Just found this whilst looking up old race bikes.

The Wicks 80cc racer that I could fit on 20 years ago.

I think my old mate Mike Norman must've posted it?

http://classic-motorbikes.net/gallery~misc-classics

2nd from bottom on the above link page.

Sorry if I'm boring you, just thought some of you might be interested.


Last edited by Chester362 on Fri Jan 07, 2011 9:11 pm; edited 2 times in total

2nd place Oilvers Mount Int 80cc Race , beating works Krausers.
Good going Roy!
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Rich
MC21 Track Bike / RS250 NF5 'Spencer', NX5 'Cadalora' & NXA 'Aoyama' / RS500 / Two Brothers Racing RC30

My mate used to race a Krauser 80 back in '91. Man that thing was quick.

It was hilarious as he's about 6'4" trying to squeeze onto a toy. He did win a lot of races on it, but most of the competition was YZ/CR80 motors in AR50 or RS125 frames.

It made something like 33hp @ 13,500rpm. It wouldn't pull below 11,000 and revved to just over 14,000. Faaaaantastic.

Matt@TYGA wrote:My mate used to race a Krauser 80 back in '91. Man that thing was quick.

It was hilarious as he's about 6'4" trying to squeeze onto a toy. He did win a lot of races on it, but most of the competition was YZ/CR80 motors in AR50 or RS125 frames.

It made something like 33hp @ 13,500rpm. It wouldn't pull below 11,000 and revved to just over 14,000. Faaaaantastic.

Was your mate Jason Absalom? I didn't really know him, only met a couple of times briefly. His Krauser was bloody quick though! His old man had big pots of money.
I did the last two Anglo-Irish 80cc Match Races at Cadwell Park in '91 & '92. I think Jason was at both of those?
Jason won the 80cc championship in '91. I won the championship in '92 but he didn't come out to play, I think it was the last year it was run?

Here's some pic's from around late '92-early '93. They're of the Wicks 80, A TZ350G Maxton and an aerodynamic 125 we called the Ensign. It was as British made as we could get it.
The 125 Mike Norman and myself made from box section steel tube and plate aluminium. I had to fold the ally plate and spot weld the frame tubes in place. Mike was in charge of the bike's dimensions, the jig and final welding.
We fabricated the box section for the swinging arm too, but got it welded by my mate in an engineering shop up the road.
Mike made the handle bars and we used a Tony Foale book to design and make the rising rate linkages for the rear suspension.
We even made the axles, fuel tank, footrests and all spacers.
Only things we didn't make were the TKM engine, Dellorto carb,Ceriani forks, DeCarbon rear shock, CMA wheels and Dunlop KR364 tyres. I think my mate in the engineering shop made the yokes?
The ignition was Motoplat. I had to go down to Bexley in Dartford to get it programmed for the different curves.
The TKM 125 kart engine had a reverse cylinder, cassette gearbox & dry clutch. Ran a Dellorto flat slide carb.
The exhausts were designed by a Professor that Mike knew. I had to then make flat cardboard tapers to the diameters of the cones. Had to cut and route them through the chassis. Then make the sectors for the cones out of cardboard for templates for the steel sheet. There were three different designs.
Mike's mate Bob had worked for a company called Nelson-Burgess that I think made exhausts for cars. They ended up fabricating the chambers from the templates I made.
Bob was a rep' for one of the motorcycle industry suppliers. Ended up getting us some sponsership for plugs, oil and chain lube,etc.

The fairings were designed by some students from the University of Hatfield. I had to ride the Wicks 80 around some taxi-ways next to the runways at British Aerospace in Hatfield. They taped loads of pieces of cotton over the bike and me.
They then filmed me riding the bike from a car at the sides, front and back. I had to keep slowing down each time we accellerated as they couldn't keep up! The 80 was good for around 125mph!
They then analysed the film and ran designs through the most advanced software they had at the time to make foam plugs for the fibreglass moulds.
I went to Enfield or East Ham to get all the resin and carbon/glassfibre to make all the moulds and fairings. Some place in Barnet anodised the ally plating black.
We fitted mechanical anti-dive via rose joints and a rod to the lower fork yoke. This worked very well on the 80.
I think we even dished the wheels too. We'd done that on the 80.
We did a dyno run and a few Mallory test sessions. We ended up in the Motor Cycle News as they were there covering some BSB team test at the time.
Unfortunately, during practice at Mallory for it's maiden race meeting. I ended up getting blown off it going into Gerrards while passing some four stroke multi's and singles. That cross wind is pretty bad across the lake just there.
I was desperately trying to hold it up on my right knee but couldn't manage it. Mick had a right go at me!
We had to adjust the fairings after that and remove the wheel dishes.
The project ended up fizzling out due to lack of funds. Mick and myself started getting on each others nerves too, which was a bit of a shame. We kissed and made up in the end though!
It was an education, but ultimately a mistake on my part to follow that route at the time.
Still, you live and learn.




Last edited by Chester362 on Sat Jan 08, 2011 1:18 am; edited 2 times in total

I forgot to add that we mounted the radiator at the back in the seat and ducted air to it. That's why there are louvres in the top of the seat.
I had to go to a place in Dunstable to get the foam rubber for the seat and fairings.
It could've achieved a bit of success given the right amount of investment. Needed too much develpoment for the budget we had though.
We also got a bit of sponsership from Everoak helmets.
I had to go up to Peckham in London to get measured and fitted up. Got a couple of specially made helmets with the top cut slightly higher where the visor sits. Easier to see when crouched down.
This project was a lot of work and travelling. All while doing a shift work job, earlies and lates.
I even fell asleep standing up in the workshop once!
Borehamwood is where the TV and film studios are.
We had Phil Mitchell/Steve McFadden come into the shop to have a Kreidler 50cc restored at one point. At least, I think it was a Kreidler?
He was a bit tight if I remember right?

T'was indeed Jason Absalom. He lived just a mile up the road from me.

I didn't know him prior to starting racing, but we both rode TZR125 Ministockers in '91 and then contested the British 125 Championship in '92. He was way too tall for a tiddler, but somehow he used to wrap himself up on that Krauser and do ok.

I still talk to him now and again and we BS about the 'good old days'! He's still got his RS125 from '92.

A real piece of ingenious kit Roy, particulary with the bodywork off, not too dissimilar to the Exactweld. Perhaps if you had left the bodywok off you wouldnt have got blown off at Gerrards!!!!! Nice all the same.
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Bring back the good old days when all the proper race bikes were 2 strokes, nice to look back on good times and pictures.
By the way Roy NICE HAIR..

He`s not Brian, I`m Brian!
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There`s no cure for stupidity… but with the endless supply of stupid people around me, I must be close to finding it!

The Lizard tells it like it is!

Read - Learn - Post... not - Post - Learn - Edit!

Vampire?

No he,s not .I am

While we're talking about my mate Jason absalom and silly hair I guess I could show you this. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=c-IxV0_sDLU

Crashed out in Jason's wagon at the Brit GP back when Granny was a boy.

Oh and I have a mate named Brian.

PS. Apologies to the admin as I don't think one is supposed to post links like that, but seeing as I have an RS ignition stator and rotor with Granty's name on it I think he'll let me off......I doubt Fontyyy will though!

Nothing's changed, but the length of hair!
_________________
Andy.
NSR-WORLD.COM

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Amused and chuffed to see a mention of the Krauser on here! Thank you!

I raced it in the Anglo-Irish match races at Cadwell Park in 1991. It helped us win the competition for the British for the first time in 5 years. Seeing as we won by 1 point though, we couldn't have done it without the points everyone scored including Roy Thorpe! Thank you Roy!

Yes it was bloody fast and no my Dad did not have pots of money!

Really pleased to see such a golden era of motorcycle racing kept alive in this way.

By the way, the Krauser is now in a museum but still has the same decals on it as when I last raced it, including my name! Not sure if this URL will work, but here it is: http://www.facebook.com/photo.php?fbid=182363965110784&set=t.559085519

If not, it's one of the photos my name is tagged in on Facebook,

Cheers,

Jason Absalom

For anyone having trouble seeing the image...



Thanks for sharing Jason.
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Andy.
NSR-WORLD.COM

Please keep all responses to Forum posts on the Forum so that others may benefit.

Please DO NOT PM me for technical advice. My time is precious, and you will probably receive a faster response on the Forum anyway.

Check us out on Facebook! Please "like" our page!