Cliff Bell

Cliff Bell

Not sure if anyone would be interested [Ed: he was obviously kidding] but here are a couple of pics of a cub that I raced back in the 50s. It was pretty famous in the mid west back then. I won the light weight road race at Daytona (they ran at Samsula air port back then) in 1958, we changed the wheels and seat and Tom Cates (national #32 then) took it out tothe short tracks at the stadiium and won . He went on to make #1 short tracker that year on itand I won a lot of sportsman flat tracks and scrambles on it. I was the first American in the road race the next year ( they brought over the factory racers from Ducati). The shot of me riding it was from 58 and the other was from 59. The only part left of it now is the foot rest and the number plate from Daytona. I am trying to build a replica of it now (just getting started). Hope some of you enjoy the pics.
Cliff

[After receiving this, I prompted Cliff for more information]

Hi Steve, more on the YOYO. Well the model would be hard to come up with, it started life as a Terrier that my one boss rode in the woods, then he let me start to scramble it and ride in sportsman flat track. From there the other boss and couple of other guys changed it over to a cub with engine from a wreck. From there it became the first 250 ( the factory later asked for the specs on it )from which they came up with their own 250. I won close to 100 trophies on it which was quite good back in the 50s when you had to win or get second or third to get trophy not like later when they gave them out for showing up at events. Like I said earlier, Tom Cates (#32) raced it on short track so it got quite a work out. I went in service in 59 and it was sold to a guy who raced it for a season and then it was parted out. I will send some pics of the replica when I get it done if you would like, will be a long project tho, don't have much to start with. The engine will be stock tho as I don't remember all the stuff that went into it ( the main guy who designed it has died). I do remember it had a remote float carb and I think it had an intake valve (cut down) from a C H Harley. I can't recall what the piston came from but believe it was from Thunder Bird Triumph. If you look close in pic you can see the rear shocks were removed and replaced with aluminum plate ( reduce weight) and the seat was only about the width of my hand with piece of foam and cover. Rider comfort was not the main concern but weight was. As was common back then everything was drilled full of holes for weight and a lot of polishing and cutting down was done in the engine. That's about all I can come up with as far as the specs, however I must say it has a LOT of fond memories to go with it.

Cliff Bell Evansville Ind. (Triumph4u@aol.com)