From 1976, the premier racing class in the USA became the AMA Superbike Championship, for modified road bikes up to 1,000cc capacity. After Reg Pridmore won the initial series for BMW, it quickly became the arena where the Japanese ‘Big Four’ battled for supremacy. Pridmore jumped camps to Kawasaki, winning again in 1977and 1978 before Wes Cooley took the next two championships for Suzuki.
When former 250cc rider Eddie Lawson trounced the best riders and factory teams to win the AMA Superbike Championship in 1981, it shocked a few people, to say the least. After all, his mount was a tricked up Z1000J, tuned by Rob Muzzy, with an almost standard frame, a GPz1100 fuel tank, flat handlebars, a deeply scalloped seat (which, despite appearances, was only 10mm lower than standard, although the pillion section was built up) and a flat front number plate as required under AMA rules. Looking closer, it also had cast magnesium wheels, brake calipers originally produced (and machined from solid) for the ill-fated KR500 GP, Works Performance rear shocks that had earlier graced the very effective factory Maico MX bikes, and a wide variety of swing arms to suit various tracks. But it tipped the scales
