Uploaded April 2026 | Updated September 2026, 2 weeks ago
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Purpose-built production racebikes were available and pretty affordable in the early-to-mid 1970s, but humans will race just about anything. So as streetbikes started to improve and the term "superbike" was born, it didn't take long for people to start racing production bikes at local tracks. One of the most famous was Cook Neilson and Phil Shilling's Cycle magazine Ducati was born as the California Hot Rod, while Butler & Smith BMW's Udo Gietl turn the R 90 S into a race- and championship-winning bike. Kawasakis and more hit the race track, too. At first, modifications were limited, but once the first AMA Superbike Championship was launched in 1976--an idea and its class rules born on an empty California apartment floor in 1975 between John Ulrich and Steve McLaughlin--the motorcycles evolved quickly. Join Technical Editor Kevin Cameron and Editor-in-Cheif Mark Hoyer for a discussion about the birth of the Superbike.
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Find us on Patreon! patreon.com/cw/CycleWorldPodcast
Purpose-built production racebikes were available and pretty affordable in the early-to-mid 1970s, but humans will race just about anything. So as streetbikes started to improve and the term "superbike" was born, it didn't take long for people to start racing production bikes at local tracks. One of the most famous was Cook Neilson and Phil Shilling's Cycle magazine Ducati was born as the California Hot Rod, while Butler & Smith BMW's Udo Gietl turn the R 90 S into a race- and championship-winning bike. Kawasakis and more hit the race track, too. At first, modifications were limited, but once the first AMA Superbike Championship was launched in 1976--an idea and its class rules born on an empty California apartment floor in 1975 between John Ulrich and Steve McLaughlin--the motorcycles evolved quickly. Join Technical Editor Kevin Cameron and Editor-in-Cheif Mark Hoyer for a discussion about the birth of the Superbike.
Find us on Patreon! patreon.com/cw/CycleWorldPodcast
Become a Channel Partner: octanemedia.co/home/become-an-advertiser
Subscribe to Cycle World Youtube: youtube.com/c/cycleworld?sub_confirmation=1
Listen on Spotify: open.spotify.com/show/6CLI74xvMBFLDOC1tQaCOQ
Read more from Cycle World: cycleworld.com
Buy Cycle World Merch: teespring.com/stores/cycleworld
