Reply to Bill in particular and other interested parties!
The '67 cutoff date for two strokes within CRMC was part of the original rules as drawn up by Alan Cathcart and Dick Linton. The rule was to exclude particularly Yamaha models starting from the TD2s which were streets (and streaks!) ahead of all other 250cc machinery at the time, also when bored (allegedly) to 251cc could compete in the 350cc class and annihilate Manxes, 7Rs etc. At the inception of CRMC there was no thought of including chairs but when asked Alan was very receptive; obviously we had to accept the solo rules in respect of applicable bits particularly engines. As the original eligibility bod for chairs I had a number of interesting discussions at eligibility meetings to persuade them that replica chassis should be permitted due to potential metal fatigue problems but eventually saw the light. That of course having been agreed for us it was not long ere the solo lads demanded equal rights!
Rudi was, still is, an engineering and design genius who has been influential in a variety of mechanical fields, designs include a very different light aircraft with a pusher prop that would appear to be flying backwards because of the wing configuration as well as working closely with Fritz Scheidegger over a number of years with radical new ideas.
Certainly agree that there is no individual innovation these days as it is just too easy to go buy an off the peg chassis and current regs
virtually forbid use of any engine that is not Japanese, four stroke and four cylinders. I am not going off on one again on this tack otherwise Steve E will shout at me again
It is true about the sidecar family - you can stop racing but you can never, ever leave!
