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/126634
I. I ; . . • I • ~ ..... ~ 00 Q') ~ ~ l-< 0. < Racer." Whi le power outpu t was competitive wi th the legendary Manx Norton, th e G50's "m o re rel ia ble engine made i t th e ' ch o ice of many non -fac to ry racers. ' T he engine shown h ere wa s bu ilt by th e lat e J ack Em m o tt a nd features a ligh tene d flywheel , special breathing sys tem, tit an ium va lves a nd an increased co mpressio n rat io. T eam Obsol ete's motors are rebuilt ann ually by a nother learn m ember, Chuck Dear bo rn o f O ld Tappan, New Jersey. Chuck is a pe rfectionist whose engi nes ru n as well or better than th ey did in th eir h eyday. Once rebui lt, Chuck 's motors are run a ll season with o n ly m in o r adj ust ments made 10 vary the li m ing or readjust th e valves. . Ro b a nd Dave ha ndle a ll th e chassis work from a n u m ber of locat ions arou nd th e New York metro a rea . Footpeg pla cem ent was ra ised and ln e orig i na l p egs were replaced with foldin g models. As ano ther concess io n 10 g round clearance, an upswept exh a us t sys tem was fabricated . The Mat chl ess h andles ex tre me ly well a nd its narro w profile (6' across wh ere th e kn ees stradd le th e lank) ena bles Dave to tu ck hi s 6' 2" fra me in tigh t. 1982 was th e G5 0's most su ccessful season yet. Whi le a n o ff co urse exc u rsion d ro pped th e Mat chl ess 10 fourth at Daytona th e G 50 did very well a t the T ra ns-Atlantic Mat ch Race Series, Dave look seco nd p lace a t Mallo ry 'Par k in wh at some Bri tish journalists co nsi dered to be the hottest classic "race of the seaso n. T ha t fin ish toge the r wi th a fifth a t Bran ds H at ch and a fou rt h a t Oulton Park (agains t m or e tha n 20 ot her G50's ) gave Ro per a 'seco nd overa ll in the series against some o f th e to ughest vi ntage competition a nyw here. Wi th the Da yton a winner 's trop hy a lready tu ck ed away , in addi tion 10 the regu lar tour o f races, Tea m O bsolete p la ns 10 ru n th e G50 a t th e '83 Isle o f Man , T he bike is see n here with a specially fabrica ted five-gall on lank bu ilt j us t fo r tha t gra ndda ddy of all roa d races. Tea m Obsol ete prides itself o n racing bikes yo u wo u ld be lucky to see in a museum. T hi s is th e real thin g , n ot a few p arad e la p s a n d back in th e van . If yo u m iss th e so und of th e bigin ch four-strokes, o r a re just curio us a bo u t bi kes th at were o n the to p of th e racin g sce ne when a lo t o f us were sti ll o n trai ni ng wheels, sto p by T ea m Obsolete' s space o n p it row a nd tak e a look back in time, It may not be ultratrick-just a mol or , wh eel s a nd a seat -bUl lOa lot of u s, tha t's wha t i t's a ll a bo ut . • lst . odHled Prpducflon Class "" Michael ,annullo, Kawasaki on M ElER \- -l---o-+-lstProduction-C/assj-4 Mic~ael PannUllo, K"wasaki on MmELER ii6--+------l----+--MEff-ZE~ER-~-----I P . Bo. 15536. Pftubu rg h, PA t5244 .O 19