1971 Ice Racing Europe - Russians Dominate - 3-Page Vintage Motorcycle Article

Description

1971 Ice Racing Europe - Russians Dominate - 3-Page Vintage Motorcycle Article
Original, vintage magazine article
Page Size: Approx. 8" x 11" (21 cm x 27 cm) each page
Condition: Good
Racing:
Europe
A Sport Where
The Russians
Dominate
Have you ever dreamed of riding a
motorcycle with lots of horsepower and
unlimited traction? Really dive into a
bend with twice normal speed, lean the
bike over until your handlebars touch the
ground, twist the throttle and shoot out
of the bend while you transfer half $
hundred horsepower to the ground with-
out spinning a wheel?
You say it can't be done. I used to
think so myself, until I saw my first
icerace.
It was March 1961 in Oslo, one of the
winter sports capitals of northern
Europe, and the Russians were coming to
show the Scandinavians what real
iceracing was all about.
When they rolled the machines out
on the ice-covered quarter-mile oval, I
could not get my eyes off the studs.
There were hundreds of two-inch long
steel spikes in each tire, needle-sharp
and ready to dig into the ice.
Acceleration off the starting line was
spectacular, but when they went into the
first bend, I couldn't believe my eyes.
They didn't shut off at all; just laid the
bikes down until the handlebars touched
the ice, tucked the left leg up and dragged
the kneecap on the ice for support. It
defied all laws of nature. I just waited
for the big crash, but they all came out
of the turn as fast as they'd gone in, and
did it all over again in the next turn.
I have never figured out why this par-...
13204-AL-7112-50