Oh man. I’d love to see Suzuki partner with Pepsi again. What an iconic bike. I think a new Pepsi Suzuki might be the only colors I’d like more than the current bike.

This video is amazing. Kevin Schwantz showboats and pulls wheelies not after winning but on the last damn lap!!! I love the sound of that two stroke engine as it screams by. It gets my heart pumping!

What a great interview at the end.




Link to original video: https://youtu.be/NqlMYf6md_8

In my opinion, the late 80's to early/mid 90's was the pinnacle of Superbike and Moto GP racing.

This thread has me itching to get another bike (been without for 20 years now).

quote:

Originally posted by mo4040:

This thread has me itching to get another bike (been without for 20 years now).

Go for it, but how do you decide which one?

My biggest regret was missing out on a tastefully modded RD400.

I’m definitely going to get this new GSX-R but one day I do hope I find a nice RD. My friend restored a basket case and let me take it for a spin around Chesapeake Virginia a few years ago. It was some of the most fun I’ve ever had on two wheels. That engine came alive in the high rpms and screamed. There is nothing quite like a street legal two stroke motorcycle.

Lean how those fighter pilots breathe you need it with that bike, I got blackout by my bus a few time on a extreme pull know that I am too old for that crap, so the bus is gone still have the single R. Stay safe.

quote:

Originally posted by stickman428:
My biggest regret was missing out on a tastefully modded RD400.....

We all have our regrets stickman. One of mine was selling a completely stock, pristine RZ350 which I bought with 1,100 miles on it for $1,600. I sold it 2 years later still stock (as pictured) for $2,500 with 2,800 miles on it. Stupid, stupid.... but oh well.

Kevin Schwantz is a great dude. Club racing in Texas in the early 80's was strong.

I rode to the track and removed/ taped lights and he showed up in a big bucks trailer. I got a lot of experience following him through corners as he passed me a lot...

The only race he didn't pass me multiple times was one time in the rain. He only passed me once near the end. He came over and talked to me and said rain equalized equipment and showed real skills. I was impressed by how down to earth he was...

A couple of years later I was still a restaurant manager while he raced around the world.

Oh man. It’s gorgeous. I’d love to take that baby for a blast out to the country. That thing is a CLASSIC!!! Two strokes are so much fun. The smell, sound, power delivery and all that delicious blue smoke is just addictive. I love it.

mark_a, thats awesome! From the videos I’ve watched he seems like a super cool dude. That’s wild that you ride with him! VERY COOL!

Club racing in Central Tx was strong early to mid 80's. Freddy Spencer, Kevin, And Britt Turkington. There was another guy who fought tooth and nail with Kevin. I can't remember his name but he went pro as well.

quote:

Kevin Schwantz is a great dude. Club racing in Texas in the early 80's was strong....
...The only race he didn't pass me multiple times was one time in the rain. He only passed me once near the end....

This speaks wonders of your riding skill Mark, especially in the rain!

The club racing may have been strong then but now, it’s hard to find even a track day. I recently bought the 675R just to go to track and then I learned that ridesmart really pulled back on track days in Cresson. Very disappointed. And that’s before corona.

Not maybe a lot of skill, just no fear of slipping sideways. Grew up riding and racing dirt bikes. Best life skills I could ever learn. Knowing how to shift, listed to engines, repair flooded motors when bravado overtook talent. I learned a ton from Motorcycles. Fortunate enough to do so at a time when there were a lot less cars on the road.

Getting sideways on bikes or cars in the rain was a common occurrence. It was a long time before I could afford good tires on a car. I used to buy used retreads...

Many years and many pounds ago...