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ITALIAN BAJA with MCH Photo

Two Toyota Hilux Overdrive seized the podium, while Gadasin didn’t get the poker with his G-Force Proto. K.O. in the final lap for Borsoi, but Codecà (Suzuki) won the Italian Championship

PORDENONE_ Once more foreign challengers dominated the Italian Baja, the World Cup for Cross Country Rallies which offered a great show from Friday to Sunday along the Meduna, Cosa and Tagliamento riverbeds and their surrounding Land, that’s to say the extraordinary scenery characterized by the “grave” soil of the Pordenone province, crowded by thousands of fans. Victory was gained by the Saudi Yazeed Al-Rajhi, navigated by the German Timo Gottschalk. Their Toyota Hilux Overdrive ended with a time of 3:17’15’’ the race contended on a track of about 300 km, reaching sometimes a speed of over 170 km p.h.. One month ago he already gained the first position at the NorthernForest in Leningrado, ahead on Vladimir Vasilyev; this time Al-Rajhi defeated the Russian Boris Gadasin, who tried to get a poker of victories after the successes reached in 2007, 2009 and 2011. The “Zar” led the first Leg with his G-Force Proto, but yesterday he had to surrender on the incredible recover of  his challenger, who got the best time in each Selective Section and cross therefore the arrival line with a gap of 44”. Third position for the Polish Marek Dabrowski and Jacek Czachor with a gap of 1’52’’, driving a Toyota Hilux Overdrive as well, who played the main role during the prologue contented on Friday along the fords of the Meduna river, between Cordenons and Zoppola. Out of the podium all the Mini All4 Racing of the X-Raid Team, with Vasilyev ahead on Martin Kazmarski, with a gap of 39’’, respectively reaching the first and second position of the T1.2 class (diesel). The Brazilian Reinaldo Varela (with another Toyota Overdrive), winner in 2013, this time had to be content with a very good seventh position. Nine position reached by Thierry Magnaldi with the first 2 driving wheel Original Schlesser.

THE ITALIAN CHALLENGE

Obliged to fight in a rear guards for the World Championship, Italian drivers didn’t anyway cut a poor figure, although their vehicles weren’t as good as the foreign ones. The unlucky Elvis Borsoi had to give up with his Pajero just on the last Selective Section, because of a broken clutch. He got a quite good gap ahead on Lorenzo Codecà, who was therefore able to reach with his Suzuki Grand Vitara the 19^th position in the Overall Rank, and the first one in the Italian Championship, ahead on Riccardo Colombo with his Mitsubishi L200 of  Ralliart.

COMINOTTO WON THE FIM BAJAS WORLD CUP

Indisputable triumph for the local biker Vanni Cominotto in the Bajas World Cup race, riding a Yamaha Wr 450. The biker from Dignano dominated all three race’s days, progressively widening his gap ahead on the challenger Alessandro Ruoso with his Honda 450 Hm, who anyway proudly fought until the arrival line. The third position in the World Cup was seized by the Polish Jakub Przygonski with a Ktm 450 Exc. Stefano Biscontin, from Pordenone as well, gained the first position with a Yamaha 450 Yfz in the quad category, obliging his challengers, the Polish  Kamil Wisniewski  and the Hungarian Matyas Somfai, to surrender on those wide gaps.

SALTY SPEED CO SR400

Some people have a clear vision when they embark on a build.  Others prefer to just go with the flow and see what happens.  When Matt Hipsley of Salty Speed Co. fame decided to do the latter, the result was this effortlessly cool SR400.  

The 1988 model was picked up as a fresh stock import from Japan and used as a daily ride for a while.  But when Matt found himself with some time between client builds, he started to tinker. He stuck with some of the typical features that Salty Speed Co. use for their builds.  Namely fat tyres, rear hoop and the brat style seat.  But the stand out feature of this bike is obviously the custom aluminum ‘Scrambler’ tank.   Matts says that he hated it at first, he even tried to sell it, but then as the bike developed during the build, it became apparent that it was a good choice.  That was kind of what we thought.  At first glance the tank seemed a little odd, but then with every subsequent look, it seemed to become more and more right.  Weird how that happens sometimes.

The engine has been treated with hi-temp paint and stainless fasteners.  She now breathes through a K&N air filter and a Supertrapp muffler, and aluminium mudguards grace front and rear ends. A Daytona mini speedo sits on the low rise handlebars which have come from Posh Factory in Japan, as have the lights and grips.

As well as the rear hoop, the frame features a welded in electric box, shaved tabs and custom frame gussets.  The wheels are DID aluminium rims, laced with stainless spokes on stock hubs. The Dunlop K70 tires add to the very loose  ‘scrambler’ theme, however Matt is keen to point out that he doesn’t consider the bike to be  a scrambler at all. In fact, he isn’t actually sure what to call it…a Brat Tracker??

Matt rode the bike around for a couple of months before deciding to sell it to fund another personal project, this time a Honda CB360 which will debut at Throttle Roll in May.  Matt says this SR is the result of building ‘without any clear vision’.   Maybe its time to throw away the sketch pad,  screw up the plans, and just get the tool box out instead.

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