Classic Superbike Racing CSBR

09/25/2025

SBM at Shannonville 2025 Rd 2 on Board the Newly acquired 1982 Honda CB900F , 4 More 1st Place Wins on the Weekend. And 2 more Lap Records Broken!!

08/18/2025

My Line up at VRRA Mosport 2025 6 Wins and 1 2nd

11/28/2024

A bit of an add on to the Dean Ruston story, here is the "NEW" chassis under construction, and being built/modified, Enjoy (please LIKE and FOLLOW) ProStar Motorsports

11/28/2024

Dean Ruston/TPC Racing – ProStar Motorsports involvement in Vintage racing goes WAY back (see Club Cup years) I had actually joined the VRRA in around 1982/83, after buying a BSA Gold Star DBD34, really neat older restoration (from Richard Pickering [RIP]), but my current Vintage racing adventures is what I’ll write about now. My involvement in Vintage racing is primarily with TPC Racing and its owner Dean Ruston and his fleet of Honda Vintage racers, here’s some of that story. I met Dean in 2016/17 after he had bought a CB750F Honda from Scott McVicker (the ex: Tom Montgomery CB750F [bike refuses to go away]) after racing it in the VRRA as purchased (was Scotts back up bike for his own race effort and considerably different from the Montgomery years… another story!) Dean wanted an AHM replica chassis built so a rolling chassis was commissioned and built based on a cut up donor CB750 chassis, they have solid mounted motor’s which is an advantage when building a racing CB (Again, the original Montgomery chassis survived the saws all… [FYI – I actually welded the bracing into Toms chassis in 1986 for the then owner of Race Line Cycle]) a relocated steering head, sub frame, braced swing arm [see pictures attached] etc. all VRRA P3 Heavy weight legal. Dean raced the old and the “New and Improved” CB750F for a while but had a nasty get off at the Grand Bend Vintage festival the second year of racing the big Honda and never fully recovered (2018/19 maybe). So began the “Tactical Products Canada” Race Team era. I had become friends with Dean, and after his crash and his decision to stop riding I did my best to convince him to stay involved with the Vintage racing scene, (BTW, a minimum amount of arm twisting was required). After introducing him to friend of mine Mike MacNeil or “Super Bike Mike” as he is known, the idea of Mike riding Deans Honda appealed to everybody involved, and so the racing and winning began, they are now the back bone of TPC Racing as both rider and team owner as well as good friends. One of the great asset Dean brings to most anything he does is his commitment to doing as much as he can and doing it right, he brings that attitude to his Race team, to Vintage racing and the VRRA itself (Canada’s Vintage race organization), he didn’t just pack his bags at the end of his riding days and move on, he stayed involved and built a race team and bikes, he sponsors the organization and constantly gives way more than he ask for in return, BTW it’s a very impressive race team at that, with Lap records and championships to show for his efforts (I know, I’m awesome… right!). It’s been 4 pr 5 years of hard work and great times, this is stuff we could not have done alone, the names Gary Scotti and Peter Gartner have to be added to the list of people who helped make this happen. Over the years we have had our ups and downs, our Ups far outweigh the downs. As of now I still have the privilege to help build the Teams race bikes, I know our future plans are bigger and better than the past, new bikes and larger expectations are coming our way, I hope you enjoy the stories and the photos more information and build pictures are coming from ProStar Motorsports, please LIKE and FOLLOW its appreciated. Ben Gartner

11/24/2024

The Author – My Name is Ben Gartner, I am the owner of ProStar Motorsports, Dean Ruston and I started Classic Super Bike Racing in an attempt to help bolster the support and racing of an era gone by “Classic Super Bikes”. These are some of the neatest, Fastest bikes ever built and race anywhere in the world, the innovation required to turn these steel framed wingle masters into viable racing bikes was nothing short of Majic, enjoy the stories.
The Greenwood Honda, Terry Hampton VF750 Interceptor. I purchased this bike in 1993 from the owner, builder Mark of Greenwood Honda fame, while seeing him on another item (Kaz Yashima 1002cc. Honda CB900, Dry Clutch, Dry sump, close ratio…different story!). I was later to learn that the bike had been rebuilt for the 1986 Daytona 200 but never used, outside of a couple of blasts up and down the main highway out front of the dealership it was as built and unused. It was confirmed later that it was an ex-factory chassis, and a Mike Velasco built, ex-Fred Merkle works motor, big titanium valves and all the trickness available. In a very interesting twist, the entire Kit/Factory chassis parts where also found (East End Toronto Bike Salvage yard) including Comstar wheels, Nissin brakes, master cylinder’s clutch and brake, cast rotors, billet clamps, Factory anti dive forks with QD axle, even factory rear sets… it was originally raced with a RSC/HRC supplied “KIT Motor Package” which cost $10,000 usd in 1983! This picture is of the finished unit, with all the really neat period correct HRC “Kit” and factory parts installed (Hampton was sponsored by Supper Trapp, Kit Exhaust with ST Mufflers) a really fun bike.

11/24/2024

The Author – the search for Freddie Spencer’s RS1000, truth is I didn’t care which Factory RS1000 I got as long as I got 1… the belief was that both had been destroyed or returned to Japan, Rolin Lofdahl, Mike Valasco and finally Todd Schuster all major players in finding and acquiring this bike. One and Half years of effort later I purchased the Spencer RS1000 (confirmed by both players to be Fred’s), the story. BG
Freddie Spencer’s American Honda Motors Special Projects – or the Honda USA racing program! in 1982 (late 1981) Honda Japan’s racing arm RSC supplied 2 Endurance based RS1000 to American Honda to be used in the AMA’s Formula 1 class (they had done the same in 1980, different story, different bikes) which fitted large displacement 4 strokes (1025cc) against 2 stroke GP bikes in different displacements - 500cc with no restrictions and 750cc with carburetor restrictors. Yoshimura and Wes Cooley were already having some success with their 1025cc XR69 based GS1000R F1 bike. This RS1000 is one of 2 supplied to the USA, Freddie got one as did Mike Spencer (no relation) who raced the other both bikes in the 1981 AMA F1 class, as well as both riding 1025cc CB750 Based Super Bikes. This bike was found in a garage in northern New Jersey, I was fortunate enough to find and purchase the complete unit thou in piece’s it was complete and mostly intact (last major event was the 1982 AMA Daytona 200, ridden by Steve Wise) This is also the Bike Ken Vreeke crash testing it for a bike magazine late in 1981! There was a number of “Special” feature that only applied to Fred’s bike and upon contacting individuals involved with the Race team in 1981/82 these features where exposed and confirmed to be correct for the bike and its claim. I was able to restore the bike along with others from that period. The bike was sold to a private collector and resides in Japan, I’m also to believe that Honda Japan’s Collection Hall may now own it! This I cannot confirm. It was an honor to find, restore and save a great American racing tressure. Ben Gartner, ProStar Motorsports

11/24/2024

The Hindle Kawasaki – Lang Hindle, Kawasaki Canada KZ1000 race bike, this is one of 2 race bikes built by Canadian Legend Lang Hindle to compete in the 1981 RACE National series (and others including the AMA Daytona 200). The second bike now resides at Hindle Exhaust Collection after a quick trip into private ownership and a stint with the Super Show Museum. This bike is still with The Bar Hodgson Collection at this time. I acquired the bike from Lang in the late 1989/90 he needed a pipe bender (Hindle Exhaust) I needed another cool race bike! At the time he had both of his Kawasaki race bikes, his championship winner and this bike which for some reason at that time had remained intact and as raced! The “other bike” had a serial number stamped into the steering head and Lang used it as his street bike, neat but not what I was collecting. This bike which is powered by a KHI race engine (NOT an S1 engine, chicken/egg) Kawasaki Heavy Industries motorcycle division offered an over the counter (OK… back counter) race engines available to selected customers worldwide, The European Endurance teams got them, Rob Muzzy/Eddie Lawson race bikes used these very motors in Kawasaki USA Super Bike effort (Heavily Modified buy Mr. Muzzy [Note: the 1982 Factory US Kawasaki race bikes were based off of the S1}). I purchased this bike not only because it was “Intact” but its fantastic Canadian race History, of Course Lang Hindle Builder/Owner, the Master/Legend Yvon Duhamel, Canadian Legend and multi time Canadian Super Bike champion, Hall of famer Michel Mercier all of them Raced this bike … A unreal piece of Canadian racing history with some of Canada’s greats at the controls at one time or another. I’m glad the bike stayed local, its truly a time capsule (I gave it a WD40 restoration back when I owned it). It is in great hands in the Bar Hodgson Collection, at this time, thanks for reading. Ben Gartner

11/24/2024

The Author – For your reading pleasure (or just sheer boredom) here’s another Motorcycle adventures I would like to share (a bunch of Canadian content here). For as Long as I can remember Hard to find, Rare and exotic race bikes and parts have been my passion! This helped me find and acquire quite a few bikes and parts (way more stories about the ones that got away…). Ben Gartner
The Yoshimura Katana – One of my all-time favorite bikes from the 1025 era, this was one of the factory Yoshimura Katana’s, as ridden by Wes Cooley and David Aldana. This particular bike (the Canadian Katana) was the first of 2 built (there is rumors of a 3rd but when Don Sakakura tells you it was 2 …) the second bike was sold to Germany at the end of 82 season, this particular bike was mostly ridden by Dave Aldana in 1982 with decent results, to this day I still feel these Yoshimura prepared Katana’s were the most undervalued bikes on the AMA grid. this in light of the quality of the 1982 AMA Super Bike starting field. This is the bike Canadian Legend Art Robbins bought to use in Canada, purchased direct from Yoshimura and sent to his long-time sponsors Leitner & Bush for adjusting/modifying for the 1983 Canadian campaign. The bike was not as competitive as hoped and it was sold at the end of 83 season … the bike reappeared with Amateur racer Steve Smart who in 1985 used it to secure his AM Super Bike Championship. I purchased the bike (along with a Works AHMsp CB750F super bike) when I bought my friend’s motorcycle shop in 1988, “Race Line Cycle” who was one of Steve’s original sponsors for his 1985 effort. I was fortunate enough to find real GP RG500 wheels ect. in Toronto and surrounding area’s. also connecting with Yoshimura USA’s Don Sakakura was an absolute pleasure, supper nice, helpful man. Yoshimurs USA supplied the works billet fork assembly and a complete works motor (unbelievable as that sounds, they still had one sitting under a bench at the shop) which allowed me to basically turned this into an “as raced” Yosh Factory bike. I sold this bike and Lang Hindle’s Kawasaki Canada racer to Bar Hodgson and the Super Shows Museum, they had this bike in their collection for several years before it found its new home, it now resides in the USA “Katana Museum” …

09/05/2024

Hey VRRA Members, Want a Gulf Race Fuels Hat? ($35.00 Value) I will have 24 Gulf Hats available at Shannonville Next week. I will have a scannable QR Code in my Pit. (Find the Blue Gulf Trailer) with a Minimum Donation of $20 to the P.A.T.C.H. Group for Guatemala I will give you a Gulf Hat. Win Win Situation.

09/03/2024

Tactical Products Canada Inc. a Proud Sponsor of this Young Man. Congratulation Laurent Laliberté-Girard

08/14/2024

Attention Please: I am heading to Guatemala in November to pay it forward and help out a small community that is very impoverished and in need. The Group, "P.A.T.C.H." Made up of PARAMEDICS, POLICE Officers and Hospital Nursing staff have been going to Guatemala for 10 Years Building and Repairing Hospitals, Schools, Medical Centre's and Homes. Any and all Donations are Welcome.
100% of all Donations go towards the material costs of the Build.

Thank you in Advance.

Dean F Ruston

Help us raise $15,000 to build 3 homes for Guatemalan families… Andrea Witty needs your support for Homes for Guatemala - Building homes for families in need!