Trail Rider Magazine

34 Trail Rider www.TrailRider.com Vintage Feature Vintage Feature 1977 Can-Am 175 Qualifier 1977 Can-Am 175 Qualifier By Kurt Flachbart By Kurt Flachbart This month's vintage feature is a trip back in me to my "glory days", the seasons of 1977 to '79. It was throughout those three years that your editor Kurt logged the most miles of his riding career. During this fun me, I wrenched and rode with a cool dude named Al Driver. Al had bought a new 1977 Can-Am 175 Qualifier from G&G Cycles in Salisbury, MA and I had just purchased a new Yamaha IT175. During those three years, Al and I racked up a bit over 10,000 miles running around New England. Those years were just so simple. We'd ride our dirt bikes to school, cu ng through every trail sec on we could find on the way. When class got out, we'd ride deep into the night, relying on the minimal ligh ng the bikes provided to find our way home. Man, what I wouldn't give for another summer of that nonsense! As for my buddy Al's Can-Am, it was a stunning piece. Bright shiny red tank and fenders with stylish 70s decals. Serious enduro equipment was standard. The cowhide tool bag gave it that all-business look. My most vivid memories were of the interes ng sound Al's Can-Am made. The rotary valve motor made a whirring sound; the cylinder fins were stuffed with rubber to dampen the piston ringing and the silencer actually silenced the exhaust — very different from the noisy Yamaha I was aboard. No doubt Al's Can-Am was the start of a mild obsession with that iconic but odd brand from Canada. Half a dozen years ago during a weak a empt at trying to recreate my youth, I built a '79 Yamaha IT175 for the upcoming NETRA Vintage Scrambles season. It was a project I thoroughly enjoyed. I spent many months scouring the Internet looking for all the trick parts I had added to the bike as a kid. During this build, I'd think back to the days of ripping power lines and all the events Al and I ran together back in the day. Being somewhat of a bike hoarder, I started to casually search for a '77 Qualifier just like my buddy Al once had. Over the years, I've owned many Can Am's. Lots of TNTs Qualifiers and MXs. In recent years, later 80s 'Hams have taken space in the shop. The '77 Qualifier had always proved to be elusive. They made quite a few, but like so many compe on bikes of the day, they got hammered to death and eventually were scrapped. The hunt had dwindled while other priori es took place, but I s ll occasionally searched Marketplace and local Craigslist lis ngs in hopes of finding a red '77 Qualifier to fill the hole in my life.

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