Team Hammer

1985 was the monsoon WERA National Endurance 6 hour. I'm thinking September or October. One of the two races I missed that year, when we won the the M.S. Class title. Pueblo being the other.

 

VBR on the right, rebuilt from the ashes of the our Genesis/ Kayo years, by Jim Tribou and Taylor Massey, after Jim moved to VA.

 

'85 was one of Hammer's 'off year,' of several, before Keith Perry left Team Ontario and went to work for J.U. Cycle Tec one on Canadian GSXR's with Aldana, Cooley (before injured,) Kocinski, Osouski (sp?) and others. My good friends Speed Boys were a close second, I believe on a production FZ750. We finished 5th, 1st M.W.S. Hammer was 3rd or 4th, can't recal

The worst rain at Texas World National Endurance was in '85, when Kevin impressed with the literal wake he made.

 

I accidentally quoted the wrong(tour) post, LOL!

I remember reading about Team Hammer way back in the mid 80's.... I thought I read their machinist was named Keith Perry? I try and de-clutter and organize my old file cabinet in my skull, LOL.
Keith 'Perry' was the one-off/prototyper for Hammer in mid/late 80's?
Thank you

 

Thank You

 

I saved you from having to store another basket case. I’m pretty sure your wife is thankful.

 

85 was an off year for Team Hammer , the only race they lost in I don’t know how many years on that Moriwaki was at the 85 Endurance 6 hour at Grattan . In a on and off rain event to Me and my Buddy on his Team Ontario replica bike , Honda VF 1000 F . Granted they had some mechanical gremlins during the race and we got a few lap lead . But they straighten that shit out and were gaining on us pretty quick. But come the checkered flag we crossed the finish line first !! That was in the prototype class ( run what ever you had class ) that was my most proudest trophy because of who we beat !!
Edit: we were novice’s that year also .. which made it that much sweeter .

 

1989 was Keith's first year working for John.

 

Team Ontario ... was that Kaz Oshima (sp?)?

 

Thank you!

I remember someone w/ Hammer was making/milling Billet aluminum case covers for the 1st gen (86/87) gsxr's for Team Hammer.
I remember seeing a pic, and was like "OMG! HOW COOL/Beautiful" .... (this was LONG B4 I knew what a Milling machine was) would be the equivalent of a caveman seeing a carbon fiber wheel, at that time

When I borrowed a local buddies 1986 GSX-R750 to compete on in 89, it had the cheap LP folded/bent sheet-metal covers on it, and when I thought about the hand-made/machined Hammer ones, I was so sad/disappointed, LOL!
Or at least that is the way I remembered it.... (possibly I seen pics of 88/89 gsxr billet/Hammer covers)

The 1986/87 Hammer billet ones would be pre-Keith-Perry. I guess I read/remembered Perry's name from later road-racing newspapers/etc.

 

I'll have to ask John his name. I actually got to know him reasonably well, throughout the years I was running the Endurance series. Larger, blonde gentleman, very easy to talk with, though plenty humble. He did build and fabricate a lot of amazing stuff for John, from around '83 to '88. If I remember correctly, he was from Kentucky. We did have some great discussions, and we also talked about him doing some work for me. I believe he could do fiberglass work, also.

 

You are lucky/Fortunate my friend to have lived/enjoyed a Cool Life!!! VERY Cool, Indeed.
Thank you for the story/info... I love Moto/WERA Histroy
Thank you

 

I believe you are correct that Kaz did indeed build their early bikes. Documented in some of the glossy magazines, if I remember correctly. Team Ontario's Lynn Miller and Luther Wilke battled Team Hammer for the championship in 1983, but I'm not sure who their crew chief was then. With Lynn being from Athens AL, I'm pretty sure that Keith was working on their bikes either before, or by 1985, when John Ashmead also rode the Ontario bike some. I'm sure J.U. was watching Keith's work for several years, before hiring him in 1989.

 

Do you remember Team St Louis (Silver GS1100E)? Dan Hayes, Bob Marquartd/etc? They won championship in 1981 & 1982(?).....

They would give/donate me a set of old leathers (Tim Mertin's 'youth' 1970's) flat track leathers and a used set of Mich Hi-Sports (TX11(?) and TX22(?)), for me to compete in my first WERA race.... Bob M was my racing-school instructor. They were all nice to me

 

We enjoyed dinner with them for dinner after most every race, between 1982 and 1985. The founder of Team Wanker Mike Murphy, and his later partner, after ARK 23 folded, Dick Blanton, were best of friends with them all. I was very fortunate to have the mentors and teammates I did. The list is very long, so maybe another conversation.

 

i found a few more.