400 CZ VS a Gas Gas 350

I think people would be surprised how good these old CZs handle. I bought a 73 250 a year ago. It was the first bike from the early 70s I rode since the 70s. I was very surprised how comfortable I felt on it. Power was good and it turned beautifully. Of course jumps are tough and pretty harsh. Still a lot of fun.

A 1980 Maico 400 against the 350GG would be interesting. 

Good video, they handicapped it really well. The 78/79(?) yz125 race they teased at the end should be another good one, those old 125s were pretty slow, 25ish HP as I recall, with pretty narrow powerbands. 

On real vets track, the old bikes would give the newer bikes fits.

depends on who's riding the 125 😁Even 100s were pretty quick in later years. There's some youtubes out there you can find of insanely fast Vintage 100 races. Marty Tripes had several great years of his Vintage Revenge series and Diamond Don's as well.

Yeah those old CZ’s would turn.  With the right motor work they were fast too.  I all but grew up on a 250 CZ, good days back then.

You could race a Harley XR750 on that track. Not that I don't appreciate tracks like that, but it did look totally no whoops or doubles/triples kind of deal. Yeah, my kind of track, but no shit the CZ did OK.

Did we watch the same video? There's a double and loads of tables. Whoops aren't even part of Motocross, that's a sx thing.

I thought it os a great little video showing how far we've come, but also showing how we were fast back then too.

My 1972 CZ 400 I used for vintage racing. A ton of torque and turned like it was on rails 

Looked alot like the Peoria TT. That being said cool CZ.

Besides stalling it, shorting those tables really cost him, he should’ve sent ‘em both.

1980 was the weird, 1-year Maico with a very tall front end.  Handling was lots different from the 78/79 models, which were very neutral.  1981 was a much better year - I have a 490, and the power is great, handling is very good, but it is a very tall bike.  Rik Smits looks perfectly at home on his, but he's 7'4".  I'm 5'6", and starts are tricky at best.  On a grass track with small whoops and jumps, a 72-74 CZ 400, or a 71-76 Maico 450 can't be beat for pure fun, if they're set up properly; however, a modern 350 or 450 is likely going to be faster for most riders, even on a smooth-as-glass grass track. Faster doesn't necessarily mean more fun, though, as a full-lock, wide-open throttle, 3rd gear flat-track style slide around a hard-packed clay on-camber slightly-uphill increasing radius corner, on a vintage Maico or CZ, has to be experienced to be fully understood.  Just don't back off, because a high-side is waiting for those who can't commit...  And remember, it's all about having fun, whatever bike you're on.   Riding only to win is for the Cooper Webb's of the world.  Riding for the enjoyment, for the love of going just a little-bit faster around that corner, is for the Ken Roczen's, the Chase Sexton's, the Malcolm Stewart's, the Harvey Mushman's, and all the rest of us.  (My level of respect for ALL of them is very, very high.)

RIP Rick Siemens.

Absolutely, went head to head Sunday on essentially a scrambles track.  I believe the vintage bikes actually had the advantage (forget rider skill).  They were flying around the perfect condition track in Marysville (didn't matter if 125, 250, or 400).  The entry and corner speed were jaw dropping. Low center of gravity and kept it pinned all the way through.