Cycle News is a weekly magazine that covers all aspects of motorcycling including Supercross, Motocross and MotoGP as well as new motorcycles
Issue link: https://magazine.cyclenews.com/i/125506
GRANT TO MANUFACTURE VANTECH MOTORCYCLE KIT In 1963 when Bill Van Tech could no longer tolerate the ginger-bread styling and mushy steel frames of machines generally available, he designed and built a duplex tubesteel frame that was light. rigid and strong. The frame itself wiped out a lot of unnecessary detail, but Bill was not satisfied. He designed and built a special gas tank - a seat and a front suspension system. He add e d the 100cc engine. wheels and other parts from a stock bike and came up with an extremely light, very strong scrambler that looked downright sinister - and ran like the proverbial bat. He called it VanTech. Bill's first VanTech machines immediately proved themselves in competition - and attracted a lot of attention. Yielding to popular demand he built more. refining as he went. By 1966 he had developed a superb kit that would allow an enthusiast to convert a stock motorcycle to a strong, easy-handling scrambler in the 135-pound class. Big t....wIIeel Dews fnm fbe blllllling Grant factories in California! Grllll lidumes, lac" a lIivision of fbe Grant Piston Riag Co...any, has made adeal wifb young aad talented Bill Van Tech to manufacture and market his famous VaaTecll mot_cycle conversion kits. .. No CUSSiDg A purist, Bill Van Tech was almost fanatical in his engineering. For example, the fish mouths where the' steel frame is welded are precisely milled. This means there are no gaps to be filled with globs of weld and insures that the entire frame will be of high uniform strength. That no gusseting is employed, or necessary, is at once evidence that the frame is sturdy • .And everything that bolts together fits nicely. Cuss words are not required. Bill's Van Tech motorcycle conversion kits were eagerly sought by enthusiasts from every corner of the U.S.A • .And Bill tried mightily to fill the orders, but like most geniuses he lacked capital and manufacturing facility. That's where Grant Industties come sin. Abov.: Unshad.d tan. In photo hlpllpts major COlapon..tl of the VanTICh kit. BIlow: Photo shows a portlan 01 lb. Handa So9O VanTICh conv"slan kit. ~-Stock Yallllha canvert.d to VanT.ch road raclf. Feed "cln.lrlnc ,.,Iul Bill VanTICh hal Joined with Grant Indolbill In Los Ancel.s to manufactur. cODv"slan kits to produce this ./Iancter. Eater GraDt Grant Industries. as everyone k now s, manufactures the Grant Flamethrower ignition system and Grant custom ste'ering wheels. Grant's manufacturing engineers had been watching Bill Van Tech and his motorcycle marvels for some time and they were impressed. To make a long story shorter, Grant and Bill got together and Grant is manufacturing the VanTech conversion kits - and now everybody can have one, or two, or even a dozen! Faatastic Bargain The deluxe super-duper Van Tech conversion kit will consist 0(: (rame and rear swincinc arm, encine mountinc unH, (ork adapter unit, adjustable and lolding loot pegs, brake pedal, tank, saddle, coil mountinc plates, battery box, rear fender loop, oil reservoir and rear shock extensions. The whole works, including nuts and bolts, will retail at about $185, dependinc on the bike to be converted. ,A VanTech leading-link front fork will cost 569. And, individual items can be purchased separately - whicb means that the VanTech frame and swinging arm can be had for only $99. Bikes that can be specifically and effortlessly VanTech-eonverted are: Honda 8-90, Yamaha 60 and 80, Yamaha 100 single and twin, Suzuki 80 and 120, Bridgestone 90, Kawasaki 100 and Hodaka. Other makes of similar displacement can be converted with minimum alterations. lAS UII 0IL diSCo.ted Datioully by 25d, A~ 'u" Tile CMIts&11ldiag Dew .oear oil desiped Belusively lor air- e-. cooled ..giaes is IIOW being ~4'",," fJd S_ 1Itatu. ea/4 Build Your Own Custom But an already existing motorcycle isn't necessary. With a Van Tech frame kit, an enthusiast can build up his very own custom motorcycle simply by adding wheels, engine, etc .• which can be purchased as spare parts from his local motorcycle store. ,And switching engines is easy witb the VanTech frame, should a motorcyclist want to run a Hodaka engine this week - and a Yamaha next week. Cross-country bikes, TT, road racers, and street machines can be made easily from just one VanTech frame. Grant will be glad to supply free literature on the VanTecbs. and its other products. Simply write to Grant Industries, Inc., 3680 Beverly Boulevard. Los Angeles, Calif. 90004. The VanTech is all American for Americans! :e W'58'5-6240 lASU ::.:S II fIJ-e m-4535 se dIOse- (415) for dealer iafoiaatiol •