Thanks Tim. I have posted that Vid earlier...
http://ozvmx.com/community/index.php?topic=16856.0.......but I still watched all of it and enjoyed it. I enjoy every bit of it.
I really feel like I'm on the bike. It sounds like my old YDS right down to the missed gear changes (I'm not sure if the YDS had dodgy gear selection or this rider missed under the 'pressure of combat' and I missed because I was a novice
when I rode the YDS (my first bike)).
That rider is a decent rider getting that pace out of a basically road bike ( as seen against some later MX specific bikes - riders not withstanding). I'm not saying that I'm as good but I felt comfortable 'riding with him' looking over his shoulder. His speed and risk taking and passing moves are about what I would do.
I think Fumio's ride was probably the first Japanese 'works' dirt/MX racer and Yamaha's first international racing attempt. Of course the Yank jurno's gave disparaging remarks about Yamaha's efforts (like the Brits of the time) - probably fired up the Japanese to get the 'almond eyes' to eat their words.
And hence every grid of every race of every discipline is filled with Japanese bikes today. It all started with Yamaha at Catalina (unless someone can correct me).