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http://www.motorcyclemuseum.org/asp/museum/exhibits/mx/history.asp
Like these tracks ? Haha Cool story bro.
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My point was that even for its time, Hopetown did not exactly resemble motocross. Your claim that Hopetown is where RD showed america "what MX was all about" is what I take issue with. The Euros certainly showed Americans something at Hopetown but I'm just not sure I would call it motocross, even for its time.
Cheers.
Those were good times.
The other epic outdoor tracks were behind my house across from Elephant rock at the end of Sycamore. Johnny lived at the end of 1st street, before it went all the way through to Wood Ranch. That's where his SX track was, and it was a quick ride to the hills by my house. For those that know, the old reservoir tracks.
The most fun was walking by Kyle Lewis' house on the way to school at Royal on a Monday after a shitty weekend and giving gentle jabs.
Cool thread! Thanks for the memories.
You can just make out the water tank in the background of top picture. Never went to the Honda land track but my buddy told me it was nearby.
Those were the days for sure. Lived in Thousand Oaks and rode all over T.O. and Newbury Park. Ride from the garage out to the practice track in the hills.
I use to ride the outdoor track at Hondaland about 3 times a week in 84 and 85, I rode the sx track too, but not much. When they redid the sx track around 90 they didnt let anyone on it after that for insurance reasons and Sid was pretty serious about keeping people out. One time in Lewis was up there riding it on a Yamaha and Sid was pissed at him.
Simi Valley was a great place to grow up in the 80s and early 90s, so many tracks in the hills and so many fast guys to ride with, so many pros lived in that town during that period. Hansen lived about 30 seconds from my house, I know as a kid I bugged that poor guy to death, but him and his dad were cool to me. I remember being in Johhny Os garage and having random people come ask for Honda parts. Bailey lived in the condos behind the old drive in and every kid in that neighborhood had a bailey jersey and every kid that rode in that area had a free set of JT gear, Bailey was cool like that. Endlessly riding in the hills with guys like DR516 and Uptite and many other fast guys was a good time. So many good tracks too besides Hondaland, Erringer, the top of Stow had two good tracks, Kuener had a nasty outdoor track, the two tracks at the top of fitzgerald, the tracks up at the end of Sycamore, and Tapo had a good track, so many it was great. Decoster told me in 81 that of all the tracks hes ridin in his life, the Erringer track is probably the roughest track hes ever ridin and it was why Honda did all there outdoor testing there 80-84.
I can name countless pros that grew up in that town, not to mention the imports that lived there at one time or another to test and ride Hondaland. Great place to grow up, to bad Simi sucks now.
Pit Row
Not much left visually anymore.
was Carlisle Canyon the track that you had to drive across this single lane 15' bridge to get back into the canyon? If so, that was one of our favorites. We also had another good one behind Westlake High School before it was developed. Back in 82-86. We would park in the student parking lot and ride back in.
I'm sure we rode together at Talley's in NP at some point. I rode there a lot from 89-90 as I lived in NP for a year right after college
Great times growing up in that area. It was very common to see Johnny O training on his bicycle around TO. We'd always give a shout out driving by and he would always wave to us.
This is a great thread btw
Post a reply to: Anyone got any late 80's Honda Land Pics?