Shoei X-Eleven Norick94 honors fallen racer

In 1994, 19-year-old Norifumi “Norick” Abe entered the Japanese Grand Prix as a wild card. His committed riding style saw him challenge for the lead until three laps from the finish, when he crashed spectacularly. Kenny Roberts was so impressed that he offered Norick a place on the factory Yamaha team; he finished sixth during his two further rides that season. A young Valentino Rossi was also impressed, adopting the professional nickname “Rossifumi” early in his career. On October 7, 2007 Norick was riding his Yamaha T-Max when a truck pulled an illegal U-turn, causing a collision; the impact killed him.
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