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https://www.mecum.com/lots/LV0117-276497/1977-suzuki-usgp-winner-mx/
*Photos on website (can't c/p)
FROM THE GERRIT WOLSINK COLLECTION
Engine
420 CC
Color
Yellow
HIGHLIGHTS
Rare custom made bike
Unrestored
A 1977 original in race condition
Magnesium engines cases
Magnesium triple clamps
Magnesium front and rear hubs with braking plates
Equipped with handmade WP rear shocks
Lots of magnesium and titanium parts
Factory made KYB front forks
The Carlsbad motocross circuit, site of the United States Grand Prix from 1973-92, was notoriously hard and difficult, but one rider dominated the track like no other: Gerrit Wolsink. Born in Holland, Wolsink cut his teeth on the muddy European motocross tracks, in the same generation as his chief rivals Roger DeCoster and Heikki Mikkola. While European racers were still the top of the world, it was clear in the 1970s that the USA was the future of the sport, especially with television coverage from the Wide World of Sports dangling real money before promoters and riders. Wolsink won five USGPs at Carlsbad, and 13 overall Grand Prix wins during his career, which places him 16th in the all-time list of top winners for 500cc motocross GP racers. “For sure, back in the mid-70’s I was as quick as anyone. Because I rode for Suzuki, I knew I had the best bikes, and my speed was always good, didn’t matter if it was sand, rock-hard or whatever. I would spend three or four weeks in America in the summer because we had the USGP, then a month later the Canadian Grand Prix. In the winter I would spend three months in America. I did that for six-years in a row, and I loved it. In 1976 I was blocked by a rider for two heats for the complete race, the tracks were very dusty in those days, at the old track at Ettelbrook. I passed this guy twice and he crashed into me. I never got angry, but he cost me the World Championship that year. We had a rule that we didn’t get involved in the fights for the championship, this guy just went out to stop me being world champion, and I’ll never forget what happen.”
What had happened was a conspiracy to stop the Europeans from winning the World Championship, as it looked bad on American television. “Honda in America told me the AMA didn’t want anyone from Europe racing there anymore, only the guys who were already involved, guys like Pierre Karsmakers. I didn’t care—I had a good deal with Suzuki in the Grand Prix, and to be honest, Europe was the top level then, we were the best riders in the World. The money in America was getting better back though.”
This 1977 Suzuki factory MX racer is the actual machine on which Gerrit Wolsink won the USGP at Carlsbad that year, as televised on the Wide World of Sports. The machine is absolutely as it crossed the finish line in 1977, the year he finished third in the World Championships for the second time. This is a truly historic machine, and still in possession of the man who made it a winner, making it a 100-percent bona fide Grand Prix-winning racer.
*Photos on website (can't c/p)
FROM THE GERRIT WOLSINK COLLECTION
Engine
420 CC
Color
Yellow
HIGHLIGHTS
Rare custom made bike
Unrestored
A 1977 original in race condition
Magnesium engines cases
Magnesium triple clamps
Magnesium front and rear hubs with braking plates
Equipped with handmade WP rear shocks
Lots of magnesium and titanium parts
Factory made KYB front forks
The Carlsbad motocross circuit, site of the United States Grand Prix from 1973-92, was notoriously hard and difficult, but one rider dominated the track like no other: Gerrit Wolsink. Born in Holland, Wolsink cut his teeth on the muddy European motocross tracks, in the same generation as his chief rivals Roger DeCoster and Heikki Mikkola. While European racers were still the top of the world, it was clear in the 1970s that the USA was the future of the sport, especially with television coverage from the Wide World of Sports dangling real money before promoters and riders. Wolsink won five USGPs at Carlsbad, and 13 overall Grand Prix wins during his career, which places him 16th in the all-time list of top winners for 500cc motocross GP racers. “For sure, back in the mid-70’s I was as quick as anyone. Because I rode for Suzuki, I knew I had the best bikes, and my speed was always good, didn’t matter if it was sand, rock-hard or whatever. I would spend three or four weeks in America in the summer because we had the USGP, then a month later the Canadian Grand Prix. In the winter I would spend three months in America. I did that for six-years in a row, and I loved it. In 1976 I was blocked by a rider for two heats for the complete race, the tracks were very dusty in those days, at the old track at Ettelbrook. I passed this guy twice and he crashed into me. I never got angry, but he cost me the World Championship that year. We had a rule that we didn’t get involved in the fights for the championship, this guy just went out to stop me being world champion, and I’ll never forget what happen.”
What had happened was a conspiracy to stop the Europeans from winning the World Championship, as it looked bad on American television. “Honda in America told me the AMA didn’t want anyone from Europe racing there anymore, only the guys who were already involved, guys like Pierre Karsmakers. I didn’t care—I had a good deal with Suzuki in the Grand Prix, and to be honest, Europe was the top level then, we were the best riders in the World. The money in America was getting better back though.”
This 1977 Suzuki factory MX racer is the actual machine on which Gerrit Wolsink won the USGP at Carlsbad that year, as televised on the Wide World of Sports. The machine is absolutely as it crossed the finish line in 1977, the year he finished third in the World Championships for the second time. This is a truly historic machine, and still in possession of the man who made it a winner, making it a 100-percent bona fide Grand Prix-winning racer.
The Shop
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