It’s 1973 and both Rob Whitaker and Mike Green end up buying 1971 orange SL100 Honda’s on the same week. While Mike rides his on the road (and off-road now and again), Rob strips his of all lights and equipment and heads for “the Lot” then up to Hidden Lake. In 1975 Mike sells his SL100 to buy a car, while Rob continues to ride his for some years… that is until he bought and built a Champion framed XL250. During the SL100’s life it would be repainted Yellow with Black stripes, and the rear suspension would be modified to take “lay-down shocks” (with Koni’s). Over its life the poor SL100 engine ate a cam or two… the final time the engine was removed and never seen again. The Honda lay in the corner of the Whitaker garage for some time… that is until Mike talked of building a “150 Spec racer” for AFM road racing. The basis of this class was Honda SL100/125s. With that said, Rob donated the remains of the Honda to Mike.
The Honda would now reside at WCBR in Dublin, along with a bunch of other SL100/125 parts the shop had been buying up. Just as the “spec racer” project began, it died. The Hondas salvation would be the CVRG and its new Motocross series. With that in mind, Mike Green built an SL125 engine from the mass of parts, and had the Honda ready for the 1985 Dick Mann Vintage Dirt Bike Rally. On the other SL125 page there is a picture of the Honda in its Yellow/Black paint job (with Mike Green racing it at Sandhill).
The two upper pictures on the right shows Rob Whitaker getting reacquainted with the old SL100 (now a 125cc) at Sandhill MX in 1989. Rib would go onto finish 3rd in overall points for 1989.
Below: Rob at Steamboat Springs 1989.
Below-Right: Rob (#321) at Sandhill National 1990.
Bottom: Rob on the Honda... 1977 |
