Roberts on the TZ750 Flat Tracker at Indy Mile - Video

[yamifixer]

Thanks for sharing that. I love that sound.

I rode a TZ750 about 10 years ago on pavement. It scared the bejesus outa me, I cannot imagine that power on dirt.

[Moronic]

Speedog,

thanks so much for posting that.

The best motorbike video I have ever seen.

And given my tastes, probably the best short video.

Wow.

[Greg]

unmake the beast with two backsingbelievable

Ditto

[Moronic]

Nice article here at SuperbikePlanet on the history of that bike and how it came to be restored.

Written 15 years ago it ends with the restorer presenting the bike to Roberts at the 1994 Laguna Seca USGP and the suggestion Roberts might ride it again being dismissed as dangerous and silly.

[LA]

Like DP said, things were different back then.  Major riders that I considered Gods were just regular people and very accessible.  Roberts was the first person that did anything that was my own age that I considered Godlike. I well remember the Cycle (best mag of the era and Cook was the ed) article and the prominent quote "they don't pay me enough to ride that thing".

And in 76 while busy winning races for BMW, Reggie was helping me build as close as I could get to a replica of the "NASCAR" R90S they were racing.  I was running my Granddad's old gas sta. and working on bikes and sports cars at the time.  My partner would say hey, It's Reg Pridmore on the  phone again.  He wants to talk to you. He sold me pistons, Sig Erson cams, followers, springs etc. and did machine work for me - just a make the beast with two backsing great guy. Goleta was a world away from what I called S.C.

It was a different time, but much like now, a "golden age" of motorcycling with some really advanced product being offered and an economy that was not in such good shape at the same time.

I felt fortunate to be alive at the time and I amazed to still be here.  My Monster commuter bike makes more power than the race bikes of that era.

I did notice how quickly Roberts grabbed that ball cap to hide that bald top of his too. Long live the King.   

LA

[fastwin]

Off subject (again! ) but I love those R90S bikes! Some bikes are drop dead gorgeous forever... Tamburinis, Vincent Black Shadows, early Bonnies, 750/900SS Ducs, etc. and the R90S stands right there with them. At least to me. A friend in college had one in Daytona Orange, a '74 I think. I always told him if it ever was stolen that I should be the #1 suspect!

Thread jack off...

[motolocopat]

FANTASTIC!