Then and VMD

[Dale Fisher]

In the old days we used to live for mud....and were the scourge of the closed cousre 4 hour enduro.



And the mud......



And then there was practice at VMD Saturday July 25th.  For those of you who have power washers I am in envy!  I was in Moto 10 and was finally able to clear the chain and even think about racing again.  The mixture of clay and grass and small stones would have made someone a fine hut.



My pride and joy, the lump of goo forever captured in this photograph.



And my results?

I made it for moto 10 and started a couple of bikes over from a rider that looked like he was 12 or 13 years old.  I had a bad start and the race pretty much continued the same way.  At least I passed a Hodaka rider just before the last turn as he pooped out.  As the afternoon and racing progressed a light rain began about moto 7 second round and continued to increase in intensity.  They still had not posted any results for only moto 10 from the previous round and almost all of the proceeding results from the second round.  As the rain came harder moto 10 was approaching. I went back to the area where they were posting information before deciding whether there was a reason to continue.  They finally had posted only the 1st and 2nd place riders with no sign of the other 4 or five in that class including me.  I decided to call it a day and not to repeat the potential damage averted in practice.  They finally called the first round results as I was loading up, of which I heard the following day was still screwed up.  Guess I will never know where I actually finished.  Scoring apparently was an issue road racing, motocross, and I personally witnessed a trials rider correcting the volunteer who had given him the wrong score for his section.  It probably was a good thing that attendence was down or they would have had a real mess on their hands!

I particularly enjoyed the commentators comments on the Penton's and how been the Sachs engines were.  Was he forgot to mention was that it looked like they won every moto they were entered in.

Penton's rule the mud!

[Dale Fisher]

A brief history of the Cheney Sachs 125cc:
Early in 1972 through an association with Eric Cheney (master frame builder) we sought a suitable replacement for our aging steeltankers.
Eric agreed to build us a frame to race and hopefully build interest in the US.



Early in 1972 we traveled to England to see the prototype.



Following the delivery of the prototype, the next shipment of three arrived.





These were raced extensively until 1975 - 1976 with excellent results.  From there they disapeared into parts and memories.  The remaining bike which arrived in December of 1972 (in silver trim and orange fenders) has remained in my garage over the years.  We returned to racing in May of this year and both are a little older and a little rusty in places.  This is how the bike looked prior to the rain and Mud-Ohio.





I hope to attend the next AHRMA regional at Log Road and then on to the National at Portland, Mi.  Please stop by and say "hi" to the guy on the funny looking bike with the Sachs engine.  Some day I still hope to return to my racing roots and fine a nice rolling frame to go with one of my spare engines.

Below:  Ah, the old days.....

[Ernie Phillips]

Thanks Dale.  WOW!!!  Now that is what I call a history lesson.  Hope we get to meet up in the future as I'd like to learn more.  Love the bottom photo with everyone using electrical tape numbers.  Ah, the good ol' days...  -EP

Ernie P.
Chattanooga, TN

[OhioTed]

Dale,

I do believe you are the only rider I have seen in modern times, who is running Preston Petty Hex Grips.

[rob w]

Dale,
Such a rare story, and incredibly cool photos ! Thanks for your response.
I'll save my 20 questions for now, and will look forward to meeting you at Portland.
Bob

[AndyL]

Dale,
The stories are as fun to hear as looking at the bike!

I pitted just past you, over against Ross Road and passed your bike a dozen times.  Each time by it I would try to figure out who's frame it was.

Again, great story, a BEAUTIFUL bike and good job on the track.

Andy #14u

[desmond197]

Dale

How many of these bikes did you bring in to the USA. I was offered one of these bikes about 10 years ago. I think the guy lived in VA.

Are those CZ forks instead of the MP forks?

Thanks

[Dale Fisher]

Eric Cheney was good at taking standard parts (i.e. Rickman hubs and Ceriani forks) and tweaking them to his satisfaction.  I beleive the forks are turned down and polished Ceriani's.  Basically everything else was hand made on a semi-production basis depending on how many he was producing.  We brought in a total of five with the following frame numbers #1, #2, #3, #4, #14.  #14 is the bike as shown.  I have heard stories of one for sale in California and now potentially one down south.  As I expand my racing, and have given serious thought to Barber in October, maybe I'll bump into one of them.  There was one posted incorrectly on ebay which turned out to be a steeltank Penton.  I posted it here, and actually met the POG member who purchased it in Maryland at Smith Road.