They Called Them Superbikes...

[Skowinski]

Good stuff guys! I used to go see bikes like these race at Road Atlanta back in the day. So cool!

I know it's not a race bike, but as a tribute to Wes Cooley and Pops Yoshimura here's my 1979 GS1000S, I've had it since buying it new in 79. Went totally through it a few years ago, frame up rebuild. You could ride it anywhere as it sits.

[scottcolbath]

Great thread.

Here's some pics from my time at Loudon from 1980-1984.

The only race pic I have scanned. I'll have to scan more and post them up.



Some other action from camping at the track.











S.C.

[BOOTLACE]

Originally Posted by Skowinski

Good stuff guys! I used to go see bikes like these race at Road Atlanta back in the day. So cool!

I know it's not a race bike, but as a tribute to Wes Cooley and Pops Yoshimura here's my 1979 GS1000S, I've had it since buying it new in 79. Went totally through it a few years ago, frame up rebuild. You could ride it anywhere as it sits.

And is that a familliar Yamaha there in the back?
(Hows the goat? )

[Chuckracer]

Originally Posted by Pantah

That race was the end of the 'National'. It was Pro Thunder, which really was a deep undercard. I mean the top guys were mostly club champs. Bob Bahre stood up there in the heat of the boycott and offered $25 thousand dollars to the winner of that race. The guy's who imagined themselves as professionals stayed in the garages out of peer shit. What a joke. The truth is that with the exception of maybe 3 riders, they were all grid fillers. None of them ever made their mark as a motorcycle racer.

A local kid by the name of Chris Arbor won that race. He rode his Dad's Duc 748 street bike out of Riverside Kawasaki in Somerville. It was quickly converted for the Pro Thunder opportunity, since his dad was a tuner in the shop. Chris normally rode an R6 in club races.

Maybe 20 starters took the grid. It was one of the most remarkable races I have ever seen in my life. The Arbor kid wanted that $25k and won it going away in driving rain. He crashed 3 times and picked up. It was freakin' awesome! To this day, I love Chris Arbor and I've never even met him. He left the sport after his masterpiece. But he made his mark on me!

This is a picture of the front row before the start of that race. I was working for the rider on the 21 bike, Tom Hull out of Arizona. He finished a distant third having never raced in the rain before...that don't happen in Arizona!



He was having fun down the front straight:




OK, sorry for the hijack and back to the Superbikes!

[Drif10]

Originally Posted by scottcolbath

Great thread.

Here's some pics from my time at Loudon from 1980-1984.

The only race pic I have scanned. I'll have to scan more and post them up.

Turn 8, if I'm not mistaken. Late in its life, there was a wicked pavement crack that the cars opened up, and kept re-opening despite all attempts to repair it. It was at a 30 degree angle to the racing line, would swallow a front tire, didn't see it until you were in it.

Fun.

[xtop20A]

i had they honor to help in building this bike,had to add weight to make the spec
R.I.P. WOO

[RedRocket]

[scottcolbath]

Originally Posted by Drif10

Turn 8, if I'm not mistaken. Late in its life, there was a wicked pavement crack that the cars opened up, and kept re-opening despite all attempts to repair it. It was at a 30 degree angle to the racing line, would swallow a front tire, didn't see it until you were in it.

Fun.

That was actually around turn 4 or 5, by the pond.

Nonetheless, great times.

S.C.

[Dick]

Originally Posted by KAdriver

This a friend of mine, Ron McGill

The scanner didn't do these photos justice


Pete Johnson not Ron aboard the Guzzi

the tall skinny to Manfred's left is dick

[AngryShawn]

Awesome thread, thanks to all those who have contributed!
I grew up hanging around Sears Point and loved watching the superbike races, these bikes are some of my favorites of all time, along with the 500cc 2T GP bikes that is

[slojon]

Australia and New Zealand had some of the best. I can still watching Graham Grosby going across Skyline at the Easter races at Bathurst in 1976/7 not sure which. He was on the back wheel every time on a Z1. Now Bathurst won't mean much to those from places other than Australia and since there haven't been bike races there since the late 70's or 80's it won't be familar to some Australians either. There is a Youtube clip of a lap of the circuit somewhere. They ran the 750/700 Yamaha and 500 Suzuki's there too. Warren Willing is someone you yanks would know. Gregg Hansford was great on the Kawasaki.
Robbie Phillis still competes in races for 70 superbikes and he is faster now than he ever was. Great to watch at the MotoGP and Supers.
I had a neighbour, lovely bloke, Neil Robinson who raced Doohan in Australia and Doohan never beat him. He gave me a poster which I am going to try to post that you should like. It lives above my bike. Neal is on bike 12 at the front.

[UngaWunga]

Have I posted this before?

http://www.race-uscra.com/Other/Loudon1980s/

[brents347]

Unga, who was this Kal-Gard lubricants team/rider? I remember them fairly well and want to say that they were the U.S. champs for like ten years straight. Anyone remember the names?

[UngaWunga]

no idea, not my pictures. Heck, I was 10 when those were taken...

[Pantah]

Originally Posted by UngaWunga

no idea, not my pictures. Heck, I was 10 when those were taken...

Great pics. The old Loudon was pretty scruffy. I like the knee sliders...