Tell US, About The Most Unconventional, Most Unusual Bike, You Ever Raced ?

Rupert X
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Newark, OH US
8/2/2021 12:24pm Edited Date/Time 8/10/2021 12:41pm
Did you, like me, ever try to race an XR650 in the plus 40 class ? Or, perhaps you owned a very silly Cagiva and decided that would be a fine Moto-Weapon ? Tell us your stories, I know you tried racing some wild P.O.S at some point in your wonderful Moto life….
















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Big Ragu
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Greenville, SC US
8/4/2021 7:16am
I think this is a cool topic... but apparently there aren't a lot of folks with "unconventional" bike racing stories... I have one to share!


My entry to this unconventional discussion is a 1996 XR400 with an IMS 440 bigbore kit, Pro Circuit exhaust, 50mm Marzocchi forks, Custom Emig tripple clamps, modified swingarm for axle block adjust rather than the stock snail chain adjuster.

I pulled MANY holeshots with that tractor! I raced this during the era of concrete start pads and while all of the 250 2-strokes were spinning tires I would lurch from the pad (thanks to all of that flywheel weight) with a bike length lead just past the start gate...then fade to mid pack Sad

wydopen
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805, CA US
8/4/2021 8:00am
'95 Husaberg FC501 when I was about 13...not sure why my dad thought that was a good idea..thing was trick but had the heaviest front end feel ever and was really hard to start with left side kickstarter..
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8/4/2021 8:35am
I think this is a cool topic as I believe in the run what ya brung mindset.

The most unconventional bike I've raced would probably be my '81 Honda Twinstar in a vintage XC race. I bought the bike non running for around $200, cleaned the carb, put pit bike bars on it and some knobbies and it was good to go. Although not legal due to age restrictions, my two buddies on Triumphs (the only other class entries) wanted me to race with them in the open twins class so I signed up. We had some great bar to bar racing for the first 30 mins until my buddy got stuck in a mud pit for several minutes and I continued on for the win. By the end of the race the rear brake pedal was bent beyond useable, the headers got dented, the rear fender snapped off, speedo cable got ripped out, and it threw the chain 4 times but it still got the job done.



I've also done NASA rally racing on my Versys 650, including riding it 475 miles to the event, racing, then riding home. The 17" front wheel really wants to push and made for tiring rides and lots of sketchy moments. It wasn't a great choice for bike but it's what I had at the time.



Likewise, I did a rally sprint on my buddy's clapped out KLR after smoking the motor in my Versys the week before the race. I was unsure what tires to run since it was half paved - half dirt; ended up with a D606 front and a Shinko 705 ADV tire on the back since I had those laying around.





I've done a few MX races this season my WR250F which I really don't think is that weird. People get tripped up about the headlight but it has the bones of a YZ250F. My woods valving isn't the best for the larger jumps, even with my clickers turned all the way in, but I do all the jumps that Vet C class is running so it's not really holding me back.



Zoom
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8/4/2021 10:39am
I was a Regional Manager for Alta.
Had 5 demos.
My only regret was not keeping one of my demos.
6 holeshots
4 moto wins


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The Shop

davistld01
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Springfield, MO US
8/4/2021 10:59am
This might not be too “unusual”…but I raced a 1971 DKW 125 like this in the pic below in a few events as a kid that belonged to my next door neighbor. The radical “leading link” suspension worked amazingly well…and although it was absolutely butt ugly…it handled pretty good too.


ATKpilot99
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Lake Geneva, WI US
8/4/2021 11:00am
ATK 250 lq 10 years ago at the racerx vet race at Byron . I hadn't raced in years and just said what the hell . I basically putted around at the back of the pack both motos and it wasn't the bike holding me back.
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8/4/2021 11:06am
ATKpilot99 wrote:
ATK 250 lq 10 years ago at the racerx vet race at Byron . I hadn't raced in years and just said what the hell...
ATK 250 lq 10 years ago at the racerx vet race at Byron . I hadn't raced in years and just said what the hell . I basically putted around at the back of the pack both motos and it wasn't the bike holding me back.
There is a guy running an ATK 250 in the 40+ B class at my local scrambles and doing pretty well on it. Last year he was racing an early 90s CR250 in 30+ C and getting podiums, may have even won on it.
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JustMX
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8/4/2021 11:44am Edited Date/Time 8/4/2021 11:45am
I was working at an area qualifier at pro sport mx in Virginia back in the early 90's.

I had intentions of trying to qualify for LL'S that year. It was pouring rain and turnout wss way down so I figured I could go ahead and get my qualifier out of the way. All I had to do was finish half the laps of the winner and take the checkered flag

The problem was that I hadn't expected to race, so I left my bike 2 hours away.

No problem, we had a bw 200 Yamaha we used for running around and do pit patrol and parking. For those not familiar, this is a motorcycle with atv tires.

I thought it would be great in the mud, having ridden plenty around in the pits.

The thing I did not consider was ruts and berms.

If you get into a rut the tires just stay on top in the greasy stuff, but you can't get out of the rut.you could turn the wheel full stop and still be chugging along in the top 3" of the rut.

Meanwhile, if you tried to use a berm as a cushion to turn the front end would just push over it and keep going straight on to the slimy stuff that is thrown to the outside at a mud race.

I must have fell 20 times trying to finish the 3 laps I needed to do for half the laps of the leader, and picking up that fat tired pig was not easy.

I have raced 2 hour hare scrambles that didn't wear me out like those 3 laps.
Johnny Depp
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Buda, TX US
8/4/2021 1:18pm Edited Date/Time 8/4/2021 1:20pm
Father's day, impromptu run what ya brung all father's (grandfather's) free. I was working the track managing flaggers and PA and water truck/skiddy so didn't even bring my race bike or gear. Had the key switched off on the start.... Dead engine backwards. Had fun, someone at TT shopped it.



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lostboy819
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8/4/2021 1:38pm
In 1975 I raced a 1970 Suzuki TS90 in the 125 C class and passed 8 or 9 125s and finished 30th
in 1986 I raced a 1973 Bultaco Alpinia right side shift in the 250B class and finished midpack
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Jaybird67k
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Vidor, TX US
8/4/2021 2:44pm
Mine was the day at Spendora MX when Newman talked me into racing the vintage class and handed me a modded out '75 CR 250.
Bike was strong but then I realized I was on drum brakes. Scary for me.
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8/4/2021 2:45pm
So apparently an adult bought a KX100 big wheel, early 90s. Sprung it for himself. Broke his ankle first time out.

Then my dad buys it for me, sticks me on it. I'm probably 100lbs at this point, runt, and the suspension wouldn't budge. I'm talking a garden hose with low pressure laid across a dirt road would have stung my wrists.

Naturally I spent the next foreseeable period slapping the gas tank in third gear, deflecting off everything. Everything prob looked great inside the forks on that bike, only the first 1/2" ever got used unless I was whiskey'ing something to flat ground. Then it would get like 3" of boing and jump another 3" off the ground on rebound, it felt like. Was such a tease too, because I was so stoked to ride that thing, then after one ride I wanted my RM80 back baaaaad.
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scott_nz
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8/4/2021 2:50pm
Klx370, must have been about 98 as yz400 were out

It was a klx300 with a stroker racing bore ans stroke kit , with a. Kx subframe, seat , tank and suspension ,

Was awesome to ride , but fucken god it was a nightmare to start hot , Manuel decompressor and all
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OldPro277
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Avonmore, PA US
8/4/2021 3:49pm
Probably not a REAL odd bike, but back in 77/78 I was a fledgling Pro and just got the first Rm250 C2 from the dealer I was riding for about a month prior. We had sent the cylinder to a Zook “ porting magician “ and the bike ran great. We went to a fairly large money ProAm type of race and as normal procedure,my mechanic brought along his 74 or 75 CanAm 250 MX2 ( the white one with the down pipe) as he raced the 250C class when he could. Anyway, I scattered my C2 in practice and we decided that I’d race his MX2 even though I had never swung a leg over it. There was a full gate of local pros and fast A guys, and I pulled the biggest hole shot that I had ever done. That stock Ham was undoubtedly the fastest 250 I ever rode!! It was even faster than my modded C2 which was no slouch. However it handled like a big wooden box of rocks with a jet engine attached to it!! I finished outside the top 10 both motos in a life-preserving type of rides. Boy if those guys could have gotten that chassis and suspension to work half as good as that Bombardier engine ran........
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Lastander
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8/4/2021 3:53pm
wydopen wrote:
'95 Husaberg FC501 when I was about 13...not sure why my dad thought that was a good idea..thing was trick but had the heaviest front end...
'95 Husaberg FC501 when I was about 13...not sure why my dad thought that was a good idea..thing was trick but had the heaviest front end feel ever and was really hard to start with left side kickstarter..
Yeah same here, raced a crf450 -07 when i was 13.

Still glad my dad didnt raise me to sandbag classes though lol
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2stmark
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Waterford, MI US
8/4/2021 6:30pm Edited Date/Time 8/4/2021 6:32pm
Few weeks ago i had to race my 1990 xr200r against 90-99 watercooled , disc brake mx bikes
{ because i missed my vintage mx class }class }
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7I3N
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Moto Paradise, UT US
8/4/2021 6:36pm
Back in '93 I raced my DR350 dual sport at the Adelanto GP. Didn't even take the turn signals off.


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Hman144
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8/4/2021 7:28pm
One wheel- Did you have that Honda at the Rocket Run mudfest? Thought I remembered seeing you there and thinking you were nuts as we cheered you on.

H
xrmark
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Lake Elsinore, CA US
8/4/2021 8:45pm
7I3N wrote:
Back in '93 I raced my DR350 dual sport at the Adelanto GP. Didn't even take the turn signals off. [img]https://p.vitalmx.com/photos/forums/2021/08/04/504382/s1200_Copy_of_img042.jpg[/img]
Back in '93 I raced my DR350 dual sport at the Adelanto GP. Didn't even take the turn signals off.


Adelanto GP used to be the shit. this is the water jump correct?
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Press516
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8/4/2021 8:58pm
Nothing crazy... First was a '74 Honda SL70 stripped down and then the '79 Honda Cr125 23" rim adventure. Everything else was mainstream race bikes.
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7I3N
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Moto Paradise, UT US
8/4/2021 9:35pm
7I3N wrote:
Back in '93 I raced my DR350 dual sport at the Adelanto GP. Didn't even take the turn signals off. [img]https://p.vitalmx.com/photos/forums/2021/08/04/504382/s1200_Copy_of_img042.jpg[/img]
Back in '93 I raced my DR350 dual sport at the Adelanto GP. Didn't even take the turn signals off.


xrmark wrote:
Adelanto GP used to be the shit. this is the water jump correct?
Yes it is. The flat landing was a treat on that pig. Laughing
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nytsmaC
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Frig Off CA
8/4/2021 10:15pm Edited Date/Time 8/8/2021 7:51pm
My first big bike was a 94 KX500, after outgrowing my 93 KX80, I raced it from age 15-18 until I got a KX250.

A mechanic at the local Honda shop had set up an XR250R for MX racing ver novice. I didn’t race it but I rode it for a session on a practice day. It was ridiculously fun, like riding a full sized pit bike. I bottomed it so hard the right footpeg bracket and frame flexed enough to get my boot wedged between the footpeg and the frame spar.
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28hall
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AU
8/4/2021 11:12pm
In 2014 I bought a 93 cr250 for $1000 as I couldn’t afford anything else at the time. I got it resprung and raced the first round of a state series in the 450 class at a track id never been to. I got garbage starts all day but the bike actually ripped! I finished out the day 10th overall and even made the video edit from the round. Sometimes you’ve just got to run what youve got and do your best
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Sully
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8/4/2021 11:33pm
nytsmaC wrote:
My first big bike was a 94 KX500, after outgrowing my 93 KX80, I raced it from age 15-18 until I got a KX250. A mechanic...
My first big bike was a 94 KX500, after outgrowing my 93 KX80, I raced it from age 15-18 until I got a KX250.

A mechanic at the local Honda shop had set up an XR250R for MX racing ver novice. I didn’t race it but I rode it for a session on a practice day. It was ridiculously fun, like riding a full sized pit bike. I bottomed it so hard the right footpeg bracket and frame flexed enough to get my boot wedged between the footpeg and the frame spar.
You outgrew your 80, and your parents thought the next logical step was a 500? They had quite a bit of faith in your abilities, didn't they?
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nytsmaC
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8/5/2021 5:13am
Sully wrote:
You outgrew your 80, and your parents thought the next logical step was a 500? They had quite a bit of faith in your abilities, didn't...
You outgrew your 80, and your parents thought the next logical step was a 500? They had quite a bit of faith in your abilities, didn't they?
I was around 6’2 and 220lbs by that time, I would have loved a 125 but we figured we’d just skip it under the circumstances. I handled the 500 fine but it was not a fun bike to ride at that age. The thing was like a paint shaker at high RPM and did not want to turn. Took a long time to figure out how to go fast on it without it trying to kill me.
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hellion
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Westfield, MA US
8/5/2021 5:35am
Being 6’3” and over 200 pounds I always liked open bikes. I raced KX500’s for a while, then had a KTM500, and even a KTM550. But the strangest bike I raced would be an ATK406. I raced several local motos and even some harescrambles on it, and trail rode it on weekends. I even tried to put it into the show at the Unadilla National but missed out on qualifying by one spot to David Antonucci (who I grew up racing against and was killed in a car wreck shortly after this race).

The bike though strange was really good, the only downfall being that it wasn’t that powerful, but it had a sweet powerband. If I remember correctly, John Martin (JMart snd AMarts dad) actually ported it himself? Anyway, it handled really really nice, like most slow bikes do 😂
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robkinuk
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Ashbourne GB
8/5/2021 5:35am Edited Date/Time 8/5/2021 5:38am
Back in time, I was 12 years old, we sorta came across this old Panther 600cc abandoned motorcycle. Got it back home, tore off all the road hardware and proceeded to use it as a field bike.

I remember me and my friends rode it into the ground. We ended up with these short front pipes and a friend once fell off it, which set fire to the bracken it lay against.
Bid regrets now we didn't just restore it, but when you are twelve you use anything that's available.
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8/5/2021 5:43am
Hman144 wrote:
One wheel- Did you have that Honda at the Rocket Run mudfest? Thought I remembered seeing you there and thinking you were nuts as we cheered...
One wheel- Did you have that Honda at the Rocket Run mudfest? Thought I remembered seeing you there and thinking you were nuts as we cheered you on.

H
I was only at the Irish Valley round in 2019 sadly. I had taken it to some of the local dual sports and FRO previously though, where it always garnered much attention. I've since picked up my WR250F for modern woods racing and DT125 project bike for vintage so the old Honda sits neglected now.
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CPR
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AU
8/5/2021 6:09am Edited Date/Time 8/5/2021 6:11am
1985 KTM 300 when I was 17yo. About 15 years before they became cool, popular, or even close to reliable.

It was easily the tallest bike I ever owned and I’m a short arse, so I could never even get close to touching the ground. Which made it interesting at the start gate. An experience that was made worse by it being left hand kick, with a kick starter that looked like it came off an 80 and was placed about level with my rib cage.
The engine had heaps of grunt, but vibrated like Shakin Stevens with Parkinsons. A porous water pump, so the gear oil was always milky. A Bing carb that didn’t like to stay in the manifold. Clutch plates that were apparently aluminium, but melted like butter. Forks that didn’t move, paired with a rear end that was saggier than the breasts in national geographic.

But at least it looked good, because I painted the expansion chamber white 😳
I really must find an old photo of that marvellous piece of engineering.
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