[Ducati] Ron and Matt...

[HOPPER ELDRIDGE]

Matt..really appreciated the Super Hunky.com lead. Did some good "rose colored glasses" rreading. Counldn't find any of his "editor's page" stories. The best I recon was the changing of the rear tire, a big Trelleborg 4.50. He hit all the nuances in tires changing in the old days and when it was stil politically correct to drink a beer or three while working on a bike for an article. I wish he'd put those on his page. Guess I need to write him on his site.
   
  Ron, I used to race with a couple of guys stationed with me at Edwards AF Base. We used to do Corona, Dead Man's Point outside of Apple Valley, Edwards AFB beast track (7 miles long and about 40 minute motos, three each!), Indian Dunes, Saddleback Park and a few Hare-n-Hounds and desert races. Had a ball!!!  Pat Powell was 6' 4" tall and tough as nails, raced a 400 Husky then went to a Rickman Westlake Metisse with an old 441 BSA punched out to 500 cc's. I was on a Chuck Wheat prepared 360 Maico X4A at 6' tall, and Ken Chun was on an old AJS 400 two stroke then later a Penton. We'd go to the races in an olde '53 straight eight Cadillac Pat had gotten as a reward for being the Colorado State Stock Car Champion. Every body knew when we'd ariived! A family raced with us, the son racing a CZ. The kid was good enough to have gone professional, but he liked the trophies from the local racing instead of testing and improving himself in the more demanding District 37
 races.Glorius times back then!
   
  And I was in good shape back then too. Pat and I would jog an hour for lunch out in the desert in our combat boots. The soft sand and rough terrain kept you on your toes, so to say!
   
  As to Maico parts..guess you just need to do some searching. I know Chuck Wheat was still doing magic on maicos about 10-15 years ago. Don't know about now. My olde 360 has waisted away to nothing. Shame on me! Left my olde 450 Maico back up in Tennessee with an olde girl friend, but never went back to pick it up. Again, shame on me!
   
  Good luck on your project! hopper