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: Hey my name is Chuck and i'm looking to find
: some information on the rider/jumper Dick
: Stone. He's my grandfather. Unfortunately he
: wasn't around when I was growing up(No ill
: will intended). Luckily I have his riding
: suit which is a small piece of him. But i
: was just hoping that maybe somebody knows
: something of him or any info would be much
: appreciated. Thanks in advance!
:
Hi Chuck, here is a short story of the starting of Dick's jumping and the first year. He had an idea and stuck with it because he was shall we say some what bull headed and no backing off. He wanted to put together a motorcycle stunt team. Riding in the desert and doing some TT racing at Manzanita Speedway is how we met. Being a fair racer with a lot of guts he went fast till he broke his leg, almost every year. Not in to doing wheelies or much else besides going fast he ask me to be his partner. When we would go desert riding I did a lot of wheelies and would ride backwards for amusement now & then.
I said no several times before he said the magic words that made me say OK. Well those words were (you will get a new motorcycle, helmet, leathers, boots, gloves and all you have to do is show up and ride and get paid for it) REALLY !!
The rest as they say is history. We got brand new 1971 Yamaha RT 360s and head for Bee Line Dragway. We practiced for 3 months on distance and routine under the guidance and management of Joe McHenrey. Joe had already designed and built jumping ramps for the Flying Cycles ( Davis & Blackwell). There ramps was a set of 2 that were 8 feet wide, so Joe designed ours as one set of ramps 12 feet wide. They had a special section at the top to raise up and down so we could do the cross over jump. We did 3 jumps every show, side by side (3 feet apart handle bar to handle bar) and then I would ride about 8 feet behind Dick following him over the ramps and the finally was the cross over. I would do wheelies and ride backwards in between jumps for the show.
We signed with Mel Larson to be our booking agent who also booked the Flying Cycles at that time. Our first jump was Jan. of 1972 in Las Vegas NV. and it went well with the exception of staying up for 2 nights straight. Our very first time in Las Vegas what idiots, OH well.
After about 20 some shows all over the USA that year we were ask by Mel Larson to set a record at a show in Huntsville AL. We decided we could do it and so on Oct. 22 1972 we did 3 jumps as always in our show over 23 cars beating the current one at that time of 21. This is all written down in a book called (Evel Incarnate) by Steve Mandich and we our on pages 122 & 123.
We had some good times and met some folks along the way that are still great friends today. As in all things there were tough ones also, like the time Dick got very sick on turtle soup in Cincinnati and almost didn't make the show but he did. Nothing could stop him.
He got me in to jumping when I never ever gave it a thought, so I owe him for my Winning the 1977 CBS World Motorcycle Jumping Championship. I have a mini motorcycle museum in the house with a trunk full of all the stuff from our jumping days and all the stuff I could get on all the other jumpers as well. You can ask Gary Wells who came by the house Oct. 3 this year. Thanks Gary.
A life of riding and fun I will always remember and hope the world of motorcycles will too.
I knew Dick when he was married to his second wife Cindy in 71, a long time ago but would love to talk to you any time. So my email is me@bobduffey.com or bobduffey@zianet.com and my cel is 575 640-6395 we will talk for ever about motorcycles and Dick Stone my ole partner, I hope he is well.
Bob Duffey
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