20 years now, where'd they go?

When I roll the Hawk on the track at Talladega this weekend, it will mark 20 consecutive years that I have raced it at least one weekend. When I first started I was just going to race for few years to get it out of my system. I've been unable to do that so far. I have raced a few other bikes over the years, but the Hawk has been the mainstay. Motorcycle racing has introduced me to many good friends and given me many great memories. I cannot imagine what I would have done without it.

And for the Hawk haters? It still has the original crank in it.

 

here's to 20 more!

 

Loved racing my Hawk, and my street Hawk. Still think they're great bikes.

But, what happened? The SV650 happened.

 

Pure effin awesomeness.

 

Glad to be able to say I have raced you and it.

 

Very cool, Steve.

 

You've had a hand in it and thank you for that.

 

Just wish I could beat you once in while.

 

:up:

10 years this year for me, ridden my SV in at least one race each of those years.

 

Steve , since I got back into racing in 2011 I think I've raced against you maybe 8-10 times.

Everytime watching you wield that Hawk around the track was a thing of beauty. And you were always quite kind when you lapped me.

Congrats man!

 

That's easy. You just need to show up on a weekend when he's worked on the bike himself.

 

Cool bike but the rear rim was too narrow. You could run stock and run bricks or send it off to Kosman and have it widened and run bricks. It was also underpowered.

Really, a neat bike but the SV took it behind the barn and put two behind its ear.

 

steve I can't believe it's been 20 years. but then again it's been many years since I actually turned a lap "in anger". lol..

BTW for the hawk folks, we are having a South East Hawk Rally in Suches GA, at Two Wheels of Suches the weekend of Sept 19-21st. info on the hawk forum, facetoobs, or PM me for details. Just a bunch of current/former hawk owners getting together for the weekend. quite a few of them ex/current racers. Might even be a few for sale over the weekend. i haven't had a hawk in a few years but that might change in the near future.

Dave K- my last track hawk would put most SV's to shame, but you are right the SV was the death of the racing Hawks for the most part. cheap to race and get parts for them. Hawkenstein was a bit temperamental. The ultimate rat hawk. Looked rough, but ran wicked. too bad the rider wasn't quite up to the task. Maybe it's current owner has plans to race it one day?

 

when it is in ya blood there is no way out man.

 

Don't really get to beat him then. He never makes it out on the track.

 

Love my Hawk too. It only gets street duty though.

 

Rear rim is fine. Handles a 160. Front rim was only a 2.50. I did have mine widened to 3.50 by Kosman but it was fairly expensive. Or if you weren't running stock classes you could run an F2 wheel. They weigh a ton though. JD helped me with the power problem. When the grids were larger, we could consistently work our way about halfway up into the SVs in the Dsuper/lt.wt.ss race.

 

I plan on being there for this, Jeff.

 

Thanks for the kind words, Kelly. I kept hoping you'd build that fzr and get it out there.

 

I've got an RZ in the shop being transformed