1968 Little Burr Enduro

[rob w]

I hope you don't think I'm always bringing up the past, and maybe the majority interest here is the motorcycle. But I get kinda hung up on the people, I started buying magazines to learn more about the bikes, but I'm also finding all these incredible stories about the riders and the races/enduros as well.

* 1968 Little Burr Natl. Championship * (southern Ohio)
27 days of rain flooded and washed out most of the course.
Three sections of 88 miles = 264 miles.
400 entries.
Only 70 riders started the 2nd lap.
12 riders started the 3rd lap.
Only John Penton completed the contest in time and he lost only 83 points on his Husqvarna, to take the championship back to Amherst. John Penton rode almost half the contest in a torrential down-pour and most of the third lap in near darkness.

It's weird, I see all these pictures of the enduros back then and they're always riding in two feet of water. Did it used to rain more then than it does now? No wonder the high-breather frame was developed. I guess I need to try riding a vintage bike 250 miles in one day, up a river, before I'll call myself "hard core" now.

[LynnCamp]

Maintaining interest in the Penton legacy has as much to do with keeping the stories about the heroes and legends alive as providing information on restoration and the bikes.  I am certain that the Penton Future Project will work to collect and provide access to these stories... so hopefully, enthusiasts like you that have these articles and first-hand stories will be willing to add them to a collection.  

Regarding rain and enduros..... I remember spending a lot of effort cutting up plastic sheathing, applying silicon and duct tape to turn - first my yamaha and then my husqy - into submarines. Not just rain.. but swamps provided water challenges.  I remember being close to the finish line at the Alligator and drowned my bike in a swamp.  I had to remove the spark plug, etc. to get it started again.  Part of the fun!

[jhardin]

Rob;if you ever come across any national enduro results that include bernard slack from IL, please let me know, I would like to  purchase a copy.  He was a relative of mine who rode alot of Enduros in the 60's and 70's.  Thank you very much
John Hardin
309-647-4579

john hardin

[rob w]

John, Sure not a problem, I won't forget his name, I'll be on the look-out for him when ever I'm going thru that stuff. I've still got a hundred pounds of 70's Cycle News to go thru some day.
Got your #,
See ya
Bob

[HD Raidel]

ROB,

If you run into any more Burr results in your treasures, would it be possible to photocopy them and send them?  We'll gladly pay associated costs. As you might know, the Burr is a national again this August and we'd love to be able to display anything you might have.  

Any chance you're from central Ohio??

Thanks, Heinz Raidel, Enduro Riders

[HD Raidel]

One more thing Rob,

Hope you take this in the humorous effort its being made, but do you have to bring up a rain drenched Little Burr story?  I think it didn't rain back in '74, and maybe it was a dry event in '78, but in '79 we flooded or otherwise expired all but 19 finishers so our record back then didn't average out any too good.  The thing I still don't get was some good folks in Indiana still said Black Coal was harder???  

 

Seriously, this past May we put on a 180 miler which was rideable and it actually did not rain until the end of the event.  We've moved this years event (the national) to August to make for a more rideable event, and we're promising: NO BOTTLENECKS!!!  We're hoping to see some old timers this August.  

-Heinz

[Rocket]

Heinz
As long as you making promises, I want 75 degrees, semi-cloudy day so the arrows show up.  Oh yes, no dust! [8D]
Rod

[LynnCamp]

Heinz - how about some dates, a town and a web link if you have it for the Burr National Enduro ....  Thanks!

[HD Raidel]

Folks,

Thanks for the interest, the date of the 47th running of the Little Burr National Enduro is August 29 '04, the location is the infamous Vinton County Jr Fairgrounds; McArthur Ohio. Camping, showers available there. Closest towns are McArthur, Wellston, Jackson, Athens and Chillicothe and Carbondale.  

//WWW.EnduroRiders.com is our site, contact/entry/motel info is there.  if we don't have the Burr hotel/motel section done, look under our dual sport, same place, same accomidations.

Rocket,   Dust really hasn't been a problem for us in the spring....but I'll take the temp and dust concerns to our next meeting.  

Burr trivia: John Young of Alsip Ill. won the '66 Burr on a 441 Victor. He rode on the first minute.

As long as I'm doing shameless plugs, don't forget, Athens Motorcycle Club  (Athens, Ohio) has a qualifier in May.  Two days of nice trails and nice test sections will mean a really nice ride there also.

I love this sport!!!



Sometimes the only mark you leave in life is in your shorts...

[t20sl]

Heinz:  Just because you hang out around Carbondale is no reason to call it a town.  As I remember whenever there was a gas stop there the population trippled.  Do you remember either 1969 or 1970 when a Honda CL350 won the Burr?  Must have been dry that day also.  Ted Atkinson

[HD Raidel]

Ted WHO?

Fellow POGGERS,  this here Ted is a Honda guy, be very careful! To our knowledge... he never owned a Penton.... and as much as it hurts to admit, he humbled lots of A class Penton riders with his oriental four strokes.  

Ted, there's always a room in the executive suite for you at the five star Carbondale Garden Manor Hotel, tell them you know me, and since it turns out you're still alive...we could use an old experinced layout helper.  Its fun, easy, never rains, and we get free lunches too!

Denny McClaine?  was the '69 or '70 winner??

-HR


 





Sometimes the only mark you leave in life is in your shorts...

[Rocketman]

After riding a 12" travel bike then riding my 73 Six Days, I wonder how I've stuck with it this long. That 4" travel... I remember it being more fun...30 yrs ago.

Lord, please let me be more like the person my dog thinks I am.