Fang Gallery
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Fang Gallery |
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Dominic at his first sprint aged 8. As built the bike used the puny standard engine and with only 1.8hp top speed was just over 30mph. At that speed 1/4 mile seems like a hell of a long way and so by the end of the meeting Dominic was demanding more power. Trouble was encountered with the timing lights due to the very skinny front tyre not tripping the beam. Hence the aluminium disc added to the front wheel after this meeting. |
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WITHIN a few months performance had been improved with the aid of a high compression piston, bored out carburettor and 12 volt ignition system. The megaphone exhaust did not prove useful until much later in development. Tyres were specials to cope with the higher top speed and a mudguard was necessary for the many rainy days. Fairing came from the XZ550 racer, and bodywork was hand formed from aluminium sheet. |
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NEW bodywork for the new season as Dominic displays the previous years trophies. New engine modification included a radical camshaft which naturally made the engine much more peaky. This in turn required that the centrifugal clutch had to be modified to slip more. Together with Dominic's famous running technique off the line, times dropped into the 23's for the first time and in still conditions speeds up to 55mph. Not even 2 strokes or OHC 5 speed SS50 Honda engined bikes could touch 'The Fang', and it was amazingly reliable. |
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AFTER a winter of new modifications including an offboard starter, we entered the 1994 season opening test and tune at Avon Park. In utterly freezing conditions The Fang let us down for the first time. It just wouldn't rev over about 6000 and so we didn't get to run. Here we are in the old fire up road warming up. The problem was discovered in the workshop later that week. The points cam fitted was distorted and effectively had an extra lobe, fitting a spare cam returned normal service instantly. |
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A tense moment at Waterbeach as Dominic goes for a new track record. On the day we were beaten by a rule breaking 2 speed bike running in our class. Shorter gent behind Dom is Dick Sullivan, holder of many records including the National 50cc with a low 16. World record for 50's is 15.3 secs, and don't forget this is the average of two runs in opposite directions! Note essential Sprint Association equipment; two pieces of wood! |
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PRECEDING 'The Fang' by a few years our first effort together, based on a Yamaha XZ550 V-twin. A great little engine with 4 valve heads and very short stroke. Unfortunately it weighed a ton, even after extensive modification. Obviously the shaft drive was a major culprit along with the frame. |
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FIRST outing for the XZ at Bovingdon and I get to have a go! Leaning
on another essential piece of Sprint Association kit, a broom, Dave Goddard
appears totally unimpressed. Dave, who runs a bike shop in London, is
one of the nicest people we have ever met. Many a drag racer started their
career under his guidance and he still competes regularly on a very fast
GSX1100 sidecar outfit. |
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VAST expense, well for us anyway, sadly resulted in failure. A home engineered conversion to chain drive with wider rear wheel and much reduction in weight seemed to be the way to go. In its one and only outing an oil leak from the transmission and refusal to fire made spectators out of us. The SRX600 swinging arm finally made it to our current road bike via a CB500T custom bike I built for Sharon. Racing began again with the Honda CB125 Superdream bought for £60. |
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SHARON'S favourite bike, and a popular one with fellow sprinters. I get
to act as front brake as finally with the aid of zillions of revs a little
smoke appears! Most successful launch technique involved revving till
the needle came out of the wrong side of the red, and began to head for
the stop, followed by dumping the clutch and hanging on! I remember seeing
daylight under both tyres many times. |
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EVEN a 125 can launch sideways! Sharon gets a bit crossed up at Westonzoyland. The most memorable moment was a very nearly vertical wheelie, when as Sharon said the tank hit her in the face. The ultimate accolade came from Dave Goddard who's comment was; "You did bloody well to hang on to that princess" |
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FOR reasons I can't remember the 125 engine was sold for a vast profit
and I bought 2 GSX250's for £20. Out of the 2 bikes and using the
125 front end, this bike was built. Initially I couldn't get it to run
right using the standard CV carbs and so a pair of GT250 slide carbs were
fitted. Sharon never liked it as much as the Honda and it was only raced
a few times. |
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