STEVE

          ABOUT BOB "HURRICANE" HANNAH

             

              

                                         

 SOME WORDS FROM "HURRICANE"

Steve: How did you get your start in the motorcycle world?  What year?

"I grew up in the desert and my Dad started taking me riding with him on the weekends when I was 7 years old - 1963.  You could ride right out of our yard into the hills.  Growing up I had a million hours on my motorcycle, but I’d never raced motocross or been on a motocross track with a motorcycle until I was out of high school – almost 18 years old."  

Steve: What was your first motorcycle?

"My Dad customized and gave me my first motorcycle, a Honda 55, when I was 7 years old.  I still have it today – displayed in my home."  

Steve: Who was your favorite racer at that time?

"The first time I became familiar with the sport was when a family friend took me to the 500 World Championship Race at Carlsbad, CA in 1973.  It was the first time I’d ever even heard the name Roger DeCoster.  So when I first started racing a year later, I was pretty unfamiliar with any of the top racers."

Steve: What was most challenging for a young US rider?

"I’d say, getting experience.  Growing up in the desert of California, I didn’t have any experience in the rain and the mud."  

Steve: Do you remember your first race?  The result?

"My first race was in 1974 at Indian Dunes in California.  I rode a friend’s bike on a bet.  I’d never raced nor had I ever been on a motocross track before that day.  He entered me into the Junior Class – and I won it.  So he asked me if I wanted to go back the next weekend.  I went back the following weekend and entered the Expert Class for money and got forth.  Once I made some money, I went, ‘Wow, I like this racing.  I want to go racing’."

Steve: What did you think when Yamaha called you for the official team?

"I thought it was great.  I actually thought I’d be fired after one year because I didn’t think I’d be fast enough to keep the job."

Steve: How did you start your career with Yamaha?

"The first deal I ever signed was in 1975 with Gary Harlow and his company, DG Performance Specialties.  He was a pioneer in the motocross accessory business and worked with most of the manufacturers.  This lead me to a deal with Suzuki, where they had me ride all the local CMC races in California but they didn’t think I was ready for a full factory ride for a few more years.  It was Gary Harlow that set me up with an interview with Yamaha in November of 1975 and they were ready to sign me up with a full factory ride for the 1976 National season.  It was an easy decision."

Steve: What was your training at the time? 

"In 1975, I rode a 125 National in New Orleans as a privateer and ended up passing out from heat exhaustion during the race.  I learned right then that I needed to train and train hard – run, lift weights, ride, etc…   The more I trained, the better my results became."

Steve: Why the nickname Bob “Hurricane” Hannah?

"There’s a few versions out there – and a few who that take credit for it – but the true story is, I was at local California CMC race at Saddleback Park in 1975, and as I made a wild pass on Gaylon Mosier, the announcer in the tower gave me the nickname over the loudspeaker – and it stuck with the fans.  The fans continued to use it in the CMC series and then the press picked it up when I traveled to Florida for the Florida Series in 1976."

Steve: Your best friend in the USA Competition?

"No one.  Marty Tripes and I were pretty good friends – on and off the race track – but otherwise, I made a point of not being friendly with my competition."

Steve: The best opponent in your career?

"Roger DeCoster."

Steve: Best motorcycle in your career?

"Honda 1983."

Steve: What did you think of European motocrossers?

"I thought the Europeans were the best riders in the world – at the time they were – Roger DeCoster, Heikki Mikkola, etc…"

Steve: Why didn’t you ever race motocross in Europe?

"I did travel to overseas a several times in my career to race, but I never committed to the World Championship because I didn’t like leaving home."

Steve: Did you know some European racers?  
"I raced them but didn’t know any of them.  I rammed Roger DeCoster a few times.  However, over the years I’ve gotten to know a lot of the old school European riders."

 

Steve: Do you like any of them?

"Oh yeah, I like most of them.  Roger DeCoster and I have been friends for many years.  And I have great respect for Joel Robert.  Some of the guys I see at charity events, the Indy Trade Show and such during the year.  It’s good to see them when I can."

Steve: What is your memory of the Motocross des Nations 1987, when you won the title?

"By 1987, I was only a part-time racer and certainly not the top 125 rider in the US.  I hadn’t ridden a 125 professionally for 5 years, so I thought it was a terrible decision to put me on the US team.  The race was held at my favorite track, Unadilla.  It was a terrible muddy day, which made it great for the Europeans.  I got lucky – pure and simple.  ‘Survival’ is the only word I could use to describe it."

Steve: How did you feel when you finished your career in the motocross world?

"Relieved and satisfied. I was tired of getting hurt."  

Steve: Where did you get your passion for flying?

"I learned how to fly while I had the year off from breaking my leg in the water-skiing accident in 1979.  I wanted to learn how to fly so I could fly myself to the races.  Once I started flying, I got into bush flying and stunt flying.  And then after I retired from motorcycle racing, I started air racing a highly modified P-51 Mustang.  Now I sell airplanes and I’m an aircraft dealer in the US."

Steve: Have you any interest in vintage motocross today?  Do you still ride an old motorcycle on a motocross track?

"I like to look at the vintage bikes, but I have no interest in racing them myself.  When I raced, I gave 100% – 100% of the time – and I left it all out there on the track when I walked away. When I was, I was done.  I still have motorcycles and I love to ride – but I’ll never race again."

Steve: Your Favorite Italian Story?

"The Italians are the most passionate people.  One minute they may hate you, the next they may love you.  That was my experience anyway.  In about 1983 or ‘84, I attended the Bologna Supercross and during one of my races I accidently ran into and knocked down one of the up-and-coming good Italian riders so the crowd booed and whistled at me for the rest of that race.  Prior to the next race, they made us ride up and down the starting line to introduce us to the crowd and when it came time to introduce me they all started booing & whistling again so I flipped them the bird the entire time I rode up and down the starting line.  So they were really heated up by the time the gate dropped.  Once the race started I had to make my way through the pack to catch the Italian superstar who was now leading the race.  Once I catch him, I quickly pass him, get a little lead on him and then park it on the top of a jump and I wait for him.  I wait until he gets just about there and then I clutch it and I throw dirt all over him – and then I take off.  I was being a jackass – but the crowd thought it was very sporting of me to have waited for him so they begin to cheer for me.  So after the race, they have a contest to vote for your favorite rider of the day by ‘applause’ – and I won!"