Saturday September 24th 2022
Saturday, September 24th, 2022I see that Sherco/Scorpa - have introduced Fuel Injection on their new 2023 Trials bikes - plus they mention having a future estart model !! - Well I wish them luck as I’m not a fan of fuel injection and this could be just another problem for the first couple of years as other Manufacturers have found out. - For me the old fashioned carburettor, takes some beating. -
If there is one thing that I’ve learned over the many years both in the Industry and the sport - If bikes are hard to start - they are also hard to sell. ( Something I told the Japanese at Yamaha) - And with the news that KTM seem to be wanting to take over the whole Motorcycle Industry - it reminded me of a quote from another Japanese Yamaha Factory guy - who said - “Putting all eggs in one basket not good idea”
=============================================>
We had a nice visit with old friend Randy McBee on Friday, who we have not seen for a long time - He dropped off a couple of old ball caps from the past >>> neat, as I never kept one of my original give-a-way Outlaw Caps. -This brought back a lot of memories !!
We started Outlaw Accessories in 1987 - We were selling a lot of different Accessories out of our van, as we traveled all over Western Canada - The original fold out steel ATV Ramps- bike ramps - handlebars all the brainchild of Jim Small from Kamloops - who worked for Blackpine a company building Woodstoves. - Jimmy and myself had some background when he joined Yamaha Canada and in fact it was his idea to call the new company Outlaw Accessories. - Jimmy thought the name OUTLAW would look neat down the leg of MX pants !!
Over the next few years we added other products, such as our famous Handmade Toolbelts plus we sold hundreds of Snowmobile bags. -
A call from a supplier in Penticton had us adding both Camelback and Power bars, while Dougie Tanaka from Vancouver wanted us to sell some of his junk - However the big breakthrough for us was when we became the Western Canadian Distributor for Optimol Oil - based at that time in Burnaby.
- We were able to establish a dealer network all over Western Canada, with warehouses in - Victoria, Vancouver, Kamloops, Kelowna - Calgary and Edmonton - this was done mainly with the help of friends I had made in the Motorcycle Industry while working for Yamaha Canada. -
We added other products, such as ONeal clothing for a while, but they decided to cancel us and give it to Steen Hanson. - Camelback USA also cancelled their Penticton Distributor and went with direct dealer sales.
Dealers got used to having free delivery and being able to buy product out of the back of our truck. -A novel idea back then.
During this time, I was also selling TY Yamaha Trials bikes for our buddy Walt Healy - which continued until the Factory brought out the dreaded TYZ model - and I got the call from Don at Mountain MC - after that it was Gas Gas & Beta - then later Sherco - followed by TRS - Obviously things have changed, and I no longer travel approx 1500km each week -in fact I rarely go anywhere these days.
Yes we still supply some of those early products - our toolbelts which are now sold direct to customers, - and Optimol ( now called just Opti) - The Trials bikes we sell are Beta and TRS, but we still try to help customers with other brands.
While chatting to Randy yesterday, I told him about buying a Dodge Box van in Kamloops for $800 - then loading it with steel ATV ramps and driving it to Prince George the next day - sleeping on top of the ramps overnight.!!
In the early days, we once drove as far as Winnipeg in our Ford van- towing a big trailer with 100 ATV ramps - When I got back to Blackpine in Kamloops, the owner asked how many had I sold - I said All of them.!! - Oh yes - I also sold Snowmobile trailers for them - we would stack them three high behind my trusty Dodge van!!
- We later had our own line of Trials clothing made in the UK which was top quality and also worn by Dougie Lampkin at that time - unfortunately Anson could not compete with European cheaper products and ceased production ( We still have some of their clothing all in perfect condition)
I guess you could call these “Stories from the Crypt” - but it was a way of life for me for about ten years. or so. - my weekends were still all about Trials, and I updated the Dodge to a larger GMC Box van - - we would take a bunch of Trials bikes and riders to far away events. with the van doubling as sleeping quarters . - This was followed in 1993, by a new GM Long wheelbase van - which we have parked at our place with 1.2 Million Km on the clock.
And now you know “The rest of the Story”
================================================================>
The Vintage Trial goes today at Monza in Italy - not sure if they are calling this a World Championship or what - but they certainly have a lot of entrees, including some former World Champs and some pretty exotic bikes. here is a pic of some former champs, including American Bernie Schreiber. on the right - but who are the others???????
=====================================================>
While talking vintage - Now this is what I call VINTAGE a very old 1928 Norton.
=======================================================>
Tomorrow is the big day for Team Canada, who will compete in the International class of the TDN - The guys look good in their outfits - we wish them luck.
========================================================>
