I'm going to retire...

[brian kirby]

...no, not me. I am going to retire my Berkie from racing after the ISDT Reunion Ride in October. I love the bike, but I've decided I just have to ride it too hard and parts (rods/pistons) are too hard to get for it to be a regularly raced bike. I will not do a full restoration on it because I dont want to remove the race patina it had when I got it, but I am going to strip it down to the frame a clean everything up. It might get broken out every once in a while for a special race, like if I ever get to Mid-Ohio, but I wont be racing it regularly anymore.

Brian

[Mike OReilly]

Great post!
I am prepping some bikes for a big vintage weekend near Montreal, QC and was reflecting on the same thing. Off-roading is hard on bikes (and bodies). Not like the modern stuff where you come home, wash the bike and order up the stuff that has worn out. The advent of the internet has helped a lot, but you still have to wonder about doing a great job of cleaning up an old bike and then going out and thrashing it. Over on Wanted/For Sale there is a post looking for a tapered crank pin for a 6B, for instance. Apparently becoming very rare.
I think this post is a bit of "canary in the coal mine" and that the days of racing hard, especially on the pre-CMF ('74 -'75) Pentons is coming over the horizon (just as it has for some other marques as well). Not saying it is here, but on the way.
Mike

[Gordon Brennan]

Hey Mike,
We'll see you in Ormstown. The Penton is ready. Still working on the Husky. Can't wait!! Is your son coming with you again? He seemed to have a pretty good time last year. Let's hope for no or little rain.

[Mike OReilly]

Gordon:
Preparations are going well and entry sent in. Planning on riding a Wassell/Mudlark in the trials this year. That was my nephew last year. I think he's busy chasing girls or something this year. My brother and I will be there.
Mike