We caught up with Bob Hannah on a recent visit to Matrix Concepts in Santa Clarita, CA... Check out more TransWorld MOTOcross videos at: motocross.trans...
I met Bob at the 83 national in st.louis.I told my son and I were big fans.Bob asked where my boy was and I said somewhere.Bob said let's find him.we searched for a good 5 minutes till we found him so Bob could autograph his jersey! You don't see that anymore.
Thank you Mr. Hannah for being a thoughtful spokesman for the Motocross community. I first became a Hurricane fan when I saw him race at Hangtown Ca. in 1977. His bike broke down and he didn't finish the race but man was he ever so much faster than ANYONE else!! I don't remember who won the race cuz it was 34 yrs' ago but I still remember Hannah's speed!! When I saw this kind of commitment to being the best and then later that yr beating the MAN himself DeCoster what else can you say.
How ironic. Eight years later and it would seem the great Ryan Dungey watched this-and took it to heart. When Bob Hurricane Hannah talks = people listen.
Bob Hannah cool guy one of the best of all times, i was racing real serious at his time he had alot of influence on my mx. damn fast and fearlous!!! GG in kansas
The only Hurricane you want to watch ! Destroyed the competition but not the houses . Should have been on a box of Wheaties . Hall of famer God Bless !
I saw him pull into a travel agency off lakeforest dr back in 86.i asked him for his autograph.he asked if i was in a hurry?I said no. so he ushered me inside.got me a soda we sat and talked for 20/30 min.well he did most of the talking.got two autographs one on paper and one on a zuk jersey.this guy is one of the best.cool A F .You are allowed to be arrogant if you can back up ur shit
No, not now. But in his time, he was not only called "The Winningest Rider", in the sport, but I remember reading he was the winningest "motor racer", (all motor sports), of the time.
Bob hannah was my freinds i raced motocross' s all time hero ....my freinds and i had an apartment that was completely empty except for our race bikes in the living room and bob hannah posters all over every wall. Me and radical rick spent every penny we could scare up on our bikes and entry fees....GOD BLESS BOB HANNAH
Boy isnt that the truth. Dont know how he survived riding like he did, but he did. Same for flying, that crash at Reno was the same thing that happened to his plane, yet he lived. There were a lot of us who could ride like Hannah for 5 minutes, after that we just couldnt stay on the bike. He stayed on the bike and competed with guys like DeCoster. Like him or hate him or indifferent, you have to respect what he accomplished.
When the sport moved to 18 wheelers that was the change in the era. In a way, the new environment has made it less personable, different style of tracks, more legal rules, more barriers but i understand. To me, this will always be the change that ushered in the less "pure" fan enjoyment. The days when after the main or throughout day you could go up to the back of their cargo trucks without security guards yelling/threatening you. No hour 2 hour long line where the riders, depending on their race results, they'ed hand out cool one of a kind stickers, sign your event shirt, occasionally hand you their dirty jersey or googles were i saw a few times the riders give their helmet to a special fan that said the right thing. Nowadays, it's a circus event treated as a look but dont touch behind glass experience. So glad i got to partake in the experince in those days starting with the 80's.
and dungey did excactly like he said and won many championships with few injuries. probably one of the best ever to ride the edge and never go over it.
He's not jokin about the downhill on bicycles... Growing up with Bob and riding everyday after school with him was fun , but sometimes dangerous. We get tired of dirtbikin and ride BMX bikes to the top of Godde Pass Rd.... Take the chains off and coaster race back down.... No chain , NO BRAKES... YA , FUN.... and a bit scary at times. Quartz Hill, Ca. early '70's. Jake - 52nd St.
I understand his thoughts of racing and business being a 'war' but it doesn't have to be that way and if finally appears he see's it doesn't. It's a mentality some people have out of anger possibly. No need to get emotions involved in racing. It's a thought process. You learn this in life and in anything you do in life, keep emotions separate.
Sound advice from a legend of motocross on how to live life to the fullest. I can only imagine what the Hurricane could accomplish on a modern bike. He’s definitely the GOAT of his era!
I agree with him about the money and how riders have been treating the fans who are RESPONSIBLE for their 'money' and 'fame'. True, they don't remember where they came from. I think people in general are getting worse, not as nice as when I was young and Bob was racing. Humanity is going downhill unfortunately... I don't remember really what he looked like when he was younger but I almost didn't recognize him when I started watching this. Maybe is the hair, glasses and we're all getting older :)
You need to be wealthy to race now. So things HAVE changed. And Hannah intentionally ran over my foot at Unadilla while I was standing on the edge of the track just before Screw U. Didn't hurt but it WAS absolutely intentional. I was alone not even near a racing line during practice I believe.
@CrazyExciting82 And as far as the money goes of course it's going to be a lot about money. But they still love what they do or they wouldn't be putting their bodies and lives on the line every time they get on a bike. And as far as fans go, With the way media coverage is now days these riders are getting 10x the coverage hannah had to deal with back in the day. So if they cant stop to sign every autograph or say high to every fan people need to get over it. They have personal lives too.
Stuart may be faster than Villopoto but he doesn't know how to manage his speed and if you listened to Bob talk that's why you win so many championships and you don't crash out all the time and get hurt like James did he did not know how to control his speed and that is why Stuart is where he's at
Had what handed to him? His talent? There was no "privileged" then or now really. You have to be fast. I am old (60) now, but was a kid when a kid could afford his own bike with just a part time job making $1.00/hr. You could not drive through rural USA and not see dirt bikes in a truck. But the 1986 production rule,and the EPA forcing the 4-stroke on the industry put bike prices out of reach for the masses. That is terrible IMO, as there is a lot more opportunity from dirt bikes than just racing. Dirt bikes got me into engineering for one example, and I have been porting little 2-stroke engines for a living for about 20 years now, (make more money than employed). But don't let that make you think that skill is handed down to anybody, it can't be. The kids today though, just don't have the opportunity like we did to build that skill. Almost all of the past hero's of the sport in the 2-stroke days, would not have been in the sport with the price situation we have today. It breaks my heart to see that opportunity out of reach for most today. Today, your parents have to be doing pretty good, and probably have have to have ridden for the kid to ride/race. But for us, many of us did it with no parental support. It was "OUR SPORT", and we did not have to be rich to get into it. I don't think any of the racers in Dymonds era came from "well to do families". Doug in Michigan
So, what your saying is the CURRENT RIDERS get paid BIG BUCKS, but can't take the time to sign an autograph. But, back in the 70s pro riders took the time to sign while being paid small money. Maybe its the thought that people will put the signature on EBAY, for bucks.
Much of your advice doesn't pertain to the sport today Bob. It has evolved. There is no backing off and winning. The bikes have changed along with the riders. And they typically start at a very early age.
Sorry and I know some of you Bob Hannah fans will jump all over this but he's still thinking in the past and talking like an OLD MAN. Riders now days dont have the option of being careful and riding at 90%. You dont ride at 110% you dont have a chance in hell of winning. And whats wrong with Pastrana enjoing more then one sport. Really sounds like Hannah is a little Jealous of where the world of Dirt Bikes has gone today.
