Another fun thread would be recounting the acts of heroism these men did. I remember a motocross rider in the 70s who had a horrendous crash with his right arm broken into a number of pieces, and rods holding it together. He switched the throttle to the other side and raced with one hand, using the throttle in reverse. AND HE WAS STILL FAST.
And how can we forget Old Hickory?!
Count Robert De La Rochefoucauld.
French Saboteur, and possibly most badass mofo ever.
Read more at Badass of the week.
I guess it's OK to eat French Fries again? Oui !
In reply to BoostedBrandon:
Been awhile since I read that. My favorite part:
B.A. of the week said:
one of the only people in history to have his face touched affectionately by the overall military commanders of Nazi Germany, Free France, and the Soviet Union
Although it's riddled with profanity, I love reading that website.
kreb wrote:
Curmudgeon wrote:
Dashpot wrote:
Zomby Woof wrote:
And on that note
Anybody who puts in a full moto on a CZ at 50+ wins.
Now go replace the seals in your Curnutts...
Curnutts. I have not heard that name in YEARS.
There's also Jeff Smith, two time 500cc World Champion. He rode the titanium framed BSA Victors back in the days when the frame might or might not last a full moto.
http://www.motorsportretro.com/2010/10/english-beat-the-story-of-the-500cc-titanium-bsa/
My dad's heavily into vintage motorcycle racing. What's amazing is until recently Jeff Smith and Dick "Bugs" Mann were still whupping on people 1/3 their age on the same heavy, undersprung bikes of old. It's remarkable how much technique can overcome physical superiority, even in Motorcycle racing.
i forget his name, but there is a kid from Minnesota that rides a bike that was built in 86 that raced at the Loretta Lynn invitational race a few weeks ago.. he routinely whips everyone else that's riding the latest and greatest bikes at the tracks around MN..
BoostedBrandon wrote:
Pilgrim.
Isn't this thread about real badasses,
not fake ones?
kreb wrote:
BoostedBrandon wrote:
Pilgrim.
Isn't this thread about real badasses,
not fake ones?
At least he portrayed one or two real ones.
Red Adair
novaderrik wrote:
i forget his name, but there is a kid from Minnesota that rides a bike that was built in 86 that raced at the Loretta Lynn invitational race a few weeks ago.. he routinely whips everyone else that's riding the latest and greatest bikes at the tracks around MN..
Jerry Robin
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2GE5dQwAgyI
And while I'm here...
http://m.wimp.com/handicappeddrummer/
Real men don't give up!
(He's got a kool van too!)
kreb wrote:
BoostedBrandon wrote:
Pilgrim.
Isn't this thread about real badasses,
not fake ones?
Marion was an actor... but if his statue in his home town in Iowa is accurate, he was at least 10 feet tall..
Darryl Greenemyer. Built his own F104 to set a speed record. Had to bail out of it over Edwards when the gear wouldn't go down:
Set a time to climb record:
Still flies and races planes today.
Real men don't give up part two
http://m.wimp.com/inspirationaltransformation/
Watch the first 20 seconds and the last 20 seconds if you're in a hurry.
Zomby Woof wrote:
FYI, #3 in the top pic is Roger Decoster.
DeCoster was THE MAN back when I first started MXing, he pioneered the 'turn in the air' techniques that are a staple of riding today. He's still in the sport as the manager of KTM's race team.
Then there's Doug Henry. I can't think of a more 'nothing is gonna stop me' guy.
He rides with that cage because he's paralyzed from the waist down.
JoeyM
Mod Squad
8/28/13 6:05 a.m.
ebonyandivory wrote:
Real men don't give up part two
http://m.wimp.com/inspirationaltransformation/
Watch the first 20 seconds and the last 20 seconds if you're in a hurry.
Dust in the room.....I swear.
But sometimes it takes a boy to remind us what being a man really is...
http://m.wimp.com/oneleg/
Please allow me to pontificate: I believe that we underestimate the ability of people to respond to challenges. Whether it's practically the entire country responding to the 2nd world war, a number of people who surf after having limbs removed by sharks, or those who flourish despite physical, mental and environmental challenges. We all have these levels of heroism inside us, it's just that few are required to make that sort of commitment.
I agree- to a point. It's not so much how few are required to make that commitment but rather how those of us faced with challenges react to them.
I have seen people with big disabilities overcome them, a friend who I used to autocross with broke his back in a car accident and is paralyzed below the waist. That didn't stop him from outfitting a Corvette with hand controls and being a very competitive autocrosser. I don't see him much any more, he's moved on to TT and road race.
http://www.fandangoracinginc.com/
But I've also known people with fairly minor problems to simply throw their hands up and call it quits.
carbon
Reader
8/28/13 5:21 p.m.
Curmudgeon wrote:
Zomby Woof wrote:
FYI, #3 in the top pic is Roger Decoster.
DeCoster was THE MAN back when I first started MXing, he pioneered the 'turn in the air' techniques that are a staple of riding today. He's still in the sport as the manager of KTM's race team.
Then there's Doug Henry. I can't think of a more 'nothing is gonna stop me' guy.
He rides with that cage because he's paralyzed from the waist down.
Paralyzed from the waist down. Just had to repost, that is some badasse36m3 right there. Good job Doug!
Thinking about Decoster reminds me of how much better Kenny Roberts was than his competition. I remember one of the last times that he raced at Sears Point (Now Infinion). I was on the backside of turn 3a and he'd be on the throttle before his competitors. You'd hear the bikes coming, then he'd burst over the crest, front wheel in the air with his rear tire at a scary slip angle At that time (1981?) Guys still mainly carved the turns. Slip angles were for dirt-trackers (Which he was).