Benelli 650 flat tracker.

[firko]

The frame's on it's way so I won't know the frame # until it gets here. I spent a couple of hours scanning the 'net last night and looked at literally hundreds of different Trackmasters and found none with the adjustable swingarm pivot or the lowboy rear subframe. I'm beginning to think I've got a pretty unique Tracky. There's little or no doubt that it's a Trackmaster when you compare the head gussetting and front section of the frame to a traditional Trackmaster XS Yamaha frame. Vegas Bob Neilson and Clyde Williams reckon it's a late development frame, made when Hensleys stuff had fallen behind in the technology stakes to C&J, Champion, Knight and many more. The photo below shows Clydes '78 Trackmaster TT500 which is different again, indicating that old Ken was trying new tricks. Because I've had such little response from my posting a photo of the frame on VFT, I wouldn't be surprised if my frame was a one off development frame, as Mike Middleton suggested.
Below: Clydes variable top shock mounts on his TT500 Trackmaster

A simpler version of the adjustable swingarm pivot on Clydes Tracky.


I doubt very much that a flat track style frame would be any good for salt racing as the rake would be waaay too steep causing some nasty high speed stability problems. I've had a bit to do with a friends R1 Yamaha salt bike and we've raked it like a drag bike for more high speed stability.

The Suzuki is indeed a standard frame as I can see once it was blown up. It's a cool bike and is very much like Hortons bike. That photo was taken at the 1971 or so San Jose Mile. Those 2 strokes would be a hansful on a mile I'd reckon.

[Freakshow]

Wont kow the rake till it gets here so all bets are off i reckon.  Dont discount it being a clone either, lotsa guys worked out of cycle works and sonic, tracmaster ans star racer so it could be bits of anything, when they closed up there was 4 semis of pre bend tubes for all sorts of things they had a habit of making the bits fit.  the welds will tell and so will the stamps, if its blank, keep looking as it true identity will turn up.

[firko]

Whatever it is...and I'm betting it is a fair dinkum Trackmaster, it's a pretty unique bit of work. Once my unique engine goes into the equation it'll be a cool bike. I'm looking forward to riding this one myself.

[Freakshow]

All good another one on the track is always a bonus :O)  give us FT some cred .

[Freakshow]

Here is another View of the 68 bike you might not have come across yet.

[firko]

That's a really interesting frame Freaky. Any clues to its maker?  The engine is a Laverda though, not a Benelli.
Any thoughts on the Aussie who bought Hortons TZ750?   http://ozvmx.com/community/index.php?topic=11338.0

[Freakshow]

Looking at the track in the background its a 1/2 mile racetrack, so its a short track frame, was a trackmaster or late sonic. 

IF you follow the lower frame rails there is that trackmaster curve, from the head to the tail, and its got the big one peice spine, and the high swing arm point.   they obviously just cut the lower rail out for the motor and swung it off that top support.

HAs a early Trackmaster tank and rear loop. Bates seat and pad, so im guessing very early 70's on the set up.

HAve no idea about the motor, just that Hartline bike you where looking at was 68s, look at the district letter its the same.  BE near impossible for someone to run the same white plate number and district letter, this must be the other side of the wheelie bike in the pic.

Note BIKe also has the same front end, same tank, same seat.  The grey/black bike paint foto may be how it ended up some years later then.

Whats the differance in the 2 motors, looks like the one you have in your bike just has the electric start section, case and cover look the same other wise, but im only going on what i can see in the fotos. I dont actually know shit on them big rigs

what got my attention was the stand, looks to go up and under, and those carbs look like a flat slide ?

[firko]

My apologies Freaky, it is a Benelli, and it's Gene Hartlines bike. You're right it's the pre electric start model from the 60s. Mines got slightly different shaped barrel and of course electric start which threw me. The carbys are the standard square slide Del Ortos*. It does look like a Trackmaster but looks like a different frame to the one that sold in Melbourne at the beginning of this thread. I wonde why he cut the bottom rails out? I'm going to try and keep them but if there's a clearance problem....they're gone.

I missed a possible opportunity to meet Gene Hartline without knowing it. He's a Hollywood stunt coordinator and was here in Sydney for a few months doing some Keanu Reeves movie. Apparently he was seen around town a fair bit riding a Buell. He now owns the Trackmaster Benelli again I believe.

*http://ozvmx.com/community/index.php?topic=8685.0

[Freakshow]

He cut the bottom rail out so you can get that block of steel out, From what i have seen of these types of frame mods for those big cluckers they put a jack under the motor pull the bolts and its out, to do it the other way bolts out and lift you would need a few blokes i reckon.

'As with everything Gene did they were examples of the art of fabrication or as he used to say "First Cabin with all the boogie woogie go fast stuff"     
Call it ....... Race thinking.

The motors a brace anyway like the ducati way of thinking at the time, 'as he worked at a benelli dealership at the time in 72'

Its a good clean early Photo of that side and should make a good referance for you, will try to get the other side for you too.

"Yes,  Gene did some stunt work.   He was the Bandit chief in the silent file at the beginning of "The Three Amigos" with Chevy Chase.   Another movie,"Time and Time Again" had him as a cab driver. He did some work in,"Urban Cowboy" also. 

He built two of the Benellis, One was sold and made into a hillclimber, The second bike was the one sold to Au but returned to the US, One of Gene's neighbors has it now in Colorado."

[52]

We have another twin locally to be entered for the titles in Griffith, that will be 2 maybe 3 if Grasy enters his, Ando's XR750 from Wyalong may be another starter. If we get the numbers we will run the event- Battle of the Twins. Keep workin on it Firko.

[Freakshow]

Firko, the US guys found us the otherside,  Looks way better from this angle doesnt it, notice it has the white power stipe on the tank ( was it an orange tank  or what ? )

Also the lower cross bar, never noticed in the other pics, thats make a bit of differance to the front section, obviously need to use those 2 cross supports  if your going to do the chop.    Go for it i say !

[firko]

if your going to do the chop.    Go for it i say

I spoke to Bob Neilson this morning and he reckons to chop it as well Freaky. I'm going to wait until it gets here before I commit myself. I'm hesitant to cut a rare frame unless I absolutely have to for clearance. That bottom cross brace is essential as it's the engine mount. The Benelli engine mounts with parallel mounts like -- rather than || if you can understand that! 
Bob was telling me that Hartlines Benelli was essentially stock except for some minor stuff. Even ran the stock carbys. He reckons it was still pretty fast and usually made the main at Ascot. He told me that except for Alex Jorgensons Ron Wood Norton,the Hartline Benelli was the best sounding bike on the track, because of the big revs it pulled. It's funny but I've got a lot of guys in California pushing me on this bike. They're all stoked I'm doing it. A couple of guys are chasing down Gene Hartline for me which will be handy as far as finding out the setup and learning the history. .......It's all good.

[firko]

Finally heard from Gene Hartline himself who has some interesting info on the origins of my 'odd' frame. Seems it is the prototype frame most everyone else thought it was..........Here's Gene,
"Well Mate , I built only two 650 Benelli frames and that is not one of them ......BUT  ...... I worked at Trackmaster for most of its time and the rusty frame pictured is what I remember to be a Proto type of sorts,  and I do recall Ray Hensley playing with a adjustable swinging arm pivot point and that is one of them .....Many stories on what happened to the Trackmaster Benellis ...One belongs to a friends Estate [ The one You Pictured ] and the other who knows ?..... Both had my name all over them and the motors were stamped all over with a stamp that said HARTLINE....  They were first 500cc and then pumped up to 650s .by the factory...a square bore stroke that was 84 by 84 and could not go bigger because the crank was to close to the main shaft of the transmission.... when we campaigned them the 750 cc motors were will on there way ....The rusty frame is as I remember like some Ray made for some [short ] racers that is why the top rail are lower and shock mounts look different........Ill look at it some more but I think it looks like some kind of Japanese motor mounts ....also the Benellis never had a full bottom frame ......SOOOO ..... Bobs Your Uncle ....Gene Hartline"

[paul]

this is a interesting read

[firko]

Another email from Gene that's gradually unveiling a bit more about the Benelli (and him!). It seems I'm going to have to send him some Vegemite!!
Because my "new" Trackmaster frame is apparently unique I'm now considering saving it for another project, probably using a 650/750 Yamaha engine for which it's made for. Seeing that I have to do some severe frame cutting and create a top rail for the head stay, the Texas frame already has an extra top rail and I'd feel a bit happier cutting up that frame than doing the chop on the Trackmaster prototype.

Mark ,  Good Show ....Line up chain and rear sprocket so its true with engine centered and remember you will need another tube below the back bone to hook up the top motor mount which is important ! ......My frame did not have bottom tube so I could get the Center of Gravity down low , ........also find a straight horzonial line , as close as you can , starting with the crank shaft center to the countershaft center,then the Pivot point center on swingarm and rear axle on the even side of a compressed shock.........Forks and shock size needs to be to Your personal tuning and comfort everyone is different length about standard 12 1/2 inches on shocks and fork tubes 27 inches extended .....that is a start and adjust from there......ALWAYS REMEMBER measure twice and weld once.........Cant tell for sure that frame will work but looks good on computer..........SOOOOOO   Thats all You get out of Me for now !!!!!, ........Any more info. is going to cost Ya a couple of those king size belly buster jars of my and Your favorite the ever popular VEGEMITE .......Gene
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