tapered rims

[MTRob]

Hi all
I rember back in 1971 Cut bank Montana used to have two 200 mile cross country races a year. We had a traveling trophy. Which the winner would get it with his name on it. The next race the winner would get the trophy with his name on it. so on & on. to this day I don't know who ended up with it. The Calrence should remeber them and the ones on the mountains above Lake Blain. But on one of the races I had a 125 RM Suzuki with tabered rims. These were pretty heavy duty rims being angled like they were made almost unbendible. We all got on the starting line when we saw the smoke from burned tires and saw the smoke the race started.
I made it about 50 miles when my back tire went flat ,Crap, I kept going on a rear flat till we reached the pit area. We all looked at it tried to fill it no go. I said screw it Iam going, keep going fast it was ok, slow down all over the place. I raced that 200 miles won my class all on a flat rear tire. The Suzuki dealer in Cut bank contacted Suzuki told them what happened and I got a new tire and rim plus a little note from Suzuki saying thanks.
Don't tell me those old tapered rims were tough. Just one of my many storys.
MTRob

[MTrat]

Note to Mtrob. As I recall that Cut Bank race was 100 miles. I was second in your class on a Hodaka and remember being disgusted to have been beaten by a kid with a flat tire. The numerous river crossings were a problem.

[MTRob]

Those were the days. Are you sure only 100 miles. those river crossing were a bitch. Do you know who ever ended up with the 6 ft traveling trophy.
If I remember right it was some guy from Canada. Did you race any cross country races along the two medicine river on the blackfoot reservation west of Cut Bank they were the worst, River crossinig and all those gullies very rough. Bike eater. Loved cross country racing
MTRob

[MTrat]

The Cut Bank races hold a lot of memories. One year when it was shorter I was overall leader on a 100 after 10 miles when they called the race due a summer cloudburst and mud, etc. The club members argued if I should get the big trophy for the year as I wasn't stopping but they voted against me. Dang. I also spent a night once in the Cut Bank hosp. with a detached clavicle. Dang again. Yes, those were the days.....

[MTRob]

So you don't know what ever happened to that trophy. Next time I go to Hell town I'll look up some older guys if there still alive an find out
You must have hit one of those gullies to fast and hit the other side ouch.
MTRob

[taber hodaka]

Ok when did you kids start and stop racing? If you were there in 1972 or before I am sorry I dusted up your goggles. Mike Conner and I attended numerous cross country and motocross events. If you were in a flat track event you should be sorry for dusting up my glasses as I never got the hang of it, I was a set up straight guy. I liked Blue Mountain, Pablo, Two Dot, Kalispell, Lake Blane, Spokane, Oregon, Idaho, and in Canada we had the Alberta 200 and the Montana, Alberta challenge in Lethbridge. I rode in IESRA Inland Empire and helped start the Montana Sport Motorcycle Racing Association MSMRA.. Looking at my old membership card we had 38 races that year, seven point races that I rode in five. Great Falls had 12 races and I rode in one. My state number was 9 Sorry all you guys us old Montana boys just spraying up dust from the past. Looking at the card there is a memory of May 31st a day I will never forget there was a lady there kinda a marshal as such and I was putting the Motocross on. The classes were 100cc 175cc 250 and open. We had about 30+ 100cc bikes probably 7 in the 175group about 13 250's and three open class. It was a cash payout and she was determined to pay the open bikes 40 % of all the entry fees the 250's 30%, the 175 20% and 10% payout to the 100's. I wanted to payout based on the number of entry's per class. an all day conflict, I try to help resolve conflict.----------Clarence

[MTRob]

Clarence
I gauarantee you I'd have blown you off the track in motocross and crosscountry. In 71 My Suzuki was factory modified and was very fast. in Cut bank the Suzuki shop got suzuki to give and sell me all the coolest stuff. I didn;t have to pay much of anything, Suzuki even paid to send me to races. also I didn't have goggles. Yes i did. But all those races you mentioned sure brought back alot of memories. Two dot, Lethbridge, Pablo that was a crazy course.my state # was 47. I got out my old photo album, do you remember Corvallis west of Missoula Loved that track but my favorits was Helen Mt.
Real nice well taken care track. Thanks for the memories.
MTRob
t

[taber hodaka]

Rob did you ride Two Dot. What place did you get overall in those cross country races. The squirrel's really liked the Suzuki motor bike's on the course. When the Suzuki's lost control and hit the trees it knocked all the pinecone's off and all he had to do was pick them up. Bazoo peak, Mt High, Table Mountain in Canada, Castle Rock, Orfino, Blue Mountain. Rob what town was home to you then? Honestly I must have quit racing too soon as I really never seen a Suzuki win a cross country or motocross race. They did come out with some lime fire green ones that did scream but crow hopped everywhere. But with good engineering I am sure they fixed that. I was the only one running a 90cc and I did it because it was fun passing the big bikes on a 90. I was not flashy I did my winning in the rough. Clarence