Can Am MX3

[viper42]

Is it the real deal or replica ?? 

Stay tuned answer coming soon !!!!!!!

[viper42]

Another pic

[Hoony]

Nice Bike Steve, is it yours?

[viper42]

Thanks Hoony,
Been building this for a few months now. It is a replica although most of the parts are original.
The frame is an MX2 that has been modified to mx3 spec.Plastics/decals are from RTR moto in the US.Wheels,airbox,h/bars,kill switch and pipe are original. Engine has been modified to GP spec.Tank I painted and re upholstered the seat.Few other personal touches I made were the chain tensioner and crankcase guard and the alloy engine mounts.

I think I might give it a run at Barrabool in pre 78 ?


Many thanks to Can Am370 for his assistance and Manual and Nitram for the correct ignition.

[Canam370]

  ;D

[holeshot buddy]

cool bike 
that would be a great pre 78 race bike
my mx2 gp replica nearly finished
cant wait to ride

[JC]

Looks very nice.

What swingarm did you use? Modified MX2?

[viper42]

Swing arm is mx2 modified to mx3 spec's

[Nitram]

Steve,

That bike looks really excellent, and a credit to you.  So much more authentic than my attempt at an MX3 "replica". 
Have you had any fuel in the tank yet ?  I'm still keen to know whether that plastic tank sealant works to keep the paint from lifting.
Again, well done !

I wonder why it is that MX3s don't seem to have found their way down under.  Obviously there are plenty of TNTs/MX2s and white bikes in general.  Plenty of MX6/Qualifiers, but I am unaware of any MX3s, or for that matter any MX4s.  Maybe there was a gap in the presence of an Australian importer around '77-'78.  Does anyone know ?

Nitram

[Hoony]

who was the importer for all CanAms, i assume it was Bert Flood?

what models equals whatyears?

[Canam370]

Heytrack were the original importers of Canam from 75 until 78 but they weren't importing much after late 76. TnT's, O/R's and some 77 Quals (not sure about any MX3's). Floods took over from there with the orange tankers and Qual 3 and 4.
During this period there was a branding issue where Repco  had registered the Canam name resulting in the bikes being sold under the Bombardier logo.

The models ran -

1973/4  TnT & MX1
1975   TnT
1976  TnT, MX2,O/R
1977  TnT,Qualifier,MX3
1978  MX4, Qualifier
1979  MX5, Qualifier
1980  MX6, Qualifier
1981  MX6B, Qualifier
1982  Qualifier4

Hope this helps the curious. There are other models not included here but this covers the models we saw.

[firko]

I can remember a shyster named Al Heaton importing a shipment of TNT'S and a couple of MX1s back in 1973. None of the MX1s have ever showed up but I bought a TNT 175 at a swap meet 10 years ago and it had a 'Heaton Motorcycles Randwick,NSW' sticker on the swingarm. Heaton went underground soon after Mike Willisee exposed him as a con man on national TV.

[TooFastTim]

I can remember a shyster named Al Heaton importing a shipment of TNT'S and a couple of MX1s back in 1973. None of the MX1s have ever showed up but I bought a TNT 175 at a swap meet 10 years ago and it had a 'Heaton Motorcycles Randwick,NSW' sticker on the swingarm. Heaton went underground soon after Mike Willisee exposed him as a con man on national TV.

So you had them too. There was a guy in South Africa named Ken Van Zyl who had the Fantic agency. Fantics flooded into the country but Fantic were never paid. Ken went underground shortly after his shenanigans were exposed with the rumour that there was a "contract" out on him. Seems he got into some dodgy dealings with other business partners who weren't quite as forgiving as the motorcycling guys.

Ken also had the dubious distinction of being one of very few people who recieved a lifetime ban from the sport for thumping an official.

Not a pleasant person.