Above photo is from the early 70’s. It was taken at Orange County Raceway in Sth’n California. Ron Grant and Art Bauman had competed on a couple of new TR500s before the trip to Daytona. From L-R tuner Bud Parker, me, Ron Grant, Art Baumann, tuner Chris Young, Nat’l Advertising Mgr. John Butcher.

Suzuki TR50 (RK67)

The road racer I am sitting on is a piece of world motorcycle history. It is the motorcycle that won the 50cc class at the Isle of Man in 1963 ridden by Mitsuo Itoh, the first Japanese rider to win on the Isle. I feel bad that during preparation for the commercial, I repainted the gas tank and fairing which took away from the authenticity of the motorcycle. It had been on display in the pagoda at the entrance to the national offices of U.S. Suzuki Motor Corporation in Santa Fe Springs California. The engine had twin rotary valves mounted on either side of the engine. I saw a photo of the crankshaft and it was being held in two hands tightly pressed one side against the other. The crankshaft barely over lapped the hands. The pistons were about the size of a U.S. quarter. A co-worker from U.S. Suzuki who I worked with at the time this picture was taken said that this bike is in the Suzuki museum in Hamamatsu.

Isle of Man winning 50cc rotary valve twin 12 speed that M. Itoh rode. The paint scheme is not correct. It was beginging to look a little “Ratty”, so I painted it. They were taken at Indian Dunes Cycle Park in 1971 for a TV commercial. Ron had raced it at an Orange County club race and it was said that he looked like a spider on a fly when sitting up at the end of the front straight. You can see how small it is (I’m 6 feet 1 inch tall). Definitely designed for a Japanese rider!

Riding the 50cc twin cylinder bike required you to hold the rpm’s at 17,000 and slip the clutch “a lot” to get the bike rolling. Once under way, if the rev’s dropped below 15 or 16,000, the motor would fall flat on it’s face. It had a 12 speed gear box to deal with a powerband that was about 2,500 rpm’s wide. There were other transmissions rumored to exist for the 50, some with 14 speeds or as many as 16! Very busy bike to ride!!!

Ron Grant on an early TR500 – 1968

Below: Ron Grant on the TR500 – 1970

Ron Grant wins 1968 12 Hour Endurance Race, on a T500/5 (Suzuki Cobra), at Willow Springs

Above: 1968 A100 Suzuki Production Roadracer: After finishing first in the 100cc class at the 1st ACA 12 Hour Production race in September 1968 at Willow Springs, my first roadrace, I wanted to go roadracing some more. I worked for the shop that sponsored Dale Hopkins and me for the 12 hour, Dale Brown Motors in Long Beach California. I was preparing the bike for the 1968 California International Grand Prix held at OCIR (Orange County International Raceway). Yeah, it was a drag strip, but they had a nice twisty return road and a real long straight!!

Mechanix Illustrated June 1970 – T500

My first magazine cover shot. This was taken on the east side of the Marine Stadium in Long Beach California. The photographer’s sister was on the back of the bike.