Joe Leonard Flat Track Tribute

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Joe Leonard Flat Track Tribute

Postby RJB » Wed Feb 26, 2020 1:59 pm

Thinking about building a Joe Leonard Tribute flat tracker. Watched him race many nights at Ascot. I've built many race cars but never a bike so would like to hear from someone with experience building a K/KR. Thanks, RJB
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Re: Joe Leonard Flat Track Tribute

Postby EKHKHK56 » Wed Feb 26, 2020 8:16 pm

A worthy cause. :D There are several done like that on the net for examples. I knew Joe and am in touch with Marsh Runyon his builder 1955, '56 & '57. He won two Championships and two Daytona 200s those years. Marsh says nothing on a bike is lighter than air so he used a lot of drill lightening on the bikes and his restorations, including genuine Joe bikes will have that. Be glad to help. See Joe related posts at IG #GrandNationalChampionJoeLeonard Erik K
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Re: Joe Leonard Flat Track Tribute

Postby hugoct » Fri Apr 24, 2020 1:03 pm

Before embarking on your journey it will make sense to acquire period photos of the bikes ridden by Joe Leonard
Current pictures of "restored" bikes are only as good as the restorer's commitment to authenticity and the information they had to work from.
Many "restorers" configure a bike to reflect their own personal preferences.
A good read regarding Joe Leonard's bikes as currently restored would be Bench Racer magazine, Spring 2005, Joe Leonard interview, Pages 31-33.
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Re: Joe Leonard Flat Track Tribute

Postby Ferrous_Head » Fri Apr 24, 2020 6:26 pm

Race bikes by their very nature are always a "work in progress".

If you buy a race bike from the factory you often find it deviates from the published specs. Constant work to improve the bikes means these changes are often "running changes" "made on the fly".

What that means in practice is that two supposedly identical bikes can come out of the race department with differences.

In my case I build race bikes from scratch. My own frames made to my specifications. Changes can occur after every race. The bike I built 6 years ago looks nothing like the bike I race now.

And all race bikes (other than "Proddies") are like that.

So, you have to decide if you want a "replica" bike to look like it did as it left the factory or at some point in time during it's racing career.
And of course, every arm chair expert in the world will tell you "That's not how the bike looked. I I saw it in ......."
"I know only too well the evil that I propose, but my inclinations get the better of me."
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Re: Joe Leonard Flat Track Tribute

Postby hugoct » Fri Apr 24, 2020 9:49 pm

Period photos trump personal recollections.
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