Steve Green's
+ "Thunder Child" +
DD/Drag Bike #21 - Supercharged 1978 Yamaha TT500E
Rider: Steve Green
Bike: Yamaha TT500E.
Class: DD/DB
Engine: 500cc, SOHC, 2 valve, Carrillo conrod, ported head, balanced crank, low compression Arias forged piston.
Capacity: 499cc.
Number of valves: 2.
Camshaft: Single Overhead.
Gearbox: 5 speed, Yamaha TT500.
Clutch: Standard Yamaha TT500
Carburetion: Modified Harley Davidson Road King carburettor.
Ignition: Yamaha TT500 Magneto, wiring loom from Ericsson Auto Electrical in Levin and Dyna Ignition Coil from Ashcroft Engineering in Palmerston North.
Exhaust: Cycleworks drag pipe, HPC coated.
Exhaust Sound: Very extremely, obnoxiously loud !!!
Supercharger: Early model Toyota MR2 supercharger.
Supercharger Drive: By Belt Drive Services, Palmerston North.
Fuel: Petrol & Avgas mix.
Frame: Chrome moly tubing, built by "Gatch" & "Crash", at Bryant & Simpson Engineering, Levin. Frame powder coated sparkling silver by Williams Industries in Levin.
Seat: Kerry's Upholstery, Levin.
Sidestand: Kawasaki ZXR250 (1998), from Total Motorcycles, Palmerston North.
Oil Tank: Polaris Quad, oil tank from "Farm & Trail", Te Awamutu.
Fuel Tank: 1978, Yamaha TT500E.
Front Forks: Original Yamaha TT500, internally modified, with minimal travel. Lower legs powder coated yellow
Rear End: Rigid.
Wheels: Original 21 inch, Yamaha TT500 front & 18 inch, Yamaha TT500 rear.
Brakes: Original Yamaha TT500, Drum Brakes.
Electrics & Ignition: Yamaha TT500 Magneto, wiring from Ericsson Auto Electrical in Levin and Dyna Ignition Coil from Ashcroft Engineering in Palmerston North.
Kill Switches & Hand Controls: From Levin Motorcycles & Buckets & Bits in Lower Hutt.
Drag Racing Tyres: Mitas Tyres of the Czech Republic, from LMS in Palmerston North.
Engineering: By "Gatch" & "Crash", at Bryant & Simpson Engineering, Levin, Murray at Automotive Pryde in Levin and Paul at Colliers in Levin.
Owner/Builder & Drag Racer: Steve Green, Editor, Motoring Marketplace Magazine,
428 Waitarere Beach Road, R.D. 4, Levin, 5574, New Zealand.
Email: stevegreen@xtra.co.nz
Website: www.motoringmarketplace.co.nz
Pit Crew: Maree & Furball the cat.
Best Run to date: Around 16 seconds at 80mph on a good day.
Special Thanks to: The long suffering neighbours, because, it is really "LOUD" when you are tuning it up in the back yard !!
Sponsors:
The New Zealand Motoring Marketplace Magazine www.motoringmarketplace.co.nz
The Levin Motorcycle Centre, LMC Racing: www.thequadshop.co.nz
LMS Imports, Mitas Tyres, Palmerston North.
HPC Coatings, Auckland.
Buckets & Bits, Lower Hutt.
Williams Industries, Levin.
Cycleworks in Lower Hutt.
Belt Drive Services, Palmerston North.
Total Motorcycles in Palmerston North.
Other Bikes: 1980 Yamaha TT500, Yamaha XT500 & Gas Gas 350 Trials Bike.
Brief History
I was one of the official Photographers at the Thunderpark Drag Strip for the last few years of it's existence, and when drag racing still had it's own magazine, "The New Zealand Drag Racer Magazine", I was it's official Motorcycle Editor as well.
1994: In early March 1994, I was working for Telecom and while down in the South Island I ordered a Carrillo conrod from Bland Brothers, and an Arias forged piston from Denco Engineering. This was to be the basis for my supercharged Yamaha TT500 (I already had the supercharger). About a week later, a nice man in a suit & tie told me that Telecom in their infinite wisdom no longer required my services, I was redundant, Bugger!!!
A temporary drag bike did get built anyway, based on an old XT500 I owned. I built the engine with the low compression Arias piston, the Carrillo conrod, and a modified camshaft, but at this point, no supercharger.
1996: January the 2nd, 1996, was my first outing on the Yamaha XT500 Drag Bike at Thunderpark, where I placed 7th in the DYO Bike class, at Round 2 of the Wild Bunch Challenge meeting.
2000: April 9th, Hutt Valley Motorcycle Club, standing quarter mile sprints, Alexander Road, Trentham, best time 15.66 seconds.
2001: February 25th, Hutt Valley Motorcycle Club, standing quarter mile sprints, Alexander Road, Trentham, best time 15.49 seconds.
Masterton Motorplex, Masterton Aerodrome Drag Racing, Season Points Series, 4th in the bike class.
2002: Masterton Motorplex, Masterton Aerodrome Drag Racing, Season Points Series, 3rd in the bike class.
I also raced my XT500 at the NZ Nationals at Meremere, the Magog Motorcycle Club Street Drags in New Plymouth, and my 1000cc Moto Guzzi at the Levin street drags.
Masterton Motorplex, Masterton Aerodrome drag racing.
Round One of the Season Points Series, 1st in the bike class.
Round Two of the Season Points Series, 7th in the bike class.
2003: Raced at Masterton and the NZ Nationals at Meremere.
2004: Masterton, December 27th & 28th, first outing of the new TT500 drag bike, best run without the Supercharger fitted was 16.288 seconds at 80.36 mph. Came third in the Competition Bike class.
Other notes of Interest:
I placed second in the Langford Cup for Beach Racing, at Peka Peka Beach on my 1000cc V Twin, Moto Guzzi trail bike.
I also love going trail riding on my original Yamaha TT500 which I bought brand new in 1980, or on my Gas Gas 350cc two stroke trials bike.
