Textbook Bob 'Hurricane' Hannah circa 1977
Before Tomac and Ned, before LeMond and Big Mig, there was Bob Hannah. For a young lad obsessed with motorcycles as well as bicycles, the ‘Hurricane’ was the epitome of style on a bike. His bright yellow Yamaha YZs and matching head-to-toe kit set the bar and inspired me to emulate not only his style on the bike, but off it too. If only I could sport those long, flowing blonde locks now…
Motocross in the 70s and 80s was somewhat how mountain biking in the 90s was. The technology stepped up rapidly, with suspension travel and shock design developments allowing the bikes to corner as well as go like a bat out of hell on the straights. From my first bike, a YZ80B (yellow of course) with its twin coil shocks, drum brakes and steel frame tank to my last one, a Kawasaki KDX250 with Uni-Trak suspension, alloy frame and disc brakes, the difference in performance was more night and day than the 10 or 15 years it actually was. The same could even be said with road bike technology from as recently as the late 90s/early 2000s.
Just as Tomac brought style, flair and function to mountain biking with his fast and flowy riding, skin suits, disc wheels and custom painted helmets, so too did Hannah with plastic boots, body armour and his own range of kit and products. And like Tomac, he could back it up on the track. Every photo in every mag I saw, he just looked fantastic; head always in the perfect position, leg extended in the berms, a bit of turn bar over the jumps. I’d try and ride my YZ and my 20″ Dragster the same way.
Today, there’s a lot of crossover between moto athletes and mountain biking and BMX. The moto helps develop confidence at speed and in the air for most of the top downhillers, and the fitness that comes from pedalling is embraced by many motocross stars. My formative years on two wheels were shaped by a healthy mix of the two, and while I haven’t kicked over a two-stroke for a long time, the skills learned and the parallels between infernal combustion power and legs and lungs still resonates. But mainly it’s just cool to look back at photos of a golden era.
How many here have a moto background, or still ride?
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You have one here in Atlanta....
Not me... Never been on a motor cycle, although I think to myself "holy batman, most of the thrill of a bike, a ton more speed and quickness, and none of the effort- I'd probably kill myself.
Grew up riding dirt bikes in the 70s. Huge advantage riding MTB now. Was relatively fearless until a few big MTB crashes.
@therealpeel
Had a mini bike as a kid for about 2 weeks until a neighbor kid tried to remove his lower leg in a crash on it. That pretty much cinched it for me. Riding at 45km/hr through corners in a crit with a styrofoam hat and a bit of Lycra for protection seems WAY safer, ironically.
Not me but my brother in law grew up motocrossing -- on vintage bikes, ironically, primarily a CZ. He has fantastic bike handling skills on the road, MTB or BMX. Makes hard stuff look easy.
Any relation to Tracey or Mick?
@Ccos
No motos of any sort for me. My grandfather sold life insurance, so I had the fear of actuarial tables drilled into me. Now, I bomb down descents on my road bike at 80+ km/h. Way safer indeed.
I learn't to ride motorbikes off road in the late 80s at school. We had a bunch of knackered old bikes a DT200, a Suzuki TS125, etc. The pride and joy was a Maico 500 (could have been a 490). I couldn't reach the ground and reach the clutch lever (the front brake was a bit bent so that wasn't so much of a problem). Absolutely fucking frightening evil bastard of a thing but I'd never turn down a chance to ride it.
That off road stuff saved me a good few times when I left school and end up working as a motorbike courier in London.
Every now and then there a little voice that tells me it'd be a good idea to get another one (a bit tamer maybe) but it isn't too hard to remind myself that motos are responsible for a lot of the scar tissue in my left knee.
Love road machines Brett, English, German or Italian. But never went off road. Riding one or both gives back to cycling. Off road - bike handling, on road - road awareness.
Before I lose it I'd like to make a track day on 1000cc's... And if there is one event that turns me on like no other it's the Isle of Man TT!
@Chris
At school? What kind of fun school did you go to, FFS?
@Rob
I was just watching this years Isle of Man TT. jesus, sure death right there. At least in Moto GP when you come off the bike at 160km/hr one slides to a stop, eventually. At Isle of Man, it's death by house, stone wall, fence, curb, sheep. I'd be dead in a half lap.