1983 HRC 500

newmann wrote:

Funny Howerton story. Kawasaki gave him some works bikes and parts to practice with under the understanding that they were to be disposed of when they...

Funny Howerton story. Kawasaki gave him some works bikes and parts to practice with under the understanding that they were to be disposed of when they were worn out or replaced. No big deal, it was junk when he was done so he buried a bunch of junk on his property with his dozer. Years later when works bike were growing in value he was putting together some bikes to sell and was missing a frame. Got out the dozer and start scraping dirt until he snagged a frame and ripped it out of the ground.

Kawasaki ended up giving him 1983 SR500's for practice bikes when he finally convinced them that he could not practice all week on the overweight, underpowered and ill handling pig of a production bike and be expected to show up and compete on the works bikes. At the end of the season they did not ask for any practice bikes back.

Robgvx wrote:

Straight from the horse's mouth. Walter Fleck was the team coordinator for HRC back then. Here's what he replied to me about these photos. =================================== Well...

Straight from the horse's mouth. Walter Fleck was the team coordinator for HRC back then. Here's what he replied to me about these photos.

===================================

Well, it´s hard to answer that question. As from the appereance, yes, it is a ´83 works bike. Some part looks to a particular rider but, i think it is may build out of parts we changed on the bikes.
You may have to know that we calculated the live time of ALL parts. Some of the had to be changed every GP, some of them after some running hours. For instant, a crankshaft and a crankcase had the longest "running time" as well as a rear swingarm. Main chassis frame may had changed after 2-3 GP´s, if no damage was found.
So, what to say now? All parts (we could recollect) after the GP-Season where destroyed at the end of the year (without the exception of 1983, we solve a lot of parts for André Vromans).
Another yes is to the bike of the winning champion. HRC granted a "show bike" to him, with no internal parts in the engine. But if the mechanic of the champion may spared (??) a new or used crankshaft, who knows, a new rebuild engine appereared.
The bike above on the picture, i can´t identify. If you can tell me the chassis number and the engine number, i may know to who we supplyed the parts (or bike) but i can´t tell who rebuild the bike afterwards and may sold it. That´s (for me) is the ugly side of racing.
Whoever, good for the lucky new owner of the ´83 works bike. Enjoy it and.... he is a smart guy, he took off the cover of the waterpump. If he hadn´t, all of the magnesium inside would have disapeared.

a22 wrote:

Nice kind of 'detective' work Rob- wondered if you may have known something or had resources to find out more with your background/ contacts etc... Still...

Nice kind of 'detective' work Rob- wondered if you may have known something or had resources to find out more with your background/ contacts etc...
Still abit of a mystery though this bike but nice to read Walters comments.
Wasn't it David Thorpe's works bike that Walter refers to that got given to him and his Dad (the mechanic) without the internals? (also being a later year than this 1983 one); was that the '89 Championship winning bike? If so, not so relevant to this bike in question. Also did Malherbe not get given his works bike before WITH the internals? Was that the one that got torn down and 'inspected'!? Didn't the story go after Malherbe got given his whole, Honda did not want to repeat that scenario(mistake they made maybe, giving a complete works bike to Malherbe), hence that is why Thorpe got his with the internals removed?

Whatever the 'mystery' ..... damn cool bike and era for sure!

didier vd wrote:

hello guys my name is didier and i am french sorry for my English , i fall on this conversation and i see you have a...

hello guys my name is didier and i am french

sorry for my English , i fall on this conversation and i see you have a contact with a person of HRC ask him if he don't remember in 83 or 84 i am not sure of the year but two of these bikes ( malherbe) have been stolen on the track of " salindre " in the South France during the awards in the hrc truck, and never found after it was on a national race before the season of GP

a22 wrote:

Nice kind of 'detective' work Rob- wondered if you may have known something or had resources to find out more with your background/ contacts etc... Still...

Nice kind of 'detective' work Rob- wondered if you may have known something or had resources to find out more with your background/ contacts etc...
Still abit of a mystery though this bike but nice to read Walters comments.
Wasn't it David Thorpe's works bike that Walter refers to that got given to him and his Dad (the mechanic) without the internals? (also being a later year than this 1983 one); was that the '89 Championship winning bike? If so, not so relevant to this bike in question. Also did Malherbe not get given his works bike before WITH the internals? Was that the one that got torn down and 'inspected'!? Didn't the story go after Malherbe got given his whole, Honda did not want to repeat that scenario(mistake they made maybe, giving a complete works bike to Malherbe), hence that is why Thorpe got his with the internals removed?

Whatever the 'mystery' ..... damn cool bike and era for sure!

didier vd wrote:

hello guys my name is didier and i am french sorry for my English , i fall on this conversation and i see you have a...

hello guys my name is didier and i am french

sorry for my English , i fall on this conversation and i see you have a contact with a person of HRC ask him if he don't remember in 83 or 84 i am not sure of the year but two of these bikes ( malherbe) have been stolen on the track of " salindre " in the South France during the awards in the hrc truck, and never found after it was on a national race before the season of GP

Robgvx wrote:

I have asked Walter. Will let you know what he says.

didier vd wrote:

hello guys my name is didier and i am french sorry for my English , i fall on this conversation and i see you have a...

hello guys my name is didier and i am french

sorry for my English , i fall on this conversation and i see you have a contact with a person of HRC ask him if he don't remember in 83 or 84 i am not sure of the year but two of these bikes ( malherbe) have been stolen on the track of " salindre " in the South France during the awards in the hrc truck, and never found after it was on a national race before the season of GP

Robgvx wrote:

I have asked Walter. Will let you know what he says.

Robgvx wrote:

According to Walter: "Upps, ownestly, i dont know any of a "stolen" HRC bike(s). In 1983, our team engeneer was Mr. Sato and if things happen...

According to Walter:

"Upps, ownestly, i dont know any of a "stolen" HRC bike(s). In 1983, our team engeneer was Mr. Sato and if things happen like this, someone would have been fired. In 1984, i was, together with an another japanese responsible but, allready Steve Whitelock was incharge (in the background as a mechanic for André Vromans. I´m for sure would known if things like this was happen. So, i can not confirm the above story. True is, many spare parts disapeared and that was also the reason way we start to control more often the "milage" of some spare parts (no need to replace a cylinder after only 5 races (2 GP and 3 inter-races)."

didier vd wrote:

ok ! thank you for the answer ! we will try to find this story in old magazines but hard job , tomorrow a friend of...

ok ! thank you for the answer ! we will try to find this story in old magazines but hard job ,

tomorrow a friend of mine will see the bike, and call me when he will be in front of , purhaps more infos ?? will let you know what he say