A Brod Lockey Replico
out Gary
Hazel at Thumper Racing. I had
worked on
the bike for more than a
year.
lt
was
,ust
not happening."
Steve Harpes of Ohlins
Racing was on
hand at the event as the Ohlins' tech
rep
and
to compet€ in a few races. Ohlins developed
the one ofa kind shock. using measurements
and speciflcations supplied by Thumper
Racing. l"larpes had b€en helping with the
replica
proiect
for about six months. He
tuned
the suspension, including the Simons
upside-down
front forks that Diamond Don
scavenged
from unrevealed sources.
Lackey, who
has made every one of
Diamond Don's events since the inception of
the River
Port National, rode the bike short-
ly after its
purchase
and
liked it. Rainey con-
thued ro scavenge near-authentic
parts
until the engine blew
up.
Moroz took the bike
to his home
in
New York with
pieces
of the blown
piston
lodged in the crankcase. His
plan
was to
repair the bike and race
it in an AHRMA
National
in
July
2005.
iamond Don Rainey bought a
used Suzuki more than two
years
ago that has evolved
into his dream bike - a replica
of the works SrEuki that Brad
Lackey rode to the 500cc World Champi-
onship
in 1982. With help from friends and
friendly
contacts within the motorcycle
industry
Rainey manaSed to re-create the
monster in time
for lackey to ride it in com-
petition
at the third
round of the AHRMA
Post-Vintage
l,lotocross Natronal Champr-
onship Series.
The third round
iust
happened
to be an event
hosted and
promoted
by
Dia-
mond Don of
Diamond Don's River Port
National. And,
fittingly, riding Diamond Don's
replica. Brad Lackey totally smoked
the field
of Over 50 Experts.
Rainey credits seveml
people and a few
business€s
for contributions to the
proiect.
"A]ex
Moroz took over management and
coordination
of the
proiect
when
it was
obvious
that I didn't have the time," Eainey
said.
"And
it could not have
happened with-
34 APRIL 26. 2006
.
CYCLE
NEWS
"lt
wasn't repaired in time for that
Nataonal," said
Moroz.
"But
I had the motor
rebuilt and
got
the ohlins
shock really dialed
in 6me for the
final AHRMA
event
of the
year
at lvlonster Mountain
in Alabama. I took
a
first and a second there and tried
to bq/
the bike from Don. But he said no, and
l'm
still helping
him with it. lt's Don's baby.
We're having fun
just
helping with h.
"\Mat's
really neat about this bike
is that
it is the last of an era, lt
is
an air-cooled,
non-
disc brake model
with
suspension
that is
equa.l to anything on the track today.
lt
can
attract
younger.
thirtyish, riders to our
A hugc crcwd o{ Lockey
rhot dqy ro
TUT RETIJRN
F
ffi
I
G
I
I
BY WaRREN PRrcE
-
Brod Lo
