When Carbs Were King

WHEN CARBS WERE KING THE PERIOD FROM 1991 TO 2000 REALLY DID HAVE SOME OF THE BEST RACING EVER. I KNOW EVERYONE HAS THEIR OWN PERSONAL FAVOURITE MOMENTS FROM THE HISTORY OF BIKE RACING, BUT THAT LITTLE WINDOW IN TIME JUST HITS ALL THE RIGHT NOTES FOR ME. WORDS: Dave Stewart Real 750cc Superbikes that were pretty much homologation specials allowed the engineers to explore the limits of their imaginations and still get it past the ultra-conservative FIM Technical Commission. The inclusion of the 1000cc twin cylinder machines was designed to give the Italian bullets from Bologna a chance against the might of the Japanese factories – this was an Italian run series after all. This actually turned out to be an unintended masterstroke that created a surprisingly entertaining package. The screaming Kawasakis, howling Yamahas and captivatingly resonant Honda V4s, played off against the booming twins from Ducati and created something that nobody had really expected. It was just great. From the moment in 1993 when I watched Giancarlo Fallapa literally hand all the other top World Superbike stars their backsides on a plate at a soaking wet and slippery Brands Hatch, I was addicted to real Superbikes. It was an awesome display of knife edge bike as an also ran in the first two events of the Superbikes and Supersport bikes, so it control that I think is only eclipsed by the season at Misano and Donington Park on seemed appropriate to call them Golden stunning Grand Prix debut of Norifume Abe the Honda. Tired of having to make excuses Era Superbikes and Golden Era Supersport at Suzuka in 1994. The 17 year old All Japan that nobody believed he did the only thing respectively. 500cc Champion spent 16 laps passing he could. He simply took it by the scruff of Last year we had an enormous level Mick Doohan and Kevin Schwantz at just the neck and thrashed the living crap out of interest in the series, but that rarely about every corner of the Japanese circuit, of it to take the race 2 win at the super-fast translated into grid numbers much above 12 but most memorably around the OUTSIDE German circuit. Even watching on TV you bikes and whilst you don’t need very many at the fearsome 130R corner! Both Doohan could see that he had decided that he was bikes to make an excellent race - more bikes & Schwantz later admitted that they were either going to finish on the top step of the inevitably makes a bigger spectacle. relieved when Abe lost the front and ended podium or in the straw bales and all the other It would have been very easy to have up in the kitty litter and they could get back riders knew it too. I’ve to racing ‘within the bounds of sanity’. Marc never personally been Marquez needs to thank the front tyre on a Fogarty fan, but I was Carl Fogarty in a determined mood... that Mr Donut NSR500 for giving up on Abe, absolutely transfixed by otherwise Norick would have set an almost that performance and I impossible benchmark for the youngest top have never forgotten it class grand prix winner at just 17 years and as an example of what 102 days……. Don’t doubt it, if he’d stayed pure determination and aboard – he would have won! bravery can achieve. Fogarty on the RC45 at Hockenheim was That is the golden another epic race. King Carl was stung by the era of racing that we fact that he had dominated on the Ducati 916 wanted to replicate in in previous seasons and carried the burden our pre-2000 based of the #1 plate, yet had been riding around championships for allowed the 1000cc 4-cylinder bikes of the same period into the series, but it was my personal belief that it was that very change to 1000cc that destroyed the excitement of the class back in the day. I also thought it would make the class into just another ‘pre- injection’ catch all, mish-mash of a class that was focused more on collecting revenue for the organiser, than in creating a class with a real future. So we stuck to our principles and believed that the bikes would come. When registrations opened for the 2013 season, we were overwhelmed by how many riders were registering for the Golden Era classes. Of course registering is one thing, whereas actually entering races is quite another level of commitment. We had seen strong levels of registration before, but that hadn’t actually translated into good grid numbers. Even though over 45 riders took part in various rounds over the course of the season, only a hard core were actually Abe at just 17 years of age - Suzuka committed to the whole championship. Golden Era 2013 was to be VERY DIFFERENT….. The first 4 events of the 2013 season Nick Williamson are relishing the opportunity motorsport events in the country are founded have been absolutely bursting at the seams to race against and learn from a former British on nostalgia. The Goodwood Revival meeting and the racing has been real cracker-jack Champion who remembers the days when is rivalled only by the British F1 Grand Prix stuff. This is now one of the most vibrant these bikes were the at the cutting edge of for spectator appeal and there are many championships in the country and the variety technology. other examples such as; the Festival of 1000 of machinery is second to none. In order to In a world where new ideas tend to be Bikes, the Cholmondley Pageant of Power, achieve our goal we have kept to the ethos treated with suspicion and people adopt a the Crystal Palace sprint and the Donington of keeping the rules true to the spirit of that “wait and see” attitude before committing to Historic Festival. period of racing. something - there seem to have been two key Once nostalgia takes hold of something, At each of those opening 4 rounds, we factors in building the success of the Golden everyone wins. Not only does the value of the have had a waiting list of riders for the class Era Superbikes. event escalate, the value of the machinery as the maximum grid capacity was reached Firstly, these are serious pieces of kit that involved also goes up and that makes it an so quickly. Here at Cadwell Park we could really satisfy a riders desire for speed and excellent investment. have almost filled another grid if we had thrills. That this can be done on a budget The Golden Era Superbike championship enough time in the day to actually run the that is affordable to an ordinary man is an may already be bursting at the seams races. absolute bonus. The bikes are very tough with competitors, but it is still only in its The racing itself has been some of when compared to a modern sportsbike and infancy as an event and it will become one the closest in any of the classes and the they have no advanced rider aids, which are of the cornerstones of the future of the recognition of the Golden Era Supersport not only expensive, but can create a sense Thundersport GB expansion. bikes as a distinct category has created of somehow limiting the importance of rider You may have noticed that we go about another tier of rivalry that will soon have to skill. You can still pick up a competitive bike things slightly differently here at the home of split away from the main class in order to for this class for between £2,000 & £3,000, Sportsman Racing. We’re delighted to have continue its growth. which is cheap when you look at what you’re you all along for the ride. This weekend sees the return of Ian getting for your money. There is even a full Simpson aboard the magnificent Honda BSB spec YZF 750 SP currently for sale for just Britain RC45, which is a challenge that the £5,000 on one of the more popular club sites regular runners are really looking forward to. right now. Championship leader Richard Blunt and the Secondly, you simply cannot underestimate pursuing pack of Rob Wilson, Chris Norris and the value of nostalgia. Some of the largest .

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