eddd Posted December 18, 2016 Share Posted December 18, 2016 This video is from 1985 at Laguna Seca. These are only 500cc bikes with crazy power, and only the rider's skill to keep it under control. At first you might think the wheelies down the straight and other places were a bit of showing off, but wheelies happen when you have that much power on tap and no wiz-bang electronics to take over. Link Lots of power wheelie examples starting at the 2:10 mark if you want to jump ahead. Kenny Rodgers is #2 btw. Link to comment
temesvar Posted December 18, 2016 Share Posted December 18, 2016 This video is from 1985 at Laguna Seca. These are only 500cc bikes with crazy power, and only the rider's skill to keep it under control. At first you might think the wheelies down the straight and other places were a bit of showing off, but wheelies happen when you have that much power on tap and no wiz-bang electronics to take over. Link Lots of power wheelie examples starting at the 2:10 mark if you want to jump ahead. Kenny Rodgers is #2 btw. Kenny Roberts was the king of those days, Kenny Rogers is still a great musician, although he was/is riding a bike! Link to comment
eddd Posted December 18, 2016 Author Share Posted December 18, 2016 Kenny Roberts was the king of those days, Kenny Rogers is still a great musician, although he was/is riding a bike! Rogers will always be known as the gambler, but I'd say Roberts was the one who took way more gambles. . Link to comment
JWMcDonald Posted December 18, 2016 Share Posted December 18, 2016 No, the wheelies were for show and the crowd - when it got down to serious racing, the quickest way around the track is not with wheelies... Link to comment
T.M. Roe Posted December 18, 2016 Share Posted December 18, 2016 This puts into perspective just how fast 500cc GP bikes were. Link to comment
walton66 Posted December 18, 2016 Share Posted December 18, 2016 that was pretty impressive Link to comment
eddd Posted December 18, 2016 Author Share Posted December 18, 2016 No, the wheelies were for show and the crowd - when it got down to serious racing, the quickest way around the track is not with wheelies... They are pulling wheelies way too often in this race for it to be just for show. Those wheels in the air are the result of physics, not showmanship. Link to comment
Danny caddyshack Noonan Posted December 18, 2016 Share Posted December 18, 2016 Still prefer the old track layout. Link to comment
SinNH Posted January 7, 2017 Share Posted January 7, 2017 500cc v-4 >200 hp <400 lbs light switch throttle Rossi said one word after he got off the 500 GP bike the first time, "F***" And he was world champion on the 250 at the time. When Bryar was a true motorcycle track, it was a blast watching those same riders drift through almost every curve, wheelies everywhere. Link to comment
Paul De Posted January 13, 2017 Share Posted January 13, 2017 For me KR will always be the King of Kings. those poor Euro racers never knew what hit-em when he showed up. But his all time beyond human skills were not demonstrated on the rode race courses, but in the dirt. His ultimate show of riding skills came with his TZ750 dirt track bike. Before the 500 F1 class Kenny was killing the completion on a TZ700(later 750cc). About the time the 500cc F!1 rules were put in place Yamaha got the idea to stuff the TZ750 into a flat tracker. And KR rode it, and won on it And then said Yamaha doesn't pay me enough to ride it. Harley used their influence and had it outlawed ASAP. A good thing as I think only 1 racer in a generation could ride such a beast without crashing. I saw the bike in the flesh as a teenager in the back of Dodge van...and about pissed my pants when I saw 4 the silencers around the rear tire of a dirt bike. Lord Hhve mercy! https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4CUzOeZ8W28 Link to comment
gordiet Posted January 13, 2017 Share Posted January 13, 2017 Let's not forget Steve Baker who whipped Kennys Axx many times. GT Link to comment
T.M. Roe Posted January 13, 2017 Share Posted January 13, 2017 For me KR will always be the King of Kings. those poor Euro racers never knew what hit-em when he showed up. But his all time beyond human skills were not demonstrated on the rode race courses, but in the dirt. His ultimate show of riding skills came with his TZ750 dirt track bike. Before the 500 F1 class Kenny was killing the completion on a TZ700(later 750cc). About the time the 500cc F!1 rules were put in place Yamaha got the idea to stuff the TZ750 into a flat tracker. And KR rode it, and won on it And then said Yamaha doesn't pay me enough to ride it. Harley used their influence and had it outlawed ASAP. A good thing as I think only 1 racer in a generation could ride such a beast without crashing. I saw the bike in the flesh as a teenager in the back of Dodge van...and about pissed my pants when I saw 4 the silencers around the rear tire of a dirt bike. Lord Hhve mercy! https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4CUzOeZ8W28 I was lucky enough to be at the San Jose Mile to see "that bike" in action back in 1975 and it was a sight (and sound) to behold. The closing rate at the end of the straights made the other bikes in the field look parked! Forgotten is the fact that there were other 2 strokes multis also competing that day. http://www.superbikeplanet.com/2013/Dec/131213verve.htm It was a great time to be a fan of American Flat Track. Link to comment
T.M. Roe Posted January 13, 2017 Share Posted January 13, 2017 Here is a great article about "The Bike". http://www.superbikeplanet.com/dontpaymeenuff.htm Link to comment
T.M. Roe Posted January 13, 2017 Share Posted January 13, 2017 Let's not forget Steve Baker who whipped Kennys Axx many times. GT Watched him race many times. Very fast! http://www.superbikeplanet.com/2012/nov/121114bakerfeature.htm Link to comment
Paul De Posted January 13, 2017 Share Posted January 13, 2017 No doubt about Steve B being one of the all time greats Link to comment
gordiet Posted January 13, 2017 Share Posted January 13, 2017 (edited) Steve and I did a little street racing back in the day. Just saw him awhile back and we both had a good laugh about it. GT Edited January 13, 2017 by gordiet Link to comment
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