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“The Man Who Rode Everything.” That was the appropriately titled article that appeared in the April 1995 edition of Roadracing World about Kurt Liebmann.  The article nicely chronicled Liebmann’s racing career, which to that point had spanned nearly 40 years.   In that time, Liebmann lined up on the grid straddling bikes from more manufacturers than just about any motorcycle racer in history: Adler, Benelli, BMW, Bultaco, Ducati, Honda, Matchless, Moto-Guzzi, Motobi, Norton and Yamaha to name a few.  Despite racing some of the top machines in the world, the bike nearest and dearest to his heart was, and always will be the OL Special.

 

Kurt, the youngest of the three Liebmann siblings, is perhaps the most sentimental.  To this day, thirty-six years after his father’s death, Kurt chokes up when talking about his father who supported and encouraged his racing career.  The father and son duo chalked up an impressive number of race wins and championships over the 21 years they teamed up.  

 

On the track Kurt was a force to be reckoned with.  Fellow racers acknowledge that he was at all times an aggressive racer, unwilling to give quarter in a battle on the track.  That being said, he was also the first to give praise in the paddock to a worthy adversary who had bested him.  

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A partial list of bikes raced by Kurt over the years :

 

Adler 250

Matchless G50 (Daytona)

Metobi 207 (Built by Eraldo Ferraci)

Bultaco 250TSS

Honda CR750

Honda 1025 RSC Factory Racebike

Butler and Smith BMW 750RS, R90S

Yamaha TZ350

Yamaha TR3

Yamaha TZ700 and TZ750

Moto-Guzzi 850 LeMans

Ducati 750SS

Ducati 250F3

Ducati 175 Formula 3 (Canadian National Champion 1961)

AMOL Special (Canadian National Champion 1968)

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Notable Achievements: 

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First Race - May 1958 - Harewood Acres (Adler RS 250)

First Professional Race - 1961 - FIM United States GP - Daytona

First Championship - 1961 - Canadian 200cc  (Ducati 175)

First AMA Victory for Honda - 1962 - Vineland, NJ 4hr Endurance (Honda CB72)

BMW Factory Racer 1966-1976

Canadian National Road Race Champion - 1968 (OL Special, Bultaco 250)

Licensed AMA Professional - 1969

American Honda Support Racer 1970-1982

First AMA Victory for BMW - 1972 - Pocono National (BMW RS 750 Kern/Gietl)

Multi-time AAMRR Champion 200 cc, 250 cc, 500 cc, Superbike, F1, Open Class

AHRMA Daytona Winner - 1984, 1985, 1986, 1987, 1995, 1996 (OL Special)

Multi-time AHRMA Winner - Loudon, Mid-Ohio, Road America

Lap Record - Hockenheim, Germany - 1989 (OL Special)

Multi-time Master Winner - Mosport, Nova Scotia - 1993, 1994, 1995

BMW Legend "Battle of the Legends"

AHRMA BMW Classic Cup Champion - 1996 - (F-750, F-Vintage)