Racing Days at Mocheck, Part 2

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By 1976, Mocheck were enjoying enough success on the circuits that the company produced and sold a proddie race replica. John Ryan rode less and spent more time spannering, and shares a selection of his classic photographic memories of the era…

The high-five took many years to perfect...
Race mechanic John Ryan and the four-cylinder Honda 900 at the Zandvoort endurance race in 1976. The Mocheck machine, ridden by Hugh Evans and Dennis Casement, was the highest placed private entry, and finished in tenth place overall

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Loving the Dresda fairing...
Mocheck campaigned the Honda 900 at the TT races on the Isle of Man in 1976 and were in with a chance of the win, with Hugh Evans in the hot seat. However, the clutch burned out at Bray Hill which put paid to any chance of a podium.

Black and white photos don't do the crowd's sunburn justice...
The team didn’t give up despite the problems; repaired the bike and finished the race but were well down the field

How cool did the Harrier look? Old and New 400 Hondas on ..

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More eBay old bikes below

Just don't stamp your feet...
The Mocheck Harrier, a replica of the firm’s Honda racer, was launched at the Sporting and Racing Motorcycle Show in London.

Dig the collars...
The hope was that the public would buy a replica of the Formula 2 TT machine; a Honda 400/4 fitted with the 460 Yoshimura engine kit, CMA wheels, black four-into-two-into-one pipes, a 2/4 seat and headlamp mini-fairing, all finished in… white

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Note gear-linkage crossover shaft...
Tony Rutter on board one of the Mocheck 400/4 Hondas in 1976

Nurse!...
John Ryan poses for the camera to demonstrate the wonderful diagnostic machines available to the modern motorcycle mechanic in 1976. Indeed, Mocheck were one of the first bike shops to use the Souriau test station and to adopt Facom tools

Fantastic photo...
And here’s that man Tony Rutter again, in action on the IoM, 1976. His bike’s even wearing a Facom sticker – for a while, Mocheck’s workshop double as a demo showroom for the Facom rep

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Photos kindly provided by John Ryan

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