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/126496
o lX) (j) ( j) I-< GJ ..0 e ~ o Z fTop left) A Kawasaki 2SOcc short track motor with a 38mm Mikuni was used. IAbove left! Beauty abounds with the Kosman wheels. Grimeca rear disc set-up. Fox Shox Flat Track III and Buffalo Plates. fRight. top to bottom) The plated Knight framelswingarm kit is state of the art. Greer built the bike to look as good as it performs. Reliefs wera trimmed for clearance of fuel petcocks and frame. More relief on the top triple clamps. Knight says "Grimeca Brakes, or ya ain't got brakes." I've said repeatedly that race cars, < unlike most racing motorcycles, are mechanically beautiful. They're all nicely anodized, cad plated and generally, tastefully painted. Sponsors love it and see the vehicle representing ~ them as much as the rider. For that reason, I obtained a set of gorgeous blue anodized rims from Meryl's Pro Wheel Clinic, and had Kosman lace them up to his hubs. Won't help the performance, but if every other dirt tracker looked this good, there would be fuller grandstands, and sponsors I I asking to get into the program instead of waiting to be asked. Engine Kawasaki has one of the biggest sleepers in the 250cc engine class. It puts out an astounding power curve, stock. The curve is perfect for short track and Sportsman/Pro Novice TT, Kawasaki also has made nearly 400 of these engines available cheap to dealers and dirt track frame manufacturers. They want to see mean green on the dirt tracks. For small dollars, they also have bolt-on right side shift conversions available. The engines come with a 38mm Mikuni and tbe complete COl ignition system. Jack Dannenberg can port the livin' stink out of a Kawasaki for Pro Novice Half Mile use. It will kill. For example: Pete Hames, this year's Amateur National Half Mile 250cc Champion, has a Dannenberg-ported Kawasaki 250 in a Knight frame. He effortlessly does fifth gear wheelies across the start·finish line while his Dad croaks, "Hey babel That's horsepower!" Pipe & carb Bill's Pipes are one of the uruntentionally best kept secrets in dirt track. Seems like only the factories and nonfactory winners are using them. Ken • ~ Roberts used one on his factory Yamaha Houston short tracker; Wayne Rainey uses one on his factory Kawasaki short tracker; Freddy Spencer, Mickey Fay and Jeff Haney all use Bill's Pipes on their Honda factory 250cc short trackers and 500cc TT bikes. National Novice Champ Bill Herndon uses one; Hames is sponsored by Bill's Pipes; Roger Thompson won the Amateur National 125cc TT and 125cc Short Track Championship with Bill's Pipes; and Hank Scott even used them on his Harley to win the Sacramento, San Jose and Du Quoin Miles and the Louisville and Topeka Half Miles. , • • • a , ..... '. 1.,1 • ~ J C ! l 9 \,..