In the late 1970s through the mid-1980s the AMA Road Race National at Laguna Seca brought home American GP stars like Kenny Roberts, Freddie Spencer, Eddie Lawson and Randy Mamola to race against the AMA regulars in the AMA F1 race (often a doubleheader). What American fans generally got to see at Laguna was real GP bikes, but often they were the previous year’s model. Such was the case in the 1981 event where Mamola rode this 1980 model Herron Suzuki RG500. Mamola commented that the bike felt “vintage” compared to his ’81 model he was racing in GPs. This “antique” was good enough for Mamola to win that year’s national at Laguna.
The 1980 Herron Suzuki RG500 that Randy Mamola rode to victory in the AMA road race national at Laguna Seca in 1981.
Rider Files 