History question- When did the Pushrod Class for Motorcycles start?

[dr j]

I asked a few days ago about the Vintage date of 1956.  My followup question is when and what "pushed" the Motorcycle classes being split with a  Pushrod class.  Understand that I am coming from the standpoint of only having run LSR small displacement bikes at ECTA  for 3 yrs now.  Although I am not currently running in a Pushrod class I know the big performance disadvantage inherent with Pushrods vs OHC etc. so I like the fact that their is a class for the pushrods.  I am more just interested in the history behind the class.  Thanks for the history lesson.

[dw230]

Scott Guthrie says there are two eras in LSR motorcycle racing.
BH & AH - Before Hayabusa and After Hayabusa

Does that have anything to do with it?

DW

[willieworld]

1990 was the first year for the pushrod classes----PAG   pushrod A gas ---PAF  pushrod A fuel  willie buchta

[mike mendoza]

get a Harley

[willieworld]

You could also get an ace, aermacchi, AJS, ariel, atlas, BMW, boss hoss, brough-superior, BSA, buell, crocker, cyclone, DOT, douglas, ducati, emblem, excelsior, flying merkel, anyway there are many many more  there were even some pushrod hondas--------------------------willie buchta


just a note in 1990 with the pushrod class there was no blown class although there was a blown class in production class

HOPE TO SEE YOU ALL AT BONNEVILLE

[dr j]

Thanks for the history lesson Willie!  So, since the Hayabusa was not born until 1999 it was not the direct cause.  And I liked your alphabetical listing from A-F of various pushrod manufacturers other than the Harley that everyone knows.  Good Luck to you at Bonneville in 11 days.  I hope to be there next year with my Vintage bike and maybe a pushrod bike also. 

[fredvance]

It was my understanding thet AMA came up with the pushrod class and the rules governing what was a pushrod motor because of the new BMW motor that has the cams in a different location and a very short pushrod. Once again catering to the Harleys.

[willieworld]

let me clear up something---you could always race a pushrod bike there just wasnt a pushrod class ---pushrod or not everyone raced in the same class ---you can thank glen he is the one i got the old rule books from                          willie buchta


in vintage everyone ( non pushrod  pushrod and flathead ) race in the same class although the flathead gets a 33.33 percent displacement break ---a 1500cc would run in the 1000cc classand the 56 K would be legal in vintage              

[k.h.]

And one can ask about the history of when and why aftermarket pushrod motors were dropped from M class . . .

[willieworld]

kh  maybe you could show me where it says i cant run an aftermarket engine  in the m class or a set of aftermarket cases in the m class------------------------willie buchta

[1212FBGS]

KH... about 3 years ago.... because some guy showed up with a kawi in a Honda frame and another guy butchered an electric motor into a Honda chassis..... the motorcycle tech director was a high up Honda attorney and those conversions were sacrilege

Willie.... page 113

Kent

[55chevr]

As I read the rule,  you can't even have S&S cases in an M bike.

[mike mendoza]

willie not such animal    mod   means modified production    no aftermarket     just like u can't run an s&s motor in mod.   it altered    ex   friend Perkens from S&S

[willieworld]

if you guys are right  and you probably are then why does the buell hold so many records in M when the motor isnt made by the same manufacture as the frame---frame buell motor harley    willie buchta

[mike mendoza]

modified       production            modified production motor    who makes the production bike?