Tall Story by Mike Emery
Proper Photos by Kevin Wing

Not many people get the chance to be present at the official showcase of Honda’s newest 600 at a beautiful racing facility like Las Vegas Motor Speedway. Me? I was born lucky. This was one of my first thoughts as 3 time world champion Freddie Spencer slipped by on the inside on a 2001 Honda F4i going in to turn 1. I was on an identical bike and on the same Michelin Pilot race tires as the great one himself. I had no excuses and I wasn’t really looking for one. However, this was a prestigious new Honda intro.

Binning this bike today would red label me against any further invites in the future. Discretion pushed aside I did what any self-respecting motorcyclist would do, I eased open the throttle and chased after him. Through turn two, I could feel the rear spinning up and stepping out a little, I weighted the outside peg a little more and pushed down on my part worn slider to control the progressive front wheel slide. I came up on him on turn three and eased on by under the brakes, I afforded myself a cursory glance across and saw the anger and race face aggression through Fast Freddie's visor, was he having flashbacks? After all, I was wearing my Barry Sheene replica. He showed me a wheel going into 4, but again I late braked and held him off. I clipped the apex through five, six and onto the banking, again Mr. Spencer showed me a wheel in the wicked fast entrance into Turn seven, but I held my ground and forced him back into submission…