Armstrong 500 triple

In 1984 Armstrong produced several Grand Prix motorcycles using a revolutionary carbon fiber frame, the most special one was the 500 triple. Following the technology being used by the Formula One industry, the frame was fabricated by car constructor Reynard Motorsport. The designers of this bike were Mike Eatough and Barry Hart, they created the first motorcycle using a carbon fiber frame to compete in Grand Prix. It was raced by Niall Mackenzie.

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Armstrong 500 triple

Yamaha YZR500 replica

The Yamaha YZR500 replica is finished, what a result, this is one of the best projects I have ever seen! The best compliment was made by Ferry Brouwer, saying that this is a real Yamaha. The men behind this piece of art are Alex Arletti (frame and Fairings), Carlo Mattarozzi (engine), Claude Hauser (carbs) and Franck Virmaux (drawings).

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Yamaha YZR500 replica

Bimota Tesi V-Due 500

In 1992 Bimota chose to build its own engine for the 500cc GP class which was then the domain of four-cylinder two strokes which had a minimum weight of 130kg. It was a v-twin two stroke which initially used a Tesi-style front end, but strictly speaking, Bimota did not actually build the engine, which was outsourced to the nearby Franco Morini Motori. The FIM had recently gazetted a lower (105kg) limit for 500cc class twins, the aim being to encourage production of cheaper machines that privateers could afford to buy and race, and Bimota aimed to exploit that advantage. The fuel-injected engine used forced lubrication for the twin crank bottom end and poked out 132 hp. Francesco Monaco was the rider of the bike. Parallel to the racing effort, Bimota was also working on a road-going version of the 500, but it was a long time coming. This was the Vdue, which first appeared in prototype form in 1992 but took a full five years to reach the stage of production. Both the racer and the road bike were not very successful, there were a lot of issues with the fuel injection. Nowadays they are very collectable bikes. 

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Bimota Tesi V-Due 500

Two stroke multi-cylinder sidecar track racers

In the seventies and eighties two stroke multi-cylinders were common in sidecar track racing. In Germany they used König and homemade Yamaha triples as first made by Rudi Kurth. Later Suzuki GT750 and Yamaha TZ500 and 750 were used. in 1980 multi-cylinders were banned. 

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Two stroke track sidecars

Vid of a König sidecar

König start up

Rimotu 80cc racer

Bert Smit on the Krauser 80cc. 

It all started in the last years of 50cc GP racing by Kreidler. Herbert Rittberger made an engine for Kreidler under the name of Rimotu (Rittberger Motoren Tuning). In the 80cc it raced as Zündapp and Krauser, with Bakker or LCR (Louis Christen Racing) frames. The factory racers were Hubert Abold and Stefan Dörflinger, in the Netherlands Bert Smit raced an LCR Krauser with sponsorship of John Bestebreurtje. In 1988 he won the European Championship race on Thursday and became third in the TT race at Assen on Saturday!!

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Rimotu 80cc