Cycle News is a weekly magazine that covers all aspects of motorcycling including Supercross, Motocross and MotoGP as well as new motorcycles
Issue link: https://magazine.cyclenews.com/i/126509
"If they want to write something, then let them write il. 1 don't need ·em. They don't win my races. "I never gOt any good publicity for being a nice guy. or for brown·nosing people. 1 get publicity purely for winning races. OK?" says Bob with typical candor. Not surprisingly. Hannah has equally strong views a bout his rivals. "I like privateers more than the resl. But Kent Howerton I like and respecl. I've stayed at his place for a week at a time. There are very few of the others at the top 1 get along with. because purely 1 think they don't want to get along with me. "It's not that 1 have anything against them. 1 don't go out of my way to get along with them either. I don't think I should. I'm not paid to get along with them, I'm paid to beat them. Maybe if I am too friendly. then in a race it might make a difference, and 1 wouldn't want that." says Bob. Of the Europeans that Bob has seen HOW SWEET IT IS! "1 don't like anything about it (Europe) ... 1 don't like the people. " Seattle Kingdome Feb. 14& 15 and raced against he rates Roger DeCoster and Heikki Mikkola highly. "They are the greatest." says Bob. "In the past I could have ridden with either of them on certain days. ow I would never brag that I could go tr Europe and beat either one of them in a series. I would say that in the Trans· Am I could beat either one of them, in my prime. and 1 did." Just how "Hurricane" Hannah would fare against the current crop of European top liners remains to be seen. European style tracks Bob likes. But until Yamaha can agree to him for America. terms with European fans will just have to wail. Can Hannah regain the sort of form that he once had? If determination is the key, then the answer is an emphatic yes. He wants to beat them all, just for the satisfaction of proving that he can. But his big accident has taught him several things he didn't know before. "I used to think that if J couldn't motocross, I'd die. Well, the accident showed me that nOl only could 1 live without racing, but that I could enjoy myself. ouble Ulll.OP ALENTINE'S DAY WEEKEND ic:lory CIIlCUOFWlN arrell Shultz - Suzuki - Dunlop front & rear More erda. rlcleon Dw........icmyother tire. the world. ~ DUN.£OP p.O.1loJ< 1109, Buffalo, NY M:!4O Subscribe and get your name on the front pace of Cyde News. "1 like privateers more than the rest." "It's perh'aps a funny thing to say, but last summer was the best one I've ever had. 1 learned to fly, and 1 bought my own plane. But I had.a lot of fun doing other things, and 1 began to realize that whenever 1 do stop racing I'm probably going to have more fun. "I know now that when I do quit I can still be real happy, and that's one good thing that came out of the broken leg." What will Hannah do when he does retire? ''I'll probably run a few schools, and then a few other little businesses to make money. I'd like some cattle, and things, and I'll just fly around keeping an eye on things. But if 1 want I'll just be real lazy." With six years of motocross success behind him Hannah is well set up for ,life. Unlike many riders, he has mvested his earnings wisely. But knowing Bob Hannah. and the sort of man he is, that's no surprisel • ::TI';U U } (,'. '1lIJ';::• •• • • P.O. Box 1321 Hesperia. CA 92345 (714) 244-9351 18001854-4691 S.ALU • P""HS • sr:R ....cr ACC[~!oOlun ~ . £?«. CYClE CENTER V' '11315 E. canon S.. Haw."'n a ....n.. c•. 1071' 2 IMoc::ks Ene of., frNy .. ~. UncoIn off "-"P IZ13ll1611Zn 0It (71411Z1~ 21