How scary a leap was Suicide Mountain ?

FlaNard
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8/29/2013 11:17am Edited Date/Time 8/29/2013 11:18am
What in the world are those hills doing on a motocross track? Motocross was meant to be enjoyed in the parking lots of America. Keep those filthy hills for hill climbing ya brutes! #growthesport
40Plus_922mx
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8/29/2013 1:09pm
Saddleback, Hamilton trail, Febers pond, the oaks, Escape Country Ahhh those were the days.
MBBadgers
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8/29/2013 2:34pm Edited Date/Time 8/29/2013 2:34pm
ATKpilot99 wrote:
I was looking through an MXA from 83 and the Saddlback National was covered. They described it as a 20 ft incline over a 20 ft...
I was looking through an MXA from 83 and the Saddlback National was covered. They described it as a 20 ft incline over a 20 ft. plateau to the next ledge, but said it was a blind jump...when you went for it all you saw was sky. Hannah, Johnson, Mike Bell, Billy Liles, and Tom Carson jumped it on their 250s. Glover, Warren Reid, Goat Breker and Magoo did it on 500s, and Jeff Ward was the only 125 rider to clear it. What was this jump like compared to some of today's obstacles?
MBBadgers wrote:
micky dymond cleared it too on a 125.
i stand corrected, in speaking with md he was on a 430cc husky, not a 125, but he was one of the 1st.

The Shop

ATKpilot99
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8/29/2013 3:33pm
Bigfoot wrote:
[img]https://fbcdn-sphotos-e-a.akamaihd.net/hphotos-ak-ash3/735087_10152688047200093_1838296981_n.jpg[/img] Micky Dymond, 1984


Micky Dymond, 1984
On a twin shock Husky ! Love it.
8/29/2013 7:22pm
Bigfoot wrote:
[img]https://fbcdn-sphotos-e-a.akamaihd.net/hphotos-ak-ash3/735087_10152688047200093_1838296981_n.jpg[/img] Micky Dymond, 1984


Micky Dymond, 1984
Isn't that a 250 Hoosk in the photo ?
ATKpilot99
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8/29/2013 7:41pm
Isn't that a 250 Hoosk in the photo ?
Yellow plate was the 500 class. They went liquid cooled but Husky held on to twin shock technology to the bitter end.
UpTiTe
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8/29/2013 9:00pm
MBBadgers wrote:
other sanctioning bodies ran there before the ama and the national, smx, cmc, nma, crc, only pro riders were allowed to race suicide and banzai mtn.
UpTiTe wrote:
Those other clubs never ran Suicide Mountain, they only did it for the national.
You're wrong CMC ran it for GSN I was there.
What year was that in?
ocscottie
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8/29/2013 9:15pm
UpTiTe wrote:
Those other clubs never ran Suicide Mountain, they only did it for the national.
You're wrong CMC ran it for GSN I was there.
UpTiTe wrote:
What year was that in?
81-2 or 3 i recall seeing it for a GSN, now which one is a whole nother question, im old and they all blend together, plus the mini class rode small thrown together tracks for most Golden States, but i for sure climbed that fucker!

How goes it UT? hope well bro!
wildbill
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8/29/2013 9:33pm
Bigfoot wrote:
[img]https://fbcdn-sphotos-e-a.akamaihd.net/hphotos-ak-ash3/735087_10152688047200093_1838296981_n.jpg[/img] Micky Dymond, 1984


Micky Dymond, 1984
ATKpilot99 wrote:
On a twin shock Husky ! Love it.
Those things were the shit for launching big air.
TG130
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8/29/2013 10:46pm
If I recall correctly, that jump was actually named after Danny Chandler because he was the 1st to jump it in a National. I can't recall...
If I recall correctly, that jump was actually named after Danny Chandler because he was the 1st to jump it in a National. I can't recall the year, but I believe (according to MXA), because Magoo was jumping it, Hannah had to jump it also to run with him. I'm sure more jumped it that day, but according to MXA, they were the only ones that jumped it that day.
1979.
mxjef
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8/29/2013 11:57pm
You're wrong CMC ran it for GSN I was there.
UpTiTe wrote:
What year was that in?
ocscottie wrote:
81-2 or 3 i recall seeing it for a GSN, now which one is a whole nother question, im old and they all blend together, plus...
81-2 or 3 i recall seeing it for a GSN, now which one is a whole nother question, im old and they all blend together, plus the mini class rode small thrown together tracks for most Golden States, but i for sure climbed that fucker!

How goes it UT? hope well bro!
I'm pretty sure I raced the GSN when they ran that hill, I think we only went up to the 1st or 2nd level though.
Also ran down Bonzia Hill a couple times, don't remember what race it was though.
bultokid
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8/30/2013 4:46am
Bigfoot wrote:
[img]https://fbcdn-sphotos-e-a.akamaihd.net/hphotos-ak-ash3/735087_10152688047200093_1838296981_n.jpg[/img] Micky Dymond, 1984


Micky Dymond, 1984
Isn't that a 250 Hoosk in the photo ?
Actually could be the 400/430 as Husky Factory team had a few of those set up for mx but looking at the jug it sures looks like the 250. Had a few of them 250 and 500's which all the Huskys came with yellow plates at that time. Also the 500 didn't get h2o until the '85 single shocker. always liked Dymomd as he was one of last guys running the Maico and Husky by that time.
MBBadgers
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8/30/2013 8:26am
Bigfoot wrote:
[img]https://fbcdn-sphotos-e-a.akamaihd.net/hphotos-ak-ash3/735087_10152688047200093_1838296981_n.jpg[/img] Micky Dymond, 1984


Micky Dymond, 1984
Isn't that a 250 Hoosk in the photo ?
bultokid wrote:
Actually could be the 400/430 as Husky Factory team had a few of those set up for mx but looking at the jug it sures looks...
Actually could be the 400/430 as Husky Factory team had a few of those set up for mx but looking at the jug it sures looks like the 250. Had a few of them 250 and 500's which all the Huskys came with yellow plates at that time. Also the 500 didn't get h2o until the '85 single shocker. always liked Dymomd as he was one of last guys running the Maico and Husky by that time.
micky said yesterday it was a 430, so you are correct.
Sondy132001
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8/30/2013 8:31am
UpTiTe wrote:
What year was that in?
ocscottie wrote:
81-2 or 3 i recall seeing it for a GSN, now which one is a whole nother question, im old and they all blend together, plus...
81-2 or 3 i recall seeing it for a GSN, now which one is a whole nother question, im old and they all blend together, plus the mini class rode small thrown together tracks for most Golden States, but i for sure climbed that fucker!

How goes it UT? hope well bro!
mxjef wrote:
I'm pretty sure I raced the GSN when they ran that hill, I think we only went up to the 1st or 2nd level though. Also...
I'm pretty sure I raced the GSN when they ran that hill, I think we only went up to the 1st or 2nd level though.
Also ran down Bonzia Hill a couple times, don't remember what race it was though.
We ran Suicide a couple times in the 80's during GSN's and our GSN's had lots of pros if not more than the Nationals themselves. We'd have 3 divisions of 500 pros, 4-6 each of 125's & 250's. We always ran Banzai at the GSN's for the Pros, remember the track prep, ha hose laid on the track at the top of Banzai with the water trickling down the hill. I remember the first Pro races for Glen Dickinson and Paul Denis, Larry Brooks etc...raced intermediate or mini expert the day before and ran pro on Sunday, off the start and just flew down Banzai. I miss Saddleback so much, we need a Saddleback again, the whole industry took a hit when that place folded.

S
TriRacer27
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8/30/2013 9:25am
Arkmx wrote:
.

LaRocco's Leap only smaller, less of a run at it, dang near straight up.


Watch just past the 34 second mark....




.
That's a real moto track.


Emig needs to bring back "Holy Toledo!"
Sandberm
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8/30/2013 10:56am
Us Northwest types were always taught in school that Phil Larsen was the first to jump it.
anniebertzak
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8/30/2013 7:37pm Edited Date/Time 8/30/2013 7:43pm
Another viewpoint of Suicide Mountain. I agree with MXjef and Sondy, We did run it on a GSN, maybe 83? Going up was only 1/2 the battle, going down was just as bad. If I recall there was a tight right hander at the bottom. What goes up, must come down...

1185976_10151849088300909_255308787_n
lostboy819
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8/30/2013 8:43pm
Sandberm wrote:
Us Northwest types were always taught in school that Phil Larsen was the first to jump it.
I had read that Phil tried it twice and made it on the third try , but I thought he was the first to do it also.
AZ35
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8/30/2013 10:02pm
Another viewpoint of Suicide Mountain. I agree with MXjef and Sondy, We did run it on a GSN, maybe 83? Going up was only 1/2 the...
Another viewpoint of Suicide Mountain. I agree with MXjef and Sondy, We did run it on a GSN, maybe 83? Going up was only 1/2 the battle, going down was just as bad. If I recall there was a tight right hander at the bottom. What goes up, must come down...

1185976_10151849088300909_255308787_n
Great pic, I have never seen that one before. Really helps illustrate how big and nasty it was to clear.

A 16 year old me is somewhere in that pic, I watched most of the motos from the second tier.

I recall starting the morning practice at the 1st level (to the right of the picture). Watching from there, it was so steep you could not see anyone until they crested the top of the first ridge.

I cannot recall who it was (fuck I am old), but I will never forget the first 500cc rider that jumped it in practice. After watching hundreds of riders pass by in practice, struggling to even get up the terraces, this rocketship just explodes upward and everyone looks up and cheers as he makes the leap. Fucking incredible.

I have dozens of great picks of Glover, Bailey, Holland, Omara, RJ, RL, even Doug Dubach on a privateer Suzuki, clearing Suicide Mountain in 1984.

But I am computer retarded and don't know how to scan and post photos so they will have to stay in the Vans shoe box they have lived in for the past almost 30 years.
8/30/2013 11:01pm
Another viewpoint of Suicide Mountain. I agree with MXjef and Sondy, We did run it on a GSN, maybe 83? Going up was only 1/2 the...
Another viewpoint of Suicide Mountain. I agree with MXjef and Sondy, We did run it on a GSN, maybe 83? Going up was only 1/2 the battle, going down was just as bad. If I recall there was a tight right hander at the bottom. What goes up, must come down...

1185976_10151849088300909_255308787_n
AZ35 wrote:
Great pic, I have never seen that one before. Really helps illustrate how big and nasty it was to clear. A 16 year old me is...
Great pic, I have never seen that one before. Really helps illustrate how big and nasty it was to clear.

A 16 year old me is somewhere in that pic, I watched most of the motos from the second tier.

I recall starting the morning practice at the 1st level (to the right of the picture). Watching from there, it was so steep you could not see anyone until they crested the top of the first ridge.

I cannot recall who it was (fuck I am old), but I will never forget the first 500cc rider that jumped it in practice. After watching hundreds of riders pass by in practice, struggling to even get up the terraces, this rocketship just explodes upward and everyone looks up and cheers as he makes the leap. Fucking incredible.

I have dozens of great picks of Glover, Bailey, Holland, Omara, RJ, RL, even Doug Dubach on a privateer Suzuki, clearing Suicide Mountain in 1984.

But I am computer retarded and don't know how to scan and post photos so they will have to stay in the Vans shoe box they have lived in for the past almost 30 years.
Cool story AZ35, I went to that National from 80-82 I think ? I remember one year, I'm thinking 81 they went up to the second tier and came down, the next year is when they went all the way to the top, does anyone else remember it that way ?

Hey AZ35 did you race in Phoenix back then ? If so, what is your name ? I raced in Phx. from 77- 84, my name is Mike Hoffman.
AZ35
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8/31/2013 11:26am
I will give this a shot, sorry for the poor photo quality but hey it was 1984.





AZ35
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8/31/2013 11:30am
AZ35
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8/31/2013 11:38am
AZ35
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8/31/2013 11:59am
AZ can you get some high res scans of those? Please Smile
Not to sound like a complete dumbass.... but how do I make high res scans? I just use an HP Officejet6700 all-in-one for scanning, it does not give me any other scanning options (such as changing the resolution)?

Hell, I was proud of myself that I remembered how to scan and post photos. Now I have to worry about high res.. technology is not my thing.
corsair
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8/31/2013 12:22pm Edited Date/Time 8/31/2013 12:23pm
For me, two pics above really illustrate how steep it was, never having been there in person. The background in that pic of Breker and Bailey side by side, and the pic right below it, of Ward dropping down. Holy shit....
8/31/2013 1:04pm
AZ35 wrote:
Not to sound like a complete dumbass.... but how do I make high res scans? I just use an HP Officejet6700 all-in-one for scanning, it does...
Not to sound like a complete dumbass.... but how do I make high res scans? I just use an HP Officejet6700 all-in-one for scanning, it does not give me any other scanning options (such as changing the resolution)?

Hell, I was proud of myself that I remembered how to scan and post photos. Now I have to worry about high res.. technology is not my thing.
If you have them in a photo album - just take them out and individually scan. Your scanning software will have some "Basic" and "Advanced" settings. You'll want to go into the advanced area and look for something called DPI. It may be at 75 or 100.. bump it up to 300. Scan each photo individually.. then upload to imgur/vital/wherever and post here.

Holler back if you aren't seeing the "advanced" settings..
Frog #1
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8/31/2013 1:57pm Edited Date/Time 8/31/2013 1:59pm
Bigfoot wrote:
[img]https://fbcdn-sphotos-e-a.akamaihd.net/hphotos-ak-ash3/735087_10152688047200093_1838296981_n.jpg[/img] Micky Dymond, 1984


Micky Dymond, 1984
Isn't that a 250 Hoosk in the photo ?
bultokid wrote:
Actually could be the 400/430 as Husky Factory team had a few of those set up for mx but looking at the jug it sures looks...
Actually could be the 400/430 as Husky Factory team had a few of those set up for mx but looking at the jug it sures looks like the 250. Had a few of them 250 and 500's which all the Huskys came with yellow plates at that time. Also the 500 didn't get h2o until the '85 single shocker. always liked Dymomd as he was one of last guys running the Maico and Husky by that time.
Yup-1984 Husky 250 frame with 400/430 motor in it. Same bike he rode to 5th in a moto at the 1984 500cc USGP at Carlsbad.
LappedU
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8/31/2013 3:40pm Edited Date/Time 8/31/2013 3:44pm
Mickey Dymond used to jump over the whole main road at Saddleback on a 500 in the Diamondhead GP, I remember him coming up on me and not letting off for the road, I'm like this crazy fuckers gonna jump over the two lane road? It was about 90 feet.

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