I was also oil field trash before you were born, threw that iron around like it was toothpicks Then on weekends threw a 400 CZ around those huge doubles they had. (I know they were at least 2 feet high! ) (Actually I was an engineer so just stood over to the side and pointed ) Today I ride a Husaberg FE390 on the trails, only a slight improvement over that CZ On another note, I forgot all about Wilson in the 250's, he will make life hard for Bagget. .
Riding fast on todays bikes is ALOT easier no doubt, but 70's bikes had more power than the suspension could handle but arent nearly as fast as todays bikes. put a 70's air cooled two stroke on the dyno with a 450 or even a current 2 stroke, the old bike would be blown away.
According to the Suzuki press release at the time , the much feared TM400 only put out 40HP (claimed) at the crank . I found a couple other sites that show dyno runs of 33HP at the crank. http://www.suzukicycles.org/photos/TM/TM400-brochures/1971_TM400R_sales1b_600.jpg A riding buddy back then had one that I would try from time to time. Fun, but pretty much useless.
Yea ,Iknow what your sayin' but get on an old KX500 with that raw untractable power and that shitty suspension and it sure felt like you were flying. I'd like to see the comparison on a dyno between today's 450 aginst an old KX 500. I may be old but i saw all of the pioneers of MX in person!
Im with you riding those 500's are brutal...i wasnt including those when i was talking about old bikes (70's) once they starting making yz 465's yz490's kx500's cr500/480's the hp numbers were on a different planet
Brutal to kickstart too. I was trying to start a Maico 450 for a customer. The thing fired back at me, ripped the sole off my shoe and threw it into the bed of a pickup... I didn't get the sale.
I know the feeling, wasnt an old two stroke but had an xt500 with a basani pipe, bored to 538, mikuni 38, 81 head, and some other stuff....needless to say the decompression release was my best friend
So is Dallas going to be another slick track? Isn't that where Henry won the first 4str SX on the YZ400 on a blue groove? I can't wait to see Tomac on a 450, hope he is as impressive as he was in Vegas! And IMO, the good riders through out time have always been talented, but none had the brass ones of the board track racers of the early 1900s! No brakes, no helmet, no throttle, 100mph and just a kill switch to bump and racing on a 60 degree bank of oily giant splinters!?! :eek1
If he can keep both legs on the right sides of the bike. That was a neat save he did. I think Dungey is just trying to survive the first half of the season in good position,then gradually kick everybody's ass.
Hah! I had one of those POS bikes,the chromed kicklever would go all the way down,then fold under the low pipe,then spring out and do a full compression snap up into my calf muscle as it was fully tensed. I still wince when I think about that bike,broken frame,exploded engine,weak front end sliding handling,brittle gearbox,shocks that blew to bits,then I broke the swingarm in half. Yeah the good old days............no thanks,the newer the better.
I had a twin shock 495KTM,with some minor tuning it was a big torquey pussycat to ride,pulled smooth right off the bottom and never seemed to wear out,also had a strong top end hook that most big 2 strokes didnt have.
