History of my bike!!!

[David Saunders]

Hi Marty Thanks for the help with getting the picture on here. Nice that you recognised the little beast. I know something of its history but not a lot. Perhaps you know more? It would be interesting to know its full history. Its a great bike to ride and I probably don't do it justice but will be trying much harder this year. Hope to see you out as well!!!!
Dave

[steve-e]

Someone start us off then Dave, who did you get it from ? Where did it come from before that?
What year was it built do you know?

[David Saunders]

Sorry I should have written what little I know. I bought the bike form Ray Reeves in Oct 2006 and I believe he got it from Graham Thornton. I did ask Terry Windle when he built it but he wasn't sure although he felt it was one of the last 350s. I did meet someone at Elvington last year who thought it had been his and Terry had built it for him around 91. Unfortunately I didn't get his name.
Dave

[Col]

I always wondered what had happened to this bike!!

This was our old 350 and was built new for my dad (Keith Woodard) and myself to ride at the beginning of the 1993 season. Therefore making it one of the last or the last 350's that Terry ever built. We rode it during 1993 before I stopped passengering, my place was then taken by my brother Stuart, who continued passengering for dad until the end of 1996.

I then decided to have a go at driving and we raced our 600 Windle Yamaha in addition to this 350 at the end of 96 and throughout the 1997 season, with some success. I have to say that this was an absolute joy to drive, it was (and still is) a pure racing machine, which even when you were warming it up, felt like it was doing 100mph!! It handled superbly and was a magnificent tool in learning how to race a sidecar whilst extracting as much as possible from the outfit.

We sold the 350 in mid-late August 1997 to Malc and Angie Gregory, who later sold the outfit to Trev Thornton.

I hope that you have as much enjoyment from this bike as we had, Good Luck.

Colin Woodard

[dickyholdsworth]

Yes that is a great little bike, i rode that bike for half a season in 1999 when Malc Gregory owned it. He had a big crash as Coppice Malc was driving and his wife Angie was the passenger. Angie made a full recovery from her injuries but Malc could not race again after the crash. So Malc offered me the ride with Angie in the chair. So off we went to Cadwell to get used to the bike and each other. Guess what we had another big crash at Coppice Not our fault we were going along and a novice crew that had gone off onto the grass came back on straight across the track and T boned us into the crash barrier. I suffered a broken shoulder, poor Angie broke the same bones that had just healed from the previous crash . After that Angie decided to call it a day and i carried on racing the bike with my brother in the chair and had some good results racing against Trevor Thornton who had his own bike then. Malc was a good engineer and the bike went like stink and was reliable. Then i decided to get my own bike again (big mistake) and Malc offered the bike to Trevor Thornton he rode the bike and eventually bought it off Malc and won the F350 championship on it.
By the way after both crashes Terry Windle repaired the bike and it was perfect, s no worries there You should have some fun on that bike i would like to own one like it again one day

[martyf350]

looks like people know more about it than i do and i passengered on it for 3 years.ray reeves bought it from trevor thornton after the festival and after our first season we took it to terry to have it straightend and after this it handled a lot better!!when we had it we were runnig the same setup thornton had with the digital ignition etc but it gave us a lot of problems so hopefully you have sorted them out!and i should hopefully be out this season so will come and find you at cadwell

marty

[David Saunders]

Hi everybody Thanks for the info on the bike and its past history.It realy is very special and has made the learning process of driving a sidecar for the first time an easy and enjoyable one. It seems like Mick my passenger and I have quite a lot to live up to. Col who was your passenger? Dicky do you know who Trevor Thorntons passenger was and what year he won the championship and what is your brothers name. When I've got those bits of the jigsaw, I've got the full history, unless anyone knows differant of
course. We had a great first year, learnt a lot and made lots of new friends and now can't wait for Easter at Cadwell. Had the bike to pieces and am waiting for a few bits for the engine to come back, but she's looking good. Changed the ignition part way through last year after a few problems. Got a Rex Caunt system which seems realy good. Had lots of clutch problems early last year but seem to have got on top of that one with the clutch holding out for the last 3 meetings. Hope to see you all at a circuit in the coming season. Dave

[dickyholdsworth]

My brother was called Gary and Trevors passenger was called Graham Humphries, they won the F350 Championship in 2001 i think might have to check that

[martyf350]

well when ray had it we finished 2nd and 3rd in the championship on it and his son sean rode it for a season before he went to f1.we used to have a few problems with the clutch and then changed it to a hydraulic jobbie dont know if you still have that or not.will speak to ray when i see him as i think there maybe a few little odds and sods in the toolbox for the 350 and now that he has a classic they aint much use.that bike has so many good memories for me that its the main reason im making a return to the class.may still fill the odd weekend off with a go on the classic again this year but i wanna try and stay off of it

[anp]

Dave

Trevor & Graham won the 350 Championship on your bike in 2001 but what you really need is a copy of the Sidecar Festival video made in 2000 where it shows Trevor and Graham quite alot on your bike racing against John Aldred in the two 350 races and perhaps a little more interesting in nearly winning the handicap race just beaten for First place right on the line by Kenny Howles on a 600 !

[David Saunders]

Many thanks to you all, I think we know almost all its history now. I just love the bike and can't think of a better bike and set up for learning on. I'm sure if we can get a few more 350's out we could start getting some younger lads interested in having a go. They seem to me to be ideal to start on, handle great, stop on a sixpence ( if you know what that is ) as fast as some 600s easy to repair and maintain and are relitively cheap.
Hope to see you all soon Dave

[little chud]

what you trying to say Dave, I am young well I'm the right side of 40 anyway. our kids not but don' tell anyone.

I agree. A great way to learn. Our bike is older and not nearly as slick as yours but it handles well and stop on a sixpence (whatever that is? I think i remeber my great grandad talking about em) the way things are looking a few more 350's will be out next year.

jc.

[teampastit]

never mind bringing out the young :motz: bring on the OAPs .........plenty of life left in them :shout: :sleep: some of them even have the odd F350 lurking in their sheds

[David Saunders]

Jon I'm well the wrong side of fifty!! oh to be forty again and Annette seems to have time dance on the tarmac during races, god knows what they put in their porridge up in wilds. Just think it would be great to see some young people getting involvedin our great sport.
Dave

[martyf350]

im still under 30 does that count????