The Story of DG Racing

I spend a ton of cash with the Clarehouts between my shop and personally, so yes I realize Tom and Don are obviously into the vintage scene. I did not look at his avatar and know who it was when I responded, but that doesn’t change my response that 400 for a decent vintage pipe is a deal. Actually shocked that he’d think it was pricey 😉

Damn, that’s a lot of SKUs. I forgot how big DG got.

Everything from skate boards to street bike luggage racks. 😎

That bike was in a DG magazine ad and I would just sit and stare at it and drool. Freaking badass.

Awesome thread (and Youtube video) and all the cool DG pictures and stories that have followed... thanks to the OP that started it....!!

As a kid in the late 70's/early 80's, I was just like many that have already commented here in that I drooled over all those cool goodies in the DG catalogs.

I was always thankful as a kid that I had a motocross bike and got to race and had supportive parents that more then helped.

However- it certainly didn't stop me from dreaming about tricking out my YZ-80 with DG parts or have a DG-package racer dropped from the sky into our garage... What great memories!

Cool as hell. I heard DC say the cool colored finned heads and all the trick stuff , drawd him in.  Gives me dream ideas to start a hobby co TG. My initials & Tara,s. Haha Or  TG R, TG racing,  TGI.   Specialize in 04 cr125,s and special built DBP,s.   Or maybe all from a certain yr on up 86-07 would b a lot.  Maybe 02-07 .  I talked to a machinist yrs ago of fabricating a finned head for modern 85,125,s.  He wanted a big order but said he could do it.  

If this picture isn’t a vibe then I don’t know what is. El Camino. Chick. 2 stroke. OG Craftsman toolbox. Good times right there

My 83 cr80 had a dg pipe, muffler,ported cylinder and of course you had to get the boost bottle 😂. I see they have some cool retro t-shirts on their site. I might get one. 

Man, I really miss the days of getting the DG, FMF, and other hop up companies catalogs in the mail…..

Looking over those catolouges is super nostalgic! Like many have said: I dreamed of a DG pipe! On rich kid in our area got a Gold Radial fin head. A “DG racer” was as likely as a date with a movie star!

70’s/80’s was a golden age. The bikes were developing year to year. Compare a 1973 CR125 with a 1981!

From experience, one couldn’t be competitive on a ‘77 YZ80D, against the ‘78 “E” (power Or handling). I won the club championship on an “F” in ‘79 (Had “EC Birt” stickers only.)

There were big improvements to be had with aftermarket parts. Some models responded big time to certain mods. Spindly swing arms upgraded to strong alloy were an obvious improvement. A radial fin head would offer better cooling, and a “better” combustion chamber was often easy enough.

Partially by copying the aftermarket industry, the stock bikes have developed to where improvements are difficult and smaller. If a port/exhaust shape was universally better - the manufacturer would be using it. Not many people fix a flexy or broken swingarm with an aftermarket one. Modern ignitions are marvellous and often programable. Most aftermarket products now are for customising (linkages/triple or incremental improvements. For a noticeable power increase, a pretty comprehensive approach is required, and a large part focused on using fuel the OEMs couldn’t specify. 

More waterfall & Leg pics

The Gold radial finned head was a thing of beauty, as soon as most people saw it, they had to have it, some people didn't even own a bike.

I didn’t realize they made stuff for Honda GL1000.  Soon to be thr Gild Wing. 

I would kill to have one of those skateboards now. I've tried searching for one before with no luck at all

My ‘78 RM80 with DG swing arm

‘81 XR100 with genuine DG sticker on a DG replica xrminiracer snake pipe. There is a pipe just like it in the catalog above. 

How the hell did I miss this awesome thread in 2024...   so much awesomeness.

DG is legend....   Ran DG parts on my bikes.

Still run a DG sticker on my ADV panniers....

Here’s a pretty deep dive into DG Racings early days, don’t click on it unless you’ve got some time to burn. 

https://jimmymacontwowheels.com/harry-klemms-the-dg-years-1975-1976-an-…

A DG thread without our friend Bauer in it?    Strike the pose !

IMHO the best bar-drag picture ever taken.  Get 'er done Steve.

Couldn't afford any parts but ran the tank stickers on my 76 RM250 for awhile.