In these politically correct days we live in, it is a breath of fresh air (pun, apologies) to look back at a time where ring-a-ding two strokes were king. The history of the technology is a long one, but fascinating, sounding more Bond than Clymer. Suzuki paying for the defection of the East German GP rider Degner? A brief case of parts and chambers developed by a Nazi scientist taken over the Iron Curtain?
Take that Ian Fleming.
It takes someone quite brave to ride these machines hard. Underestimate the big two stroke bastards, and they'll bite. To the unwise hopping on these relic's of a smokey past, you can see the moment they figure out what these things are made of. When they snap back the throttle and catch the power band, it's that look of horror...
Suicide Machine and once holder of the 'fastest production bike' title.
Kwaka H2.
750cc of death...
Suzuki's T500 Cobra/soon to be Titan. Legend has it that Yamaha's RD and this mean s.o.b were sold to the States as revenge for Hiroshima and Nagasaki. Such was the carnage with inexperienced riders...
Kenny Robert's TZ750 flat-track monster. At the time of it's debut on the Indy Mile, it had twice the horse power of it's nearest rival and less of the weight. Robert's started from the back, working his way up to win in spectacular fashion.
On the podium King Kenny told the crowd they don't pay him enough to ride the thing.
Valentino Rossi wasn't game to ride it.
Banned from the AMA championship.
Enough said.
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