BEHN MONO SHOCK KZ1000 CHASSIS RACE BIKE

Dunai wrote: It was built at Tri-Mil Ind in Compton California for Bob Behn, My dad worked on the frame fixture and some on the motor cases , it was a full team effort to get them built and ready to send to France, and I did some small things on it also as I used to work on the weekends at TriMil
Bob Behn was ( as still is ) a very cool and smart guy , I always looked up to him

Interesting! So was Bob Behn a designer, racer, owner, manager, or... ? I'm still not totally sure where he fits in.

Thanks!

Well i guess the best way to put is He Was a Salesman with a vast engineering mind
Bob was a racing fan and sold many USA speed parts to the European race teams , he was a friend to a guy named Noel , dont remember his last name but lived in Laguna in california, So if i recall correctly Bob met Joe Miller ( TriMil ) via Noel , i could be all wrong but this is the best i can remember. We made exhaust systems at TriMil and made some for Russ Collins @ RC Eng , so Russ also sponcered the bikes at the Bol'D Or . RB Racing had been around selling speed parts and i understand he is still in business today .
What I recall of Bob was a very very smart engineering mind and a no BS type of guy
We built some frames for RB Racing , some people call them Tri-Mil's but they where all Bob's idea and design

Thank you for the insight! Having watched Lang restore his bike this past winter, my interest has been stirred up regarding this obscure race bike from the past!

Very cool machines!

I can tell you that not to many have been made in regards to the frames, so I’m not sure how many made then to the track
I do know of the assembled bikes non had been the same , the 2 that raced in France both came back to the states and had success

They had been the first all USA team to run in the history of the Bol'D Or and to the best of my knowledge the last
They only lasted less then 50 laps based on engine failures but what a hell of a thing they had been , many protests against them at the time

I would love to find one as I and my father had something to do with them , kind of a nostalgic thing

Ya, I'm sure I'd really want one too if I was in your shoes!

Good hunting!

super cool! If Mad Max was a road racer, he would ride this! :laugh:

If it was mine I think I'd just get it to run well and NOT restore or beautify it. Ride it all rusty and old. I like it that way. Maybe after a couple years riding it like that I'd do the resto.

Anyone know this cat? I would really like to see how this bike is coming along.

Reichmanner wrote: Anyone know this cat? I would really like to see how this bike is coming along.

We've tried to "wake him up" but to no avail.

I guess he's not around anymore. Too bad. There are a number who'd love to hear/see where this project is at.

Here's another pic of another "Behn" machine owned by Sam Williams, veteran racer and original Tri-Mil Endurance Team rider.







It's a project that was on display at Mid-Ohio last July. My buddy spoke at length with Sam about racing the bike and his plans for restoring this machine. He's a very nice man who had a lot of time for us "fans" as we wanted to re-live the "old days"! :laugh:

He actually has another frame that is currently supporting his gas generator I believe! :woohoo:

So, that's a total of 4 frames accounted for at the moment!

Very cool.

thats cool...i would not want to test the welds at 140 anymore though....but man..cool factor a 10/10...and when all done...go green...awesome

roadracer wrote: another pic of frame still togeather

[attachment:1]Monoshock.jpg[/attachment]