first, completely unproven big bike, it
was hard to top that," Bob Hansen,
then American Honda's National
Service Manager, is quoted as say-
ing in Aaron P. Frank's book Honda
Motorcycles.
"Hansen prepared the ma-
chine, and I rode it as best I
could, just as I was contracted
to do. That was it," said the humble
Mann in the same book.
"Everyone at American Honda
sends their heartfelt condolences
to Dick Mann's family, friends and
fans," said Bill Savino, Senior Man-
ager of Customer Engagement at
American Honda. "Dick tallied a
number of accomplishments over
the course of his long career, but
he'll always hold a special spot in
our hearts for the role he played
VOLUME 58 ISSUE 18 MAY 4, 2021 P29
centered on a single race—the
1970 Daytona 200.
"It was Honda's first factory
effort in the legendary endurance
event, with a four-rider project
aboard CR750 machinery (the
racing version of the now-iconic
CB750 four-cylinder, which had
started production just a year ear-
lier)," said Honda. "It was Honda's
first AMA National Championship
race win, and it established the
CB750 at the top of the perfor-
mance hierarchy."
"For a Japanese company with its
first, completely unproven big bike, it
was hard to top that," Bob Hansen,
-
Honda
to do. That was it," said the humble
in proving that Honda motorcycles
could perform with the very best."
Mann once said in an interview
with Cycle News in 1971. "Like ev-
eryone else, I have problems. But
I keep my personal problems from
Monday to Friday, racing problems
Saturday and Sunday."
Luckily for him, he was so good
on a motorcycle that he didn't have
many racing problems.
CN
(Left) Mann was known as a gritty
competitor who was tough as nails. (Right)
Mann helped put Honda on the motorcycle-
racing map after winning the Daytona 200
on a Honda CB750 motorcycle, a new and
unproven machine at the time.
Mann won two
Grand National
Championships in
1963 and 1971.
