BEAR
Novice Class
Posts: 70
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posted June 18, 2002 07:12 AM
PIC's of Rickey in SA
http://www.labusas.org/phpBB2/viewtopic.php?t=10847
RICKEY WROTE:
calling all americans.........................
Don't ever listen to all the stories about Africa, I have never been anywhere and enjoyed myself as much as I am doing here. The people here are so friendly,I can't get over it.
We have been treated like complete royalty.
Not only by the Bear engineering family, but by every one we have come in contact with. Every one takes pride in their country and says to us "Welcome to South Africa, how are you enjoying your stay".
I must commend Pierre Labuschagne(Bear Engineering), for time money and effort, that he has put out to make my stay and accomodations, first class all the way.
They organized sponsors for every aspect of my stay,
Got off the plane in South Africa and just as I passed through customs, 2 customs police officer's approached my cousin, who was wearing a Kawasaki leather jacket with a no.1 on it, as I was in complete civilian clothes.
He walks up to him, flashes his badge and says we need you two to come with us, just after us spotting the Crew of Kawasaki guys clapping ,cheering and taking pics of us walking out.
They ask the police what is going on here, and they told them that there was a little problem and for them to wait there as they carted us off to the Customs office.
After entering the customs office they ask us if we had been in sole possesion of our bags at all times, then the attention shifted to me as they said, "Mr Gadson, you race for Kawasaki, i said yes, not knowing how they knew my name, they then said,"We are under suspicion that you are carrying illegal Sukuki contrabands in your bag".
At that time the door flew open with the whole bear engineering crew laughing and taking pics of our expression.
(Should have been on candid camera)
As we went outside the airport we saw a limo, a 2002 BMW 320,a 2002 kawasaki 636(not 600) and a Mercedes van, all with "6 Time World Champion Rickey Gadson 2002 tour of South Africa", all over them.
Not too mention that every one had on Kawsaki drag racing crew shirts with my signature on the back and a logo of Rickey Gadson, with two flags side by side.
South Africa's flag and the US flag, side by side in complete harmony.
All others had on sweat suits,and hats with the same logo's on them.
The BMW was sponsored by Club Motors BMW, the Motorcycles in cluding the ZX12 i raced was sponsored by Kawasaki of South Africa, the hotel was sponsored by Ceasars, the Mercedes van was sponsored by Avis, my body gaurd was sponsored by "Protected by Pro Cover", the trailer was sponsored by 2M trailers, and so on.....
The first night I was there the VP of Ceasars, invited us to see The Press Into of Patricia lewis new tour.
She is the Brittany Spears of South Africa, and we got to meet and take pics with her.
On the saturday before the big race Pierre arranged an instudio TV interview on Pole Position, which is the Espn of South Africa.
It was the first time a motorcycle drag racer of any kind was ever interviewed on nation TV, and it was 1 hour long with viewer callins and all.
On race day we arrived at the track at 8:30am and with out exaggeration there were thousands of people in the stands already and hundreds waiting at our pit area for us to appear.
They attributed their 7,000 fans that day, clearly the biggest,(by almost double) to the press covered and apperances we made the days prior.
They even scheduled me to arrive at the track via helicopter but the pilot broke his hand 3 days prior to me arriving.
Talk about 1st class!!!!!!!!!!!!
The hardest part about driving around here is learning to drive the BMW, with the steering wheel on the passenger side and shifting with your left hand, and also driving on the opposite side of the road.
Pierre, thanks for thinkin of putting a navigational system in the car, or else I would have been stuck in the room.
Rickey G
_________________
Rickey Gadson
Vincent:
Boy was I surprised when I first rode here in South Africa.
I got on the KMSA, Bear engineering prepared stock ZX12R, and couldn't even pull the front wheel off the ground.
Pierre called me previous to me arriving and asked me how to prepare the bike, and I gave hime my exact setup from my 12, got here and it would not even leave the starting line without falling on its face.
You see when I was told how fast stock 12's went here in SA,(10.50's) I thought that they were either short on traction or the guys did not know how to ride them.
Boy was I wrong:
I did not realize that it was like riding in Denver colorado's Bandimere Raceway, the adjusted altitude here is 6500 ft above sea level.
My first pass was a 10.50 @ 223 kph(139 mph)
After changing the gearing several times, I ended up using 16-50 gearing to go 10.24 @ 226KPH (141mph).
The bike is 7 tenths slower than I would go home, I was dissapointed, but every one else thought that was spectacular.
They had never seen a production bike run that fast @ Tarlton International raceway, and they showed their appreciation as i was coming back down the reutrn road, by giving me a standing ovation.
I've never felt more appreciated !!!!!!!!!
Rickey
_________________
Rickey Gadson
http://www.labusas.org/phpBB2/viewtopic.php?t=10352
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7.56@195 Worldfinals 2004
7.43@ 194 Britol 2008
   
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