The DIRT TRACKER that WOULDN'T DIE: Harley-Davidson XR-750 introduced 50 years ago (Still Can Win)

[@markschmalenberger8301]

I have absorbed so much from Kevin's TDC collumn back in the day in glad to have found him on YT.

[@mattmattes3913]

Sprint cars, Midgets, American Flat Track & Speedway Bikes are just magic to watch. Pure & honest.

[@stephenschneider9209]

Certain people truly, love motorcycles. You guys are some of the Gurus.

[@glennjaffas6242]

When Kevin Cameron speaks, I listen.

[@polaridoo1]

He's better than EF Hutton

[@josephreisinger33]

I'm right there with you Glen. He no speak with fork tongue. 😅

[@kellymartens3314]

I absolutely Love these podcasts. Always read Kevin's articles and now able to see these two is just amazing.

[@carolinemcnabb9957]

What a treasure this man is Even his toaster is measured in high performance terms Thank you for every second

[@ccrider8483]

Perhaps this has been covered before, but I would like to hear Kevin reminisce about his days working on a privateer team that was running a Kawasali 750 against various factory teams and trying to develop his bike with production parts vs the factory teams having superior race developed parts. I have been reading Kevin's articles since the beginning and a big fan.

[@davidbanks1193]

I was there as an early-teen kid as Harley-Davidson made the transition from the flathead KR to the Alloy OHV XR-750. My (elder) brother was racing flat track in what was then known as the Amateur class, and I tagged along to many AMA flat track nationals as the new 750 OHV rules went into effect. The Harley KR generally had a single carburetor between the cylinders on the left, exhausts on the right. The Sportster had a single carburetor between the cylinders on the right, with exhausts on the right. The Iron XR-750 may have started life with more-or-less stock Sportster heads, but they didn’t stay that way for long. Recognizing right away that the Iron XR was not competitive, the Harley flat track teams tried many different configurations to try to get the engine to breathe. The elite Harley riders, who had enjoyed great success with the KR, found themselves scrambling to try to keep up with the Trackmaster and Sonic Weld Triumphs that quickly populated the track. The Harley riders seemed to have a new intake/exhaust configuration almost weekly- welded-up ports, front head on the rear cylinder, rear head on the front cylinder, oil coolers everywhere. I recall they even tried a front-facing intake on the front cylinder, with a carburetor and air cleaner perched to the left of the front of the gas tank. Ultimately, the Iron XR Harleys could not compete with the Triumphs, with Gene Romero winning the 1970 championship. The Alloy XR appeared, seemingly formed from the hands of God, but it actually was the product of a staggering array of experiments to develop an engine that could outrun the Triumphs. It was the experience of a lifetime to be there, watching this period unfold. Perhaps we’ll see something similar in 2025, with both the FTR750 and the XR-750 no longer on the AMA’s Approved Engines list.

[@GTMarmot]

Cycle World Wednesday! The XR750 was an extraordinarily successful racing motorcycle. Keep up the good work.

[@dukecraig2402]

It's the winningest motorcycle racing engine in history, no other engine has as many titles and trophies as it does. It's the Chevy SB of motorcycle engine's.

[@lowlevelcritter7577]

Best motorcycle podcast/youtube video out there. Look forward to each one. Keep this going.

[@Zulutime44]

I was living in Long Beach CA in the Spring of 1969. A friend worked in a motorcycle shop in Azusa and came by my place one day with some of his biker comrades. He was riding a street tracker converted directly from a KR750, the predecessor to the XR. As a street bike, it was a real monster producing serious power, way beyond my Triumph 650 Thunderbird. I've had a soft spot for street trackers ever since.

[@stephenkramme7063]

If you can get a hold of the October 1978 issue of Cycle magazine there is an insight filled article on the development of the XR750. Written by Gordon Jennings it is peppered with quotes and the thought process's of Dick O'Brien, it is long and in depth. From H-D's listed spring of 1975 dyno chart the "#5 San Jose Miler" engine produced a peak of 88.9 BHP at 7600RPM and a nearly flat torque curve of 60-63 lb/ft from 5600-7600RPM.

[@tomrinde4487]

@ All horses you can put down on the track.

[@TechnikMeister2]

When my generation in Australia first watched On Any Sunday back in 1971, a whole generation of dirt bike riders was awakened. Dirt Track, Enduro, Motocross and Road Racing boomed in this country. Who could forget the greats like Dava Aldana on his BSA and Kenny Roberts later when he stuffed a TZ750 into a Champion frame and scared the crap out of everyone.

[@josephreisinger33]

Please Please the wealth of history in the R5/RD 350's. I'm sure there are at least two dozen people out there who would love to hear what you Gentlemen hav2 say about them. Thanks guys 4 another great podcast. Take care till next time.

[@aqnaqnaqn]

I agree! I learned to ride on a colleague's RD400 with clubman bars. I'm still alive 🙃. The evolution of that line of Yamaha two-strokes would be a great story I think.

[@nkuntroll247]

When the XRs came out I was involved with Les Edwards of Cycle Imports and his efforts with Triumphs on dirt tracks. A Bonneville motor with 750 kit, highly modified head, mikuni carbs, in a Trackmaster frame was the setup. Dave Hanson was the last guy to ride for Les as far as I know. I learned a lot back then. Taking the bikes out for break in was the best experience a 17 year old motorcycle nut could have back then. I also was at San Jose track when Davey was putting on a show on a Kaw 750 triple. He was running away, a half lap ahead of everyone until he put it through the fence. Not sure if he rode that rocket again. Days gone by.....

[@HAL9000-su1mz]

It has been surmised that the large and centralized flywheels of both H-D and Triumph lead to their dirt success. Yamaha tried hard with the XS, but its flywheels, rather than being in the center of the engine, were split in two and centered beneath each cylinder. Harder to change direction even if it had slightly greater gyroscopic stability.

[@nkuntroll247]

@@HAL9000-su1mz Just like it's been said that Maicos handled better than most other bikes because they used a chain drive primary where crank and clutch rotate the same direction and mainshaft layshaft trans.Rather than gear drive primary where they rotate opposite and a mainshaft countershaft trans.

[@HAL9000-su1mz]

@@nkuntroll247 Plus Maicos had more sq. in. of fins per cc than all other motorcycles.

[@WFOracingonline-Wes]

2:12 Pieter Zylstra, draftsman and designer of the XR750 (and a hero/mentor of mine) put together an excellent technical memoir of the XR750. It’s a fantastic read if you enjoy technical works. Great podcast gentlemen I look forward to many more!

[@cycleworld]

Kevin has the book! Thanks for recommending it. Hoyer needs a copy, and we appreciate you listening.

[@chrisbaucom4832]

I am so glad I found this channel, Kevin and My Late Dad Robert used to have some great talks and e mails back and fourth they talked theory and the motorcycle business back then and today.

[@victoriabrockman5473]

Love this one! XR750 is a legend. I would love to ride one... right after the TZ750. Thank you so much for the show!

[@MeYou-yz2yz]

Not so sure about the TZ750 nowadays. When I was younger great.

[@knucklehed54]

How about a podcast talking about just the change from printed publication to digital age. I dont know how you monetize this podcast, but I would pay for it, because its that good.

[@knucklehed54]

Best podcast, period. Miss this episode on Spotify. Hard to listen to KZbin on the commute.

[@markhoyer1736]

Our apologies! It's on Spotify now. Thanks for listening.

[@HAL9000-su1mz]

Crankcase pressure. On the XS650, Yamaha used a baffle box atop the rear of the head. Originally with two hoses venting, they reduced that to a single hose in '74, at least. Too far back to remember now, but I "think" they simply dumped the hose at the rear of the trans. Sensing doom, I pulled the stamped steel baffle out of the breather box and dad (Boeing experimental and test mechanic) worked out a different design which was heli-arc welded into the box. Combined with the original two hoses, I ran them both into the countershaft cover. Turns out that "I" was also into Autolube. Rode around the US, 15K miles, with a Diamond XDL chain in 1978. With mist-lube, the chain made the entire trip and a few years after. Then Diamond got scared and stopped M/C chain production. (sigh)

[@onelooperhudson967]

Mr. Cameron reminds me of a couple of my favorite instructors in the Airframe and Powerplant school I attended many years ago. Men with lots of experience with small and very large piston engines. The problems with Wright R3350 and its PRT's and Pratt 4360 engines were discussed a lot. They were much more interesting to me than both the Low bypass and the more modern High Bypass engines that have consumed my workdays for the last 35 years. I always thought of a big twin Harley engine as a two cylinder radial engine kinda sorta. Keep up the good work guys.

[@chrisbaucom4832]

This is Fantastic, look forward to catching all the episodes

[@ivanhills6460]

I love listening while I work Im in Southern California and a track day junkie I’ve raced for years and years If you ever do a track day at chuckwalla or willow springs I would really enjoy meeting you guys

[@drewdavis4614]

These 2 absolutely kick butt Individuals have taught me so much in the last few months alone by listening to their talks. I thank you both so much! Much love my brothers ❤😊

[@brakinggnus5229]

Ahhh the sounds and the smells of flat track racing. My goodness I love these campfire chats

[@wallywarburton8938]

I was at all the Transatlantic match races and saw Cal Raborn win half of them on an old clunker in many fellow brits eyes, after the last race he became a legend by many of us, ranks with Hailwood,Roberts,Spencer.

[@bobhealy4922]

FANTASTIC ......Thank You

[@bretloyd8097]

Awesome, my favourite HD.

[@johntallman1520]

Best podcast yet. Just got back from Springfield Mile and looking forward to AFT in 2025!

[@needmetal3221]

They have the secret recipe. Check out sammy halbert. On a slippery surface they can still beat the new bikes. So much so that next year they're outlawed.

[@michaelrubbo7467]

Mert Lawmill's independent development work on the XR750 back in the day is SO fun to read. He released a "Lawmill" edition XR750 some time ago (10 years ago?) that he built in I think California based on the 2009'ish XR1200 sportster. very much enjoyed reading the book "Harley-Davidson XR-750, The Complete History" (published in September 2015) by Allan Girdler. It goes into similar detail on how the technology incrementally improved and the tuners and racers that impacted the design.

[@truthboomertruthbomber5125]

Lawwill

[@dukecraig2402]

On Any Sunday

[@gordonborsboom7460]

The only Harley I would consider beautiful..XR 1200. To bad it only looked the part. It could have been THE American hooligan machine.

[@dukecraig2402]

@@gordonborsboom7460 Still more than you could handle, far as that goes racing baggers is more than you could handle to.

[@gary0184]

Thx for the captions!!!! I can hear now.

[@louparsons]

Aaah, memories.... 'Finishing Fear,' 'Old World Craftsmanship,' and that article on re-timing (?) DOHC cams to shift HP/torque curves. My favourite motorcycle journalist. Thanks. YVR

[@markmyra-cn7rd]

Mr Cameron. Do you have a Erdos #. You make me think of a master machinist with mechanical engineering and physics degrees. Many years ago I rode a friend's Sr 500 powered street tracker. Champion or another light steel flat track race frame. Can't remember. XR 750 tank and bodywork. Somewhere around 225 lbs. I had a rz 350 at the time. Just over 300 lbs Highly modified, and looks like a gp bike. Very fun. But the street tracker is about the most fun of any street bike I have ridden. Even compared to my supermoto. If I build another bike, It will be a thumper street tracker.

[@jimwells4240]

I really love these, particularly when Kevin asks the musical question, "How'd you break THAT?" From being an aircraft mechanic for 35 years, I have asked innumerable pilots and/or flight attendants that same question. It all boils down to this....anybody can break ball bearings in a sandbox with a rubber mallet if they work at it hard enough and long enough. That modern motorcycles are as reliable and as GOOD as they are is a testament to the guys who, after much head-scratching and midnight-oil-burning, figure out how to keep that particular ball bearing from breaking under the vicious onslaught of the rubber mallet.

[@peterjamesmurray1]

Fantastic conversation, fellas. Thank you, again.

[@maximus431]

They had to make the bearing needles smaller to survive the higher rpm levels. Such knowledge blows my mind!

[@philbro1829]

I've always enjoyed and regarded your writing for around 50yrs... so it was FUNNY to see or hear about the TOASTER... THANKS for your intusiasm and imput into my life!!! Hugs and kisses to you and yours

[@Single698]

Loved these videos learn so much and get the odd laugh here and there. I learned about asperities once from Kevin and now find myself smoothing out my asperities on my brand new Hypermotard 698 and whilst riding it i can put the engine under pressure and imagine now the metals working together to smooth out them asperities giving my engine a nice film of oil between all the parts. And it was his video that i decided to run it in the way i am.which is a mix between manufactures recommendation and adding a little more load here and there.

[@metlmuncher]

Another fabulous listen

[@pashakdescilly7517]

33:00 That story about the move of Norton manufacture from Bracebridge St Birmingham to the AMC factory in Plumstead circa 1960 is true. The bosses were too mean to service the machine that bored the main bearing housings, and as the spindle bearings wore out, it developed a chatter. The machinist who had operated it for many years took to using a plank to push on the spindle and prevent chatter. As the bearings in the boring machine got worse, he just pressed harder on the plank. He lost his job when the tooling got moved to Plumstead. The crank cases machined in Plumstead were all scrap due to the chatter. Eventually, management decided to find the Birmingham engineer who had done the job for decades and produced good main bearing housings, and ask how how he had done the job with such rubbish tooling. He replied - "Surely you have The Plank?" My 1955 Norton 500 twin has crank cases that were machined by this man, on THAT MACHINE. It has done around 92,000 miles now, and the cases are just fine, thank you.

[@bretloyd8097]

"Oi. . . where's me stick" 😂

[@richardcasey7521]

Absolutely great video!

[@TomStratis]

DUDE,TURN UP THE IDLE. Light bulb moments you never forget 😂

[@mikeskidmore6754]

I don't think that HD built 200 XR-750's the first year. I have heard stories of HD having to put bikes in a elevator and moving them from floor to floor at HD Headquarters to make the AMA Officials think that there was more than 50 XR-750's built .

[@dukecraig2402]

Stories, just like the nonsense stories about the AMA supposedly restricting OHV engine's to 500cc in the 60's just to protect Harley from Triumph and BSA, the fact is that restriction was enacted in 1932 when there was over 130 motorcycle manufacturers in America and nobody on a flat track had ever heard of Triumph or BSA. You're all just mad and want to pout over something Harley was good at that required more than just showing up with a bunch of money to beat them, why shouldn't they have been good at it? It's the original form of American motorcycle racing and they'd been doing it longer than anyone else, people think all ot takes is a more powerful engine because "all they do is slide around a corner, there's no real technical achievement about that", wrong, tuning the engine and setting up the suspension is an art form unto it's own and people who could never get their heads wrapped around that concept would get mad because Harley dominated that sport so they'd go around making up stories about the AMA "protecting Harley" or stories like the one you're making up which is what's called poor sportsmanship and being an all around poopy pants because you're not big enough to congratulate someone for something they're good at.

[@dukecraig2402]

Anyone can make up stories about anything, like the fairytale story that the rule restricting OHV engine's to 500cc that was enacted in 1932 was really enacted in the 60's to protect Harley from Triumph and BSA, nothing but butthurt losers making up stories that are mad because Harley was good at something.

[@dukecraig2402]

How was that supposed to happen when they're all serial numbered? What, while they were looping them around they were welding them up, grinding down the welds and restamping sequential serial numbers on them? At the end of the description is a link that will take you to a site to fill out "The official butthurt form" for everyone mad that Harley was good at the oldest form of American motorcycle there is.

[@mikeskidmore6754]

@@dukecraig2402 Do you think the AMA was looking at all of the serial Numbers on all of the XR-750's from floor to floor to be sure Harley Davidson was not cheating? Harley always has to have the rules changed to handy-cap other brands so they can win.

[@mikeskidmore6754]

@@dukecraig2402 Of course eventually they made over 200 of them but they didn't have nearly 200 built yet when they started racing them. The Iron heads often seized before the race was over.

[@copperaudio9664]

"on their phone with no knowledge of us" Exactly why one should push no further than 80% in the street. Especially for that SUV going the other way and about to turn left in front of you. It's going to happen. Be prepared.

[@jimmybryan6760]

The story about the Norton machinist and his stick reminds me of an old horizontal milling machine I operated briefly. The job was to cut the waffle face on four framing hammer heads per cycle. Only problem was, after turning the fixture 90 degrees and running the 2nd pass, it would wipe out the grooves cut on the 1st pass, and so on when returned to starting position to recut the first pass. They sent out the very expensive cutters for sharpening, which didn't solve it. The maint. dept. tried to figure it out by stringing strings across the bed to check for true to no avail. Next time I ran the job, I watched the oil cushion on the arbor holder bushing in front of me and noticed it squeezing out as the cutters climbed the parts. Viola! Worn bushings! I shoulda had that guy's stick!

[@jiyushugi1085]

Marvelous! I'd like to hear Kevin's take on Honda's current MotoGP problems. Is it the chassis, the engine or both? It's strange that both their SBK and MotoGP riders have similar complaints.

[@robert-wr6md]

This was a seriously interesting conversation. I am hooked. Thanks.

[@frederickking1660]

The fuel injected 1200 is a beast on the street. Fuel efficient and powerful. Then they stopped making them.

[@subjectivepersp1937]

Im here for toaster talk too

[@yorkchris10]

My mom used to read Buck and Steinbeck stories to us when my brother and I were young. When I started reading on my own I'd found stories on abandonned Willy's, motorcycle wheeled MG's and then one on flat track racers. My mom asked me to explain the story on a couple of guys on the flat track circuit with their bike in the back of a station wagon. I kept pronouncing one name Joesee and she looked at me politely and said "I think you pronounce that 'hoe-say'" . This was my first introduction to SoCal. I used to have an anecdote about how looser tolerances were more appropriate in certain applications, but I always remember my metalwork teachers story about competition for tighter accuracy between Germany and America. I know engine manufacturers dyno test their engines in all kinds of scénarios with various environments and inclinations, but how many test for various engine wear scénarios over expected engine lifetime.

[@magellanicspaceclouds]

Finally, a flat track episode! ❤ It always seemed a little unfair to have the purpose-built, race-focused FTR compete against production-based platforms, but what do I know.

[@knyffeler]

Great stuff guys! How about a session on the Yamaha DT-1 and its impact? Or maybe a session on the various race tracks around the world or just U.S.?

[@GeorgeHenry-cx9zq]

You 2 are amazing, the flow of the story telling, laced with the historical information is unmatched. Please keep enlightening us with your knowledge.

[@mjo4981]

Great discussion! How about a podcast on the alternative flattrackers of the last 50 years? The three cylinder Kawasakis, TZs, 650 Yamaha based bikes, etc... Maybe two podcasts, one for the 70s and 80s and one for the 90s and since.

[@joenoneofyourbusiness6487]

I've had a few bmw r1100rt's over the years and one of the things that bothers me about this engine is how it jerks on deceleration. I found out that if I just put the choke on (actually just a high idle) in slow or stop and go situations that it bucks a lot less. I end up with less compression braking, like Mark mentioned with his 'just turn up the idle' comment. I think that a lot of modern fuel injection systems will completely cut fuel when the throttle is chopped, which makes compression braking a lot more stiff. My first gen Hypermotard was almost unrideable until I got an o2 sensor hack.

[@ddennis669]

Not often that a motorcycle podcast gives some credit to Dr. Deming.

[@AAAnthonyyep]

G'day all keep up the good work thanks

[@mikeskidmore6754]

Remember that time Kenny Roberts showed with a Yamaha TZ-700 Road race engine in a Champion Flat Track Frame? kzbin.info/www/bejne/bpybmX2NgK6JhNU

[@jerrym3261]

And the AMA rule that made it illegal. I also remember when Harley fired Cal Rayborn for winning 3 of the 6 Trans Atlantic races with a clapped out Harley. He didn't have permission!

[@mikeskidmore6754]

@@jerrym3261 How could he win a road race on a clapped out HD? He must of had a good engine builder / tuner.

[@jerrym3261]

@@mikeskidmore6754 How could he have won the last road race a Harley ever won? How could he have won the last Daytona 200 a Harley ever won? How could he have won 3 of the Trans Atlantic races on courses the British racers had been racing on for years? In the race where he died, how could he have been more than holding his own while he was on a 500cc twin and the others were on 750cc triples? Whether you call his Trans Atlantic bike a KR750 or a early, iron engine XR750, he was on a lesser machine and it had seen lots of races. The only explanation has to be he cheated. He didn't cheat, he was that good.

[@mikeskidmore6754]

@@jerrym3261 I didn't know anything about Cal Rayborn so I looked him up. I recently met a 93 year old Owner of Perry Harley Davidson Kalamazoo. They just closed the dealership last December. It was the oldest Family owned HD Dealer in MI His Father opened the dealership in I think 1928 or 1924. Anyway he was telling me about going down to Daytona to watch the HD Factory road race team.. He talked about racing the Sprint 250's and 350's in local flat track races ect.. I threw out names like Gary Nixon and Bart Markel ect he remembered all of them. He didn't even know that Indian Retired the XR-750 from Flat Track racing. His prowess on road courses earned him a place on the Harley-Davidson factory racing team. It was with Harley-Davidson that he achieved his greatest success, winning two consecutive Daytona 200 victories in 1968 and 1969.[1] He also set two 1970 motorcycle land speed records. He accomplished an impressive feat when he competed in the Transatlantic Trophy match races in England in 1972.[2] The Transatlantic Trophy pitted the best British riders against the top American road racers. On an outdated motorcycle with no experience on British race tracks, Rayborn won three of the six races.[3][4] Rayborn won his last AMA National road race in 1972, at the Laguna Seca racetrack, near Monterey, California.[5] Racing with a modified XRTT-750, it would also be Harley-Davidson's last National road race win.[6] Towards the end of 1973, it was apparent that the Harley-Davidson team could no longer provide him with a competitive motorcycle for road racing, so Rayborn accepted an offer to race for the Suzuki factory.[1] In December 1973, Rayborn travelled to New Zealand to compete in an auto racing event. He also accepted an offer to race a Suzuki motorcycle at the Pukekohe Park Raceway outside of Auckland. Rayborn's bike was short of power and top speed so the bike was hurriedly converted to burn methanol fuel. Rayborn started the race and was up with the leaders when the bike's engine seized. In the ensuing crash he slammed into a wall close to the edge of the track and was killed.[3][7] Rayborn was inducted into the AMA Motorcycle Hall of Fame in 1999.[1]

[@mikevaughan7681]

Love the series would love to see an interview with Eric Buell

[@colinm1325]

Hi Mark n Kevin, ( thanks OCTANE ), Have you, or is there a chance you can do a show on the Pan America, more so in regards to the engine, and its design, and how it got to be. As with all here, l assume...., love the show and the snippets, nay nuggets of gold that just keep coming up. Eg, the Norton ?, machining guy, 'oi, wheres me stick?', Gold😂 👏👏☕️🍪🍻

[@michaeldill7620]

Awesome! Nice to hear about my bucket list item. Getting slideways on an xr750. How can my dream become reality?

[@paulblouin6955]

I happened to be at ASCOT when the 1/2 mile National was won by Alex Jorgenson. Took my nephews to a 1/2 mile national in the 90s. Pretty sure it was ALL XR 750s.

[@jamesmorris5441]

Hello enjoy your KZbin Cycle World. Can you suggest a framer for old late 60's flat tracker to build a flat tracker for enjoyment? Thank James

[@gordonborsboom7460]

When they speak of primary gear change, it was crank to transmission input shaft gear ratio. They would keep the sprockets the same to keep the rear swing arm to chain distances, but change the overall ratio at the trans input (gears) rather than at the output (sprockets)

[@191895]

Dorothy Rowe campaigned a XR750 in the 1980's, a very competitive rider she was!

[@45south]

Mark, how about a pod on Burt Munro and hus indian?

[@chopshopchopper]

HD needs to start making the XR750 again...!

[@patroy3774]

Very interesting as always. Suggestion: dirttrack earlier days 1960's and early 70's when not only H-D but BSA Triumph Norton Yamaha xs650 where all close in performance from one onther. Also it would be interesting to learn the engineering story why in the early 80's the Yamaha Virago never could make it in dirttrack. Virago Engine rotating backwards what's the idea behind that. Great success in sales for the shaft drive models 1981 to 1999. Keep it up on those stories. Thanks

[@jonyam-ou4cp]

I'm curious about the headphones he is using. does anyone knows which model is it ?

[@TheChipMcDonald]

What is the car or airplane equivalent to this? I love the long format choice of arcane niches picked as subjects here, despite not being a rider.... ?

[@georgegould667]

I like flat track Motorcycle racing especially on the 1/2 Mile Cushion tracks in Ohio , county fairground tracks with the Broadslide in the turns inches a part steering with the throttle and a 20’ rooster tail coming off the rear wheel of the Motorcycles !

[@StephenSchofield-d6e]

Very interesting, Kevin, but as well as ripping English manufacturers, don't forget we - Triumph-BSA - kicked H-Ds ass, even with a 250cc disadvantage!!

[@twinturbo8304]

Kevin knows more than me Dammit

[@Single698]

Kevin experienced power from the toaster, well i did a similar thing yesterday when i opened the oven door and the heat had enough power to knock me right back on my feet thrusting my head back i nearly fell over. Lol 😂

[@davidburne9477]

Re 51:00 on all the tech and power, on the last long ride I did a few weeks ago on my Moto Guzzi V100 Mandello, which has about 115HP, I used an average of 10KW (13HP). But I’m certainly glad of the other 100HP when I need them…

[@markhall3434]

Isn't a Slipper Clutch a Form of Torque Converter? Mayber not a 3 to 1 peak Torque multiplication factor, but maybe 1.75 ? Used to squirt oil on my B&S 5'er Go Kart torque converter.. Used to spin those pretty fast.. certainly 7 or 8K with a few basic backyard mods.

[@OSOFLHP]

Yes, we ride our motorcycles in a pedestrian manner, though city traffic onto interstate hwys to get to lightly trafficked canyon roads, where we can open them up.

[@georgegould667]

I prefer a 1/2 mile Cushion Track With the Broad Slide over any of the miles for Flat Track Motorcycle Racing !

[@GeneCash]

What's the bike over Mark's shoulder in the window? I like the shape of that.

[@cycleworld]

BMW R 1300 GS, new and much restyled!

[@grantmackwood-smith8643]

How about a podcast on the rise and fall of the British mc industry.

[@timtonsley8823]

Hard to kill something when the rule makers want it to live. RS750's for the win (literally).

[@jerrym3261]

Absolutely!

[@terryboehler5752]

What about "pounding a blue groove"? That makes for serious dirt traction, or not?

[@jimrobcoyle]

Hail the algorithm! 😊

[@DennisMerwood]

In 1983 the AMA approved the Honda RS750D for Class C flat track competition. Honda successfully conned the AMA Rules Committee into believing that the RS750D’s engine was based on their XLV750R shaft-drive dual-sport bike introduced into the European market in 1982. Which was nonsense! Given the XLV750R’s engine had a 52-degree V-angle, with an offset pin crankshaft, and the RS750D was a 45-degree V-angle engine with a single pin crank and with chain drive, it was obvious that this was a cynical ploy, and the engine violated the rule promulgated in 1932 requiring Class C flat track motorcycles to be based on production models sold in the US. The XLV750R was not sold in America. The RS750D engine was without question a race-only engine. A "cheater". The AMA was bought off by Honda money. Once the bugs were sorted out, Ricky Graham won the 1984 AMA Championship on a RS750D. Bubba Shobert then went on to win the Championship the following 3-years in a row, in 1985, 86’ and 87’, absolutely decimating the competition. But Honda had had enough after only 4-years and took their "cheater" RS750D''s home. Moving on to 2017, the American Flat Track Championship, the new name for the Grand National, promulgated new rules for AFT twins, the top class. Two subsets of engines were approved. “Production-based” motors limited to 998cc, and “Race-only” motors limited to 750cc. Old timers thought.. “Oh no! Here we go again!” The AMA was bribed ~ by Polaris deep pocket money this time. Its "Indian in name only" FTR750 was a special race bike with a race only-engine. Hand built in Switzerland by a company that builds prototype MotoGP engines. This engine was not available in any production street bike as required by Class C rules promulgated in 1932. And Kevin Cameron went to the Swiss factory and shamelessly promoted the "cheater" flat tracker in Cycle World Magazine. As to be expected the results mirrored the results obtained by the Honda RS750D route in the 80’s. These “Indian in name only” motorcycles, with their race-only engines, decimated the field of production engine bikes in the same way the RS750D’s did. A sorry state of affairs. And one oblivious to all casual fans. The AMA had once again pulled off one massive con job. Jerrymandering the Rules for Polaris! Exactly what low-information fans always accuses HD of! GMAB THE GOOD NEWS: For 2025 the FTR750 has been banned. AMA Pro Racing has been persuaded to follow the Class C rules ~ and balance will be restored. Polaris has to “hot rod” one of their street bike engines to compete against the Harley-Davidson XG750R’s, Yamaha FZ-07’s, Kawasaki Ninja’s, and the Ducati’s and KTM’s. All of which are legitimate Class C bikes! The gravy train has ended for Polaris.

[@stewart8127]

Evel Knievel used XRb750 for his jumos but rode a CBX 1000 6 cyl on the street

[@scotfield3950]

Why did hd fail so hard at the vr100?

[@GeneCash]

Well dang... tried to see about financing a Tracer 9GT+ from Octane, and the Google Captcha thing wouldn't let me submit the form.

[@cycleworld]

Oh, man, sorry to hear this! We let Octane know and will be back with more assistance and questions if you’re up for it. Thanks for watching the show!

[@GeneCash]

@@cycleworld Thanks! Edit: ran into the same situation (couldn't complete my order) at Aerostich around Christmas, and they didn't care.

[@terryboehler5752]

I paused the video, found video of fueling three cylinder, mostly burnouts

[@bradwilliams5242]

King Kenny showed up with horsepower slapping hay bails and won all he got was a tz 750 that wasn’t legal anymore 😮

[@JohnCunningham-sy5ug]

I jave been to the wasian Ohio vintage bike races and swamp meet for the twenty years the old bikes Rule it doesn't matter racing is Racing 😅

[@wsbill14224]

Harley Davidson dominated dirt track racing for so long because the AMA changed the rules to favor them and drive superior bikes out of dirt track racing, especially Honda. Honda had a great bike that was lighter and just as powerful as the Harley but they were banned so Honda stopped making single crank journal V twins entirely so Harley could survive. Harley has been living on Honda's good graces ever since.

[@donpizzo8963]

Where are you working as a fire fighter?

[@alphafox400]

Too bad Harley never offerred a street legal version of the XR750 both as a street tracker and a street racer,

[@johnburton2345]

XR1000 I had one

[@alphafox400]

@@johnburton2345 XR1000 looked pretty sweet but wasn’t it basically a Sportster? I was thinking a detuned, street legal version of the actual XR750 dirt track race bike.

[@chriserskine3527]

You lost me guys, you should have talked about the motor in detail how are road racing motor different from the flat track how the motor was updated or modified for racing, the history of the chassis who made it who did they copy

[@markwhitney9175]

The Del Mar Mile was bad #^#!!!! I miss it.

[@11fishee]

Money is a finite resource: money in dictates money out, hence focus......"Win on Sunday, sell on Monday" doesn't seem to exist too much....."Things" for roders to enjoy, participate in, and go watch has been diluted by costs to the avid enthusiast, nevermind, their thoughts of competition.....

[@chriserskine3527]

In your book you called the XR just a good racing motor what made it different from stock street bikes what was the average horsepower of a well-prepared racing bike how did they do in road racing it's like you guys stop thinking, maybe you both should be drinking it might make the show better