Posts
209
Joined
4/11/2013
Location
MA
US
Edited Date/Time
4/16/2015 8:35am
Really??? Can we make an OLD SCHOOL MOTO forum that doesn't have Liquid Cooled, Single Shock, Power Valved, double Disk Braked bikes please? There has been no innovation since 1989. None! Just "refinements" and cheater 4-strokes with twice the displacement and 1/2 the talent it takes to ride a real MX bike. PHHHHRRRP.
That's what I consider old school.
I'm 32, and have had my '91 for 15+ years now.
I like the fact that there's a wide range of ages of bikes in here.
My 'modern' bike is still 24 years old!!
I race a modern KTM smoker, and also ride a 1947 500cc Matchless thumper on occasion.
I'm not interested in the Alu framed CR's and stuff, so I just don't read those threads, easy.
The Shop
Late 80's onwards was essentially just manufacturers refining the established ideas.
As long as it has two wheels and an engine however, I'll be interested.
There may not be any real new advancements since the late 80's but ever part of the bikes have gone through massive upgrades that make them superior in every way to the old stuff. They make more HP per cc, they have far superior suspension and are much more durable, not to mention they are pretty much ready to race off the showroom floor without massive upgrades and tuning for the most part.
My point is that a 2015 YZ 125 against a 1987 YZ 125 would be a bloodbath, but to some they are the same Tech so they must be the same bike, what a bunch of crap.
Still over 20 years old.
It's all about variety, and as we're all different ages, we all grew up in awe of bikes and riders of different eras.
That's what makes it so good.
90's was late adolescence for motocross bikes.. Especially the early/mid 90s with the lines & ergos changing quite a bit over those years. By the late 90's bikes got a bit more refined.. but even now the second to last generation KX's look pretty dated to me. The last gen RM's are getting that way.
I love all of the vintage rides I see posted here. I started on a dual shock 4 stroke with points and low slung muffler. I rode garbage bikes most of my early years, all I could afford at the time. I thought I was in sweet heaven by the time I had my first dual-disk mx'er (86 KX one two five).
Another look at this is parts for older bikes are harder and harder to come by and that alone gives them merit as far as restorations go. I'm in awe over the work MXM is doing in his '87 125 series. But I know he isn't having an easy go finding NOS parts for those machines.. and nobody seems to step up to manufacture quality replacements for parts the manf's long stopped producing.
Everyone ought to appreciate the interest there IS in vintage scoots.. even the 90's models.
I guess some of the 90 models are just as old or older as when I got into the 74 Elsinores back in 1990. I remember the old codgers at AHRMA blowing a fuggin gasket when we efficiently ran our 1998 or 99 AHRMA national at Swan MX to finish up at 1:00 pm and promptly lined up the Texas region Post Vintage classes for the afternoon. They were none too happy about those "modern" 75-81 model bikes running on the same day as them even though their race was over. Of course I also remember some of them bitchen about 74 model bikes too...lol.
If the guys that are 5 or 10 years younger than me want to chime in and talk about their passion welcome aboard! You can look at the gates at any ARHMA or AMA event and see that opening up the years and or bikes allowed is a must. I too like the pre 74 bikes, I just don't think there are enough of them around or the people willing to race them around to sustain the sport and promoters willing to put on the events.
I'm just happy to have a safe track to ride and race within reason of where I live and if having bikes to 1996 race so it keeps happening no problem here. If you think that would happen if they stopped at twin shock, air cooled, pre 74, etc. you are wrong.
To the earlier post saying it's not like there are a lot of posts on here I agree completely. Why can't we all be on this really and keep the movement going? You change this to pre 74 you will have 4 posts a month....
Pit Row
Is it not enough to be glad people are interested in keeping older used bikes, restoring them, even racing them?
http://www.ahrma.org/racing/vintage-motocross/
CLASSES
Note: All classes are further divided into Novice, Intermediate and Expert rider ability levels.
Premier Lightweight: Certain pre-1965-era machines up to 250cc.
Premier 350: Certain 1960s-era four-stroke machines 300-350cc
Premier 500: Pre-1965-era machines up to 500cc
Premier Open Twins: Pre-1965 twin-cylinder machines 600cc and larger.
Classic 125: 125cc two-strokes and four-strokes up to 150cc, manufactured through December 1971 (and like-design).
Classic 250: Specific 250cc and smaller two-stroke machines introduced just after the Premier Lightweight era (i.e., four-speed Spanish motorcycles, twin-pipe CZ), as well as 350cc non-unit motorcycles.
Classic 500: Specific motorcycles from the late 1960s and early ’70s.
100cc Motocross: 88-100cc two-stroke and 88-120cc four-stroke motorcycles manufactured as 100s, up to 1974 (and like-design).
Early Sportsman Stock: 250 and 500cc classes for certain lightly-modified machines from the early part of the Sportsman era.
Sportsman: 125, 250 and 500cc classes for machines up to model year 1974.
Sportsman Open Twins: Twin-cylinder machines up to model year 1974, manufactured as 600cc and larger.
Open Age: Any AHRMA-eligible rider on an AHRMA-eligible vintage machine.
40+: Riders age 40 or older on any AHRMA-eligible vintage machine.
50+: Riders age 50 or older on any AHRMA-eligible vintage machine.
60+: Riders age 60 or older on any AHRMA-eligible vintage machine.
70+: Riders age 70 or older on any AHRMA-eligible vintage machine.
Women: Females riding any AHRMA-eligible vintage machine.
The AMA has a similar structure but they added classic NC(non current) that basically goes 84 to 89, and NC that goes 90 to 96-98 depending on the bike. They only had NC last year for 84 to 98 or so and that was picking up some steam. I took my nieces husband, 33, to a race and he's now looking to get into it but on a 98 YZ. Makes sense because that is what he raced back in the day. There are also a good deal of affordable bikes to be had which can only help.
Local or regional clubs normally have a NC or similar group as far as I know.
I like and am a member of both organizations but I do think getting new blood interested is real important for the long term future.
My point being, that nobody should be excluded. We're all here because we don't fit in on the boards with the modern bikes.
We're already outcasts, we need to stick together.
Whilst I love the '96 CR250 builds, I see them as modern too, but those bikes will be 2 decades old this autumn too.
I'm on very few forums, but post here because I like this place.
There's a bit of drama, some amazing parts, builds, and bikes. A global community, and a dash of humour.
We are united by a love of the bikes that the majority of riders don't care for any more.
I raced a 3 hour Hare and Hounds yesterday, and was rather unimpressed with the fact that there were no bikes in the Evo class at all. If they had a super-Evo class, my '91 would get more use.
(Although I don't ride it if there's a chance of getting it muddy)
We're a niche within the niche that is dirtbike riders.
Perhaps pre 90's bikes should be called "vintage"
Post a reply to: 90's bikes?