Champion Frame

scotts · Posted: November 14, 2009, 9:34 am Post subject: Champion Frame

What's a "Champion frame"? Some sort of tracker/dirt bike thing?
This is listed on CL near me:
charlotte.craigslist.o...57753.html

yamaman · Posted: November 14, 2009, 10:01 am Post subject: Re: Champion Frame

Probably the same bike that's mentioned here:

www.650motorcycles.com...ea5172a497

scotts · Posted: November 14, 2009, 10:06 am Post subject: Re: Champion Frame

The frame sure looks different than the one in that link. How would you get the engine out with all that bracing in the way!?

yamaman · Posted: November 14, 2009, 10:36 am Post subject: Re: Champion Frame

Sorry, I didn't check your link before. Yeah there both a fair bit different.

I don't think it has any frame underneath, semi stressed engine, the engine would just drop out!

CaptDan · Full Member Joined: Aug 25, 2006 Posts: 20

"Renowned American dirt-track frame builder Doug Schwerma built his Champion frames to house Yamaha engines throughout the late sixties and seventies."

www.tz350.net/aftermar...m#champion

It seems to me that if anyone has the ability to get a real Champion frame, they should jump on it. Wink

CaptDan · Full Member Joined: Aug 25, 2006 Posts: 20

CaptDan wrote:

It seems to me that if anyone has the ability to get a real Champion frame, they should jump on it. Wink

Just another thought on this...

I worked at a Triumph shop many years back, and the manager was clearing out the shop's old 1/2 mile and TT race bikes.

He would take a bike, strip it, then re-assemble it, adding just enough "road-legal" bits to allow the bike to be registered for the street.

Think about it: a Triumph 750cc (or 650cc with a Routt 750 kit) with an ARD magneto in a Champion (or Trackmaster or C&J) nickle-plated frame, Ceriani forks, Barnes hubs, Grimeca brakes, fiberglass bodywork -- essentially a ready-to-race flat track/TT bike -- with tiny lights, tiny mufflers, a bulb horn, and a tiny mirror. About 65-70hp and 310lbs. Twisted Evil

He must have sold about 8-10 bikes set up like that. This was 20 years before the term "Street Tracker" was ever used.

Did I want one? Yeah, but I could only dream back then. Crying or Very sad

So when I hear about a Champion-framed XS650, those old jucies start to flow all over again.

Jump on it, Scotts! Imagine the 'Tracker you could build!

What Happened to 650rider.com?

Yamaha xs650