The 70’s

loftyair
Posts
2915
Joined
7/3/2009
Location
riverside, CA, USA
10/20/2026 9:16pm

What year(s) was the 23" front?

Reese95w
Posts
236
Joined
2/7/2011
Location
Kent, WA, USA
10/20/2026 9:30pm
loftyair wrote:

What year(s) was the 23" front?

79 only on the CR125R.

Motocross Fun Fact: Broc Glover used a 23" front on his works Yamaha for some of his nationals in 1977.

4
Sprew
Posts
438
Joined
4/1/2008
Location
USA
10/20/2026 10:23pm
Reese95w wrote:
At the End of the 70’sBy the end of the 70’s I had finally gotten a good camera and lenses to take motocross pictures.  A Canon...

At the End of the 70’s

By the end of the 70’s I had finally gotten a good camera and lenses to take motocross pictures.  A Canon AE-1 with a 135 telephoto is what I took to the races with me.  In Montana the beginners, intermediates, and mini bike classes ran in the morning and the experts raced in the afternoon for money.  I was an intermediate at that time so I would race in the morning, get cleaned up, changed, and then grab the camera and take shots of the “Spurts”. The files names of the following pictures, (scanned from slides), will tell the date and locations in Montana.

Edit/Addendum:  I raced the 1979 CR125R for 3 seasons through 1981.  I was going to college at the same time and I could not afford to get a new bike every year.  So each year between the seasons I modified the bike in a effort to keep up with all the new water cooled/single shock bikes.  You can see the bike as I raced it in 1981 here in the "New Mugen Honda Forum" thread in the Old School Moto section.  After the 81 season I had to quit racing to concentrate my time and money on school full time. But I got back into Motocross and Trials after college.

1979 03 01 Kalispell.jpg?VersionId=BHgwW
My new 79 CR125R just after putting it together from the crate.  I never mounted the stock side panels, I had to have the D&G FIM legal side panel number plates from the start.
1979 03 17 Corvallis Practice 02
Pre-season practice in Corvallis MT.  Nice warm weather on Saturday March 17th that year.  We drove ~160 miles down from Kalispell MT to practice at the best track in the state that day.
1979 04 01 Ronan 01 0.jpg?VersionId=FjhwYn5VbG92nd981likNd ki2
And of course for the first race of the year the weather was crap.  I had loaded my bike the day before at my mom’s house and woke up to find this. Look at that long ass truck bed, ah, the good old days!
1979 04 01 Ronan 02.jpg?VersionId=4o9Gro1NsuQkBbnpAAE
At the first race of the 1979 Montana MX season in Ronan.
1979 04 22 Butte 05.jpg?VersionId=sXvPz2EcNEyFkli.0H91979 05 06 Missoula 031979 06 03 Billings 01A1979 06 24 Livingston 25.jpg?VersionId=AS5g11SsFabmFFXWOaxf1979 06 24 Livingston 041979 07 08 White Sulphur 18 0.jpg?VersionId=zK8.U1979 07 15 Dillon 061979 08 12 Corvallis 03.jpg?VersionId=qINN5H

That license plate on the LUV truck.....two thumbs up!!!

6
Kenny Banyan
Posts
5102
Joined
6/2/2024
Location
NW Washington, WA, USA
10/20/2026 10:30pm
Reese95w wrote:
At the End of the 70’sBy the end of the 70’s I had finally gotten a good camera and lenses to take motocross pictures.  A Canon...

At the End of the 70’s

By the end of the 70’s I had finally gotten a good camera and lenses to take motocross pictures.  A Canon AE-1 with a 135 telephoto is what I took to the races with me.  In Montana the beginners, intermediates, and mini bike classes ran in the morning and the experts raced in the afternoon for money.  I was an intermediate at that time so I would race in the morning, get cleaned up, changed, and then grab the camera and take shots of the “Spurts”. The files names of the following pictures, (scanned from slides), will tell the date and locations in Montana.

Edit/Addendum:  I raced the 1979 CR125R for 3 seasons through 1981.  I was going to college at the same time and I could not afford to get a new bike every year.  So each year between the seasons I modified the bike in a effort to keep up with all the new water cooled/single shock bikes.  You can see the bike as I raced it in 1981 here in the "New Mugen Honda Forum" thread in the Old School Moto section.  After the 81 season I had to quit racing to concentrate my time and money on school full time. But I got back into Motocross and Trials after college.

1979 03 01 Kalispell.jpg?VersionId=BHgwW
My new 79 CR125R just after putting it together from the crate.  I never mounted the stock side panels, I had to have the D&G FIM legal side panel number plates from the start.
1979 03 17 Corvallis Practice 02
Pre-season practice in Corvallis MT.  Nice warm weather on Saturday March 17th that year.  We drove ~160 miles down from Kalispell MT to practice at the best track in the state that day.
1979 04 01 Ronan 01 0.jpg?VersionId=FjhwYn5VbG92nd981likNd ki2
And of course for the first race of the year the weather was crap.  I had loaded my bike the day before at my mom’s house and woke up to find this. Look at that long ass truck bed, ah, the good old days!
1979 04 01 Ronan 02.jpg?VersionId=4o9Gro1NsuQkBbnpAAE
At the first race of the 1979 Montana MX season in Ronan.
1979 04 22 Butte 05.jpg?VersionId=sXvPz2EcNEyFkli.0H91979 05 06 Missoula 031979 06 03 Billings 01A1979 06 24 Livingston 25.jpg?VersionId=AS5g11SsFabmFFXWOaxf1979 06 24 Livingston 041979 07 08 White Sulphur 18 0.jpg?VersionId=zK8.U1979 07 15 Dillon 061979 08 12 Corvallis 03.jpg?VersionId=qINN5H
Sprew wrote:

That license plate on the LUV truck.....two thumbs up!!!

Good catch, I totally missed that.😎

The Shop

wfopete
Posts
497
Joined
7/27/2015
Location
Dover, AR, USA
10/21/2026 3:04am
loftyair wrote:

What year(s) was the 23" front?

Reese95w wrote:

79 only on the CR125R.

Motocross Fun Fact: Broc Glover used a 23" front on his works Yamaha for some of his nationals in 1977.

The 79 XR500 had a 23" also. 

2
MarkF
Posts
381
Joined
3/18/2013
Location
Colorado Springs, CO, USA
10/21/2026 8:13am Edited Date/Time 10/21/2026 1:54pm
G-man wrote:

WoW you were the man back then, Kenny!

I begged my pops for a Honda 50. He would not give in to my requests...... 😬😥

My dad bought that mini trail for 160 dollars brand new, he got an extra $15 off ,cause it had a small tear in the seat...

My dad bought that mini trail for 160 dollars brand new, he got an extra $15 off ,cause it had a small tear in the seat. A few days later, my older sister told kids at school, a neighbor kid (Donnie) overheard, that lived about a 1/2 mile away, he  had a Briggs & Stratton mini bike and said he would smoke me. So a couple days later my sister told my dad. So my dad asked me if I wanted to race him, of course I said yes. So it got arranged and the kid came over with his mini. When he saw my 50 he said…… “That’s a motorcycle!!!” Anyway we went across the street in a pasture and had a race. I had only been riding for a few days. But my dad coached me up and I smoked him. Bout 2 months later he had a mini trail 50 too. Then several other neighbor kids got them and man did we have a blast. Donnie was over all the time , but he was a few years older than me , got interested in girls and quit coming around, eventually it ran its course but I kept riding. Eventually we moved.Sure was fun while it lasted.

OleTex2 wrote:
Excellent story! Interestingly, I had a Rupp minibike with a 5 HP lawnmower engine. I used to beat a kid who lived on my block and...

Excellent story! Interestingly, I had a Rupp minibike with a 5 HP lawnmower engine. I used to beat a kid who lived on my block and had a Honda 50. I think my dad may have added a tooth or two to the rear sprocket of the Rupp 😎

Shredder has a photo of a Rupp Scrambler a few posts back that says "the start of it all". I had one of those as well. It was my first bike that I didn't share with my brother. My brother had a Rupp Black Widow which was the top of the line.

1
Reese95w
Posts
236
Joined
2/7/2011
Location
Kent, WA, USA
10/21/2026 9:39am
Sprew wrote:

That license plate on the LUV truck.....two thumbs up!!!

That truck belonged to a friend of mine.  He tried to get WFO but the state would not allow that.

2
Dave v3.0
Posts
739
Joined
7/15/2022
Location
Ozark, AL, USA
10/22/2026 5:57pm
davistld01 wrote:
Wyman Priddy RIP

images 80.jpg?VersionId=Oq3OSSq VoYK.3u7bRzOjgUuXTWyman Priddy RIP

I have an AHRMA 1st place plaque with that photo on it.  From Oak Hill's Wyman Priddy Memorial AHRMA National in 2001.  His wife Remoh was there to award them.

3
Kenny Banyan
Posts
5102
Joined
6/2/2024
Location
NW Washington, WA, USA
10/22/2026 6:26pm
davistld01 wrote:
Wyman Priddy RIP

images 80.jpg?VersionId=Oq3OSSq VoYK.3u7bRzOjgUuXTWyman Priddy RIP

Dave v3.0 wrote:
I have an AHRMA 1st place plaque with that photo on it.  From Oak Hill's Wyman Priddy Memorial AHRMA National in 2001.  His wife Remoh was...

I have an AHRMA 1st place plaque with that photo on it.  From Oak Hill's Wyman Priddy Memorial AHRMA National in 2001.  His wife Remoh was there to award them.

What happened to Wyman? Did he lose his life racing?💔

10/22/2026 7:42pm
Sprew wrote:

That license plate on the LUV truck.....two thumbs up!!!

Reese95w wrote:

That truck belonged to a friend of mine.  He tried to get WFO but the state would not allow that.

What's wrong with "Without falling off"? 🤔

2
mumbles
Posts
889
Joined
11/15/2006
Location
Perry, GA, USA
Fantasy
10/23/2026 7:22am
Reese95w wrote:
At the End of the 70’sBy the end of the 70’s I had finally gotten a good camera and lenses to take motocross pictures.  A Canon...

At the End of the 70’s

By the end of the 70’s I had finally gotten a good camera and lenses to take motocross pictures.  A Canon AE-1 with a 135 telephoto is what I took to the races with me.  In Montana the beginners, intermediates, and mini bike classes ran in the morning and the experts raced in the afternoon for money.  I was an intermediate at that time so I would race in the morning, get cleaned up, changed, and then grab the camera and take shots of the “Spurts”. The files names of the following pictures, (scanned from slides), will tell the date and locations in Montana.

Edit/Addendum:  I raced the 1979 CR125R for 3 seasons through 1981.  I was going to college at the same time and I could not afford to get a new bike every year.  So each year between the seasons I modified the bike in a effort to keep up with all the new water cooled/single shock bikes.  You can see the bike as I raced it in 1981 here in the "New Mugen Honda Forum" thread in the Old School Moto section.  After the 81 season I had to quit racing to concentrate my time and money on school full time. But I got back into Motocross and Trials after college.

1979 03 01 Kalispell.jpg?VersionId=BHgwW
My new 79 CR125R just after putting it together from the crate.  I never mounted the stock side panels, I had to have the D&G FIM legal side panel number plates from the start.
1979 03 17 Corvallis Practice 02
Pre-season practice in Corvallis MT.  Nice warm weather on Saturday March 17th that year.  We drove ~160 miles down from Kalispell MT to practice at the best track in the state that day.
1979 04 01 Ronan 01 0.jpg?VersionId=FjhwYn5VbG92nd981likNd ki2
And of course for the first race of the year the weather was crap.  I had loaded my bike the day before at my mom’s house and woke up to find this. Look at that long ass truck bed, ah, the good old days!
1979 04 01 Ronan 02.jpg?VersionId=4o9Gro1NsuQkBbnpAAE
At the first race of the 1979 Montana MX season in Ronan.
1979 04 22 Butte 05.jpg?VersionId=sXvPz2EcNEyFkli.0H91979 05 06 Missoula 031979 06 03 Billings 01A1979 06 24 Livingston 25.jpg?VersionId=AS5g11SsFabmFFXWOaxf1979 06 24 Livingston 041979 07 08 White Sulphur 18 0.jpg?VersionId=zK8.U1979 07 15 Dillon 061979 08 12 Corvallis 03.jpg?VersionId=qINN5H

That's funny. I had a Datsun in 1977 and a Chevy Luv in 1989.

3
Dave v3.0
Posts
739
Joined
7/15/2022
Location
Ozark, AL, USA
10/23/2026 12:10pm
davistld01 wrote:
Wyman Priddy RIP

images 80.jpg?VersionId=Oq3OSSq VoYK.3u7bRzOjgUuXTWyman Priddy RIP

Dave v3.0 wrote:
I have an AHRMA 1st place plaque with that photo on it.  From Oak Hill's Wyman Priddy Memorial AHRMA National in 2001.  His wife Remoh was...

I have an AHRMA 1st place plaque with that photo on it.  From Oak Hill's Wyman Priddy Memorial AHRMA National in 2001.  His wife Remoh was there to award them.

What happened to Wyman? Did he lose his life racing?💔

After Wyman retired from racing he became a P.E. teacher.  He unexpectedly passed away in his sleep at the age of 36 in 1982.  Gone much too soon.

2
Kenny Banyan
Posts
5102
Joined
6/2/2024
Location
NW Washington, WA, USA
10/23/2026 1:47pm
Dave v3.0 wrote:
I have an AHRMA 1st place plaque with that photo on it.  From Oak Hill's Wyman Priddy Memorial AHRMA National in 2001.  His wife Remoh was...

I have an AHRMA 1st place plaque with that photo on it.  From Oak Hill's Wyman Priddy Memorial AHRMA National in 2001.  His wife Remoh was there to award them.

What happened to Wyman? Did he lose his life racing?💔

Dave v3.0 wrote:
After Wyman retired from racing he became a P.E. teacher.  He unexpectedly passed away in his sleep at the age of 36 in 1982.  Gone much...

After Wyman retired from racing he became a P.E. teacher.  He unexpectedly passed away in his sleep at the age of 36 in 1982.  Gone much too soon.

Oh man….. that’s terrible. 💔 Thanks for responding back. 

Bearuno
Posts
5685
Joined
6/28/2014
Location
AU
10/23/2026 6:41pm Edited Date/Time 10/23/2026 6:42pm
wfopete wrote:

The 79 XR500 had a 23" also. 

The 250 twin shock of that era, too.

But, the Biggest Sales of bikes with 23" fronts, was on the XL250S and XL500S  (the XRs of that era were just slightly 'stripped' XLs ) - cripes, in OZ alone they must have sold many, many thousands of those. 

Speedway Motorcycles have used 23" fronts for eons now. I use  23" tubes on a my MTBs, at times. 

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