1977 Bol d' Or
Bleu Blanc et
Rouge
Roland Freymond, Grand Prix motorcycle, racer at the start of the 1977 Bol d'Or Race, circuit Bugatti, Le Mans, France. Whether it's Bleu, Blanc, et Rouge or Red White and Blue a racer is a racer. Behn Monoshock.
Cibie lights positioned for quick change or rider adjustment. Folding spring-loaded footpegs to survive a crash. Battery in tail for easy replacement. Three second quick fill system. Six gallon tank with sight window. Morris Magnesium wheels with cush drive on rear. DeCarbon race monoshock custom valved by DeCarbon race department in France. Brembo iron rotors and Lockheed brakes. Timken bearing swingarm. Integrated foot rest and Grimeca rear master cylinder. 29mm smoothbores for economy not the 31mm Keihin CRs. Crappy Krober tachometer that vibrated itself to death. Custom Ceriani forks and triple clamps. 395 lbs. 165 mph.
One gas tank was made (see above) on bike #47 with
a
sight window. Thirty-seven trips were made from Los Angeles to
Costa
Mesa where Jerry Greer made the fiberglass parts . We let Jerry
Greer design the first tank
but that was an 8 gallon blimp disaster so we got a block of
foam,
sculpted and coated it with wax as a plug
for tank you see here. Narrow so your
legs and arms were tucked in and with a low as possible center
of
gravity saddling the 4" backbone. The quick fills were
positioned over
the deepest part on the rear of the tank as, in testing, this
gave us
the quickest fill rate...3.0 seconds. Flat on top so it
completely filled and vented properly.
Cibie lights were placed outboard for three
reasons: Easy independent adjustments and easy replacement.
That's why they won races...just not at the 1977
Bol D'Or
unfortunately...But we were there and left a lasting impression.
Only
Dan Gurney, A.J. Foyt and Briggs Cunningham, and Jim Hall
preceded us. No one before, no one since. Never again. They went
of to win USA 24 Hour races.
The closest analogy is Jim Hall and his various
Chaparrals...Also in white fiberglass, also very innovative, and
also won races.
Roland Freymond..A real GP racer. Huge heart. 40
years later suited up.
