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pitbull223
mini-mokiki-arzemes
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pitbull223
2009-01-09 19:50:02pitbull223
2009-01-09 19:49:48"I never told ya'll the story about when we went to the Mini bike race with the 180 [Benelli Volcano] Prototype. This first 180 came in by air. It was gold. Joe Rottigni himself assembled it & broke it in on the dyno & tuned it. Mr. Weiss took Mike, Mark Andy & me in the Mark III Lincoln to the race. We were all gonna' take a shot on it so were all wound up. We just knew we would clean their clocks. I think the baddest thing at that time was a CAT when you put an 8hp or better Briggs on it. We were all ready man, leathers, full wrap "man only the pro's were wearin' full wraps at this time" boots and gloves. We got to the track early to show off and stuff. You could ride the rear tire on this bike till the cows came home. This is the first bike we learned to shift gears on while wheelie'n. You would lift it in 2nd then grab 3rd and boogie. If you had enough road you could grab 4th and go big time. We were really showin' off in the parkin lot. Comes time to sign up and there askin' what EVENTS we're gonna' ride in. THAT SHOULD HAVE BEEN A HINT.
"We had a choice of the cones, the slow race, the two-up obstacle course & some other goofy things. Man it was like a HOG event for kids. No shit! This wasn't a race it was the same stuff they do at over the hill events. You had to put a spoon in your mouth and then they would put a fresh egg on the spoon then you had to ride the course goin' around cones. Or see how slow you could go!!! The last person over the finish line won. I AM NOT KIDDIN' YOU HERE KIDS. Hell you could do this crap in flip-flops & shorts.
"We were cryin' man. We show up with the baddest Mini ever and it turns out to be some boring - sissy girl - I don't want to get hurt - we ain't got no track insurance so nobody goes fast - soccer mom - I don't want my kid gettin' hurt deal. We went back to the parkin' lot and did some tricks for the NON-RACERS, threw the 180 in the trunk packed up and left."
-- Joe ("He Was There") Purshock III from Vintage Cosmo
pitbull223
2009-01-09 19:47:11"Benelli only imported 200 of these little devils [the 180cc Benelli Volcano] to the U.S. through J.C. Penney Co. auto centers back when I worked for them in the late 60's-early 70's. Part of my job was to uncrate, assemble, and "road check" all the Benellis back then. When they were thrashed about and brought back for repairs it was my job to fix them, also. Once I was caught "road checking" one of the Volcanos in the mall parking lot doing a "wheelie" at somewhere just south of about 45-60 mph. When the store manager asked what I thought I was doing I told him I was "testing the vertical stability." They went for it. Kept my job but that ended my Volcano testing days, for a while."
An equally fascinating historical note about the immaculate conception
and birth of the Volcano, straight from Joe Purshock of Vintage-Cosmo!!!
"Let me give you some background here people. I have told this story to a few and they say they never heard it so maybe you too haven't heard it yet. The history behind the Volcano is funny. Mr. Weiss and his father Ernest and Joe Rottigni were on one of their many trips to the Benelli factory. Mr. Weiss ("Larry") was askin' one of the Benelli brothers, Luigi, if they could make the 50cc Dynamo with a litter more sand. It was always light on power and Larry was just trying to explain it to him. This conversation was goin' on as they were standing next to the new 175 Enduro that was about to come on board. To be funny Louie said 'O sure, let's just use this 175cc engine here!' To be even funnier Larry said 'that's a great idea.' Not wanting to be out done, Louie -- trying to be the funniest person there -- said 'ok.'
"Then just to be sure it really did go down Mr. Weiss gave the ok for 200 of them. The name Volcano didn't come till later. Kenny Weiss, Larry's youngest son named this bike the Volcano. 200 were made and 200 were shipped to the USA. I rode the first prototype that came before, the 200. Mr. Weiss, Mike, Mark & me took it to a mini bike race as soon as it came into the country but that is 'gonna have to be another story."
http://www.mybenellis.com/
pitbull223
2009-01-09 17:30:20pitbull223
2009-01-09 17:21:34