Very sad news indeed. Our thoughts and prayers are with his family and friends

the Superbike planet site has these additional details -

More Abe Death Details Emerge
by dean adams
Sunday, October 07, 2007
More details on Norick 'Norifumi' Abe's apparent death are becoming known now that the news of his death has reached Europe and America.

News reports from Tokyo and Yamaha insiders say he was killed in a street accident when a truck pulled a U-turn directly in front of him, and Abe collided with the truck--the same type of accident that killed Mike Hailwood in 1981.

It has been reported that Abe was riding either a motorcycle or a scooter in the incident.

Abe was most well known for his raace with Kevin Schwantz and Mick Doohan at Suzuka in the mid-1990s when Abe's aggressive riding and to say-the-least unconventional riding style won him many Japanese fans.

After racing in WSBK last season, Abe raced this season in Japan, where was a fairly well known racing celebrity.




http://www.superbikeplanet.com/2007/Oct/071007f.htm