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This is some great racing, and the tracks are very slow compared to today. It's crazy how much more action there was in this race, and they are crawling compared to today's race speeds. (1993 Houston Supercross)
The Shop
Tracks were made of obstacles that weren't do or die, but you needed to do 1 to do 2 etc because of the bikes...
4 strokes. Mistake. Gas it. Clear it. Everyone can do it if they've got the nuts, add some skill, take away some berms and dirt, some 180s and you get follow the leader.
It's mind boggling "they" haven't addressed it.
https://youtu.be/UiB4ddGS7E8?ecver=1
It seems like riders would get hurt less on those older tracks with the slower speeds, but I don't really remember that being the case. Maybe there are fewer of the big career-enders.
We hear all kinds of complaints that a track needs to have "flow", but that's just a way of making a track easier and faster. Throw a wall obstacle on a couple of straights on every track, stop designing tracks with the intention of a 3-3-2 combo, etc. That would slow things down, but it would also probably lead to more runaway wins when a technical specialist would master things so much faster and easier than all the other riders, ala McGrath......
Look at Anaheim 1986- that does not look like a fun track to ride at all, very little "flow." But one of the best races in SX history.
Why would someone think a four stroke could not handle the peaked jump faces? The bikes are not physically bigger (minus the Yamaha
Pit Row
Building peaked jumps and walls that don't have smooth landings built for triples would naturally slow things down and disrupt that magical "flow".... Cc
Man, he and Cliff Plamer used to have some local batlles for the ages.
Heck I think even I would try to ride that track and I'm not a skilled rider by any means , but nothing looks even remotely as big as the jumps/ obstacles do now a days.
It is hard to put your finger on. But these guys were doing huge, technical obstacles back then. There was no freight train like now, but this is just one race. I think if you slow the tracks down and put more variety of obstacles in there, the racing would be better, But the riders would complain it isn't the same track Dirt Werks built at their house!
At the 37 minute mark, Despain says Cooper is 31 y.o. In 1993? You are telling me Cooper is almost 54 years old now??
But I'd still try it!
Post a reply to: So much passing in '93 Supercross