Dirt Bike History 101

[nachtflug]

Originally Posted by nachtflug

. And again as has been said before, unlike today, where an amateur could go buy a 3-4 even 5 year old bike and be competitive, (if he's decent), due to the fact that things were changing very quickly, your head was spinning trying to keep up.

I didn't finish that thought.

if you pushed a 4 year old bike, and not to make racing sound like the end all to debate about a certain bikes status compared to other bikes, but if you pushed a 1973 bike up to the line in 1977-78, unless you were really really good, you didn't stand a chance. and nobody did that kind of thing. after 2 years the bikes were junk for the most part.

I see 2001 bikes on Ebay now that look pretty competitive. maybe not at the pro level but they look like a whole lot of technology even in 2008.

whats my point?

I DON"T KNOW! (re Pee Wee Herman explaining all the facts surrounding his missing bicycle)

[Sal Paradise]

Originally Posted by nachtflug

I didn't finish that thought.

if you pushed a 4 year old bike, and not to make racing sound like the end all to debate about a certain bikes status compared to other bikes, but if you pushed a 1973 bike up to the line in 1977-78, unless you were really really good, you didn't stand a chance. and nobody did that kind of thing. after 2 years the bikes were junk for the most part.

I see 2001 bikes on Ebay now that look pretty competitive. maybe not at the pro level but they look like a whole lot of technology even in 2008.

whats my point?

I DON"T KNOW! (re Pee Wee Herman explaining all the facts surrounding his missing bicycle)

Very good point Flug. I rode with a friend who rides new stuff. I rode his 05 450 and he rode an 07. We traded bikes and there was no difference.

I don't know if the quality of the bikes is better now, I don't think so, but the technology has not progressed all that much in the last couple years.

As far as vintage bikes being worn out after 2 year, your absolutley right, at least the Jap stuff. For example my father recalls in 1977 he rode Professionally under a semi sponsorship from Can Am. He rode a 77 YZ 400 as a practise bike. Both bikes were new when he started, at the end of the season the YZ was totally worn out, it wouldn't start, the suspension was shot, the bearings in the wheels and steering head were toast. It was junk, and that was only from being practised. The YZ he sold, the Can Am he kept. The next year he was factory sponsored by Kawi, the bike was shit, so half way through the season he went back to the Can Am and started winning again, bald rear tire and all!

Its why I'm such a fan of the Euro stuff, especially Can Am and CZ, they are just indestructible!

[nachtflug]

Originally Posted by onanysunday

Very good point Flug. I rode with a friend who rides new stuff. I rode his 05 450 and he rode an 07. We traded bikes and there was no difference.

I don't know if the quality of the bikes is better now, I don't think so, but the technology has not progressed all that much in the last couple years.

As far as vintage bikes being worn out after 2 year, your absolutley right, at least the Jap stuff. For example my father recalls in 1977 he rode Professionally under a semi sponsorship from Can Am. He rode a 77 YZ 400 as a practise bike. Both bikes were new when he started, at the end of the season the YZ was totally worn out, it wouldn't start, the suspension was shot, the bearings in the wheels and steering head were toast. It was junk, and that was only from being practised. The YZ he sold, the Can Am he kept. The next year he was factory sponsored by Kawi, the bike was shit, so half way through the season he went back to the Can Am and started winning again, bald rear tire and all!

Its why I'm such a fan of the Euro stuff, especially Can Am and CZ, they are just indestructible!

you've been a breath of fresh air here and in lots of other threads oas, keep up the good work.

[Gordy]

Originally Posted by onanysunday

Its why I'm such a fan of the Euro stuff, especially Can Am and CZ, they are just indestructible!

I miss my CZs. I will own a good one again.

I had my favorite one stolen out of my van the night before a race. It was a 250 with all plastics, aluminum swingarm w/laid down shocks, mikuni, some kind of electonic ignition. What a solid bike. RIP

[Trailing Jack]

Originally Posted by nachtflug

a hippie!!

Speakin' of hippies...


Hiya, Scott!!
Finally able to break on thru!
Great thread, everybody!

[Trailing Jack]

Originally Posted by nachtflug

bingo. I never quite know how to vocalize the Husky tanks. thats as good a job as any.

1966 - right side shift.

[Trailing Jack]

Originally Posted by mtothef

handling. hmmm. straight line awesomeness. cornering, well, sort of the anti-maico. look for the berm, forget about the inside line.

Not quite the style that Gordy had...I couldn't turn the damn thing!! Pretty sure this one was a 250GP ('75?)
This was the first and only time I raced one. Borrowed my buddy's when my Elsinore was in peices.(probably when we were upgrading to the DG swingarm kit with Boge shocks) I'm not sure I ever even rode it before that day.

[Trailing Jack]

Originally Posted by Gordy

I miss my CZs. I will own a good one again.

I had my favorite one stolen out of my van the night before a race. It was a 250 with all plastics, aluminum swingarm w/laid down shocks, mikuni, some kind of electonic ignition. What a solid bike. RIP

Here's the one my friend raced last year (AHRMA). 380. Not sure of the year, though. Anyone remember when the 380's came out?

[motu]

I found this on YouTube,8mm footage of scrambling in New Zealand in the '60's.As you can see,just a farm paddock with a few pegs and tape.All natural terrain,jumps are just what was lying around on the ground.Interesting to look at the background too - a typical mixture of cars we drove back then,English,American and Australian.

This is a bit early for me,but this is what I went to see as a kid.Like Natchflug,my timeline starts in 1970.

[Sal Paradise]

Originally Posted by Trailing Jack

1966 - right side shift.

'66, thats a model that never came to this side of the "pond"

Heres a couple interesting huskys. The first is a 64 Works Bike ridden by Ake Jonnsonn, the second is a one off Husky Twin. It was produced to run the Baja 1000.

[Sal Paradise]

Originally Posted by nachtflug

you've been a breath of fresh air here and in lots of other threads oas, keep up the good work.

Thanks for the kind words Flug.

[Valleyrider]

Originally Posted by Trailing Jack

Speakin' of hippies...


Hiya, Scott!!
Finally able to break on thru!
Great thread, everybody!

Wish I stll had my LUV truck!!

[nachtflug]

Originally Posted by kittycactus

So I’m curious what other noteworthy bikes came along, good or bad?

as good as the 73-74 Elsinores were, and in all fairness they were certainly not "unbeatable" the 75-76 Elsinores went over like a lead balloon as
I recall. So that is one bike that I think deserves mention. They put the biggest silencer ever made on the back and I'm assuming they changed the tuning in attempt to make it more mellow and less pipey. And again when the RM 250 came out that made that introduction all the more noteworth because that was Suzuki's year to have "the" bike. The RM's were really sweet and given the Elsinores downward progress, I think its a fair statement to say that the 75 Elsinores sucked.

But there were others...all of the "enduro's" were forever sneered at as BACK THEN you could ride a MX bike ANYWHERE without havinig to worry about ANYTHING, and a "dirt" bike was in most circles of discussion, a MX bike.

Kind of like todays TTR's and XTT's etc. Even the DRZ. A little bit on the soft side, and as the DT's and XL's and TS's of the day, it was kind of like, why would you want one of thooooose?

Not that Husky and Penton didn't have their share of turkeys..

[nachtflug]

Originally Posted by Valleyrider

Wish I stll had my LUV truck!!

sharp eye. that is indeed a Chevy Luv.

[nachtflug]

Originally Posted by nachtflug

They put the biggest silencer ever made on the back and I'm assuming they changed the tuning in attempt to make it more mellow and less pipey. , I think its a fair statement to say that the 75 Elsinores sucked.

and in fairness to the 125 this applied to the 250 only, as the 75-125 was still the same. I think...