Cw 25 Years Ago July, 1988
CW 25 YEARS AGO JULY, 1988
You don't see many racers on our cover. Eddie Lawson was already a famous twotime 500cc world champion (en route to a third title) when he won the 1988 USGP at Laguna Seca Raceway. Ninth into the first corner, fifth by the end of the second
lap, the Californian proceeded to pick off fellow Americans Kevin Schwantz and Wayne Rainey, reigning series champ Wayne Gardner and, finally, in one of several passes made in double-apex Turn 2, Scotsman Niall MacKenzie. "This is the greatest win of my life,” said Lawson afterward. -> News of BMW’s introduction of ABS
specifically for motorcycles was reported in Roundup. "We had the opportunity to slam on the brakes at 60 mph on both ' asphalt strewn with loose sand, and watercovered asphalt; in both cases, the ABS slowed the bike faster than we could have without it, and without loss of control.”
-> "Revenge of the
Euros” pitted a Cagiva WMX250 against a KTM 250MX, described as “two very expensive off-road bikes that require the expenditure of a few more bucks to become top quality racewinners.”
-> Two-up sportbike comfort was addressed with an evaluation of a Corbin Canyon Dual Sport
Saddle-"a broad, flat platform that makes passengers feel positively pampered. It’s the backrest, though, that makes the greatest contribution to comfort, because it means passengers don’t have to hold onto the rider or bike just to support themselves.” Smart man, Mike Corbin.
-Matthew Miles
