC.
I remember a bunch of Kiwis coming over to Brissie and I'm almost certain it was '79.
The only name I remember from that group is 'Superloose'.
That was the name shown in the race programmes - back when nicknames weren't generally used - and cost extra to register.
I understand the story for that registration is that his mates did the paperwork and couldn't remember his real name!

Another of the visiting Kiwi MXers worked with a local Brickie named Tom Pitkin, a 'B grader' with a full beard.
I don't remember how long they stayed in OZ but I think they were all Members of Albert & District MCC whilst here.
Shit! Where's my memory gone?

Anyway, does that name or those snippets ring a bell? 

[brent j]

Another kiwi Yamaha rider here too.

Mickg, I owe you an email. haven't forgotten

Brent

[mick25]

No worries BJ 

[MC]

wombat - remember a few names in discussion, one that stuck was a bloke they call "Bazerco" aptly named for his riding form. Brother won the South Queensland champs in 80 broke his back just before the 81 Mr MX series start from memory.
He said to me there was a rider by the name of Stewie McLaughlin (as I recall)that was around at that time. He said Stu was probably the fastest most talented guy he's ever seen on a bike, that includes some of the greats Gunther, Gall, Williams,Liesk. Just didn't like training and didn't go racing if he didn't feel like it on the day. (shit I'd love half that talent) Any of you guy's remember him?
Steven Gall came over and stayed with him about 8-10 years ago and was still as fit as a buck rat apparently, he showed me a couple of firebreaks that Steve had ridden up and then down again on his mountain bike, I'd ride em on an MX bike but wouldn't consider walkin up them let alone ride them on a mountain bike.

Cheers MC

[GD66]

I recall Stu MacLachlan doing the biz in Queensland at the end of the 70s, and he was without doubt smooth, fluid, quick and talented. But I rather doubt even he would place himself in the same echelon as Gally, Gunter and the jet pilots of that era. He was capable of knocking off Andrew Bailey, and occasionally Peter Ploen and the likes, but the madmen from the south were definitely in another league. Just my two bobs' worth...

[090]

Unfortunately Stewy died on his come back from a busted leg in '81. It was his first race back at a race meeting in Bundaberg on a wet muddy track. Stewart fell off on the start straight and another rider hit him in the back. The week before my dad and i were watching him practice at our local track, marveling at his speed. I remember dad having a chat with him. I was in mini bikes and watched the start. When he fell off he was in the seated position and another rider hit him dead centre in the back. Tragedy.
On a lighter note, welcome mate. Its good to see even Yamahas can be loved! 
Cheers.

[JohnnyO]

GD66 for your information Stu McLauchlan won the 2nd round of the Mr Motocross series in 1980 after winning a moto at the 1st round.. More than capable of mixing with the best. A broken wrist at Tivoli put him out for the rest of the series.
There were a lot of Kiwis that came here to Qld in the late 70's/early 80's.
A few names i remember are Peter Boyle, Peter Ploen, Mike Thompson, Graham Sword, Gary Whitaker, Moston Wadsworth, Kevin Dickens, Frank White, Superloose and a few others i can't remember. I'm sure you Kiwis will remember a few of that lot.

[Wombat]

Yep, remember Stewie McLachlan well. Back in the day he and Peter Boyle were my fave local Riders.
He rode #151 on Suzukis for Phil Thew Moto in East Brisbane.
Really only knew him on nodding terms and a 'gidday' in the pits, but me and my mate Ted were quite in awe of his riding skills.
On the pre-race walk around the track we'd make a point of asking him for tips on the good lines.
I think we were the same age, but we were newbie C graders and he was an A grader - and in our opinion the fastest local A grader!

I don't remember how he went against the likes of Gall and Gunter, but locally he regularly blitzed the competition.
Somewhere I have some photos of the man in action - I'll post if I can figure how to convert a scan to a jpeg!
Last saw him race at Conondale... maybe 1980?
Apparently the bike that day was a Works Suzuki, an Anthony Gunter 'hand me down' or so the story went.
Someone else might know the detail of that - and I know there are a few on the forum who knew Stewie well.

And JohnnyO, I think maybe Gary Whitaker was that Kiwi bloke I mentioned who worked with Tom Pitkin.
The name rings a bell.

[JohnnyO]

Wombat, Gary probably did work with Tom, they both rode Power Cycle City Suzuki's at that time.
The Works bike Stewart rode at Tivoli and Conondale was the same one Gunter used to win the final round of Mr Motocross in '79 and Neville Cutts used to win the '79 Australian 500 Mx title.

[MC]

JohnnyO - brothers name was Alan Culverwell, got some photo's of him at Tivoli. Can't remember who the Suzuki rider was that couldn't get quads worked out 2x2 and decided F--K IT just hit the first one flat out and cleared the lot. Don't mean much now but back then a bit of an eye opener.

 I remember all of these riders except (Sword and Dickens) Peter Boyle, Peter Ploen, Mike Thompson, Graham Sword, Gary Whitaker, Moston Wadsworth, Kevin Dickens, Frank White, Superloose.

Gary Whitaker and Frank White were good peddlers, Peter Ploen and Peter Boyle were both on Suzuki in NZ, got a pic somewhere of Ploen at the 77 NZ champs on an RM 250B, There were 2 Mike Thompson's racing in NZ in the late 70's, 1 lanky guy from Christchurch on 125 Suzuki, the other a 5 foot pocket rocket from Blenheim on a 250 Yamaha. If it was the later he was always entertaining but had a habit of self destructing very spectacularly. Anyone remember who and or what superloose was?
Al said Stu died on the way to hospital after the crash, he said that Stu was a great guy definitely a big loss.

cheers MC

[JohnnyO]

MC i remember a Culverwell racing here on a Yamaha possibly for Gaythorne? The Mike Thompson i knew was tall and brought a RM400c over with him.
It could have been Calvin Brewster that you saw jumping the Quads in one, he was a local young gun at Tivoli.