My Bike Ran Like Pus at the Nationals

[TM BILL]

I did have a few bike issues  

As Brad said the 250 Elsinore sucked a base gasket on the first lap of Qualifying , but thanks to a great team effort and the generosity of the Chadwick family who supplied a gasket , I was able to get out in the 2nd Qualiyifer and the bike ran mint all weekend   and it is a really sweet bike   trouble is now i want one  

The Evo RM had a moment with the clutch in Practice    probably a good thing as i had 4 back to back races (and that was never going to happen  

The Pre 78 125 i couldnt get to grips with so that became a donor bike for the TM  

First pre 75 125 race threw a chain on the first lap , got that back on and going again, then got a puncture   With one race between now had to do a Quick wheel change (see pics elsewhere on forum  )

1st pre 75 125 age race Bike dies as 15 sec board goes up, at this point JI i wasn't smiling diagnoses found clip had come of carb needle   (possible by product of agricutural wheel change   )

After that the little TM ran sweet as and it is probably the fastest TM 125 iv'e ridden, (and iv'e ridden a few ) let down only by the riders  lack of Testicle fortitude  

I also managed to blow a head gasket on the spare TM   and by then im starting to question if i have sexy fingers (forks everything he touches   )

To round up the list of fork ups i managed to lose my passport   I was financialy violated by the British government but they did give me a replacment so i could come home  

But hey you cant let a few little issues detract from a fantastic week away Without the generosity of some great mates i would be back here Towing other poor Bastards who are just trying to get from A to B and financialy violating them  

Cant wait for the Queensland Titles  

[Ji Gantor]

Thanks TM Bill for sharing the whole story.
Looking forward to seeing you soon.

Ji

[holeshot buddy]

i had a few issues
where do i start
firstly i dont usually have any bike problems normally
thursday between scrutineering i rebuilded carb on husky 125
out of 3 carbs ( thanks brownie and husky pete)
friday first practice pre75 open on husky 450
started her running a bit rich specially down low
took off got to downhill bottom cut out wouldnt go pushed her back :'(
checked carb pilot jet sitting in bottom of float bowl
fixed it started first kick and idled ,cool (back to that later)
pre75 250 practice lined up on vr montesa proven tested bike
took off got to downhill bottom locked up gearbox
scull dragged pushed back (thanks jeff weiss)
pre75 125 practice husky 125 took off made it downhill
but gears shifting felt weird went over drunks
and shifted up to sixth and there it stayed doh
pushed it back from the tree with clutch in lucky its light
just got back and pre78 125 practice on line
jumped on montesa, rooted about now after push back
got 2 laps practice (whoopee)
lined up for race pre 75 open took off in third and it stopped
guess where bottom of that bloody hill again
vibration had turned fuel tap off
rode another half lap and did it again so i pulled out :'(
fixed tap went on line for next race and it fouled a plug
swapped lead onto other plug fired straight up then fouled another plug
pushed her back and left it with others
lined up for pre78 125 on montesa
took off bike felt a bit down on power
flat spotting over jumps etc
did  a lap coming down the hill again it stopped
zero compression looked down top of bing carb nearly off sucked air and holed piston :'(
aparently a common thing with bings bit late for me to find out now
so all my bikes rs all stopped in the bermuda triangle at conondale :'(
borrowed a honda cr125 from brad got a second and third
but it was down on power heaps compered to other 125s
but i had a good time (thanks brad)
i ended up all weekend watching and helping other riders
moral is ride at nats on bikes you know and a ready
not finished just prior to event
should have rode my kx500 and rm370 :'(

[Ji Gantor]

Hi TM Bill,
Well I think us Aussies should present you with a trophy for most events in one season by a foreigner.
So you have been here this year that I have seen for CD6, the Nationals and soon for the Queensland Titles.
The Tow Truck business must be very profitable in NZ !

Thanks Holeshot Buddy for sharing your tales of woe,
It sound like you had more problems than most, will any of your bikes be ready for Cooroy or Coles Creek?

Keep your chins up boys not even bad luck lasts forever.

Ji

[Mrs Gantor]

Hi all Mrs Gantor here

I travel with my two boys to all the tracks and I have met some great members of the VMX scene.
I enjoyed it when I met John Boag's wife Fay at CD6 and have found we have a lot in common. Our boys are shed hermits and lovers of CZ's.

This is my first post on the forum.  Thought I better get an account myself so I can clear up some of the one sided stories that Ji has come up with relating to my ability to comprehend bike stuff!

He is after all a fisherman - you know, fishermen have a tendency to exaggerate wildly... but I wouldn't have him any other way.

Anyhow on the subject of the Maico running pus that Ji so elegantly described below as being a power reed problem and my seeming acceptance of this explanation - who does he think he's kidding - after all I did have a hand in restoring this bike with him, getting grease under my fingernails and also acquiring the nickname "tool of the week" when his hands couldn't fit into oh so small spaces in difficult to get at places on the bike

Quote:
I did not make a fuss I just told Mrs Gantor that I found the problem and that we should just move on. She insisted that I tell her what was the problem so I like the real man I am I said "It was the power reed, it had a rip in it"

Mrs Gantor accepted this and we did move on I think....Though I am not sure she really believed me.
"Thank God" she is a bit like Paul if she knew the truth she would never let me forget it.

Funny I did see him pull out a rag from the air filter box - I wasn't aware that these had suddenly become "power reeds"  though when you think about it,  it did run on the smell of an oily rag.....badly!

Now about the YZ125 running out of fuel issue - 
I just can't let him forget this one - I did go on a bit afterwards with "I told  you so" at every opportunity - he's gotta remember to listen to his pit crew!  After all not all of our suggestions are dumb.......

And I did tell him many times that he should check the air filter on the Maico!

That's two bike problems that could have been solved by my suggestions - 2 out of 2 for me - a pretty good batting average, even if I have to say so myself .....cause Ji won't!

Mrs G

[jimg1au]

mrs gantor
fishermen dont exaggerate at all i know this as i am one as well.
cheers
jim

[paul]

ha ha ha   thats funny hang on. ill sign  mine up too !what happened to tm bills knitting thread

[oldfart]

Ji ,   consider yourself a lucky man
                                                 

[Ji Gantor]

Hi Paul,
I did not know until just now that Mrs Gantor was on this forum oh well there goes my fun.
She is very honest so I can no longer gil the lilly.
Damn I wonder if Cousin Weedy will have me.

Ji

[Ji Gantor]

Hi Oldfart,
Mrs Gantor was the only bike I own at the Nationals that was not playing up( what is she going to say when she reads this).
I am a lucky man.

Ji

[jimg1au]

us weedys like that sort of talk.1 email this morning had a pic link to a new cz
turned out to be miss chec/republic she was a good looking model long suspension and blonde paint work
do you want the link
jim

[Ji Gantor]

Not now Mrs Gantor is on the forum.

Ji

[pirie593]

Ji,

I remember pushing my father's CZ at every meeting for 2 years.  Wore out a set of friends at the same time.  So maybe you have an original CZ.  And if it was a 73 400, be thankful that you didn't get it to the meeting where you would only have suffered from the angst of having the kick starter break, the tank leak at the head-stem support, the brake rod snap or even more frustrating, the swing-arm bolt work loose within 1 lap.

 

[mike1948]

Not my poor bikes fault, though.  I lined up for qualifying, got to the base of THE HILL, stopped 3/4 up, had to skulldrag the Maico down.  Guess who left the big front sprocket from flattrack on, thinking if the lap was 2.5km around, it must be fast as well.  Slipping the clutch got me up to just qualify.
Friday - raring to go, smaller sprocket in place, anticipating the start - too soon, jammed under the starting gate.  passed a few, but had lost contact with the leading group.  Then got a shunt in the rear when I pulled up.
Saturday -  Even keener, fair start, discovered at the second turn that the rear brake was almost nonexistant, should have checked after yesterdays shunt.  I probably should leave the rear brake off, lapped 12 seconds faster without it, got a place!
Sunday - Lets GO!  All prepared with brake all adjusted, waiting for my race - accident on the track, racing stopped.  Me all hyped up, checked brake adjustment a dozen times over the next hour, each time a half turn for luck, got a fair start, into the first corner, find brake is screwed so tight if I even bump it it locks the wheel.  Fastest lap 7 seconds slower than yesterday.
Gotta get a pit crew!

[Ji Gantor]

Hi pirie593,
Yes, you are right.
Something with the CZ would have gone wrong.
The YZ's I took were very entertaining and I can now say that I have raced against Glen Bell.

Ji