More important, who was the first guy to survive it? :D

nope.

best interview ever: this guy said he would set his knee down, get the bike balance on the three points, (two wheels and his knee), and simply floor it. the rear wheel would spin up. he found drifting around the corners the fastest way. the other riders couldnt figure out he was doing it. awesome story.

opps.

it was Freddie Spencer.

Tankslapper just did in a guy from work. Hit the wall, turn 7 Mission raceways.
Left 2 kids and a wife behind.
Buddy #2 just got life support unplugged at Harborview in Seattle. Left turner.
Not a good week for motorcycles around here.
Ride safe.

kenny roberts invented the knee slider technique....it was even talked about in "twist the throttle" at lenghth

...and that's why that corner is nicknamed 'the b**ch."

What's odd about his crash is that he didn't roll off the throttle when the back end started to come around and he actually spun the thing out. I've never seen anybody do that before, in that corner....give him some style points.

JR

damn! you may be right! didnt both those guys go back and forth in competition?

wasn't McCoy the one that started drifting/backing it in first?

Roberts was nearing the end when Spencer came in...he really perfected what Roberts started...then Rainey took that to an even higher level. Rainey was the on course to be the greatest of all(till Rossi) until his accident in the Italian GP at Mugello in 93(i think 93)

one of the first, certainly the most spectacular. Get "Faster" on dvd, he is on it alot....all these guys are, it gives the end of the 500's and the start of the motogp in great detail.