King Kenny
- Thread starter gasgasman
- Start date
Rick
New member
When I was a kid growing up in Ripon, Ca. there was a group of guys that were friends with my father who all rode and raced back in the late 60's and 70's. My best friend's father had a ranch about 900 acres, of that 900 acres, most of it was farm land. The Stanislaus River ran along the property, the property that was long the river was not farmable due to flooding, and being "lowland" it was not used....except motorcycle riding. That group of guys were also good friends with the farmer, so several tracks were made in the "lowland" area. We had 2 different natural motocross tracks, an scramble / cross country course and a flat track / TT track.
King Kenny was from the Modesto / Hickman California which is only about 10 to 20 miles from where I grew up. King Kenny was friends with some of the guys I rode with. Mind you I was like 12-15 years old during this time, and rode an old KD80 and I had a Hodaka Combat Wombat. After church on Sunday's afternoon a couple times a month the group would get together and ride. King Kenny would come out and spend the afternoon riding and racing with the group. I can still remember meeting him for the first time and as young boy, is something I'll never forget, not to mention riding with the guy on the same tracks. I remember him bringing out one of the first Yamaha TT500's to play on!! It was so cool to be hanging out with guys who rode, CZ's, Husky, Rickman's Bultaco's, Pentons and Maico's. I used to throw a leg over a square barrel Macio 501 and let it rip! The King would use the TT course to burn in hot laps or breakin an new flat tracker! One of the guys used to let me ride his flat track Rickman/Bultaco 250 and get out there as a group and mix it up!!!! It was at that time, Kenny invited me out to Oakdale "Pioneer Arena" to give short track a try. I guess I had some Flat Track skills?? My dad found me a Hodaka Ace 100 that was set up for short track, which I rode for a few years, then moving on to motocross and scrambles.
That's my "King Kenney" Roberts memories
About 8 years about the "founder" of the group planned a reuinon, in which I was invited. They brought out the old (I think) 8mm movies and tons of photo's from their riding day, and there was plenty of film and pictures from the old "River Road Ranch" where we used to ride. A few of the guys still have some of there bikes, which they brough to the party. Erine had his old Husky 8 speed with a high /low tranny, a Cooper, CZ 500 and a Macio 501! Tons of great memories, I just wish I had some pictures of the "Good Old Days"
King Kenny was from the Modesto / Hickman California which is only about 10 to 20 miles from where I grew up. King Kenny was friends with some of the guys I rode with. Mind you I was like 12-15 years old during this time, and rode an old KD80 and I had a Hodaka Combat Wombat. After church on Sunday's afternoon a couple times a month the group would get together and ride. King Kenny would come out and spend the afternoon riding and racing with the group. I can still remember meeting him for the first time and as young boy, is something I'll never forget, not to mention riding with the guy on the same tracks. I remember him bringing out one of the first Yamaha TT500's to play on!! It was so cool to be hanging out with guys who rode, CZ's, Husky, Rickman's Bultaco's, Pentons and Maico's. I used to throw a leg over a square barrel Macio 501 and let it rip! The King would use the TT course to burn in hot laps or breakin an new flat tracker! One of the guys used to let me ride his flat track Rickman/Bultaco 250 and get out there as a group and mix it up!!!! It was at that time, Kenny invited me out to Oakdale "Pioneer Arena" to give short track a try. I guess I had some Flat Track skills?? My dad found me a Hodaka Ace 100 that was set up for short track, which I rode for a few years, then moving on to motocross and scrambles.
That's my "King Kenney" Roberts memories
About 8 years about the "founder" of the group planned a reuinon, in which I was invited. They brought out the old (I think) 8mm movies and tons of photo's from their riding day, and there was plenty of film and pictures from the old "River Road Ranch" where we used to ride. A few of the guys still have some of there bikes, which they brough to the party. Erine had his old Husky 8 speed with a high /low tranny, a Cooper, CZ 500 and a Macio 501! Tons of great memories, I just wish I had some pictures of the "Good Old Days"
