BLAST FROM THE PAST: SCOTT SUMMERS

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In his day Scott Summers was an absolute animal. Not only could he dead lift his 290 pound XR600, Scott dominated the GNCC world on a machine that nearly everyone considered to be a desert trail bike. Scott won 5 GNCC titles (’90, ’91, ’92, ’96 & ’97), had 46 overall wins (second in this category is Rodney Smith with 33) blistering the brutal series by virtue of his fitness and figuring out how to make the XR work in his world. Scott ran his bikes super soft up front, cut his bars to 29″ and mowed everything in his path. He rode the bike like it was an automatic, no clutch and heavy braking in the woods and said that it was impossible to stall. Too, his bikes were stock car racing loud! He used it to ‘scare’ lappers out of his way! Scott’s career was slowed down by injuries (broken femur, pelvis) and Honda’s decision to change the XR into a water-cooled 650. Scott could not make it work in the woods.

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Here’s Scott in ’89, clad in JT gear (only for a short time) and mounted on his XR600. Scott fit it with a WP fork that added rigidity to the heavy machine, though he set up incredibly soft. He also ran 29-inch bars! He was super strong and you’d need to be to manhandle a 290 pound machine in gorp and bogs with little leverage through the handlebar.

 

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