Sunday, January 27, 2013

Seattle Dealer History

While researching early Triumph dealerships in Seattle I found myself yet again on the Jolly Rogers web site.

In the 50’s and 60’s, the man to beat (or more likely be beat by) at the Jolly Rogers track was Bob Budschat. Sponsored and employed by Dewey’s Cycle shop, he rode Triumph and BSA. It is said he could win a race in 2 seconds less time on his 200cc Triumph Cub than on his 500cc BSA. As a salesman, he made Dewey a ton of money, who always had his hand out for more.





Eventually he started his own shop north of Seattle selling Velocette, Norton and Ducati. Now find him retired in Monroe with his supporting wife.


I found more on Bob's shop here

The Budschat family owned a Ducati dealership in Seattle from 1959 to 1976. They were active in Ducati racing.  Bob’s son, Mike Budschat, still considers the trophy given to him in 1965 by the Ducati factory to be “my most prized treasure from that period.” In Mike’s estimation, among the finest of the Ducati engines of the era was the 450 Mark III Desmo. His father and Boeing engineer Dick Ahrens set about creating a limited run of four motocross bikes built around this street-going engine.



They spared no expense. Ahrens employed his engineering skills to design the frame, made of wafer-thin chromoly steel. The engine received an Imola race cam and the crank was modified, increasing the stroke to make the bike a 490cc. Today the bike retains all its original parts from the 1969 build, right down to the hollow front axle and aircraft-grade titanium bolts. It is astoundingly light, just over 250 pounds. Mike has raced it, and won, at current vintage motocross events around the Northwest.



6 comments:

Greatseymour said...

Budschat was my hero back in 58. In the 70's, I told him "Try to keep out of my way", but he lapped me before the race ended.

Greatseymour said...

Back in 58, Budschat was my hero. In the 70's, I told him "Try to keep out of my way" but he lapped me before the race ended.

BitMonkey said...

LOL. Great story. Thanks for posting.

Anonymous said...

My mon and Bob were first cousins; one month apart and often living under the same roof when small. There grandmother saved up enough money to buy a bicycle that was to be shared by seven grandchildren. Mom never got to ride because no one could get Bob off the bike. Guess he was meant to be a two wheels from the day he was born. Love from cousin Kiki and Barb

BitMonkey said...

Thanks for taking the time to comment, great story. My deepest sympathies to the Budschat family, Bob's memorial was today. I so will I could have met him. Race in peace Bob.

Unknown said...

I once rode with Bob in the 90's. Bonehead enduro. Bob rode a 250 mx duck as did one of his friends. At one point Bobs handle bar broke just at the triple tree clamp. Would have sent most of us to harp school. After crashing off the dirt road.he gathered himself and found a branch from a local tree. He mMcGivereda make shift handle bar, duct taped the broken bar to the branch and rode on.
Real story. Unbelievable. He was first back to the Snoqualmie Harley shop,

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