Your First MX Experience

dave.bonz.9
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dave.bonz.9
Edited Date/Time 2/1/2013 2:13am
1984....AMA 125 / 250 / 500 National's the jeff ward ? jonny O' show battle at saddleback park mx park in california !!! all the top guys were there Bailey,,glover,,ward,,O'mara ,,lechien,,johnson,,barnett,,breker this was when men were MEN !!! 40 riders not 20,, super hard slick dusty as hell riding super fast monster bike,, please go watch the video's up on u tube of this race i'll be posting up some photo's of this race soon..
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mumbles
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mumbles 1/31/2013 12:54pm
1/31/2013 12:54pm
1981 Hangtown. Howerton and Hannah went at it but Howerton beat Hannah both motos I believe. It pissed Hannah off so bad that the next week was the famous "Saddleback Masacure" where they rammed each other over and over.

Back to the Hangtown race, in the 125 class I witnessed the biggest beatdown I have ever seen. Barnett won both motos by over a minute. I was down by the finish in the second moto when he pulled off. He took his helmet off and he wasn't even sweating. He just did 40 plus minutes in the hot sun and looked like he hadn't started yet. It was amazing. He won every moto that year except for the last round at Carlsbad but he didn't ride it because he broke his collarbone practicing. Would have been the first undifeated season.

After the race I went to Barnett's box van and the crowed around him was huge. He started throwing gear out the back and people went wild. I got a pair of his fox riding pants. I almost got a jersey but me another guy both wanted pretty badly and we went down on the ground wrestling for it. He won and I remember I busted my watch in that scuffle. Who cares I got Barnett's pants. They are still hanging in my garage.
mx_579
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mx_579 1/31/2013 1:13pm
1/31/2013 1:13pm Edited Date/Time 1/31/2013 1:14pm
1991 Downsouth MX I rode a ragged out 1987 YZ80. The track hadn't been prepped in years and every turn was blue groove. The jump faces were like wrinkly old skin shedding marbles. Dust cloud so thick you couldn't see the end of the section of track. The tunnel jump had caved in years prior and was now called the camel back. I fell in love with the sport and never got tired of it.
SLAPAHO
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SLAPAHO 1/31/2013 1:18pm
1/31/2013 1:18pm
On Any Sunday 1971
anniebertzak
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anniebertzak 1/31/2013 1:28pm
1/31/2013 1:28pm Edited Date/Time 1/31/2013 1:30pm
1971 - On Any Sunday - Created a dream
1972 - Racing the mini bike class at Saddleback. Had a blast - created a MX racer and fan
1980 - Walking into Anaheim Husky with my parents. That day changed my life. Made life long friends
1980 - Watched Marty Moates win the USGP - Made the USA proud
1981 - Went to the Saddleback National - Saw the best racers at the time

The Shop

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davistld01
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davistld01 1/31/2013 1:48pm
1/31/2013 1:48pm
1973 Trans-AMA @ Rio Bravo, in Houston, TX. The day changed my life. Was given a ride there by Wyman Priddy, who was then a very fast pro with Kawasaki sponsorship and my nextdoor neighbors brother-in-law. He must have felt sorry for me since my parents couldn't afford to buy me a bike...and I was riding a beat up '72 Penton that another neighbor had given me around the trails and tracks close by. I got to meet some of my idols...Brad Lackey, Billy Grossi, Adolf Weil, Peter Lampuu, Jimmy Weinert...and Roger DeCoster. I was so freaking star struck meeting Roger I couldn't even talk right...but he was very cool and friendly, and put me at ease. I got to sit in Wyman's pit area, and lots of guys (Howerton, Stackable, Weinert, Grossi etc.) came by to visit since he was such a nice guy and well liked by everybody. I remember the big deal of the day was that Jimmy Weinert won the overall with something like a 4-3 and was the first American to ever beat the Europeans at what had been their game for years.

After that day, all the stuff in the magazines and Cycle News became real to me and I was totally hooked forever.
Sandberm
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Sandberm 1/31/2013 2:36pm
1/31/2013 2:36pm
My first experience was in 1988 and was awkward and didnt last very long. I wasnt sure what to do but I somehow got through it without breaking it. With lots of practice I'm able to ride longer and with more enjoyment, though it gets tougher to find a ride every year I get older.
vanillaice782 1/31/2013 2:46pm
1/31/2013 2:46pm
1996 St. Louis supercross and Im still a huge Emig fan.
FreshTopEnd
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FreshTopEnd 1/31/2013 2:52pm
1/31/2013 2:52pm
First exposure was Pepperell on WWS in the late 60's, but there were a ton of off road guys in my hometown, the Richmond/El Cerrito area of the east bay hills in NorCal (home to Dick Mann, Brad Lackey, Richmond Ramblers, etc.). Class C was king then, but my friends caught on to motocross and we started hitting the canyons and vacant lots with our Stingrays (before even seeing the kids at the beginning of OAS). In 71 I talked my pop into taking me to the Trans Ama at Carnegie for my 14th birthday, shot my first pics there, and that was it.

davistld01
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davistld01 1/31/2013 2:58pm
1/31/2013 2:58pm Edited Date/Time 1/31/2013 2:59pm
FreshTopEnd wrote:
First exposure was Pepperell on WWS in the late 60's, but there were a ton of off road guys in my hometown, the Richmond/El Cerrito area...
First exposure was Pepperell on WWS in the late 60's, but there were a ton of off road guys in my hometown, the Richmond/El Cerrito area of the east bay hills in NorCal (home to Dick Mann, Brad Lackey, Richmond Ramblers, etc.). Class C was king then, but my friends caught on to motocross and we started hitting the canyons and vacant lots with our Stingrays (before even seeing the kids at the beginning of OAS). In 71 I talked my pop into taking me to the Trans Ama at Carnegie for my 14th birthday, shot my first pics there, and that was it.

Is that Rich Thorwaldson on a works Suzuki?
yam261
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yam261 1/31/2013 3:05pm
1/31/2013 3:05pm
It was in 1979. I got out of the van not knowing a thing about Motocross. It was pouring rain. I looked up to see a guy Loop out over the finnish line jump on a YZ125. It made an awfull splash when it landed. I ran over to that jump and stood in the pouring rain all day. I caught a cold and was hoarse for days from yelling. I was hooked for life.
backinthesaddleagain 1/31/2013 3:16pm
1/31/2013 3:16pm
As a spectator - 1978 national in Escoheag RI. As a racer - 1984 NESC race in Central Village Ct.
pdub187
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pdub187 1/31/2013 3:32pm
1/31/2013 3:32pm
It was at Tivoli in Qld some time in the early 90s. I'm thinking 1994. I would have been 6 or 7.
part-timer 1/31/2013 4:10pm
1/31/2013 4:10pm
backinthesaddleagain wrote:
As a spectator - 1978 national in Escoheag RI. As a racer - 1984 NESC race in Central Village Ct.
I was there at the Pine Top National also! My 1st race as a spectator was Southwick , though.
1st race as a racer was Middleboro,Mass in 1979.
rpoint116
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rpoint116 1/31/2013 5:29pm
1/31/2013 5:29pm
In 1969 I was 7 and had a Yamaha 60 enduro. I lived in a small town in Missouri. My Dad showed me an add in the paper for a MX race at some farm outside of even a smaller town.

There was a min-bike class, 100, (2) 125 & (2) 250 classes. 3 motos each. My mini-bike class was 4 laps on a really flat track. I put a paper plate over my headlight w/ ductape. There were probably 6 other bikes, all XR 75’s in the class, including a girl. I was lapped twice in each moto. I had no idea what I was doing. I had a blast though.

I worked my way up & when I was 17 riding local expert in the midwest, & my family had a trackside support business (Denny’s Dirt Shop). We new & helped out Denny Stephenson, Jeff Emig , & a bunch of riders. It actually was a big deal back then. Our home track/practice track was Agency, Mo. which held a 125/250 National I believe in 1978 (yes, the Magoo race he clipped the flagger).

That was a GREAT time to be in motocross.

This was on my RM 100. Check out the cool "Rollerball" type numbers. I think that was the original Bell Moto-Star that weighed about 8 lbs. I still have it.

FreshTopEnd
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FreshTopEnd 1/31/2013 6:02pm
1/31/2013 6:02pm
FreshTopEnd wrote:
First exposure was Pepperell on WWS in the late 60's, but there were a ton of off road guys in my hometown, the Richmond/El Cerrito area...
First exposure was Pepperell on WWS in the late 60's, but there were a ton of off road guys in my hometown, the Richmond/El Cerrito area of the east bay hills in NorCal (home to Dick Mann, Brad Lackey, Richmond Ramblers, etc.). Class C was king then, but my friends caught on to motocross and we started hitting the canyons and vacant lots with our Stingrays (before even seeing the kids at the beginning of OAS). In 71 I talked my pop into taking me to the Trans Ama at Carnegie for my 14th birthday, shot my first pics there, and that was it.

davistld01 wrote:
Is that Rich Thorwaldson on a works Suzuki?
Joel Robert!
TripleFive 1/31/2013 6:31pm
1/31/2013 6:31pm
Millville '04. It was the race people were "believing the hype."
bayodome
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bayodome 1/31/2013 6:59pm
1/31/2013 6:59pm
Sandberm wrote:
My first experience was in 1988 and was awkward and didnt last very long. I wasnt sure what to do but I somehow got through it...
My first experience was in 1988 and was awkward and didnt last very long. I wasnt sure what to do but I somehow got through it without breaking it. With lots of practice I'm able to ride longer and with more enjoyment, though it gets tougher to find a ride every year I get older.
Haha. Practice makes...decent.
CheesePreetza 1/31/2013 7:08pm
1/31/2013 7:08pm
2001 Ama pontiac Supercross, the year the track didn't go up in the stands. Was like 7-8 years old. I remember one moto Travis Pastrana got a holeshot and i went nuts.

Pit Row

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PFitzG38
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PFitzG38 1/31/2013 8:35pm
1/31/2013 8:35pm
SLAPAHO wrote:
On Any Sunday 1971
This. First screening in Santa Monica. I started doing it on my Schwinn a few months earlier by bombing the empty lots around town and propping plywood over rocks to "air" over so we could properly split our heads open and snap our wrists, but OAS gave a name to something I could aspire to, to something I would pretty much devote the rest of my life to - Motocross.

Free LSoto
rmpilot
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rmpilot 1/31/2013 8:48pm
1/31/2013 8:48pm Edited Date/Time 1/31/2013 8:49pm
1
rmpilot
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rmpilot 1/31/2013 8:57pm
1/31/2013 8:57pm
my first experience was seeing my dads picture of him on a tm 125 a salesman sent to him with pen marks cross hatched on it. it is the only thing he has left because any trophies and all the other stuff got burned in a fire. i knew i wanted to ride seeing it with all the stories he had. my first race i saw was at dyracuse and it was the most awesome thing i saw with the full gates of riders riding in the sand. my first mx race at dyracuse in 2003. i crashed i dont know how many times in 125 jr. that opened my eyes on fast 125 jr actually with guys lapping me yelling get out the way lol. but i got 13th overall out of 16 because 3 dnf'd. i was hooked.
backinthesaddleagain 1/31/2013 9:19pm
1/31/2013 9:19pm
backinthesaddleagain wrote:
As a spectator - 1978 national in Escoheag RI. As a racer - 1984 NESC race in Central Village Ct.
part-timer wrote:
I was there at the Pine Top National also! My 1st race as a spectator was Southwick , though. 1st race as a racer was Middleboro,Mass...
I was there at the Pine Top National also! My 1st race as a spectator was Southwick , though.
1st race as a racer was Middleboro,Mass in 1979.
Cool too bad if was a one and done for mx in Rhode Island. There is video online of the race and I ride by the place often now it's just a grass covered old ski area.
SLAPAHO
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SLAPAHO 1/31/2013 9:27pm
1/31/2013 9:27pm
SLAPAHO wrote:
On Any Sunday 1971
PFitzG38 wrote:
This. First screening in Santa Monica. I started doing it on my Schwinn a few months earlier by bombing the empty lots around town and propping...
This. First screening in Santa Monica. I started doing it on my Schwinn a few months earlier by bombing the empty lots around town and propping plywood over rocks to "air" over so we could properly split our heads open and snap our wrists, but OAS gave a name to something I could aspire to, to something I would pretty much devote the rest of my life to - Motocross.

Free LSoto
Laughing what's up fitz? long time bro, hope to see you soon
gsxrcr28
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gsxrcr28 1/31/2013 9:48pm
1/31/2013 9:48pm
Gatorback, I think the year was 1986?

I just remember George Holland and Eric Kehoe having a great battle in the 125 class.
RandyS
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RandyS 1/31/2013 9:57pm
1/31/2013 9:57pm
My first AMA national was Hangtown(Plymouth) in 72 or 73. I don't remember many particulars other than there was someone selling jerseys and putting your name and number on it right there. I think it might have been Denny from M&M. I remember because I came home with one.
TG130
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TG130 1/31/2013 10:53pm
1/31/2013 10:53pm
1st knowledge of MX - probably mid 1970's watching some neighborhood kids with mx bikes riding at a makeshift track in a field near my house. That and watching Carlsbad USGP on Wide World of Sports. Wanted a bike so bad, but my parents wouldn't let me have one.

First race I ever saw live - November 1978 Trans AMA at Sonoma, California (Sears Point). I was hooked after seeing this and started racing a few months later.
mx510
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mx510 1/31/2013 11:04pm
1/31/2013 11:04pm
My first motocross race that I remember attending is the Washougal National in 1992. I missed 93' went again in 94' and havent missed one since.
GHR
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GHR 1/31/2013 11:24pm
1/31/2013 11:24pm
1982- I was 9 years old, moved to Cypress Ca to settle in a home from Virgina via Colorado (military brat), met my first real friend Dave who was then 12 yrs old (who to this day 31 years later is still my BFF), he sold me his 1980 CR80 and we used to ride out in Barstow off then named Bolder Road, (now Dale Evens Pkwy) out past victorville. I was in my BMX gear in this pic and hiking boots...haha. Dave now races Vet Pro and I race Vet novice still as I stayed by the ocean to surf most of my life and he moved to Temecula to be closer to riding. He and I ride every month still together. Its been a great ride and still going!! I owe him everything for what he did for me as a kid taking me under his wing. Hes a bad ass. Thanks Dave, your still my hero and will always be.



Here he is on the zook and me still playing in the sand after being friends for over 30 years now.
GHR
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GHR 1/31/2013 11:27pm
1/31/2013 11:27pm
SLAPAHO wrote:
On Any Sunday 1971
yep, long time best bud of mine (Dave) and I used to watch that movie all the time, his older brother is in it jumping off a sand dune. Bad ass movie!
GHR
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GHR 1/31/2013 11:30pm
1/31/2013 11:30pm
Thanks for posting this thread topic dave.bonz.9 it brought a tear to my eye to remember how I got here.

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