Mike "Too Tall" Bell

Here's a shot of factory Yamaha's Mike "Too Tall" Bell after winning the 1979 Philadelphia Supercross. Mike was a wonderful rider to watch - all arms and legs and in stark contrast to the many jockey-sized riders who carried the speed to win at the national level.

Mike played an important role in my life.  I was a kid from Wisconsin who stumbled onto the national MX scene.  When in college, I'd sit in the back row and peruse MX magazines, reading about the bikes and riders and  seeing California as something about as accessible as Mars.

Early in my Cycle News East career, I made a trip to the west coast office.  I had met Mike at the races and looked him up. Think we got together at his brother's house and also went to the Yamaha shop his dad worked at - this is all fuzzed up in my brain at this point.

But the memory I won't forget is how Mike Bell - a California factory rider - would treat a kid from Wisconsin like a real person.  I recall that visit as quite remarkable.  It was guys like Mike Bell who let me live a dream.