Racer Jim Knipp talks to crew chief Greg Sickmeier before the start of the AMA Superbike race at Mid-Ohio Sports Car Course in 1983. Knipp and Sickmeier were part of a team based out of Greenwood (Indiana) Honda called the Superbike Factory. Riders consisted of Knipp, Terry Hampton and sometimes Sickmeier. They set the standard for what a privateer squad could look like in the early 1980s. So professional looking was their setup that many fans mistook them for an actual factory team. Hampton became the most successful rider on the Superbike Factory team. He finished ranked inside the top 10 of the final AMA Superbike Championship point standings in 1984.
Racer Jim Knipp talks to crew chief Greg Sickmeier before the start of the AMA Superbike race at Mid-Ohio Sports Car Course in 1983. Knipp and Sickmeier were part of a team based out of Greenwood (Indiana) Honda called the Superbike Factory. (Larry Lawrence photo)
Rider Files 
Have any pics of Jim’s KZ650 from that time?
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Jim has a Facebook page Gordon https://www.facebook.com/jimknippracing?ref=profile although I don’t see any KZ650 pictures on the page … I bet Lisa will see to it that you get them. If I rummage through and find a few old pictures, I will scan them and send them your way
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I have some pics from Lisa. Just looking for some better quality stuff. I own Jim’s old KZ super bike and am rebuilding it. Would like to have some stuff for the archives.
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I remember one of those Superbike Factory guys racing a CBX superbike back in the day…
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It was Hampton on the CBX.
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Cool story. Thanks for posting.
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Seeing that picture made memories rush back for me … all three of those guys were dedicated to making the operation run and look professional with Greg being both the coordinator and in most cases the man investing the money and resources to make the team as successful as it was at the time. Thanks for the mention and the memories Larry.
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