| B.
N. G. Spagthorpe: Feral Flea |
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| Lord Julian Spagthorpe, inspired and perturbed by Mike the Bike's resounding success in the '66 season, charged the Spagthorpe Ferret Works in Ipswitch on the Halfshell with making a World Beater for the '68 season. This bike was indeed smaller, less popular, and certainly not as successful as the Honda. The project name was Feral Flea. It was a 125cc (124.5cc), eight cylinder (15.563cc each), 40 valve, QOHC, 55BHP @ 38,000rpm, 212 lb dry, 154mph, marvel. With a bore of 1.57 cm and a stroke of 1.24 cm, this dual-square-four (quad cranked) engine was a technological marvel. Unfortunately, immediated after the conclusion of the first test run, the entire outfit, including the test rider, Caso Di Gorgonzola, was eaten by a pack of dogs drawn by the ultra-sonic whistling of the exhaust note. The only known photograph reveals only the handlebars protruding above the rabid, frenzied, pack. All that remained were the soles of Sr. Gorgonzola's boots, which were delivered to his grieving widow personally by Lord Julian. (She later went on to become the second Lady Spagthorpe... but that's a subject for another newsgroup.) |
