Vital MX Retro Shootout

jonesaustin
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It would be interesting so see ML and crew do a serious shootout test of, say, all the 1988 250's. Maybe ask Ward, Dymond, Johnson, Lechein etc. to participate somehow, have mechanics dialing things in, the whole deal.

They could probably have a track designed with similar challenges to the time when the chosen machines were being sold.


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ML512
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9/15/2017 12:30pm
It would be an interesting read but...that would be an absolute nightmare and I'm not the guy to do that. I don't know much about bikes pre 98-ish and they don't interest me either. Overall, it would be a massive undertaking that wouldn't reap as many views as a modern bike Shootout. Along with me not being able to do a solid job on piece itself.
Katoomey
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9/15/2017 12:51pm
ML512 wrote:
It would be an interesting read but...that would be an absolute nightmare and I'm not the guy to do that. I don't know much about bikes...
It would be an interesting read but...that would be an absolute nightmare and I'm not the guy to do that. I don't know much about bikes pre 98-ish and they don't interest me either. Overall, it would be a massive undertaking that wouldn't reap as many views as a modern bike Shootout. Along with me not being able to do a solid job on piece itself.
pre 98 dirtbikes don't interest you? seriously? so basiaclly you don't even like motorcycles, you just like riding them?
not exactly the person I want to take motorcycle consumer advice from.

and a 25,000 word shootout, and not one mention of fit, finish, or general quality of any of those motorcycles. you really don't like motorcycles do you? you're just a racer, not a motorcyle person. thats a shame!
GuyB
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9/15/2017 12:56pm
Katoomey wrote:
pre 98 dirtbikes don't interest you? seriously? so basiaclly you don't even like motorcycles, you just like riding them? not exactly the person I want to...
pre 98 dirtbikes don't interest you? seriously? so basiaclly you don't even like motorcycles, you just like riding them?
not exactly the person I want to take motorcycle consumer advice from.

and a 25,000 word shootout, and not one mention of fit, finish, or general quality of any of those motorcycles. you really don't like motorcycles do you? you're just a racer, not a motorcyle person. thats a shame!
I know sarcasm is fashionable, but...

I'm not sure how many of those bikes would compare favorably to the current crop of MXers. You'd also likely have a wide variety of "freshness" to each one. Where do they come from? The manufacturers? My guess is that very few (if any) of the manufacturers would want to participate in something like this
ATKpilot99
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9/15/2017 1:06pm
I'm only interested in Evo bikes these days so I would love something like this , but you'd have to find people willing to let you thrash their perfectly restored versions of these machines.

The Shop

ML512
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9/15/2017 1:19pm
Katoomey wrote:
pre 98 dirtbikes don't interest you? seriously? so basiaclly you don't even like motorcycles, you just like riding them? not exactly the person I want to...
pre 98 dirtbikes don't interest you? seriously? so basiaclly you don't even like motorcycles, you just like riding them?
not exactly the person I want to take motorcycle consumer advice from.

and a 25,000 word shootout, and not one mention of fit, finish, or general quality of any of those motorcycles. you really don't like motorcycles do you? you're just a racer, not a motorcyle person. thats a shame!
Apologies, what was in my head didn't translate to what I typed out very well, I love any motorcycle what I meant to say was performing tests on motorcycles of that era doesn't interest me. As for being a racer...I've only lined up behind the gate a couple times over the past four years or so.

Quality wasn't an issue in the test as the only problem we had was a lightly bent bar mount after I cartwheeled my brains out on the second day.
jonesaustin
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9/15/2017 1:45pm
Yeah not thinking for comparison to modern bikes at all. Even though I grew up on late 80's - 2000's machines I'd still love to ride some laps on an as-close-to-factory 78-80 YZ.

We're a sport that evolves based on technology (although tech innovation over the past 15 years is very questionable). New generations tend to move on I guess, but we have a kick ass history and heritage. The 80's especially hold a certain prestige imo.

I'd guess many, modern fighter pilots probably have some reverence for the P51 Mustang, or F1 pilots probably love, or own, decades old Ferraris. I just think it would make for some great content, particularly if you brought in some top pros from the same year as whichever machines were chosen.
Falcon
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9/15/2017 2:24pm
Katoomey wrote:
pre 98 dirtbikes don't interest you? seriously? so basiaclly you don't even like motorcycles, you just like riding them? not exactly the person I want to...
pre 98 dirtbikes don't interest you? seriously? so basiaclly you don't even like motorcycles, you just like riding them?
not exactly the person I want to take motorcycle consumer advice from.

and a 25,000 word shootout, and not one mention of fit, finish, or general quality of any of those motorcycles. you really don't like motorcycles do you? you're just a racer, not a motorcyle person. thats a shame!
ML512 wrote:
Apologies, what was in my head didn't translate to what I typed out very well, I love any motorcycle what I meant to say was performing...
Apologies, what was in my head didn't translate to what I typed out very well, I love any motorcycle what I meant to say was performing tests on motorcycles of that era doesn't interest me. As for being a racer...I've only lined up behind the gate a couple times over the past four years or so.

Quality wasn't an issue in the test as the only problem we had was a lightly bent bar mount after I cartwheeled my brains out on the second day.
Was that my RM-Z that ended up in the mud pocket?
Superdave19
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9/15/2017 7:13pm
I raced my 83' CR 480 for the first time last wkd- Dude what an eye opener as to how chassis' have evolved.
Even still,the engine is freaking crazy good! #rocket
TeamGreen
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9/15/2017 7:27pm
ML512 wrote:
It would be an interesting read but...that would be an absolute nightmare and I'm not the guy to do that. I don't know much about bikes...
It would be an interesting read but...that would be an absolute nightmare and I'm not the guy to do that. I don't know much about bikes pre 98-ish and they don't interest me either. Overall, it would be a massive undertaking that wouldn't reap as many views as a modern bike Shootout. Along with me not being able to do a solid job on piece itself.
Katoomey wrote:
pre 98 dirtbikes don't interest you? seriously? so basiaclly you don't even like motorcycles, you just like riding them? not exactly the person I want to...
pre 98 dirtbikes don't interest you? seriously? so basiaclly you don't even like motorcycles, you just like riding them?
not exactly the person I want to take motorcycle consumer advice from.

and a 25,000 word shootout, and not one mention of fit, finish, or general quality of any of those motorcycles. you really don't like motorcycles do you? you're just a racer, not a motorcyle person. thats a shame!
You don't read things you comment on, do you?

I commented on the "fit and finish"...& which seems to be the best value....etc.

And...you're quite wrong about Michael. I don't know why you're commenting the way you are on something and someone you know nothing about.
coastie44
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NorCal, CA US
9/16/2017 12:16am
ML512 wrote:
It would be an interesting read but...that would be an absolute nightmare and I'm not the guy to do that. I don't know much about bikes...
It would be an interesting read but...that would be an absolute nightmare and I'm not the guy to do that. I don't know much about bikes pre 98-ish and they don't interest me either. Overall, it would be a massive undertaking that wouldn't reap as many views as a modern bike Shootout. Along with me not being able to do a solid job on piece itself.
Katoomey wrote:
pre 98 dirtbikes don't interest you? seriously? so basiaclly you don't even like motorcycles, you just like riding them? not exactly the person I want to...
pre 98 dirtbikes don't interest you? seriously? so basiaclly you don't even like motorcycles, you just like riding them?
not exactly the person I want to take motorcycle consumer advice from.

and a 25,000 word shootout, and not one mention of fit, finish, or general quality of any of those motorcycles. you really don't like motorcycles do you? you're just a racer, not a motorcyle person. thats a shame!
They don't interest me either and my first bike in 1975 was an xr75. Could really care less. I like the new stuff!
kiwifan
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9/16/2017 2:07am
apart from the nostalgic factor....what is the point?

I admit to not knowing which bike was the king pin in 1988 (but then again I have no interest either), plus I think it would be extremely hard to find 4-5 1988 250's that are original...
9/16/2017 3:44am
Honestly a late 90's or early 2000's 125 shootout in equivalent form would be pretty cool. 125's are going to make a come back...hopefully.
drt410
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Boston, MA US
9/16/2017 4:35am
I think it would be cool, but the only thing is those bikes wont be in oem form. The closest you could get would be completely rebuilt bikes with oem spec parts. Even then frame stretch, worn transmissions, varying qc of parts...would make it tough and inaccurate. As someone mentioned you would not get permission from someone to beat on their restored bikes. Maybe it could be a version of a shootout where they are lightly modified/"oem spec"/similar mods for each bike...idk. It would be tough because the bikes would probably be a bunch of clapped out craigslist bikes where you have no idea the history, service schedule, crashes.....


This made me think of another impossible scenario that would be cool, imagine if companies would rerelease older models? I know the tooling, assembly lines, parts dont exist anymore, but in an alternate world this would have been really cool.
jonesaustin
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Austin, TX US
9/16/2017 5:17am Edited Date/Time 9/16/2017 5:18am
Well RacerX did something similar recently with Micky Dymond's 88 YZ250. I hadn't even thought of that when posting. Would be curious how much interest that generated, but I was glued to it, I just wish there had been a bit more from Micky.

This would be a retro test / interview / story telling hybrid vid with several bikes, mechanics, and the pros on hand who raced and won on them.

Anyhow, no worries, just a thought.
RussB
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GB
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9/16/2017 12:54pm
Check out Pulp MX's 'GP's Classic Steel' section.

Basically reviews of loads of bikes covering a wide era of motocross.
Very detailed and although bike specific, the reviews often compare that years model to other brands of the same year. Giving you a good idea of where that bike placed, and what the best bike was of that year.

http://www.pulpmx.com/gps-classic-steel
mx317
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TN US
9/16/2017 1:23pm


This is for sale on eBay right now.

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