VMX 4 strokes

Viper MX series here in our neck of the woods started a Pre 97 Four stroke class this year, to keep those "cheater " Yamaha's out.

I raced my Husaberg in what was termed a long stroke 4 stroke class about 10 years ago... think bergs, husky’s, CCMs, ATKs, XRs etc, it was pretty funny... My brother has his 98 400f primed and ready, Ohlins forks and shock, alloy tank etc and he also has an XR400 with an A-loop seat/tank and some other moto goodies, he loves his 90s thumpers and will race them against modern bikes quite happily but a period correct race would really fire him up... big baggy SMP kit and all...

I think the Prime thing to do, as the whole VMX thing 'ages', is to correct the horrendous mistake made with the 'handicap classing' that was made.

400 / 450 4ts in the 'Open Class' , and, in the future years, the 250fs in the 250 class.

It does go a bit against my belief that a bike made in a year should go up against the same years - re things like KXs not allowed in their year because they had a Disc. But it was a massive mistake / injustice that should Not be perpetuated in VMX racing.

The whole 'extra capacity' thing is BS, and should never have happened once the 4ts became Not XR/TT/DR/KL level engineering.

Yeah, I’d hate to see the 125 class tarnished by 250 4t’s. I don’t dislike 4 strokes though, but finding a good 20 year old 400 is a little hard. They don’t seem to handle multiple owners well. I’ve been planning ahead.

TVRC has classes for bikes all the way to 2008 but in those classes 4-strokes are not allowed and that’s the way it should be in my opinion. Maybe 20 years from now if electric bikes actually do take over then 98+ 4-strokes will be welcomed in.

Bearuno wrote:

I think the Prime thing to do, as the whole VMX thing 'ages', is to correct the horrendous mistake made with the 'handicap classing' that was made.

400 / 450 4ts in the 'Open Class' , and, in the future years, the 250fs in the 250 class.

It does go a bit against my belief that a bike made in a year should go up against the same years - re things like KXs not allowed in their year because they had a Disc. But it was a massive mistake / injustice that should Not be perpetuated in VMX racing.

The whole 'extra capacity' thing is BS, and should never have happened once the 4ts became Not XR/TT/DR/KL level engineering.

I totally agree. 400,450 4st is open class. 250 4t goes up against 250 2st. That was a giant fuck up by the AMA and unfortunately also agreed to by the FIM. It can be corrected in vintage classes.
Greg

Bearuno wrote:

I think the Prime thing to do, as the whole VMX thing 'ages', is to correct the horrendous mistake made with the 'handicap classing' that was made.

400 / 450 4ts in the 'Open Class' , and, in the future years, the 250fs in the 250 class.

It does go a bit against my belief that a bike made in a year should go up against the same years - re things like KXs not allowed in their year because they had a Disc. But it was a massive mistake / injustice that should Not be perpetuated in VMX racing.

The whole 'extra capacity' thing is BS, and should never have happened once the 4ts became Not XR/TT/DR/KL level engineering.

avmechanic wrote:

I totally agree. 400,450 4st is open class. 250 4t goes up against 250 2st. That was a giant fuck up by the AMA and unfortunately also agreed to by the FIM. It can be corrected in vintage classes.
Greg

But you can’t re write history... Race classes for age related bikes should be just as they would have been, pre 98 moto should allow Husaberg’s, Husky’s, LC4 KTMs, XRs etc... That’s how it was back then that’s how it should be now???

Sidecar wrote:

But you can’t re write history... Race classes for age related bikes should be just as they would have been, pre 98 moto should allow Husaberg’s, Husky’s, LC4 KTMs, XRs etc... That’s how it was back then that’s how it should be now???

Those bikes, in GPs, (other than XRs) were in the 500 then 650 class, And, they kept the MX3 class around until 2013 for (supposedly) Big 4 strokes, and 500cc 2ts. Well, by (before) then even 350s were being used (Jussi Lansoo, if I recall correctly in his last year / a few MX3 GPs, for example).

I'm not sure when 400 / 450 4ts were allowed in the '250' class in GPs - perhaps before the 2003 season when Everts and Smets went at it? But that's the year they basically started to take over in (what was) 250 2t GPs

Of course, the USA allowed up to 540cc 4ts in among the 250s for some years, but, they were LC4 level bikes, with No real contenders for Championships ever being out there on them, or Husabergs / Huskies. It took the 400+cc Yamaha to really signal the impending doom of 250 2ts, as Superbike level tech 400+ 450cc 4t became the inevitable King, with the Handicap rules solidly in place.

So there is plenty of racing / classes for the Pre 98 bikes you mentioned.

I love Bergs, by the way - I worked in a Berg Dealership for about 5+ years, from 95 to 2001. But they really weren't of the same generation as the new Japanese 4ts, as they came in.

Simply - Equivalent capacity classing for the 'modern generation'. 4ts , as they come into Vintage / EVO, whatever you might call it. racing

Reese, that is fantastic. Such grace and speed depicted with this one for sure. Sorry guys, but these old war horses are such a thing of beauty.

The current crop of four stoke racers are technical marvels for sure. Not sure if they will have the grace and stamina to weather the storm of 50 years time.

All these bikes have a story to tell, we just need to take time to listen to them.

Thanks for posting this dazzling example!!!!


joe