I grew up in the shadow of a father that raced and enjoyed fast street
cars including a couple Tigers and a CSX3200 series Cobra. I inherited
the speed and acceleration itch but could never really scratch it since
he knew damn well I would kill myself with a fast car. All that changed
the first time I threw a leg over a friend's Honda 305 Superhawk and I
haven't looked back since. The Old Man gave in when I got a dirt bike, a
CZ 250 Twinport, and I started riding and racing motocross. I managed to
wrangle a Suzuki 500 Titan, then a Norton Commando for the street, none
of which the old man was the wiser, my employment in a bike shop after
school didn't hurt the cause.
Well, after 40 years and many fast cars and motorbikes, I can say there
is still nothing like the bang you get from riding a fast sportbike on
the track. Rolling the throttle on at the apex, the bike lifts off your
knee and straightens as the rear tire hooks up to unleash 180 horsepower
and you explode out of the keyhole at Mid-Ohio. Snapping through the
gears at full throttle you touch 170 or so on the long back straight as
you hit 13 grand in sixth gear before reining it in for turn seven, all
the while trying to keep three other riders from taking your line and
stuffing you into the China Beach runoff. I had several friends who upon
returning from Vietnam took up bike racing, all said it was the closest
adrenaline high they could get after experiencing being in a fire fight.
I believed them.
Although my racing days are long passed, I still do a couple track days
a year at Mid-Ohio, Nelsons Ledges and Beaverun. Yes, my stroker Tigers
and ZR-1 are great fun, but when it comes to answering The Need For
Speed, nothing can get you there like a wicked fast sportbike!
Bugz
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