Author Topic: Sad news from laguna seca  (Read 1170 times)

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Offline petercb750

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1972 750/4 K2 (his), 1976 400/4 (hers)
1982 CB1100RC (ours)

Offline SOHC4 Cafe Racer Fan

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Re: Sad news from laguna seca
« Reply #1 on: July 20, 2015, 12:13:06 PM »
http://www.montereycountyweekly.com/blogs/news_blog/update-two-riders-dead-in-chaotic-crash-at-world-superbike/article_1078990c-2e8a-11e5-9304-63351bb5db43.html#.VayJEDi6aQs.facebook

Terrible news.  Approximatelyo five bikes collided on the first lap, tossing riders into the dirt runoff to the right of the start/finish bridge.

This was on lap one of the AMA/MotoAmerica Superbike/Superstock 1000 race
1975 CB550K1 "Blue" Stockish Restomod (http://forums.sohc4.net/index.php?topic=135005.0)
1975 CB550F1 frame/CB650 engine hybrid "The Hot Mess" (http://forums.sohc4.net/index.php/topic,150220.0.html)
2008 Triumph Thruxton (http://forums.sohc4.net/index.php/topic,190956.0.html)
2014 MV Agusta Brutale Dragster 800
2015 Yamaha FZ-09 (http://forums.sohc4.net/index.php/topic,186861.0.html)

"There are some things nobody needs in this world, and a bright-red, hunch-back, warp-speed 900cc cafe racer is one of them — but I want one anyway, and on some days I actually believe I need one.... Being shot out of a cannon will always be better than being squeezed out of a tube. That is why God made fast motorcycles, Bubba." Hunter S. Thompson, Song of the Sausage Creature, Cycle World, March 1995.  (http://www.latexnet.org/~csmith/sausage.html and https://magazine.cycleworld.com/article/1995/3/1/song-of-the-sausage-creature)

Sold/Emeritus
1973 CB750K2 "Bionic Mongrel" (http://forums.sohc4.net/index.php?topic=132734.0) - Sold
1977 CB750K7 "Nine Lives" Restomod (http://forums.sohc4.net/index.php?topic=50490.0) - Sold
2005 RVT1000RR RC51-SP2 "El Diablo" - Sold
2016+ Triumph Thruxton 1200 R (http://forums.sohc4.net/index.php/topic,170198.0.html) - Sold

Offline vfourfreak

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Re: Sad news from laguna seca
« Reply #2 on: July 20, 2015, 12:28:36 PM »
Bad news indeed. Sad for all concerned. But racing has risks, everybody enters into it with that knowledge. Thoughts for the families in their time of grief.

Kev

Offline SOHC4 Cafe Racer Fan

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Re: Sad news from laguna seca
« Reply #3 on: July 20, 2015, 01:42:28 PM »
Bad news indeed. Sad for all concerned. But racing has risks, everybody enters into it with that knowledge. Thoughts for the families in their time of grief.

Kev

Racing has reasonable risks of injury.  With modern race courses, I don't think that racing fatalities are not part of that accepted risk.  Aside from freak accidents like Simoncelli and Kato, there have not been many fatalities on non-TT road race courses in recent time.
1975 CB550K1 "Blue" Stockish Restomod (http://forums.sohc4.net/index.php?topic=135005.0)
1975 CB550F1 frame/CB650 engine hybrid "The Hot Mess" (http://forums.sohc4.net/index.php/topic,150220.0.html)
2008 Triumph Thruxton (http://forums.sohc4.net/index.php/topic,190956.0.html)
2014 MV Agusta Brutale Dragster 800
2015 Yamaha FZ-09 (http://forums.sohc4.net/index.php/topic,186861.0.html)

"There are some things nobody needs in this world, and a bright-red, hunch-back, warp-speed 900cc cafe racer is one of them — but I want one anyway, and on some days I actually believe I need one.... Being shot out of a cannon will always be better than being squeezed out of a tube. That is why God made fast motorcycles, Bubba." Hunter S. Thompson, Song of the Sausage Creature, Cycle World, March 1995.  (http://www.latexnet.org/~csmith/sausage.html and https://magazine.cycleworld.com/article/1995/3/1/song-of-the-sausage-creature)

Sold/Emeritus
1973 CB750K2 "Bionic Mongrel" (http://forums.sohc4.net/index.php?topic=132734.0) - Sold
1977 CB750K7 "Nine Lives" Restomod (http://forums.sohc4.net/index.php?topic=50490.0) - Sold
2005 RVT1000RR RC51-SP2 "El Diablo" - Sold
2016+ Triumph Thruxton 1200 R (http://forums.sohc4.net/index.php/topic,170198.0.html) - Sold

Offline bwaller

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Re: Sad news from laguna seca
« Reply #4 on: July 20, 2015, 02:02:48 PM »
Horrible news for sure. Heart felt thoughts for the families involved in this terrible tragedy. RIP young guns.

Offline ewanhughes

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Re: Sad news from laguna seca
« Reply #5 on: July 20, 2015, 03:03:13 PM »
It's been a really bad week for motorsport with the accident today and the passing of Jules Bianchi at the weekend too.  :-[
I was surprised to read that Bianchi's death was the first in F1 since Ayrton Senna in 1994.  It's not that long since you could almost expect a few deaths each season. 
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Offline vfourfreak

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Re: Sad news from laguna seca
« Reply #6 on: July 21, 2015, 12:38:12 PM »
Bad news indeed. Sad for all concerned. But racing has risks, everybody enters into it with that knowledge. Thoughts for the families in their time of grief.

Kev

Racing has reasonable risks of injury.  With modern race courses, I don't think that racing fatalities are not part of that accepted risk.  Aside from freak accidents like Simoncelli and Kato, there have not been many fatalities on non-TT road race courses in recent time.

Sadly road racing in Ireland (non TT) has had quite a few casualties in recent years. While some might say that there is a great differentiation to be made between short circuit and road racing, to my mind the risks are the same and ever present.

Some people fall doing what they love even though they know well beforehand that there are grave risks.

Kev

Offline SOHC4 Cafe Racer Fan

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Re: Sad news from laguna seca
« Reply #7 on: July 21, 2015, 01:04:01 PM »
TT/Road Racing still appears to claim a life or two each year.  With no runoffs or air fences -- and stone walls, pubs or people's homes as the barrier to the road, there is not much forgiveness in an off.  Just watch Closer to the Edge and see the injuries sustained in that film or the many Isle of Man TT films. 

I was differentiating those to modern race circuits, with the very long run-offs and airfences.  Yes, even on those circuits, there is a high risk of injury, but very few fatalities.
1975 CB550K1 "Blue" Stockish Restomod (http://forums.sohc4.net/index.php?topic=135005.0)
1975 CB550F1 frame/CB650 engine hybrid "The Hot Mess" (http://forums.sohc4.net/index.php/topic,150220.0.html)
2008 Triumph Thruxton (http://forums.sohc4.net/index.php/topic,190956.0.html)
2014 MV Agusta Brutale Dragster 800
2015 Yamaha FZ-09 (http://forums.sohc4.net/index.php/topic,186861.0.html)

"There are some things nobody needs in this world, and a bright-red, hunch-back, warp-speed 900cc cafe racer is one of them — but I want one anyway, and on some days I actually believe I need one.... Being shot out of a cannon will always be better than being squeezed out of a tube. That is why God made fast motorcycles, Bubba." Hunter S. Thompson, Song of the Sausage Creature, Cycle World, March 1995.  (http://www.latexnet.org/~csmith/sausage.html and https://magazine.cycleworld.com/article/1995/3/1/song-of-the-sausage-creature)

Sold/Emeritus
1973 CB750K2 "Bionic Mongrel" (http://forums.sohc4.net/index.php?topic=132734.0) - Sold
1977 CB750K7 "Nine Lives" Restomod (http://forums.sohc4.net/index.php?topic=50490.0) - Sold
2005 RVT1000RR RC51-SP2 "El Diablo" - Sold
2016+ Triumph Thruxton 1200 R (http://forums.sohc4.net/index.php/topic,170198.0.html) - Sold

Offline vfourfreak

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Re: Sad news from laguna seca
« Reply #8 on: July 21, 2015, 01:17:29 PM »
TT/Road Racing still appears to claim a life or two each year.  With no runoffs or air fences -- and stone walls, pubs or people's homes as the barrier to the road, there is not much forgiveness in an off.  Just watch Closer to the Edge and see the injuries sustained in that film or the many Isle of Man TT films. 

I was differentiating those to modern race circuits, with the very long run-offs and airfences.  Yes, even on those circuits, there is a high risk of injury, but very few fatalities.

I agree, there is no difference between us on that point. I was only trying to suggest that anyone who goes racing must accept that the risks are up to and including the fatal, no matter what circuit you are on. When the flag drops, crazy stuff can happen.

Truly it grieves me to hear of fatalities. I was there 30 years ago.

Kev

Offline petercb750

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Re: Sad news from laguna seca
« Reply #9 on: July 21, 2015, 02:29:25 PM »
Circuit racing back in 70s was very different to today...we raced on tracks with concrete walls, many times not even protected by tyres or bags full of shredded rubber. ....and didn't even think about it (until you hit one which I did). One track had a large pine tree right on the apex of a very quick corner! Safety has come a looong way. How I would have loved leathers with built in air bags!

One consolation for these guys (and many others) they died doing what they loved.....I'm sure most of us would welcome that for ourselves.
1972 750/4 K2 (his), 1976 400/4 (hers)
1982 CB1100RC (ours)

Offline vfourfreak

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Re: Sad news from laguna seca
« Reply #10 on: July 21, 2015, 02:45:24 PM »
Circuit racing back in 70s was very different to today...we raced on tracks with concrete walls, many times not even protected by tyres or bags full of shredded rubber. ....and didn't even think about it (until you hit one which I did). One track had a large pine tree right on the apex of a very quick corner! Safety has come a looong way. How I would have loved leathers with built in air bags!

One consolation for these guys (and many others) they died doing what they loved.....I'm sure most of us would welcome that for ourselves.

Absolutely !

Offline Bailgang

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Re: Sad news from laguna seca
« Reply #11 on: July 21, 2015, 03:18:21 PM »
It must have been a bad weekend for motorcycle racing in general. My kid took his cbr F4i to a track day weekend at Putnam road course which is north of Indy and he said twice as many went down compared to last year. Of those that went down during the weekend 2 riders had to be taken away via ambulance and another by helicopter. Fortunately my kid kept his on 2 wheels throughout the event.
Scott


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