Friday 16 January 2009

Trackmaster TR500 at San Jose


Parallel twin, two-stroke Suzuki in a Trackmaster frame. Looks a bit lost in there, doesn't it. Wonder why the top tube has a filler cap on it. I bet it sounded like something else on a mile. Check out the dinner plate rear disc.
Anyone got any facts about this bike they'd like to share? You, Karcich, at the back. Stop chewing. Did you hear me?
The details in the back of a shot like this make it for me. Bell helmet bag, flowery deck chair, leathers thrown down, custom lid, piles of wheels. That big wooden box probably holds 2000 different jets to get that bugger fueling somewhere right.

9 comments:

Mick P said...

Very cool. Would that trackmaster be oil-in-frame, hence the filler? Perhaps in its former life it held a four-stroke, as I'd assume the TR would run on pre-mix.

YZ400BEN said...

I admire anyone who does their spannering in white strides!

Griff said...

That top tube would be too small for a four stroke oil in frame,Still has the oil pump connected,so my guess is a bespoke frame.(Could be wrong of course !)

Mick P said...

I wouldn't know a TR oil pump if it bit me on the arse. So the TR had Posi-lube, or whatever they might have been calling it?

Griff said...

TR500 Dry Clutch,no Oil Pump
T500 wet clutch and oil pump
That motor is probably a hybrid.

Griff said...

Just checked,some early TR's had wet clutches,but that ones definately got an oil pump.
talking out of me backside again!

McQmoto said...

Frame could easily have been from a 4-stroke oil in frame as the Trackmaster top tubes for oil in frame bikes aren't very large diameter but on the Mahoney frames were flattened beneath the gas tank. This one is round where it meets the steering head.

The AMA actually required mechanics to wear white although this feller has a coloured shirt so is probably the rider

Bill said...

Old photo - looks like Dunlop K70 tires - haven't used those in a long time. Prbably was a 4-stroke frame, but yes the tube is small. My original Trackmaster Trident frame has a larger tube. How do I post a photo of my Trackmaster?

Sideburn Magazine said...

Bill email us photos at:
dirt@sideburnmagazine.com
or if you have them hosted on another web album (like Flickr), send us the link.