The Peak of Moto

Tarz483
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Tarz483
Edited Date/Time 11/27/2019 8:30am
What year would you say or approximately when
Do you think Motocross peaked .
At the local grassroots level?


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honda341
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honda341 11/22/2019 1:41pm
11/22/2019 1:41pm
Peaked in the mid 90's, early 2000's. Grassroots level Mid 80's to late 90's.
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Press516
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Press516 11/22/2019 2:19pm
11/22/2019 2:19pm
Local racing was so hot early 80's through late 90's. Gates absolutely full and then some in every class...

The video quality sucks and it's not that long ago, but who hasn't watched this clip and thought, that's what MX is all about... 60 screaming mini's headed to the first turn.

https://youtu.be/sWNtzCAbsVY
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zippytech
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zippytech 11/22/2019 2:22pm
11/22/2019 2:22pm
I don't know what it was like before the mid 80's but in the mid90's everyone around where I live was getting a bike.
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Falcon
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Falcon 11/22/2019 2:45pm
11/22/2019 2:45pm
When I started racing in 1985, you could enter 80cc Novice stock or modified, as a 9-11 or 12-16 year old. Do all the permutations for novice, intermediate and expert and you get 12 mini classes. There were also 80 Beginner 9-11 and 12-16 (no modified classes) 80cc open and 105 Supermini. 16 mini classes! And the gates were usually full or had at least 10 riders. That's when it peaked. Grass roots were already on their way down in the '90s.
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bonseff
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bonseff 11/22/2019 2:50pm
11/22/2019 2:50pm
Lake Whitney Good Times Nationals, at least for me. Box vans & tents.
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Dropbear
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Dropbear 11/22/2019 3:09pm
11/22/2019 3:09pm
70’s man!
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Tarz483
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Tarz483 11/22/2019 3:52pm
11/22/2019 3:52pm
I was thinking early to mid 90's but I was curious to see what others Thought, could be a little different in some areas
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CPR
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CPR 11/22/2019 3:54pm
11/22/2019 3:54pm
Another vote for mid 80s to early 90s.
Everyone had a bike, tracks everywhere and gates full!
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Holigan
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Holigan 11/22/2019 3:55pm
11/22/2019 3:55pm
When it went from racing two strokes to four strokes. Late 90's
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seventeen
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seventeen 11/22/2019 4:50pm
11/22/2019 4:50pm
Now...
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Chance1216
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Chance1216 11/22/2019 5:39pm
11/22/2019 5:39pm
Late eighties to mid nineties. I watched every race. Supercross and Nationals with my Grandfather. Great memories. After I got injured in 97, I didn't ride for nearly eight years or watch the races. When I got back into riding two strokes were fading away and it just wasn't the same to me. I'm sure I missed a lot during those years but I still think Camel stickers are cooler then Monster, Redbull, and Rockstar.
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Tuffy
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Tuffy 11/22/2019 6:01pm
11/22/2019 6:01pm
70s and 80s not uncommon for starting line to look like this. 2 or 3 125B and 250B classes.
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zippytech
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zippytech 11/22/2019 6:12pm
11/22/2019 6:12pm Edited Date/Time 11/22/2019 6:19pm
We had stagger starts in the 250 B classes in the 90's Every race event ,I have been to since the early 2000's has had less racers for the most part.
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project racer 11/22/2019 6:18pm
11/22/2019 6:18pm
First noticeable declines in our local race turnouts started in 1980. Some small surge years, but the 80's were the first time I ever experienced a race being cancelled because of not enough riders showing up. Happened more than once.
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TeamGreen
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TeamGreen 11/22/2019 6:22pm
11/22/2019 6:22pm
Out here in Claifronia...I'm thinking it peaked in the early-mid '80s...

The Golden State Series races were PACKED.
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brocster
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brocster 11/22/2019 6:30pm
11/22/2019 6:30pm
78 to 86
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gnarwhip
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gnarwhip 11/22/2019 6:58pm
11/22/2019 6:58pm
McGrath and his Bud Light sponsorship. Then four strokes ruined the sport.
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Kelz87
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Kelz87 11/22/2019 7:13pm
11/22/2019 7:13pm
I think a lot of answers will depend on when you were born and maybe where you lived. As a 90’s baby, I would say around early 2000s when the the sport wasn’t as refined as it is now, but technology was on the cusp of modern moto
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chad_111
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chad_111 11/22/2019 8:01pm
11/22/2019 8:01pm Edited Date/Time 11/22/2019 8:08pm
Our local club here in Saskatoon peaked probably about 3 years ago membership wise and weekly race turnout. The last few years has been a steady decline
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Silas444
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Silas444 11/22/2019 8:08pm
11/22/2019 8:08pm
I'd say the peak was 1975, the year after Honda introduced the Elsinore(s). At the local races I went to in Mid-Michigan, it was not uncommon for the 125 class to have two 40-rider gates, and the 250 class was almost as popular. Not only that, but the riders raced Hondas, Yamahas. Kawasakis, Suzukis, Maicos, Bultacos, Can-Ams, AJSs, Hodakas, Monarchs, Pentons, Czs, Husqvarnas, Greeves', Rickman-Mattises, Montessas, Carabellas, and several other brands I'm sure I'm forgetting. Gentleman, it was an amazingly vibrant time in our sport. I only wish ALL of you could have witnessed it.
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blockhead17
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blockhead17 11/23/2019 12:57am
11/23/2019 12:57am
For SX it has to be this..

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Moto331
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Moto331 11/23/2019 1:02am
11/23/2019 1:02am
I can’t speak for anything earlier than the 90s And maybe my opinion is based On the fact that I was kid/teenager during this time, but early 2000s seem to be where it was at on so many levels. You had moto movies like motocrossed and supercross the movie, you had all the different dirt bike toys in the stores that you’d see, and the excitement of RC and STEWART. So many guys were still on two strokes. Idk just seemed larger back then
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CPR
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CPR 11/23/2019 6:26am
11/23/2019 6:26am
blockhead17 wrote:
For SX it has to be this.. [img]https://p.vitalmx.com/photos/forums/2019/11/23/386519/s1200_771E53BE_2D88_4897_BB0F_427C3691D399.jpg[/img]
For SX it has to be this..

Can be no denying that.
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Tarz483
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Tarz483 11/23/2019 6:29am
11/23/2019 6:29am Edited Date/Time 11/23/2019 6:29am
blockhead17 wrote:
For SX it has to be this.. [img]https://p.vitalmx.com/photos/forums/2019/11/23/386519/s1200_771E53BE_2D88_4897_BB0F_427C3691D399.jpg[/img]
For SX it has to be this..

CPR wrote:
Can be no denying that.
I Agree , these guys weren't Points Racing , it was WIN or die Trying each time they lined up!
2 nd place was the 1st loser
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Moto520
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Moto520 11/23/2019 8:25am
11/23/2019 8:25am
Grassroots: 1988
Professional: still building towards the peak.
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ledger
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ledger 11/23/2019 10:51am
11/23/2019 10:51am
Tuffy wrote:
70s and 80s not uncommon for starting line to look like this. 2 or 3 125B and 250B classes. [img]https://p.vitalmx.com/photos/forums/2019/11/22/386475/s1200_FB_IMG_1574474343778.jpg[/img]
70s and 80s not uncommon for starting line to look like this. 2 or 3 125B and 250B classes.
That's me on the Suzuki... lol.
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Tarz483
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Tarz483 11/23/2019 12:31pm
11/23/2019 12:31pm
Tuffy wrote:
70s and 80s not uncommon for starting line to look like this. 2 or 3 125B and 250B classes. [img]https://p.vitalmx.com/photos/forums/2019/11/22/386475/s1200_FB_IMG_1574474343778.jpg[/img]
70s and 80s not uncommon for starting line to look like this. 2 or 3 125B and 250B classes.
ledger wrote:
That's me on the Suzuki... lol.
Really
Deja New
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Deja New 11/23/2019 1:39pm
11/23/2019 1:39pm
80s we went from twin rear shock to swing arm from drum brake to disk from conventional to upside down forks from air cooled to water cooled. Stacked field from local mx to pro levels never had just one rider dominate for years they were watching each other and learning so many could have one on any one night or day. Mx/Sx is Always awesome that’s why we all love it the way we do but the 80s is my pick.
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davis224
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davis224 11/23/2019 3:11pm
11/23/2019 3:11pm
When I first started racing in 2005, we had to line a few bikes up in a 2nd row in 125C, another local track (LTM in Illinois) averaged over 30 bikes for 125C at the time, every single race.
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