Here is another bit of history for RareSportBike fans, a 1983 Suzuki McIntosh Bathurst Replica that needs a few pieces to be complete.
For those of you unfamiliar with these bikes, its important to remember that for a long time motorcycle racing allowed anyone to try their hand with whatever they could put together, sometimes with amazing results (John Britten and John Wittner are two examples of success). During this “wild-west” period a lot of racing was also held on street circuits, with the difference between success and significant injury being insanely narrow.
NOTE: Most motorcycle racing has moved away from street circuits to purpose built racetracks that are much safer and can accommodate more spectators. A few street circuits are still in use such as the TT/Mountain Road course on the Isle of Mann and the Bathurst circuit in Australia, although Bathurst only runs cars currently.
1983 Suzuki McIntosh Bathurst project for sale on Ebay (AUS)
Back in 1982, New Zealand brothers Ken and Rodger Freeth had amazing racing success at Bathurst with a custom-framed Suzuki GS1000. Using their backyard-built machine, equipped with just a few spares and almost none of the equipment/resources of the bigger factory and privateer teams, they entered the Bathurst 500 motorcycle race and came away with the win. Their success was repeated in 1985, proving that the Freeth brothers design wasn’t a fluke.
Ken Freeth originally developed his triangular-styled chassis in the early ’80s because he found that while in-line four cylinder engines of that era were strong, the standard chassis the came with were holding them back in terms of handling. The first frames Freeth built were built for Kawasaki Z900 engines but he soon switched to using the Suzuki GSX engine. Freeth built approximately 40 McIntosh frames to suit the GSX engine which were then bundled into a Bathurst Replica package by a local dealer friend.
Ken’s ‘Bathurst replica’ streetbikes were on many people’s wish-lists but required a significant financial commitment since the cost of a Freeth Bathurst replica kit without an engine was almost equal to a standard/new GSX. Meanwhile the Japanese had started to introduce advanced aluminum chassis into their bikes and while the Freeth steel frames were lighter and offered more strength, the majority of buyers preferred buying a complete bike instead of one they had to build/”kit-up”. And so, after two Bathurst wins and several New Zealand championships, the McIntosh Bathurst replica development effort was retired.
So what’s this GSX Bathurst Replica worth? Well its definitely a rare sport bike with only 40-50 made and its definitely in good shape (take a look at the forks with the pristine anti-dive mounts!) The seller indicates it has been through a restoration but still needs a few things; it has a leaking fork seal, possibly a warped rotor, a non-standard exhaust, and installation/testing of a new wiring harness. Even with all these issues, bidding has been brisk. Current price at time of this post is almost 20,000 USD aleady without reserve being met.
Overall this is probably a bike for a collector who is somewhat mechanically inclined. It will probably be most appealing to someone from Australia or New Zealand who is familiar with bikes of the era.
-marty/dallaslavowner
Cool bike and nice writeup Marty.
Nice write up marty. I think you mean Ken Mcintosh and the late Dr Rodger Freeth. They also recorded a second place in The Bathurst Arai 500 in 1983. Freeth passed in 1993 co driving with Possum Bourne in a Subaru Legacy at the telecom Rally Australia at Mundaring just east or Perth WA. This bike is a true piece of Australasian motorcycling history. Good luck to the seller and I hope it goes to a good home.
Jeez, I had a BR2, monoshock version which was rarer still. Sold it to a guy who turned it into a naked bike and ruined it. All my previous bikes are collectible now and I can’t afford to buy any. Stuck with an immaculate 1995 Fireblade which is probably better than Yamaha RD400F, GPz900R, McIntosh and Moto Guzzi LeMans that I owned but I could have been financially better off if I held onto them. Oh well.
Mario, Melbourne, Australia.
Interesting bike. It should also be noted that Macau hosts a notable street circuit for cars and bikes (the Macau GP is coming up soon). As well, the North-West 200 is a significant Irish open-road race. (And “Isle of Man” only has one “n”)
Cheers
interesting..I thought the Macau race was on a track but sure enough you are right. As for the Northwest 200 I had completely for got about that one since it doesnt seem to get televised that often. And for my spelling, well thats what happens when you are writing these after a few stellas
thanks
Martin
Wow ticks most of my boxes. Big air cooled inline Suzuki, wire wheels and a bespoke chassis.
Ken McIntosh now builds some very cool replica Manx Nortons.