Today in motorcycle history, September 13, 1961

 

  In one of the most interesting, and to racing, important, days in motorcycle history, Ernst Eugen Wotzlawek defects to the West, taking MZ's tuning techniques to Suzuki, and winning Suzuki's first Grand Prix championship.

 

  Ernst Degner arranged for his family to escape on the weekend he was racing in the Swedish Grand Prix at Kristianstad.  In a race that could have secured the 125cc World Championship for himself and for MZ his engine suddenly failed early into the race.  So, right after the race, Degner slipped out and drove to Gedser, Denmark where he caught the ferry to Holstein-Grossenbrode, West Germany.  From there he continued on to Dillingen on the France/German border where met up with his wife and family who had already safely defected to West Germany a few days earlier.

  When the MZ team had discovered his defection, the East Germans accused him of deliberately destroying his engine in the Swedish race and lodged a complaint with the FIM.  The East Germans' accusations resulted in Degner's East German racing license being revoked.  Degner had however acquired a West German racing license and with the help of Dr. Joseph Ehrlich, who owned EMC motorcycles, he was entered to ride a 125cc EMC at the Argentine GP.  But, determined to keep him out of the race, the East German government pricks sent cables to the carriers of the bike that resulted in the machine being delayed on its journey to Argentina.  Ernst was thus prevented from racing in the final 125cc World Championship round in Argentina.  Months later, a FIM court in Geneva, Switzerland, dismissed MZ's complaint against him.

  In November of  1961 Degner moved to Hamamatsu, Japan to work for Suzuki racing.  Using the specialist two-stroke knowledge he had gained at MZ, he designed Suzuki's new 50cc and 125cc racers.  

  In 1962 Ernst Degner won Suzuki's first World Championship in the 50 cc class.

  Degner, Ernst Degner.

                              

Today in motorcycle history, September 12, 1954

                          

 

  At Autodromo Nazionale Monza, Geoff Duke thrills the home crowd, winning the 1954 Nations Grand Prix (Italian Grand Prix) aboard his 500cc Gilera. 

  Duke continues his dominance that began on a Norton winning both the 500cc and 350cc World Championship in 1951 and the 350cc World Championship in 1952.  Switching to Gilera in 1953 he would win the 500cc World Championship in '53, '54 and '55. 

 

  Also today in motorcycle history, September 12, 1966, the Triumph-riding, wool hat-wearing Michael Nesmith and his "pals" Davey Jones, Peter Tork and Mickey Dolenz debut on American television as 'The Monkees'.  At the auditions in October of 1965 Nesmith wears a wool ski-hat 'to keep the hair out of his eyes' while riding his Triumph Trophy.  The producers gave him the nickname "Wool Hat", realizing how dumb that sounds they dropped it after the pilot but, kept the hat. 

                                           

Today in motorcycle history, August 20, 1963

 


                                           
                                          

  For the third time in nearly four years, Charles Fehn applies for a patent for his Rokon Trail-Breaker motorcycle.

  The tale of the Trail-Breaker two-wheel-drive motorcycle can be traced back to 1958 in San Bernardino, California, when Charles Fehn began work on his invention, a "Motorcycle for slow cross-country travel over obstructions and in mountainous regions, and over snow and soft ground".   A bit of a long-winded title but, it was the birth of the Trail-Breaker.

  Charlie applied for his first patent on April 13, 1959.  No go.  His second application, abandoned like the first, came on August 31, 1962.  It wasn't until his third patent attempt, now trimmed down to "Motorcycle having two driven wheels", filed August 20, 1963, that Charlie would finally get his patent.  By the date of the third filing, the bike was in full-fledged production but, yet it would be August 23, 1966 before the patent would be granted.

  Many myths follow the story of who solved the Trail-Breaker's original steering problem. Well, I'm here to tell you that contrary to popular belief, it was Fehn who solved the steering problem (inherent in a two-wheel-drive motorcycle) by developing a driveline over-ride mechanism.  He developed the over-ride clutch and incorporated it into the original patent but, the early mechanism used a complex ball-bearing-on-ramp system (a bit Rube Goldbergesque), so it was simplified in 1962 to a one-way spring-on-collar device, which is basically the same over-ride spring assembly that is still in production today.  This one-way clutch allows the front wheel to travel faster than the back wheel, but not vice-versa.  This is what allows you to turn corners without having bike and body driven to the ground, the result of having both wheels turning the same speed when the front wheel needs to travel farther in a corner.  Another of his patents was the hollow aluminum wheel, which holds 4.5 gallons of liquid ballast or fuel.  Conversely, with the wheels empty, the bike can be thrown into a body of water and will float just fine enabling you to date Kelly Mathewson at the camp across the pond.  Two ingenious ideas, one great motorcycle, the Trail-Breaker. 

                        

Today in motorcycle history, August 19, 1975

 

                                      

 

  Norton announces a recall for the Commando Mark III due to faulty rear brake linkage.

 

  In the midst of competing with the Triumph Trident T160 for England's supreme machine Norton makes an unexpected stop.  It announces a recall for the Commando Mark III due to faulty brake linkage resulting in one minor problem - the ability to stop.  An essential with an 850cc motorcycle capable of 115 mph.

  The problem originated because they had to change to a left-side gear shifter and a right-side foot brake to comply with United States vehicle regulations, and a rear disc brake.

                                 

      

Recall Date	AUG 19, 1975
Component	SERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULIC:PEDALS AND LINKAGES
Motorcycle Affected	T160
Potential Motorcycles Affected	3600 Recall Details

                

Today in motorcycle history, August 14, 1938

 

  The Black Hills Classic kicks off on a Sunday afternoon in Sturgis, South Dakota on August 14, 1938.

 

  What is known today as the Sturgis Rally actually began in 1937 when a local motorcycle club, the Jackpine Gypsies, invited the Rapid City Pioneers Motorcycle Club to Sturgis for a field day.  The Gypsies rode the Indian motorcycles that Clarence "Pappy" Hoel sold at his Sturgis shop and the Rapid City group, known as the RPMs, were almost all Harley-Davidson riders.

  Sturgis businessmen took notice with the number of people the event brought to town, and over the winter they met with Pappy and the Gypsies to secure an AMA sanction for a similar meet, with dirt track races to be held at the old half-mile horse track at the county fairgrounds, in the summer of 1938. 

  The Jackpine Gypsies held the first sanctioned rally on August 14, 1938.  They dubbed it the "Black Hills Classic" and it consisted of a single race with only nine participants, various motorcycle stunts and daily rides, Gypsy Tours, to take in the beauty of the surrounding land such as the sacred Bear Butte.  

  It wasn't until 1961 that the rally was expanded to include the Hillclimb and Motocross races.

  

  Little known fact-  it was Pappy Hoel’s ever- chipper, gracious and dedicated wife, Pearl, more than anyone else, who probably deserves credit for the early success of this event.  It's fair to say that without her reputation and support the Sturgis Rally would probably never have happened.  In the formative years of the event, 1936-1941, Pearl’s reputation in Sturgis and Meade County helped sell his idea to influential leaders in the community.  As a county official and an outstanding citizen of great stature in the community, Pearl lent credibility to the event.  She was active in her church, served as an officer in her lodge, and was regularly involved in the bridge club and other community societies.  The local powers that be, and especially their wives, were Pearl’s friends.  If Pearl thought a motorcycle rally was a good thing, how could anyone disagree?  And what a rally in has turned into. 

                                                                      *****

  Somehow, somewhere, things have changed in this old school man's eyes.  I find it really fucking odd that when Harley's weren't known as the most dependable bikes they were still ridden from places such as Portland, Oregon and Blackduck, Minnesota to Daytona Beach and from NYC and Presque Isle, Maine to Sturgis but, when they became more dependable (and hip) the fewer miles they actually get ridden by the $$$ crowd that buys them.  Spend unfathomable amounts of money on a custom-built "chopper" or a "garbage-barge" and then put in a trailer to go to a bike rally/meet.  Ride their motorcycles just the last few miles to be seen/scene.  From Wikipedia - "...the director of the rally estimated in 2005 that less than half the attendees actually rode there.  Shipping companies transport thousands of motorcycles to Sturgis for attendees who arrive via airline."  Excuse me while I puke.

 

   Sorry.  I had to vent.  Mind you, I know there still are many real bikers who actually ride to Sturgis and points beyond.  I wish I was sharing a stretch of blacktop with them. 

 

 

Today in motorcycle history, August 13, 1977

                                


                                  

  The 1977 British motorcycle Grand Prix is held at Silverstone Circuit.

 

  The British motorcycle Grand Prix, officially known as the John Player British Grand Prix, was the thirteenth and final round of the 1977 GP motorcycle racing season.  More importantly 1977 marked the beginning of a new era as, it was the first time the event was held on the British mainland after the Isle of Man TT had represented the United Kingdom on the FIM Grand Prix calendar for the previous 28 years since the championship's inception in 1949.

  Once the most prestigious race of the year, the Isle of Man TT had been increasingly boycotted by the top riders, and finally succumbed to pressure for increased safety in racing events.  Safety?  In motorcycle racing?  Since when?  

 

  The return to the mainland proved to be good for British racing with a 5-6-7 showing in the 500cc and a 3-4-5 finish in the 350cc class, plus George O'Dell and Cliff Holland would win the Sidecar World Championship (the first of 5 for British-built Windle sidecars).

 

  Silverstone Circuit is near the villages of Silverstone and Whittlebury in East Midlands.  If your planning a trip the nearest towns for hotel accommodations are Towcester, Brackley, Buckingham, Northampton and Milton Keynes. 

                              

      

Today in motorcycle history, August 12, 1997

                                    



 

 

  After hearing nine days of testimony from several witnesses who invested their life savings and saw all or most of the money vanish, a federal jury in Springfield, Massachusetts, took about an hour Monday to find Philip S. Zanghi II guilty of 23 counts of securities fraud, tax evasion and money laundering.

  1990, Zanghi approached officials in Springfield about finding a suitable plant site promising jobs and vowing to begin production of Indian Motorcycles, the iconic brand and rival of Harley-Davidson, and by 1992 turned his focus to a vacant, 276,000-square-foot building that at one time was used for the growing of mushrooms (the non-magical variety) in East Windsor, Connecticut.  Without ever signing a lease, he built gates there emblazoned with the Indian logo.

  All the while, Zanghi was selling stock in his company and selling licensing agreements to the old- fashioned, cursive "Indian'' logo for tens of thousands of dollars.  Swindling investors from as far away as Sweden, Greece and Austrialia.

  Prosecutors charged Zanghi with bilking more than 30 investors of $830,000 through fraudulent stock sales and licensing agreements.  Among the victims were Zanghi's stepfather, who invested $32,000, and an uncle and aunt, who invested $50,000.  I think it's safe to say he got scratched from their Christmas list. 

  In mid-1993, Zanghi gave upon his plan to use the East Windsor building, moved out of the $600,000 house he was leasing on Wyngate Drive in Avon, Connecticut, and moved to North Carolina with his wife and three children.

  After his Indian Motocycle Co. went into bankruptcy and authorities there impounded Zanghi's Rolls Royce, Ferrari and six other cars, prosecutors say Zanghi went to Marbella, Spain.  He was arrested at a luxury hotel in New York City in June 1996.

  On December 17, 1997 the rat-bastard was sentenced to 7 1/2 years.