The First Pics Of The New Project

[jaylael]

I'm just beginning to shake off the soreness from this two day vintage extravaganza. I feel so fortunate to be able to attend such an incredibly special event. As a member of the AHRMA community, these events seem almost like family reunions, only at this one, everybody likes eachother. It's so wonderful to have all these friendly people who share the common bond of their love for vintage motorcycles.

From the white haired grandfatherly presence of our stalwart trials marshal, Derek Belvoir, to the fresh faced youth such as James Bodkin, just beginning his soon to be stellar trials career, on a nice Kawasaki KT 250, this is a varied and quirky bunch, usually ready to stop and chat with you, or just share the experience of the vintage scene without saying anything.

In the midst of all these wonderful folks, there is such a neat vibe of excitement and outright joy to be a part of something so special. Derek Laid out a very technical trial around a scenic farm which was varied in many ways to keep it fresh for the rider. Several entirely new trials sections proved to be quite challenging, more than enough to take some points from the best riders, yet not overwhelming for those further down the list.

I managed to win the modern classic expert class on ten points with my old friend Rod Smith in second with fifteen.

Then the real fun was set to begin with the banquet dinner in the barn. You had your choice of steak or chicken with all the fixin's for a paltry twenty bucks, and then when you rounded the corner standing in the cue, you could see all sorts of volunteer chefs, preparing the food including national flat track plate holder Randy Skyver, wearing an apron and barbequeing steaks with a big smile. After dinner there were five kinds of desserts to choose from, delivered on a tray, followed by a presentation about the lifetime of contributions to motorcycling by none other than Joe Bolger, the inventor who brought us the Bolger OSSA machines of the mid to late seventies. Joe proved to be an entertaining speaker and really quite a comedian! He brought the house down with raucous laughter several times. Truly a kind, humble person telling humorous stories about his life in motorcycling. Dick Mann even granted Joe the right to call him "Bugs" after all this time. The banquet in the barn was sublime.

Sunday dawned cloudy and gray but dry. Dick Mann had laid out yet another gem of ingenious scrambles track design, utilizing some additional features of the terrain at Gray's Farm. There was a new gully at the west end of the track which had not been used previously, and also a left hand drop away turn that was always a thrill to go down. There were BSA's Matchless, Triumphs,Greeves, DOT, Honda twins in Elsinore Chassis, on down to the Hodakas,and even one Moto Beta. In my class which is classic 125 expert, there were three riders, myself, Troy Luchini, a very capable rider on his Suzuki TS 125 Duster, which seems to really go well, and a new guy on a black CZ 125. Since he was dressed all in black from head to toe he seemd a natural for the "evil doer" bad guy personna like in championship wrestling, and by days end, Troy and I had joined forces against the black knight, and eventually we wore him down. I suspect next year he will be back to test us again, and we will be ready. Troy finished first, I finished second and the CZ guy was third. (Since I am running out of time I will add further details of the scrambles when I get inspired.)

Edited September 23, 2008 by JayLael

[jaylael]

Check out these two images by Reese Dengler from the AHRMA northwest web site, taken at the Premier and Classic race at Chehalis this past weekend. One shows me leading Troy Luchini, number 94N, and the Black Knight on the CZ. Other photo was captioned,

"Editors note: There were no motorcycles at the Chehalis P & C weekend which were worth more than Jay's house". Good one Reese! This refers to some snide comment I had made months ago on a yahoo chat group. Man I guess somebody reads those things.

[copemech]

You invoke such memories, Jay!

Pity I don't have the old 125 Penton around to teach you young farts a lesson!

How does that new song go? I am as good for one moto as I ever was! Maybe?

[jaylael]

Blimey! 10,000 hits! That's got to be a new record for views in the air cooled monoshocks column.

[jaylael]

Wade's friend Jack, Jack.

Check out the Hodaka Wolverine Motocrosss bike, built by Harry Taylor around 1999. The bike had been salted away for quite a few years until the VDR Hammer and Tongs Race at Washougal. I was the lucky guy who got to race this incredibly trick works Hodaka! The thing has a Super Combat Frame which has been altered just enough to fit Harry's custom made airbox, '76 Honda CR 125 elsinore seat, tank, fenders, forks, and front wheel. I guess that would make it a Hodelsinore. This thing just flat hauls butt! The thing would yard right past some pretty fast bikes , drag racing up the big hill at Washougal. What a kick in the pants! I managed 3rd in 125 vintage expert. A Hodaka was on the podium! The winner, Grayson Hart on his very fast Honda CR 125, Followed by Randy Webber, on a very nice YZ 125, and myself on the Wolverine.

Edited October 18, 2008 by JayLael

[jaylael]

Found these Sherdaka photos and decided to post them. The riding is just so beautiful here. We are so lucky to be riding trials in this pacific paradise.

[jaylael]

This photo is from the first Hodaka Days Trial at Athena Oregon in 2002. This trial was laid out in the town of Athena by former Hodaka employee, Jim Gentry. It turned out to be rather difficult as you can see by this photo.

The observer here is none other than Harry Taylor, one of the worlds most knowlegable two stroke tuners, and former Hodaka test engineer. Harry had a direct hand in the development of bikes such as the Super Rat 100 and Combat Wombat 125. In 1972 Harry was racing a direct prototype of the Combat Wombat 125 which was disguised to look like a Super Rat with red frame, silver preston Petty fenders and a super thin handmade alloy tank. At that time Harry used to have very dark hair. He evn dyed it pitch black one time when he had noticed a few gray hairs. I was personally introduced to Harry in 1972 at the age of thirteen. We met at a motocross race in Colville washington in 1972. Harry wore Buddy Holly glasses, and sported a crew cut which seemed to be pitch black. At that time he had to have been older than most of his competitors in the 125 expert class. I don't recall how he did in the race, but I do recall his kindly and warm demeanor. He is a wonderful human being.

Can you just imagine what this poor guy attempting to ride his first trials on his trusty Hodaka 250 Thunderdog must be thinking? I suspect that from here on this guy will steer clear of trials riding in "big competitions" such as Hodaka Days.

[jaylael]

Just looking ahead to the next Hodaka Days, June 26, 27 and 28, in Athena Oregon. I will be laying out the trial and anticipate there will be allot of nifty Hodakas to look at as usual. The Sherco-Hodaka Hybrid is running very well, even placing fourth in the senior advanced class in a PNTA (Pacific Northwest Trials association) points event recently. I have been quite busy building yet another Hodaka Trialer for a guy in Spkane Washington, which is going to be delivered to it's new owner in kit form at Hodaka Days. He will be in charge of painting, finish work and final assembly. See you there, JL

[cfraser]

I've enjoyed reading this for the first time and I feel compelled to bring this post back to life! Remarkable!!!! Jay, I do have a few questions:

How is the Sherdaka holding up?

Did you ever start the Beta Hodaka Project?

What have you been working on this past year?

What a great post, inspiring story to say the least! All the best Jay and I hope this response finds you well.

Carl

[jaylael]

Well I'll be... Someone does read this stuff!

Well I have been riding other Hodakas quite a bit, and the Sherdaka has been residing in the back of the bike room. I occasionally give her a pat on the fender and fondly remember some of our adventures together. She had seen me through a really tough club trial at Lolo Pass Oregon last summer and developed a loud engine tap, which had me convinced something was gone wrong down in the bowels of the engine. I had been revving the poor thing mercilessly to get up these big rocks on the little 125. Long story short, it turned out to be a loosened up retaining nut on the clutch hub. Since I was already in there, I fitted the old girl with a set screw to secure the crank bearing from jumping up and down in the case, even though this problem had not actually occurred, I considered it a good preventative measure. If any of you (Woody) recall your 1970's OSSA tech, there was a bulletin out refferring to drilling a hole down through the case and fitting a 1/4" set screw to the final drive bearing behind the countershaft sprocket. This involves grinding a flat spot on the outside of the bearing, and loctiting the set screw. Tighten it very gently while feeling the bearing for drag. Loosen it until the drag is gone, but the bearing is trapped by the screw.

The following spring, 2009 I rode it in a two day PNTA points event at Dallesport, Washington. There were a handful of guys in the senior advanced class who were probably a little chafed to be beaten by the Hodaka in a points event trial, which are very tough by my standards. The Hodie and I slammed up every wicked vertical rock face they threw at us. I had to replace one master link as it seemed to loose it's side clip and began to clunk with every revolution of the back wheel, and changed the spark plug at least three times during the trial!. At the end I managed fourth senior advanced on the Hodaka on Saturday and seventh or something not so good on Sunday. Since that trial I have resorted to riding the Sherco in these types of events as my original plan to fade back to the advanced class was dead on arrival, when I got kicked out of advanced for winning the first day of the Columbia cup. (on the Sherco) The trial organizers "convinced" me to ride Senior Expert on day two of the Columbia cup, where I finished a very strong second, so I decided to quit handicapping myself with the Hodaka and just get busy trying to kick some butt, which I have done albeit in a less ambitious schedule of trials. I skipped almost all the COTA modern Sunday Trials in 2009 opting to only ride the Wednesday night series, where I was able to secure the EXPERT class championship in the COTA summer series! Also I have been riding AHRMA trials, winning the Powroll/Redwood engineering Northwest Vintage Trials Championship in modern classic expert, which was tied going to the last round with Oregon's Scott Stewart coming out second by a mere whisker. A very hard fought summers trialing there which has left me with a great deal of respect for the current competition. Beyond that I raced the RM 400 posing as Roger DeCoster in five different races, winning some of them, and always behaving in a way so as not to make Roger look bad. The most incedible thing happened at a race at Washougal Washington called "Top Gun" where they had a vintage class at a modern race, and hardly any vintage riders turned up. As Roger it seemed perfectly natural to get the holeshot and win both motos, while throngs of screaming fans cheered me thunderously at evry corner! Turns out the announcer was telling everyone that I WAS Roger DeCoster! After the race young girls were getting their pictures taken with "Roger"and the RM and saying things like, "MY dad loves you!" and guy about 50 years old came up, shook my hand and said, "I remember when you used to be the MAN!" So now I have a good idea what it feels like to be Roger D.

The latest project I have been working on my own Hodaka Wolverine 125 which is a cross between a 1977 Honda 125 Elsinore and parts of assorted Hodakas. So do I need to pay up with Andy to post photos still? Best regards to all, Jay

[76ty175]

Just read this great blog!! Jay after seeing your bike in person when we were in Washington last fall its nice to be able read of all the work it took to get to the final stage. Did you ever get the Aprila going? Look forward to maybe getting in touch with you this summer when we visit our son in Yelm. Oh, by the way I found that TY I asked you about.

John Holbrook

[jaylael]

John: Glad to hear you enjoyed seeing the Sherdaka! It was nice to meet you also! The Sherdaka has been allot of fun for sure.

The Aprilia sat around my garage since I saw you last, and I finally realized the best answer was to donate it to someone who had a strong heartfelt desire to restore and ride the M-312. This is a good friend who I have known since the mid seventies when we both rode OSSA 350 MARs in Pacific Northwest Trials Championships. We were teenagers then. My friend Keith has subsequently owned an Aprilia M-312 on which he had won some sort of Championship. You should have seen his face when I showed up and gave him the Aprilia! Trust me, this is the right choice, and I feel good about it all the way down to my shoes! Keith intends to restore it nicely and get it running. I never knew for sure just why in the world I was driving out to Yelm, Washington to pick up a complete, non running Aprilia trials bike, but the loop is complete and now I wonder no more. Due to forces larger than you or me, the bike is where it should be, doing the most good, for someone who appreciates it and dare I say, needed it to fulfill some sort of emptiness in his garage which only that bike could fill. If you want I can give you his contact info. Just send me a message on Facebook or via Trials Central. Thanks again for the cool bike. Let me know if you make it up our way, there is usually a trial to go to around here. Best regards, JL

[76ty175]

Great!!! Thats what we wanted, someone who could give the old girl a loving home. I know how much I liked her when I was riding. I gave her to my son after I stopped riding but with him in the Army he could never quite get it together to ride much. It got set aside and you know the rest of the story. Look forward to a nice visit this summer.

John

[mokwepa]

Dam you jaylael!

I found this post just before I got into bed last night and had to read it start to finish and watch the vid inbetween.

Ive been on a bunch of forums and am yet to find a thread as entertaining as this one. YOU ARE THE MAN.

Growing up in a bikers garage had something to do with it but I just could not stop reading. My cell went flat by page 6 and I ended up sitting on the floor next to the charger to finish reading your stuff.

Good on ya for following through with your brain wave. If half the people in this world were as dedicated to a idea like you are, the world would be a better place.

Well done.

[axulsuv]

WoW .. I forgot all about the build , has anyone heard from Jay lately ? I'm thinking a 125 Hodaka may be the perfect powerplant for the FM330 sitting in my shop waiting for a crankshaft .

Glenn