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Edited Date/Time
3/7/2021 7:10pm
I watch more old races from the nineties, than any of the current ones. My favourite seasons being 96-99.
After having completed all three seasons, in addition to some from his GP career, I can’t help but wonder if his Suzuki held him back from winning more races and championships outdoors. It looks like his US production based bike was extremely slow and he over rode the thing with a lot of effort, but unfortunately a slow engine. subsequently leading to a lot of crashes.
I remember him talking about how slow it was in a pulp episode some 8 years ago, with the stock RM250 only producing 39hp in 96.
He seemed to carry a lot of speed in corners, with lots of body language and effort on the bike, but it didn’t seem like he got the results he was capable of.
Do you think he could have had one more outdoor championship, or more race wins on one of the big four?
After having completed all three seasons, in addition to some from his GP career, I can’t help but wonder if his Suzuki held him back from winning more races and championships outdoors. It looks like his US production based bike was extremely slow and he over rode the thing with a lot of effort, but unfortunately a slow engine. subsequently leading to a lot of crashes.
I remember him talking about how slow it was in a pulp episode some 8 years ago, with the stock RM250 only producing 39hp in 96.
He seemed to carry a lot of speed in corners, with lots of body language and effort on the bike, but it didn’t seem like he got the results he was capable of.
Do you think he could have had one more outdoor championship, or more race wins on one of the big four?
Those Suzuki’s were trash.
But I think outdoors he would have done better.
The Shop
Lots of guys could have done way better on a Honda back in the day except for the first aluminum framed ones.
“ I was negotiating with Honda at the end of 93 to go to the US then at the 11th hour when I was about to sign a deal with them, Honda Japan decided they didn’t want to pay me to race a Honda over there when I was winning for them for free in the GPs (Rode for Jan de Groot, not an HRC bike). It would have been a lot different if I had went to the US riding a Honda.
“ When I went to the States riding a Suzuki the bikes were absolutely terrible, the 95 bike was not a supercross bike, in 96 they came out with a new bike...but it was so bad and a lot of my injuries came from trying to compensate for the bike. A lot of guys would have been content with 5th, 6th or 7th - I always wanted to win.”
IMO, he wins their titles if he was riding literally anything else.
Seem to think that when Everts went to Kawi that too was Jan De Groot? Must have been a good tuner maybe. Think I heard he passed away but maybe I'm wrong?
Weigandt recently had a good podcast with Ian Harrison where they discussed the state of Suzuki at the time of Albertyn's arrival as well as a lot of other interesting things.
Pit Row
Then Albee won the opener in LA, while MC could only muster 15th? After having the best SX season in history? Meanwhile Larocco gets 4th on a bike he openly admitted wasn't good.
Ya, it was wild times for bench racing. The SX world was turned upside down. I remember McGrath struggling so much, while the yamaha's and kawasaki's seemed to do so well. MC could never get that conventional fork bike to work. Then finally getting the ok to put on the upside down honda forks. That seemed to make a big difference. Larocco went with the setup as well. MC could only get 2 wins in 97, compared to 14 in 96. MC called that bike a RM175 due to its poor power.
Albee had to suffer through 96, 97, and 98 on those terrible RM250's. Well terrible for MX/SX. Those RM250's were amazing off-road. The upside was Decoster and suzuki got the bike right and he won the 250 outdoor title in 99. Arguably one of the deepest fields in history that year.
Suzuki went from terrible to amazing in just a few years. Thanks to Decoster, but also albee. Albee stuck around and the bike got better but it definitely cost him injuries and probably a title or two, and some race wins.by 01/02 the RM250 was a great bike. Windham and Pastrana showed that, followed by Tortelli, Hepler, and RC. The RM250 was the last two stroke to win a major championship.
So in a way although albee didnt get all the wins and titles he COULD have, he was definitely a part of turning suzuki into an incredible team and help develop the bike into probably the best 250 ever made. Thats nothing to be ashamed of.
Not related to the bike but I also have to mention that freak incident at the MXDN in 94, that's when it started going downhill for Albee (for a while). Always liked Greg and his aggressive riding style though, and wish I'd got to see him race live in person. I wonder what he's up to these days?
Personally I think the production rule made it hard for him to ride an RM in the US. Like was mentioned above, the development was in large due to Albee sticking around, and DeCoster as a team manager.
fascinating thought: what if Yamaha had signed Albee for three years from 96 instead, of Bradshaw?
I think Albee and Dowd would have marginally beat Emig in 97. Yamaha would have been the powerhouse outdoors with Henry’s thumper, and Albee on the 250 in 98.
I also doubt Albee would have been more expensive to sign compared to Bradshaw.
Post a reply to: Would Albertyne have done better on a different brand?