IT’S been a while since the order was signed sealed and delivered, but they’ve finally arrived.
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Two race-prepared Harley Davidson XR750’s have made the journey from America for Lawrence “Legend” Ryan’s 25th anniversary tour.
The tour will include six death-defying stunts and were planned to begin earlier this year, but delays in getting the bikes to Australia have held up the schedule.
“Good things are worth waiting for,” Mr Ryan said.
“People are telling me it’s a little longer I have on this earth,” he joked.
With the bikes finally in Australia and in Mr Ryan’s hands, work to make them ready to fly can finally begin.
“They have the same power to weight ratio as American NASCAR racers,” he said.
“The American tuning is not designed for Australia and they’ve been sitting in a shipping container for three months, I’ll need to go over them with a fine tooth comb,” Mr Ryan said.
Mr Ryan said everything had to be considered – right down to the foot pegs are so they aren’t gouging landing ramps or causing crashes.
Despite being prepared by the same person the bikes are not exactly the same.
“One bike has a slightly shorter stroke and both are race engines so they have a higher compression and have to run on race fuel.”
Race engineers will normally rebuild an engine after competing and it meant the engines could be temperamental at times.
“(But) it’s the easiest life they’ll have.”
With fresh paint in Mr Ryan’s colours now freshly applied, some testing will be needed to see how the bikes will perform on the ramp.
“When a normal motor-cross bike is jumped, if you accelerate it brings the back-end down in the air and on the ground,” Mr Ryan said.
However, because of the difference in weight and engine torque, the XR750s tend to pull to the side – either the left or right.
“The balance of wheels to torque of engine is completly different,” Mr Ryan said.
Once the bikes themselves are sorted, it will come down to preparing ramps to make the most of the bikes’ power and ensure Mr Ryan will be able to jump obstacles.
“If all goes to plan, it will be April but it could be May if there’s more work to be done on the bikes than expected.”
“I’m getting pitches from around the country to jump boats, buildings and buses.”
Despite the offers Mr Ryan said he wasn’t interested in rushing out and risking everything.
“I want to make sure it’s done right, from how the bikes ride down to the fuel they use,” Mr Ryan said.
