Dover Drag Bike Found

[dinoKeymaster]

Hello, I am Tom Keroski. . I recently purchased a Harley Sportster drag bike that supposedly ran at Dover and the Valley. Interested in finding out some history. The bike is called “Still Water ( River?) Express” and might have been owned by Jim Reiling and raced late 60″s early 70″s. He may have been from the New Milford Ct. area. Attached is a pic as purchased. I have put a motor in it and mocked it up to look as raced. Thank you for any info. I always vend at the Valley swap meets and will be at the reunion. Thank you for any info. Tom.

…………Hey Chris…Any Info ?

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[vbobParticipant]

HEY

Nice find Tom!
Good luck with finding out the bikes past and its Dover Drag Strip racing history !

‘V’

[mlerouxParticipant]

😀 😀 😀 ,,, Hi Tom , I sometimes go to breakfast with some New Milford guys at the Wind Mill Diner on Thursday’s I will ask ,,, Mike [ Ray ] Leroux ,,, 🙂 🙂 🙂

[fastlane]

HI GUYS ! YES TOM AND DINO I DO KNOW AND REMEMBER JIMMY LAST NAME PRONOUCED REALING WAS FROM THE LOWER FAIRFIELD COUNTY AREA HE WORKED AT SCHENTNIGERS ? HARLEY -DAVIDSON IN BRIDGEPORT CONN IN THE LATE 60’S EARLY 70’S HIS NICKNAME WAS ” TOOTHBRUSH ” 😆 LAST TIME I SAW JIM WAS IN THE 80’S HE WAS WORKING AT MANIS HARLEY-DAVIDSON IN NORWALK CONN . I MET HIS BROTHER BOBBY JUST A FEW YEARS AGO MAYBE 2 OR 3 AT THE TOYMAKERS CAFE IN FALLS VILLAGE WHERE DENNY JACOBS GARAGE IS JUST NORTH OF LIME ROCK PARK AND AS WE SPOKE ABOUT JIM I TOLD BOBBY I HAD A PHOTO OF HIS / THERE FATHER WITH A OLD HARLEY TOPPER SCOOTER WITH A SIDECAR FROM A MDA RIDE AT MANIS H-D IN 1982 NOTE ” SEE PHOTO ATTACHED ” I BELIEVE JIM IS STILL ALIVE AND LIVING UP IN NEW HAMPSHIRE SOMEWHERE. I NEVER SAW THIS BIKE BUT IF IT WAS HIS YES HE PROBABLY DID RACE IT AT DOVER AND AT THE VALLEY WITH OTHER GUYS FROM WATERBURY LIKE BOB FERNANDEZ AND WAS FRIENDS WITH BIG JIM McCAULEY FROM BEACON FALLS R.I.P. 😎 NICE TO SEE THE / HIS OLD IRONHEAD SPORTSTER CHASSIS / BIKE AGAIN SO WAS THERE A MOTOR WITH THIS BIKE ? I AM SURE I WAS PROBABLY WAS A 900 C.C. STOKER LOOKING AT THE CLASS DESIGNATION C/M WHICH WAS / MEANS IT’S A C/ MODIFIED CLASS MACHINE THE HIGHER THE NUMBER THE FASTER THEY WERE JUST LIKE THE OLD MODIFIED ELIMINATOR CLASS CARS 😀

[vbobParticipant]

Hey

Good info Chris as you always come through!
I talked to Tom K. last Sunday at the Thomaston car show and he might bring the bike to the DDS Race!
OH, Tom lives just down the road in Oakville!
‘V’

[da-ratzazz]

Hello Chris, Thank you for your reply. No 900 stroker with the purchase, just the rolling frame as shown. I put a 58 XL motor in it and tried to show it as I think it might have looked. Trying to keep it period correct. A few more small things to do. I have not tried to start it yet. It will be at the reunion. If you attend stop by and say hello. Thank you again, Tom.

[fastlane]

HI TOM. YES A GOOD FRIEND OF MINE DR. JOE MICELI FROM DARIEN ACTUALLY MY DENTIST SAID JIMMY REALINGS BIKE WAS A REAL ASS KICKER HE RAN 11.90’S WITH A STOCK STROKE 900 C.C. / 55 CI ONLY TRICKED OUT ENGINE WITH CLOSE TRANSMISSION RATIO GEARS IN IT AND HE WAS A VERY SMALL GUY / LIGHT RIDER WHICH ALWAYS HELPS . I WILL BE AT LEBANON NEXT WEEKEND. I RESTORED AND FINISHED A LAYDOWN 70’S BORIS MURRAY CHASSIS BIKE 2 YEARS AGO IN THE SUMMER 2014 AND WENT THERE IN TO THE DOVER DRAGS IN AUGUST TO RACE BUT HAD PROBLEMS AT MY FIRST OUTTING. BUT 2 RACE EVENTS LATER I WENT AT ATCO RACEWAY IN SOUTH JERSEY AND RAN THE MONEY BRACKET AND GOT A RUNNERUP FINISH TURNED OUT TO BE MAGNETO / IGNITION PROBLEM . SEE YOU THERE !

[Bob ReilingParticipant]

Tom, a little late, but I drove that drag bike from 1970-1972 at Lebanon. Brother Jim ended up with it in 1973.CM 325 when I drove it in AMDRA class. Get back to me , I can tell you some stories!

[Author]

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