1977 Trask Qualifier


The winter was spent working on the bikes, a complete ground up rebuild and modifications to achieve our "Stage II" performance.

I had robbed the front forks off my 76 CR125, and was sure that I could make them fit, but was not sure what to do for rear suspension. Then, in a magazine I saw a Skunk Works ad, with a picture of a new and neat suspension mod on a 76 Honda CR125. I ordered one, and was able to make it fit. Then I ordered two more. From that day on our bikes were referred to as those bikes with the funny looking rear suspension.


Everyone was busy getting their chassis ready. I was busy getting engines assembled. Finally, the  engines were installed and fired. After some dialing in, we set out getting used to our new bikes. Everyone was pleased with the power and suspension of or XR125's. 

 

Bike Modifications Stage II (1977 Rattlesnake, Trask)

(Work done winter of 1976)
Powroll stroker crank.
Powroll bore kit.
Powroll camshaft #2.
Powroll ported and flowed head. (On two of the engines.)
Heavy duty clutch springs.
Engine allen screw set.
Mag. oil drain plug.
Re-jet stock carb.

Complete disassembly of the bikes, with 

New swing arms.
Blast and paint frame.
Glass bead, and paint engine and wheel hubs.
Had greasable bushings made for the swing arm. ( Used CR seals and a TL bolt)
Chain tensioner. (Pro-tech?)
S/W shocks.
Skunk Works rear suspension adapted from a 1976 CR125.
Modified seat.
Front forks and triple clamps adapted from a 1976 CR125. (Had to use stem from XL in CR lower clamp.)
Custom Imron paint. (By Charlie Springer.) Red with black stripe on top of tank, and black XR-125 on side covers.


We borrowed the XR logo from the XR75, Hondas only 4-stroke racer at that time.

We had a lot better bike we felt, if it would stay together. It was soon time for Trask.

When we got there, we found out it had been raining for a week straight. We knew it was going to be bad and its a good thing we didn't know how bad. On day one the starting area looked like a lake. We all got started off ok and headed up into the mountains. It didn't take long for reality to set in. It was still raining and the big bikes had gone first. It was a cold, wet, sloppy, slimy, miserable muddy mess. So much mud had been thrown up into the foliage that when we rode through, it would cover your goggles till you could not see. 

Creek crossings were really deep, and mud holes were unbelievable. When we came to one you wanted to watch and see where a rider made it through then follow, not just dive in. One particular hole must have claimed a dozen bikes. I saw bikes with only the handle bars visible above the mud and water. Riders teamed
up and physically extracted them one at a time. There were hills so muddy that if you couldn't keep enough speed to sling the mud off your tires, the front tire would get too big to turn between theforks and lock, causing you to crash. 

Once finding myself in this situation within twenty feet of the top of a hill I jumped off to push. The rear wheel was spinning forwards, but the bike and I were sliding backwards, finally falling and pinning me under it. I was starting to go by lots of 
riders that had just given up, sitting on the ground beside their bike or some laying beside it in the rain totally exhausted. 

A little over half way through day one Doug and I hour'ed out at the same check. Cliff was taking a real beating but still plugging on and made it back to the impound for the end of day one so exhausted he could barely sit on his bike. On day two Cliff reluctantly headed back into the mountains. It was a real test for Cliff, still spitting a little rain and lots of real tough going. Doug and I were helping our pit crews pit for Cliff, and as he started to wear down we had a hard time talking him into pushing on.

About half way through day two the weather broke and the sun came out. Cliff was not having fun at all, it was merely survival. We kept telling him as long as his bike was still running he was going to be on it! At one point, his comment was ( I'll blow it up then !)  

At one of the last checks he had to change a broken chain tensioner. He was so wiped out he could barely fumble through it. We were a little worried, but he made it to the finish of day two. He and his bike were one sorry looking mess. The only thing that wasn't mud brown was two very blood shot eyes.

Out of 236 entrants only 80 finished. In the 125 class nineteen bikes started, of which ten were qualifiers. Cliff finished ahead of all the non-qualifiers, and ahead of seven of the qualifiers for fourth in the class. He was the only non-qualifier that finished and had finished ahead of nearly two thirds of the total entrants.

For his efforts Cliff received his second gold medal.

Even though Doug and I didn't finish it was fun to see Cliff do so well. On the second day when Doug and I were with the pit crews we got to talk to a few people and overhear comments. Quite a few people were getting a kick out of seeing that "XR"125 finish the event. 

Nobody was laughing. It probably took Cliff a couple years before he figured it was worth it. 

His finish was the highlight of our project.

Al Pedro

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ISDT XL125