King Kenny on the TZ in the dirt [Archive]

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Crasherfromwayback

21st July 2009, 16:12

Sorry if it's a repost...couldn't be arsed checking!

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nj97mObeEyw&feature=related

Shaun

21st July 2009, 16:36

I watched so much of his shit on the TZ in the dirt, he sure has balls

Crasherfromwayback

21st July 2009, 16:42

I watched so much of his shit on the TZ in the dirt, he sure has balls

Having had the living shit scared out of my years ago when I was silly enough to swing on a TZ700 chair...I fully know how mental trying to ride one in the dirt was/is!

pete376403

21st July 2009, 17:37

He said of that bike 'You can't pay me enough to ride that thing"

Motu

21st July 2009, 17:42

I've probably posted that one several times,but no one seems to notice.He was riding in the bails,and clipped them a few times - on the Mile they are doing 100mph,160kph in the turns.Beauchamp said he heard him coming,but it was too late.That race is one of the most incredible achievements ever - a one shot on a bike that no one would ever want to ride....even Roberts himself.

Crasherfromwayback

21st July 2009, 17:50

quickbuck

21st July 2009, 17:59

What an amazing demonstration of skill........

"Race authorities reacted to Robert's win by banning his bike...."
Yup..... What might have been....

Okay, may be a bit dangerous for most...

MIXONE

21st July 2009, 18:24

I've read about it but that's the first time I've seen it.
Fark!!!! as Kenny no doubt said.

Crasherfromwayback

21st July 2009, 18:30

I've read about it but that's the first time I've seen it.
Fark!!!! as Kenny no doubt said.

Bet he wasn't the only one saying that either!

fridayflash

21st July 2009, 18:42

absolute madness!!!!!! good ol king kenny:first:

Motu

21st July 2009, 19:26

Sorry...I thought I would've noticed for sure...love Flattrack racing...always have!

I'm often putting something in about flattrack - but they don't get it....it's just going around in a circle,boring.They don't realise that road racing changed dramatically once Kenny Roberts went GP racing....and all the Americans after him.They teach road racing on dirt tracks in the US....I think if they did the same here we might see a change.

Crasherfromwayback

21st July 2009, 19:38

I'm often putting something in about flattrack - but they don't get it....it's just going around in a circle,boring.They don't realise that road racing changed dramatically once Kenny Roberts went GP racing....and all the Americans after him.They teach road racing on dirt tracks in the US....I think if they did the same here we might see a change.

I've also said here more than a few times we need guys and girls going round in circles to make better road racers...I'm 100% with you there. Matt Mladin and Casey Stoner came from the Aussie flat track scene...and just about all of the Yanks.

cs363

21st July 2009, 22:02

Anybody going to the Indy GP this year will be in for a treat:

http://hellforleathermagazine.com/2009/07/kenny-roberts-to-hot-lap-tz-75.html

BIG DOUG

21st July 2009, 22:17

I'm of to sturgis and they will be having flat track racing there,not local guys but the really good guys don't think the track is a mile though.

Motu

21st July 2009, 23:03

t3mp0r4ry nzr

22nd July 2009, 08:24

Love that flat track. Shame most if the local speedways are a clay base aye Motu

Motu

22nd July 2009, 17:43

Hard pack clay is perfect for flattrack - but not that sticky plasticene shit.I've never ridden on it,but the power and speed required to break traction would be in the zone of super scary.

nudemetalz

24th July 2009, 14:21

120-130 hp may not sound a lot in the day and age of racebikes but how much do you think the TZ750 flattracker weighed? 120kg?
And no front brakes,....:gob:

Motu

24th July 2009, 17:59

It has been found that 100 to 110hp is as much as you can use on a dirt track - it's all about getting power to the ground,and that's what KR was having so much difficulty with.He only had one shot to sling past the Harleys,and that's why he saved it to the last corner on the last lap....the hard part was staying in contact for 50 laps.

There are other classes of course,using more powerful engines.....but still nothing is faster around a Mile than an XR750.

pete376403

24th July 2009, 22:45

errr.... thats a bmw or summink.
THIS is an XR750

Motu

24th July 2009, 23:16

It's more than just a BMW,it's a Ron Wood flattracker.And that's an XR750 on road tyres!!!! Duh.

For a bit of boring history read this article,and carry on with Memories of the Mile.

http://www.cycleworld.com/article.asp?section_id=46&article_id=1533&cid=27

pete376403

25th July 2009, 22:24

Nothing boring about those stories.

merv

20th August 2009, 13:23

Some great pics from 1975 on Soup here http://www.superbikeplanet.com/image/archive/robertsindy/index.htm

Motu

30th August 2009, 22:38

Kenny Roberts on the TZ at the Indy Mile!!!!!!!!!!!!:shit:

<object width="425" height="344"><param name="movie" value="http://www.youtube.com/v/nulVLrMNBps&hl=en&fs=1&"></param><param name="allowFullScreen" value="true"></param><param name="allowscriptaccess" value="always"></param><embed src="http://www.youtube.com/v/nulVLrMNBps&hl=en&fs=1&" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" allowscriptaccess="always" allowfullscreen="true" width="425" height="344"></embed></object>

trustme

31st August 2009, 08:22

Jeez Motu , you are quick. I was just about to post that up titled ' one for Motu '

The king was always my idol as a young fella, the write up in advrider brings a tear to my eye [almost].
Can't work out how to post it over here.

Motu

31st August 2009, 20:07

It Really Happened
by dean adams
Sunday, August 30, 2009

After Roberts took his hot laps on the Indy Mile Yamaha, Rossi decided he'd rather watch.
image by brian j nelson
"A magical night" is how last evening at the Indy Mile could best be described. So much of it was perfect that the night was more like a movie you were somehow transported into than a moment from the real and true world.

Mile dirt track racing transcends cool if done right, 120 mph racing on dirt with men and boys with their tin feet scraping on the ground. A Mile dirt track race at Indy--one of the most legendary dirt circuits in America ups the intensity and cinematic level yet again. A Mile dirt track at Indy is worth whatever they want for admission at the gate.

Then add in Kenny Roberts.

In the middle of the paddock Roberts and his usual clan of friends, cronies and hangers on sat at the end of a newer box van. There were, litterally, forty or fifty people crowded around KR and THAT BIKE, all standing more or less in the dark, a single afterthought of a bulb lit the scene. Roberts was in the center, holding his own in seemingly a dozen simultanous conversations at once.

After the heat races, then it was time to ride. Roberts had been training of late, lost some weight, but his ego and omnipresent confidence haven't ebbed a tenth since 1983. He was ready.

What transpired next was otherworldly. Roberts pulled on his leathers, and his crew pushed the bike to the trackside. Roberts' one-time dirt track rival, Mike Kidd, now in charge of DMG dirt track, waved his hand in the air, the crowd cleared and Roberts was pushed off. The bike crackled to life, Roberts throttling it, paddling a few feet forward. Then he was off, throttling the TZ engine as he entered the track.

The capacity crowd in the bleachers went bananas. It was an amazing thing to see--how many of these people were even alive when Roberts won his legendary race in 1975? Young, old, riders, fans, they all stood up and screamed as Roberts was introduced and then went out to make some laps.

Sort of like in 1975, Roberts wasn't in the mood for any grab ass, wheelies or waving to the crowd. He stood on it and accelerated hard into turn one, the TZ sounding healthy if not a little soft. No matter, Roberts wailed the bike into turn one, put it into the soft outer section of the track and gave it the flick.

Simultaneously, thousands of learned eyes bulged and hearts momentarily stopped for a nanosecond--oh sh*t, he's done it now, that bike is going to flick him and hurt him. But, of course, Roberts jacked his body to one side, put his foot down and gassed it, the bike went beautifully sideways and he was in control of it all.

"That alone was worth the flight over the Atlantic," said one European scribe.

Starting cold, Roberts saw no reason to not to go faster. He shrieked down the straights and flicked it even harder and more beautifully than the first time.

Afterwards, he stopped and the crowd screamed, gave him multiple standing ovations. It was an amazing thing, a heart-warming sight, to see people not born when Roberts won the Indy Mile in 1975, Harley guys, and ten year old kids, all in the stands, all on their feet and all screaming in appreciation of King Kenny Roberts.

Valentino was there of course and he had been mulling all night whether he too would do a lap on the TZ. While the public word was he was just going to ride a 450 and wave to the crowd, just before Roberts went out, Rossi had decided, screw it, I'll ride it. What the hell, I have 50 points.

Afterwards, Rossi was one of the people to meet Roberts after he stopped. He congratulated him and stood there like the rest of us, amused and not quite believing this just happened.

As the moment throttled back to normalcy, someone in Rossi's entourage said, 'Okay, Vale (pronounced "Valley), time to get in the leathers'. Rossi was supposed to ride something, supposedly it's in his contract.

"No," he said. "This night is for Kenny Roberts. I'm not riding."

ENDS

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Motu

31st August 2009, 20:25

trustme

31st August 2009, 21:16

It's hard to believe that bike was almost lost forever . I seem to recall it was rescued from a pile of junk at Yamaha Europe. Somene realised what it was & resurected it, even Kenny thought it was lost. To my mind it is Kenny who gave us modern road racing, with knee down & rear wheel steering, only he didn't use knee sliders, just duct tape. He found dirt tracking a TZ750 around the banking at Daytona a little scary but he didn't slow down. He went to Europe & tore them apart, much to Sheenes chagrin.

Motu

31st August 2009, 21:37

Yeah,KR has done incredible feats in the history of motorcycle racing.From his totally out of control completely in control flattrack riding on the uncompetitive Yamaha's,to transforming the whole concept of road racing with his knee down powersliding dirt track turns,a totally different concept from the ''classic'' style,running race teams,building his own bikes.Having his son win a World chamionship....the list goes on.Ago and Rossi may be more winning riders - but Kenny Roberts is the complete package in so many ways.

''You'll never lose the front if you are on the gas'' has always an ideal mantra to me....

nudemetalz

1st September 2009, 09:47

Very mean and sexy at the same time !!

rachprice

1st September 2009, 10:30

Id want him to sign my ass too haha

Motu

3rd September 2009, 18:48

At 57,he's a year older than me.He took it out without any practice and nailed it in the first turn.No problem....i could do that....

Roberts thrills on dirt track, home race regret

'King' Kenny Roberts turned back the clock with some fast laps on his infamous Yamaha TZ-750 during the Indy Mile AMA dirt track race on Saturday at the Indiana State Fairgrounds.

The triple 500cc world champion, former MotoGP team owner and two-time AMA Grand National champion rode the bike to a historic victory in 1975 at the “Indy Mile” with a breathtaking, last-lap pass.

The bike, built and tuned by former 250cc world champion Kel Carruthers, was thought by many to be impossible to ride on the dirt due to its brute power.

Amazingly, the 57-year-old did the demo - in front of a sell-out crowd that included reigning six MotoGP champion Valentino Rossi, 2006 world champion Nicky Hayden, 2009 title contender Jorge Lorenzo, plus Toni Elias and James Toseland - without any practice laps.

"It's been 10 years since I threw my leg over the thing,” said Roberts. “I didn't get any practice. They said, 'You should come and do a couple laps of practice.'

“I said: 'No, no; I don't want to stand up in front of all these people and say I broke it.

“So I'm just going to get on it and it's either going to come back to me or I'm going to be a hole in Turn 1.' Luckily it came back to me,” said Kenny, who immediately got the TZ power-sliding.

Rossi turned down the chance to try the bike.

Roberts was also present at the nearby Indianapolis Motor Speedway to witness the MotoGP event - and couldn't help feeling a little bitter that present American riders now have two home grands prix in a single season, whilst he never had one in his whole career!

"It really kind of pisses me off because I was a three-time world champion and never got to race a world championship [event] in my home country. I raced everybody else in their home country,” said the straight-talking Roberts.

“So that kind of pisses me off. But it's great [that MotoGP is here]. America really needs MotoGP, and I think MotoGP is kind of catching on."

Roberts took America's first 500cc world championship in 1978 and paved the way for future US-born title winners Freddie Spencer, Eddie Lawson, Wayne Rainey and Kevin Schwantz.

In the 16 seasons from 1978 to 1993, those American riders won the 500cc title no less than 13 times.

“We had an era there of about 15 years where it was just all Americans. Guys like Eddie [four time world champion] and Wayne [three time world champion] got to race in America, but unfortunately I never did,” he stated.

<img src='http://i716.photobucket.com/albums/ww166/mdub048/kr_edit.jpg'>

trustme

3rd September 2009, 20:37

It's a pity the original clip has been pulled off youtube.
I bet he did a bit of practice back at the ranch !!!
He used to train the likes of Rainey & Lawson by taking them home to the ranch , putting them on trail bikes & then carving them up in no prisoner, free for alls. they got used to bikes that were loose & moved about which is why they were so good on the 500's. The flat track background made them the dominant force in the 80's & 90's.
I suspect the loss of interest in flat track & the fact that the 800's are more like a 250 to ride than the old rip snorting 500's is why the yanks are no longer a force in Motogp. Hayden was good on flat track, good on 990's but has struggled on the 800's.

trustme

4th September 2009, 07:15

Rossi " I come here to ride this thing but after seeing Kenny I say no."

KR " He ain't as dumb as he looks"

Ban Bostrom " That thing is wild, it lights up anywhere "

Motu

4th September 2009, 21:58

This is from Tim White's thread .... http://www.advrider.com/forums/showthread.php?t=502560

Check out the look in Rossi's eyes,like little kid....I think he was truly impressed.And look who's taking a photo of them - above the word ''White'' is Chris Carr.

<img src='http://tswphoto.smugmug.com/photos/637156339_VSSNs-L.jpg'>

merv

4th September 2009, 22:28

I like the way Rossi said he wouldn't ride the bike, it was Kenny's night, and he didn't want to take any of the limelight away from the King, and sure Motu, that is a look of little kid style admiration in his eyes. Rossi, like King Kenny, is definitely special around bikes.

t3mp0r4ry nzr

5th September 2009, 09:03

he sure is the man

Motu

20th December 2009, 17:51

http://www.advrider.com/forums/showthread.php?t=94531

Yamaha has made a video.