‘Legendary rider’ Norick Abe dies in motorbike, truck collision
Norifumi Abe, one of Japan’s most successful motorcycle road racers, collided with a truck while riding a motorbike in Kawasaki, and died from the resulting injuries after having been taken to hospital Sunday afternoon, the Asahi Shimbun reports. Abe was 32 years old.
Local police say the collision occurred on a two-lane municipal road, when the driver of the truck made a U-turn, colliding with Abe who was closing in on the truck from behind on the truck’s righ-hand side.
The truck driver told police he realized he had mistakenly taken the wrong way, and tried to get back on track. U-turns were prohibited on the road where the accident happened.
Abe was also known as Norrick Abe in the English-speaking world and as “the legendary rider” in Japan. He was born to the auto racer Mitsuo Abe, and sat on a bike for the first time when he was 5. After finishing elementary school, he spent two years in the United States., perfecting his skills. He won his first Grand Prix title 1996, and went on to conquer the title twice more.
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