Think you're a hot motorcyle rider?

pwd72s · 07:13 PM

Back in the 70's, 1975, Cindy & I decided to take a run in the old 911S. So, we took off. On our return from Portland, we passed a Van, "Canadian Team Yamaha" painted on the side. I started a bit of BS on the CB...we pulled into a rest area, Cindy jumped into the van, and a guy jumped into the 911S...boy, was I going to show this motorcyle guy some Porsche speed...and I did, showed him Porsche speed. The next Sunday, as I was in the driveway, washing the car, Cindy yelled to me: "You gotta come in here...somebody we met is on ABC's wide world of sports!"
Tonight, Cindy did a google search. Yep, this is the guy...even then, he walked with a limp. I asked why. The answer? "I fell off once."

So, if any of you meet this guy in the future? Ask him if he remembers a short run South on I-5 in Oregon as a passenger in a green Porsche...he probably will. The funny thing? At the time, I didn't have a clue that I was giving the motorcyle world's equal to Mario Andretti a ride in a 911S...

http://home.ama-cycle.org/forms/museum/hofbiopage.asp?id=21

Joeaksa · 05-28-2005, 07:44 PM

Neat story! Funny how life goes at times...

JoeA

pwd72s · 05-28-2005, 08:53 PM

Yeah. How dumb I was...thinking I'd show this guy "fast".... My only excuse is that I didn't have a clue...not a clue.

Rufblackbird · 05-28-2005, 09:18 PM

no idea who he is, but that's a really cool story!!

pwd72s · 09:29 PM

Jeff, did you click on the link???? Who's Steve Baker???? I mean, who's Phil Hill? He & Steve Baker have something in common..both the first americans to win a world championship in their areas of motorsports...

"Steve Baker was the first American to win a road racing world championship — the Formula 750 Series in 1977. " -AMA hall of fame info

Fishcop · Fishcop's Garage

Mick Doohan was allegedly once pulled over by a copper for pulling a wheelstand on a street bike.... The Old Sergeant said something like "You're not some world champion bike racer, behave yourself." I thought that was pretty funny

M.D. Holloway · 05-28-2005, 10:07 PM

Quote:

Originally posted by pwd72s
Back in the 70's...Cindy jumped into the van...http://home.ama-cycle.org/forms/museum/hofbiopage.asp?id=21

Set the stage - hottest guy on two wheels, mid 70's, left coast, Cindy's a hottie, your open minded. There is a van involved.

just bust'n ya.

Did he say anything about the car? Was he impressed? Did he show you any deathdefying triats other than taking your woman into his van?

Rufblackbird · 05-28-2005, 11:47 PM

Quote:

Originally posted by pwd72s
Jeff, did you click on the link???? Who's Steve Baker???? I mean, who's Phil Hill? He & Steve Baker have something in common..both the first americans to win a world championship in their areas of motorsports...

"Steve Baker was the first American to win a road racing world championship — the Formula 750 Series in 1977. " -AMA hall of fame info

yup, clicked on the link and read some of his accomplishments but not all. Phil Hill I know since I've been reading car mags for years. I'm just a newbie in the world of motorcycles. Never heard of him until now

addictionMS · addictionMS's Garage

knew a guy once who took his date out for a fun run in the hills around the bay area, CA, and asked her what she thought. Said it was fun, guy said yea, I race (an RX3 in NASA), she said my last boy firend raced as well, guy said oh, who is he maybe I know if, she said Jimmy Vasser.

went to a halloween party of a neighbor, dress up optional, we did not have time to really do it right, so last minute options were to nothing, or wear my driving suit and go as a race car driver, opted for normal dress. Arrive at the house and see lots of car pictures, everywhere, even in the living room, so I figure this guy is a car nut for sure. finally put two and two together, and realize Jan and Steve, were Jan and Steve Dinan of the BMW Dinan's. Sure glad I did not wear the driving suit, what a jack ass I would have looked like, most of the guests were Dinan employees.

Jim

Steve Carlton · 05-29-2005, 06:06 AM

I showed up in a full Halloween costume for a party on the wrong day once.

350HP930 · 05-29-2005, 11:10 AM

If your 911 was well sorted it was probably faster in the twisties than any motorcycle could be.

Steve Carlton · 05-29-2005, 07:04 PM

Maybe true then, but not now. There was an article (I believe) in Motorcyclist with Kevin Schwantz piloting a Corvette Z06 and a GSX-R1000. IIRC, in the corners it was a toss up, but in the straights the Suzuki had the advantage.

I came up behind a Dodge Neon on a twisty road, and it was all I could do to keep on his tail, although the way the car was pitching, he wasn't far from completely losing it. But it made me realize it wouldn't be easy to ditch, say a cop in the twisties. In the straights motorcycles usually have the advantage.

pwd72s · 07:44 PM

Quote:

Originally posted by LubeMaster77
Set the stage - hottest guy on two wheels, mid 70's, left coast, Cindy's a hottie, your open minded. There is a van involved.

just bust'n ya.

Did he say anything about the car? Was he impressed? Did he show you any deathdefying triats other than taking your woman into his van?

HOOT! Naw, no sex involved...Both Van & 911 pulled into one freeway rest area, Cindy rode with the tuner in the Van, I gave Steve a 911 ride. Traffic was a lot less dense then than it is now...so, some 5th gear running at near redline happened. Cindy later told me of some of the CB chatter from other motorists. Hey, I don't do that anymore! Common sense has entered my life since then...We met back up in another rest area, the one before my exit, Steve Baker jumped back in his van...we wishing him well in Daytona. Last I'd ever seen or heard of the guy, until Cindy did the computer search. FWIW, a snail mail envelope will go out of here soon...a short note & a pic of the 911. Addressed to Steve Baker c/o his motorcyle dealership. Opening line: "Think back, think WAY back....1975..."
Yeah, he liked the car. Impressed? Not with it's speed capabilites, methinks, perhaps it's handling?...I mean, he finished the Daytona race in 2nd place that year...just behind Gene Romero, (?) if memory serves. Naw...it was me who didn't have a clue that night, not Steve Baker... Lube? No death defying traits... other than he did limp as we walked to the 2nd rest area urinals...that's when I got the "I fell off once" line. Fock! Now I learn he was recovering from a broken leg! One tough guy..no doubt.
Jeff? Hey, no problem...you weren't on the planet in 1975...how could you know, right?

jim72911t · 05-29-2005, 09:00 PM

Super story, as I grew up a HUGE Yamaha fan, but didn't really come of age until King Kenny was winning. I can't really tell from the B&W pics on the link, but it appears he was running the white and red of the ROW Yamahas at the time. To me, Yamahas have always been yellow and black, and are a bit of an inspiration for my '72 911 yellow coupe project.

Thanks for the memory jog,
Jim

pwd72s · 05-30-2005, 08:58 AM

Silly of me, I should have given a plug. Steve Baker Kawasaki/Suzuki is in Bellingham, Washington. Mention the P-car connection from 30 years ago, and I'm sure you'd get a great deal on a new bike.

speeder · 09:26 AM

Quote:

Originally posted by Steve Carlton
Maybe true then, but not now. There was an article (I believe) in Motorcyclist with Kevin Schwantz piloting a Corvette Z06 and a GSX-R1000. IIRC, in the corners it was a toss up, but in the straights the Suzuki had the advantage.

You would need a fighter jet to out-accellerate a GSX-R in the straights. Bikes these days are insanely fast. It used to be a closer match in the '70s, a guy in Minneapolis when I was a kid who is a major car collector had an LS-6 and LS-7 Corvette, (427 & 454, aluminum open chamber heads, 500+ HP, etc..), one of his employees had a Z-1 Kawasaki 900, stock but running good. They took them out on a deserted country highway on a weekend for some high-speed bet settling and the Corvettes walked all over the bike from what I heard. (That was the fastest thing on 2 wheels at the time).

Steve Carlton · 05-30-2005, 01:32 PM

Yeah, Z-1s are pokey by today's standards. Bikes can't get too much faster, they're already doing 3rd gear wheelies at 100mph...

Here's a video of an R1 vs Porsche.

350HP930 · 05-30-2005, 01:50 PM

With the exception of some of the liter plus superbikes, most fast cars can out accelerate a sportsbike at triple didgit speeds.

At that point it becomes the battle of HP -vs- drag where a motorcycle has less advantage.

Back when my 930 was in tip top shape I left many a motorcycle rider in my dust.

klaucke · 05-30-2005, 03:26 PM

Not to turn this into another bike vs. car debate, but I generally think it is easier to drive a car at 9/10 than it is to ride a bike at 9/10. Granted, I've seen idiot drivers do 9/10 with both vehicles, but the bike comes with far greater consequences. While some cars may be able to out accelerate bikes at 100+ mph speeds, the bike likely has a higher top speed (175+ for late model liters) and can stay on the gas longer before braking later. Not to mention the shear acceleration advantage at lower speeds.

Some cars are fast. Many bikes are faster.

speeder · 05-30-2005, 05:44 PM

If you're simply talking top speed, cars are one hell of a lot faster than they used to be. Any stock 996 is good for ~175mph, turbos are 190mph. I would imagine that 997s are at least that.

It is more of a case of which vehicle actually accelerates quickly in that range. Top end is sort of theoretical for a lot of cars, it takes so long to get there.