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+--- Thread: Dr Joe Ehrlich (/showthread.php?tid=3307)
Dr Joe Ehrlich - Anonymous - 14-02-2005
Not happy with the thread below concerning engine developments.
The rotary valve stuff was great, Malcolm, and thanks for that, but the Ehrlich material was nothing more or less than history being re-written!
OK, so he did a lot of work on the Rotax twin, but when I see him given credit for split single engine design, among other things, it's going a bit far.
The bloody man never had an ORIGINAL idea in his life.
All the work that needed done on split single motors was done pre World War 2 by Puch in Austria and then DKW in Germany.
Immediately post war, Joe entered an "EMC" 250, which was nothing more or less than a thinly disguised "ladepumpe" DKW.
Of course, we all know about the 125 EMC ridden in the early 60's by, among others, Mike Hailwood, don't we?
Sorry - that was an MZ engine, which the good Doc obtained in exchange for a set of Norton Roadholder forks!
Walter Kaaden designed that one of course - now there WAS a genius!!
Hell of a self-publicist, was Joe, and successful at it to boot.
However, to get the full story, ask one of the boys that rode for him - none of them stayed in the team that long!!
Difficult man to live with, I believe . . . . . . . . . .
Re: Dr Joe Ehrlich - Anonymous - 15-02-2005
Larry, tend to agree with you here, cos last year i met a guy , who was , lets say a lot older than myself, he had been out of bikes for a few years, and we got talking, i would bring up names from the past, and he would tell me about them, i then mentioned Dr Joe, and, he practically told me, what you have posted above!, i think he called him a self publicist!, or something to that extent!, When i mentioned the Waddons, EMCs etc, This guy just laughed!-borrowed property he called it!
Re: Dr Joe Ehrlich - Anonymous - 15-02-2005
Larry's dead right one this one. My old man (Allan Jefferies) couldn't stand the man; I can picture him now moaning on about Joe Ehrlich and his DKW/MZ, and he certainly had a few run ins with him when dad was on the competitions committee of the ACU.
Incidentally my dad was in Germany as a Captain in REME,in 1945, and after helping to sanitise Belsen Camp,( another story, another day)he ventured to the Mercedes and DKW factory, and could have brought back one of the pre war race bikes if he had wanted. Well that's how the BSA Bantam started life anyway, with someone nicking the drawings of the equivalent DKW.After the horrors of Belsen, he really enjoyed himself in Germany, and he certainly should have written a book on some of the hilarious pranks they often got up to.
Re: Dr Joe Ehrlich - Anonymous - 15-02-2005
If only your dad had bumped into my dad he could have had him bring that bike back to UK for him.
My dad drove a lorry in Germany for the UN (I think) for a couple of years just after the war.
Isn't it funny how these threads just take off in a completely different direction.
Don't suppose you know of a good 600 for sale Nick???
Re: Dr Joe Ehrlich - Anonymous - 15-02-2005
I presume Cargo, that you want a quick 600 to race. I can ask. How soon do you want one?
Re: Dr Joe Ehrlich - Anonymous - 15-02-2005
Re: Dr Joe Ehrlich - Anonymous - 15-02-2005
I totally agree with Larry and the subsequent contributions and hasten to point out that I mentioned that Dr Joe only did some development with the split single, for his own EMCs.
Now I do support Larry's remarks about Walter Kaaden. His theories and positive development on the gas Harmonics now found to be so critical for IC engines, particularly two-strokes, have enabled them to give out their best. Pity we did not have reed valves and variable exhaust port valves around then. My 1951 CycleMaster has a neat little rotary induction valve.
Variable length exhaust pipes and wider use of fuel injection may help to keep the two-strokes in fashion a bit longer.
Re: Dr Joe Ehrlich - Anonymous - 15-02-2005
dr joe always reminded me of a cross between magnus pike and albert einstein, a great eccentric. love him or hate him, that 2nd place for andy watts in the 250 gp at silverstone 1984 was a cracker.
ade!
Re: Dr Joe Ehrlich - Anonymous - 15-02-2005
He was definately an excentric, I heard that he always carried a case of champagne in the boot of his car. He one rang me asking me to ride his single 125 EMC in the british GP, back in late 80s. I made a few enquiries to various people, all of whom told me to stay clear of him. They all said yes, he will let you ride the bike then after present you with a massive invoice. So I took notice and declined the ride.
Re: Dr Joe Ehrlich - Anonymous - 16-02-2005
Eh Lad Garry, I thought you'd be used to that sort of treatment, you being from Yorkshire!!! ;-0
Oh how times have changed though, riders used to ride the bike then get the bill, nowadays you need a few hundred grand just to get to sit on a bike in a gp.
Re: Dr Joe Ehrlich - Anonymous - 16-02-2005
Yes Nick you presume correctly I have sent you an e-mail.
What have you got in mind ? because I'm about to commit to buying something.
Re: Dr Joe Ehrlich - Anonymous - 16-02-2005
We were friendly with Alex Bedford and he pretty much said that Dr Joe wouldn't let him touch the bike at all, when he was riding it in GP's in 1989. He also said that Erlich was convinced his bike was a GP winner. Alex was arguably the finest 125cc British rider in the 80's but only scored one point all season. However, when he went to Thruston for a British Supercup round he left the field for dead by about 10 seconds - all beacuse Dr Joe wasn't at the meeting so Alex changed the bike to the way he wanted it!
Re: Dr Joe Ehrlich - Anonymous - 16-02-2005
alex bedford working on his own bike? naaaaaaaaaaaaaah! alex used to hate working on his bikes. i think it was about 84 in a european 125 round, alex was late on the grid. when asked why he was late he answered that "he didn't really like working on motorbikes and when they came to roll out for the race the clutch was hanging off. should have done it the night before" ha - he still won the race though [ i think, brain aint what it was ]. i know gary noel won the 250 race [with a big piece of grit in one eye that drove him mad] on the exactweld bike. pretty good weekend that.
ade!
Re: Dr Joe Ehrlich - Anonymous - 16-02-2005
Ade, you can learn a lot in 5 years! It might not have been Alex himself but he knew what needed doing and they got the job done - I even did an interview with him for my school newspaper!
Re: Dr Joe Ehrlich - Anonymous - 17-02-2005
hey phil, i'm not knocking alex - something i'd never do. the lad was a genius on a 125 and like you say the best racer in that class of the 80's. remember the brands episode? fell off, got up, straightened front forks, got back on, set off after rest of field, won race? magic.
cheers, ade!
Re: Dr Joe Ehrlich - Anonymous - 18-02-2005
I remember the British 125 GP at Donnington in 198?? He was lying in a comfortable 2nd place with only a few laps to go, when the rear sprocket bolts sheared at the top of Craner curves. Gutted.
Top rider, just needed the opening.
Re: Dr Joe Ehrlich - Anonymous - 18-02-2005
must have been 87 or after, that was the first gp at donno.
ade!