True Story? Check this out
Posted: March 5th, 2012, 11:35 am
Bob, I don't know if it's the right place on your site for this post, but whatever, change it if needed.
So... Back in 1993, I had decent results on 500 GP's. Was the youngest guy of the pack (barely 19 yo) and had good results with a fully stock steelie (excepted a Rental bar, VH pipe and revalved suspension).
In the winter 1993-1994 I contacted KTM to have a possible contract. They replied that they wouldn't support a rider officially on the 500 GP but that they'd try to provide me two bikes via the Benelux (Belgium-Nehterland-Luxemburg) importer.
So I got one bike first and was riding at Lommel track. My mechanic was former Jacky Martens' mechanic, and one day of March, KTM was at Lommel to test ride the 360cc. I was cruising around the test rider with my 500 and the guys from the factory asked my mechanic "who's that guy with the 500? He's blazing fast... " and my mechanic replied "he's my pilot, he's just 20 and goes pretty well"
At the time, KTM was not yet the KTM that we now know. Also, the times were different and it was really impossible to have works parts if the factory didn't want to. Even with Donald Trumps' wallet... you had to make your prooves.
The guys from KTM talked to me and offered to give me several works parts they had in stock when Martens left for Husqvarna.
So I got factory suspension from WP, factory pipes (different kind of pipes), and a very special cylinder head with two plugs and of course a special ignition to make two sparks.
This bike was the best bike I ever had, it was overly powerful and the suspension was a dream.
I was supposed to have a trip in Austria to ride on tracks at the factory era 3 weeks before the first GP (Sittendorf in Austria if I remember well), but a few weeks after I met KTM at Lommel, I broke my back and had to stop.
It's sad to think that I worked hard almost all my life at this time to achieve something and reach the goal of being a professional GP rider... once I almost touched it, I had to stop.
I'm not on a wheel chair, so finally, there is more important that the competition but these times were tough anyway.
I just found a few pictures of my first ride with the KTM. Have no other pics, unfortunately.
A small playride never hurts
So... Back in 1993, I had decent results on 500 GP's. Was the youngest guy of the pack (barely 19 yo) and had good results with a fully stock steelie (excepted a Rental bar, VH pipe and revalved suspension).
In the winter 1993-1994 I contacted KTM to have a possible contract. They replied that they wouldn't support a rider officially on the 500 GP but that they'd try to provide me two bikes via the Benelux (Belgium-Nehterland-Luxemburg) importer.
So I got one bike first and was riding at Lommel track. My mechanic was former Jacky Martens' mechanic, and one day of March, KTM was at Lommel to test ride the 360cc. I was cruising around the test rider with my 500 and the guys from the factory asked my mechanic "who's that guy with the 500? He's blazing fast... " and my mechanic replied "he's my pilot, he's just 20 and goes pretty well"
At the time, KTM was not yet the KTM that we now know. Also, the times were different and it was really impossible to have works parts if the factory didn't want to. Even with Donald Trumps' wallet... you had to make your prooves.
The guys from KTM talked to me and offered to give me several works parts they had in stock when Martens left for Husqvarna.
So I got factory suspension from WP, factory pipes (different kind of pipes), and a very special cylinder head with two plugs and of course a special ignition to make two sparks.
This bike was the best bike I ever had, it was overly powerful and the suspension was a dream.
I was supposed to have a trip in Austria to ride on tracks at the factory era 3 weeks before the first GP (Sittendorf in Austria if I remember well), but a few weeks after I met KTM at Lommel, I broke my back and had to stop.
It's sad to think that I worked hard almost all my life at this time to achieve something and reach the goal of being a professional GP rider... once I almost touched it, I had to stop.
I'm not on a wheel chair, so finally, there is more important that the competition but these times were tough anyway.
I just found a few pictures of my first ride with the KTM. Have no other pics, unfortunately.
A small playride never hurts
This is more related to Kawasaki... 
"
(I got it from JM Bayle)
