Leftover Factory Bikes.

mxb2
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10/7/2010 2:29pm Edited Date/Time 1/31/2016 1:22pm
I know alota satellite teams sell their bikes at the end of the year, but what do the factories do with their bikes?(Dungeys RV, Etc) Are they used for practice bikes for the following year or destroyed, used for parts. I ve seen alota past champions have kept them. Is there a clause in their contracts that prevent them from selling the bikes for some quick cash.
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GuyB
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10/7/2010 2:33pm
I'd guess in a lot of cases, a championship replica is worth more to the riders that get them than the cash.
moto314
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Mooresville, NC US
10/7/2010 2:36pm
I believe they get their bikes in pieces and build them, so at the end of the year they disassemble them and keep parts they can use for next year and toss the rest.
mxb2
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10/7/2010 2:37pm
Yea I know, but sometimes you see some athletes that go broke and sell everything they own!
DanDunes818
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Portland, OR US
10/7/2010 2:38pm Edited Date/Time 10/8/2010 5:14am
According to a guy that used to post on here (but i haven't seen in a while) the factories take all their used parts and bikes to a Montana factory where they have stock boys destroy it all with sledge hammers in the parking lot. He swore by this but I'm inclined to think it's not true. W00t

The Shop

Torco1
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Corona, CA US
10/7/2010 2:44pm
According to a guy that used to post on here (but i haven't seen in a while) the factories take all their used parts and bikes...
According to a guy that used to post on here (but i haven't seen in a while) the factories take all their used parts and bikes to a Montana factory where they have stock boys destroy it all with sledge hammers in the parking lot. He swore by this but I'm inclined to think it's not true. W00t
Whatever happened to him? Did the FBI or the mob finally take him out?
f4ctry
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AU
10/7/2010 2:46pm
BT has his championship KTM at home in NZ, even today its still a work of art. I dont think it can be started though. I think its missing the CDI or something....I could be wrong tho
newmann
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US
10/7/2010 2:49pm
Lots of it gets destroyed. Special one off parts for the race team won't get turned loose to the general public. Of course there are those that.....



For 1983, Howerton was racing SR500 watercooled works bikes. For practice bikes Kawasaki gave him air cooled production bikes that were in no way similar. He told them it was basically impossible to practice on junk during the week and be expected to show up and compete on the works bikes. They ended up getting two additional SR's to rotate out for him as practice bikes. End of the season, the two "practice" bikes were not asked to be returned. Fast forward 25 years and he sold me his last factory ride. Really trick work of art. Just needs a little TLC, future project.
mxb2
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10/7/2010 2:58pm
Nice newmann, Hows it run?
bmoto816
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Surprise, AZ US
10/7/2010 2:59pm
newmann wrote:
Lots of it gets destroyed. Special one off parts for the race team won't get turned loose to the general public. Of course there are those...
Lots of it gets destroyed. Special one off parts for the race team won't get turned loose to the general public. Of course there are those that.....



For 1983, Howerton was racing SR500 watercooled works bikes. For practice bikes Kawasaki gave him air cooled production bikes that were in no way similar. He told them it was basically impossible to practice on junk during the week and be expected to show up and compete on the works bikes. They ended up getting two additional SR's to rotate out for him as practice bikes. End of the season, the two "practice" bikes were not asked to be returned. Fast forward 25 years and he sold me his last factory ride. Really trick work of art. Just needs a little TLC, future project.
That's a Beauty newmann!
ocscottie
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Redding, CA US
10/7/2010 3:00pm
Magoo had a really clean CR500 in his trophy case, but unfortunatly wasnt a full works bike, had some cool bits and pieces on it though.



I used to sit and dig through this area, it was right in his living room, and every time i would dig around i could find something i had not seen before.
mxracer32
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Charlotte, NC US
10/7/2010 3:01pm
JGR sells their bikes. last year they sold some leftover-still in the crate, all tricked out bolt-ons but stock engine for peanuts. this year they are selling them as-is and asking twice the price of a new bike. granted, im sure theres 5x that amount in it...
MBBadgers
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Madison, WI US
10/7/2010 3:04pm
newmann wrote:
Lots of it gets destroyed. Special one off parts for the race team won't get turned loose to the general public. Of course there are those...
Lots of it gets destroyed. Special one off parts for the race team won't get turned loose to the general public. Of course there are those that.....



For 1983, Howerton was racing SR500 watercooled works bikes. For practice bikes Kawasaki gave him air cooled production bikes that were in no way similar. He told them it was basically impossible to practice on junk during the week and be expected to show up and compete on the works bikes. They ended up getting two additional SR's to rotate out for him as practice bikes. End of the season, the two "practice" bikes were not asked to be returned. Fast forward 25 years and he sold me his last factory ride. Really trick work of art. Just needs a little TLC, future project.
You my friend are a lucky man! In watching some of those "crib" shows on MTV I believe Tedesco has his championship bike, McGrath has one or two maybe and I remember someone else had one too but his name eludes me, but it was hanging over his pool table.
mxb2
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10/7/2010 3:08pm
I know Stewart has a warehouse full of bikes, hard to tell which are factory and practice bikes from TV!
newmann
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US
10/7/2010 3:14pm
GuyB wrote:
I'd guess in a lot of cases, a championship replica is worth more to the riders that get them than the cash.
Not always! After leaving Yamaha, Hannah was in a dispute with Yamaha over a few hundred grand they owed him. His 76 OW had been given to him when he won the c/ship. Yamaha finally ended up agreeing to settle but they told Bob they wanted the OW back. He gave it back and got his money and they destroyed the bike. True story, he told me himself.
MBBadgers
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10/7/2010 3:17pm
newmann wrote:
Not always! After leaving Yamaha, Hannah was in a dispute with Yamaha over a few hundred grand they owed him. His 76 OW had been given...
Not always! After leaving Yamaha, Hannah was in a dispute with Yamaha over a few hundred grand they owed him. His 76 OW had been given to him when he won the c/ship. Yamaha finally ended up agreeing to settle but they told Bob they wanted the OW back. He gave it back and got his money and they destroyed the bike. True story, he told me himself.
I think a "few hundred grand" doesn't equate to "quick cash", so that would be understandable in that case.
Bret
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Mission Viejo, CA US
10/7/2010 3:17pm
Some get crushed. Some get parted out. Some get tucked away in warehouses. Some just vanish without a trace...
robkinuk
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Ashbourne GB
10/7/2010 3:28pm
ocscottie wrote:
Magoo had a really clean CR500 in his trophy case, but unfortunatly wasnt a full works bike, had some cool bits and pieces on it though...
Magoo had a really clean CR500 in his trophy case, but unfortunatly wasnt a full works bike, had some cool bits and pieces on it though.



I used to sit and dig through this area, it was right in his living room, and every time i would dig around i could find something i had not seen before.
Scotty,
What's happened to all Magoo's stuff after his death. Hope someone can get it into a museum?
ctaco188
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Winchester, CA US
10/7/2010 3:32pm
Most of the parts gets either crushed or melted down. They keep the suspension,ti parts, and a few others last i saw Honda still had some of Mcgraths suspension on the self from 125s
newmann
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US
10/7/2010 3:43pm
According to a guy that used to post on here (but i haven't seen in a while) the factories take all their used parts and bikes...
According to a guy that used to post on here (but i haven't seen in a while) the factories take all their used parts and bikes to a Montana factory where they have stock boys destroy it all with sledge hammers in the parking lot. He swore by this but I'm inclined to think it's not true. W00t
As much as you guys like to bag on that guy and embellish what he says, it happens about in the order he says. I think a lot of what he was dealing with was warranty return auto and motorcycle parts moreso than works race bikes. Maybe someone can post his exact quotes so I don't step on my tongue here.

I've heard more than one story about unused works race motors getting driven off the loading docks with sledgehammers, golf style! Either destroy it or claim it as inventory and pay the tax man for a couple million worth of unusable and unsaleable stuff. I think Ozzy mentioned that was one of his first jobs. Didn't see anyone claiming he was making that up.
f4ctry
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AU
10/7/2010 4:07pm
Anyone ever gone through the factories garbage bins at night time to see what they can find?
dietzl41
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Walnut Grove, MN US
10/7/2010 4:11pm
mxb2 wrote:
I know alota satellite teams sell their bikes at the end of the year, but what do the factories do with their bikes?(Dungeys RV, Etc) Are...
I know alota satellite teams sell their bikes at the end of the year, but what do the factories do with their bikes?(Dungeys RV, Etc) Are they used for practice bikes for the following year or destroyed, used for parts. I ve seen alota past champions have kept them. Is there a clause in their contracts that prevent them from selling the bikes for some quick cash.
I used a new bike once to haul a hammer.
UpTiTe
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CA US
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4000th
10/7/2010 4:51pm
The majority of factory bikes are dismantled and destroyed for liability reasons.

Chamionship bikes that are given to the riders wont have any moving parts inside the engine, just a shell so nobody cantake it apart.
Swede
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Uppsala SE
10/8/2010 1:12am
Well. with the right connections and $$$, you may actually get your hands on some cool equipment. The gentleman who bought my YZ125 (see my profile) owns around 30 bikes in total and has two factory bikes, one of them being Pichon's last RM250 (including some on-off exotic parts)!

Here's another cool storym as reported by Swedish internetsite, Racelife.



A swedish guy bought one of Billy Mac's ex-CAS Honda CRF450.

Translation by google:

"Imagine owning something no one else has. Imagine owning something that really can not be bought for money. Imagine doing that Johan Westermark, that is, take something that nobody else has, something that you really can not buy with money.

In a large garage one mil south of Stockholm, namely in Västerhaninge, is his treasure - a CAS Honda from 2009 to the factory components that we ordinary mortals can not buy with money.

- When I tell what I have to bike in the garage, many people do not think the factory components remain attached to the bike, "says Johan Westermark.

The origins of the purchase, he explains as follows;

- I wanted to have the worst stuff, not just super-hot stuff that you see in ads in the U.S. motocross magazines, but the really worst things. In short, I wanted to buy it you can not buy.

The ball was thus in motion and at first was John looking for the white magnesium fork that sat on the CAS Honda. Through the help of Henry "Hulk" Romlin he made contact with the CAS Honda team manager Neil Prince who set the price tag of 150 000 kronor for the fork. A bid by John turned down.

- After about half the World Cup season, we went down to Lierop, the Netherlands and I asked the question directly to Neil how much he would pay for an entire bike. Suddenly, the price was now the same as for only the front fork when the team was tangled for a financial. I myself had two Honda 450 Fours that I sold and then do business with Neil, "says John.

He shows off the bike in the garage and explains further what is not original and there is a voluminous list, titanium screws everywhere, Showa suspension, new brake calipers, magnesium components, controls crown in two different aluminum, second hand and foot pegs, reinforced wheels, white motor cover, FMF pipe and a lot of other kind of frippery.

- The bike belonged to Billy MacKenzie and it is thought that everything should be cleaned up and then I'll glazing in the bike and put it in your living room, "says John as he reveals the next project.

- During the World Cup in Uddevalla, I was in contact with Paublo Martin, who heads the Martin Honda. I bought a tank from him for 700 euros and told him that I had previously bought a cycle of CAS Honda, something even Cedric Melotte had become snobs do. So now I am invited to his work shop and we'll see if that makes a deal, but quite clearly it would be "porn" if I could get to it and be able to buy a Martin Honda, too, "says John, adding half in jest, half seriously - I recognize that this has gone off the rails, I'm out of control!"


Link: CAS Honda
rangot
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Normandy, FRANCE FR
10/8/2010 1:44am
If it really is Billy Mac bike, good deal ! The bike spend more time on the ground than actually racing...
Craze
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Sin City, NV US
10/8/2010 2:08am Edited Date/Time 10/8/2010 2:09am
Prior to 1985 in the U.S, most of them were tore down, destroyed or shipped back to the factory. Too exotic and expensive to sell to the public, Besides most of them don't even have frame or engine #'s , so getting a title would next to impossible., Some factory parts can be acquired, but most were "one off" and if broken or fail....They're pretty much toast. I had a trick aluminum silencer that was given to me by a Yamaha support rider, and once the packing material failed...It was useless, it was not repackable in 1978
SwapperMX
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AU
10/8/2010 2:11am
According to a guy that used to post on here (but i haven't seen in a while) the factories take all their used parts and bikes...
According to a guy that used to post on here (but i haven't seen in a while) the factories take all their used parts and bikes to a Montana factory where they have stock boys destroy it all with sledge hammers in the parking lot. He swore by this but I'm inclined to think it's not true. W00t
Torco1 wrote:
Whatever happened to him? Did the FBI or the mob finally take him out?
I know who you mean. Didnt he get banned ?? Or maybe just got over it. I do know his eyes still do peer over these pages !!!
Weeks381fan
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Location
Charleston, SC US
10/8/2010 3:27am Edited Date/Time 10/8/2010 3:27am
There are plenty of factory bikes sitting in riders garages that run just fine. Not all of them get destroyed and many of them find their way to the public.
mx317
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4531
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TN US
10/8/2010 4:45am Edited Date/Time 10/8/2010 4:50am
More than a few survived. Check out Terry Good's site mxworksbikes
wow123
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AX
10/8/2010 5:12am
One team manager was able to collect a few that went to terry, i'm told.




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