Vintage MX, vintage body and bike - Page 2

LC Garage · 03-25-2011, 08:15 PM

Great story and inspirational! I have raced motorcycles & cars since '72. I left bike racing in my late 30's and raced cars for 12 years and recently (2006) came back to occasionally race vintage MX. The cameraderie of the motorcycle racers is so far beyond the car guys there is no comparison. I wonder now why I ever left (I think it might have been the broken knees). Anyway I love your story, the comeback overcoming obstacles and the pictures, you are on the gas! I encourage anyone to try the vintage racing, there is a class for every age and talent level, just go have fun and enjoy the whole experience.

pvangel · 03-26-2011, 05:21 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by LC Garage

Great story and inspirational! I have raced motorcycles & cars since '72. I left bike racing in my late 30's and raced cars for 12 years and recently (2006) came back to occasionally race vintage MX. The cameraderie of the motorcycle racers is so far beyond the car guys there is no comparison. I wonder now why I ever left (I think it might have been the broken knees). Anyway I love your story, the comeback overcoming obstacles and the pictures, you are on the gas! I encourage anyone to try the vintage racing, there is a class for every age and talent level, just go have fun and enjoy the whole experience.

I could not agree more....

pvangel · 03-26-2011, 05:29 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by ADK

I never understood why most motorcycle tracks don't run on a weekly basis. If stock car tracks can do it, why can't bikes?

There are some places to go on a weekly basis, Rocky Hill in Ct is a great track when the river goes down, Englishtown NJ but I hate the ride, LIMX in Long Island but again it can be tough to get to.
There use to be Wed. open practices at the dist 34 tracks that had a race on Sunday wich were great! Now Ace is gone (ithink) AK farms still has them but have not been to impressed by anything the new owner has done and Walden which now does them on the Saturday before the race and although the track is the best around it gets so crowded that you get 15 min of track time and then have to wait an hour before you can ride again.... My knees are so old that I am froze up by then....

I have to go to work, Chapter 2 coming soon.

pvangel · 03-28-2011, 06:05 AM

First race of the year is April 2-3 in Budds Creek Md. I usually race a modern bike class as well as a vintage class but think I am going to concentrate on 2 vintage classes, +40 Evo and than the Evo 125 GP. My son has moved up to a 125 (99 yz 125) so he can race vintage 90's and then the 125 GP class as well. Thats 4 classes a day which should be more than enough track time for the two of us. I might ride my modern bike at select races like Southwick or Broome?

In order to get back in shape we have been riding at least once a week to try and get back in shape, here is some Blackberry pics from our seceret test track that we purposely keep blurry so as not to reveal the location....

My son,

pvangel · 03-28-2011, 06:08 AM

Me hammering some laps trying to get some winter weight off,

pvangel · 03-28-2011, 06:10 AM

The girls lined up and ready to race.... if only I was

pvangel · 03-29-2011, 09:34 AM

Headed out for one more ride before Budds Creek.

nachtflug · 03-29-2011, 03:51 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by pvangel

and now am on a 09 KTM 150. The 250f's are easier to ride at speed without a doubt but for a grin from ear to ear the fun factor is all about small bore two stroke. After really learning how to ride one and learning to keep it pegged at all times, I can't believe how fun they are. A bunch of my friends ride 450's and in some places they have the advantage but all in all I can out brake,out jump, out corner them and..... it pisses them off so much it makes it even more fun if thats possible!

I want to ride that bike!

I'd trade the WRR for one if I can find one. A nice clean one.

I can pin it.

pvangel · 03-29-2011, 04:53 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by nachtflug

I want to ride that bike!

I'd trade the WRR for one if I can find one. A nice clean one.

I can pin it.

Flug, you are welcome to try it anytime, maybe at the next AK open practice or if ACE comes back this year?
The 11's are sold out so I asked my dealer yesterday to put me first on the list for a 12 which should be in around mid summer? I have to say it has been a great bike and trouble free, and more fun than an old guy should have.

nachtflug · 03-29-2011, 05:56 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by pvangel

The story of a man and machine and his love for dirt bikes....

I raced in District 34 in the 70's...

As my kids got a little older and had a bit of money I bought a BMW and although I loved it my heart was in the dirt...
... MX which had changed quite a bit since the 70's....There were jumps! big ones!

where do I start. I stopped riding in 82 (unplanned) marriage (unplanned) navy (unplanned) kid (unplanned) and after discharge from the navy in 89 (unplanned) (honorable!) the years started to roll by. I never stopped thinking about dirt bikes. never. the GS was a tease. great bike but road riding is masturbation with a helmet on I don't care how many miles you do at the end of the day you still didn't really do it.

and the years rolled by. I can still do it. I can still do it. I know I can do it....

2009 gee open practice on the WR in the mud.

things you took for granted when younger suddenly became very intense. I tire kicked at Moroneys for years. Still do. I watched the 4 strokes hit the floors and the 2 strokes (mostly) vanish.

Honda dropped the CR 125.

there ought to be a law.

I used to reason, if I went into Moroneys and they said "we're sick of seeing you, take any bike and get out and don't come back"

where would I ride it? all our old haunts were gone. hay fields now housing developments.

our private mowed practice facility the aqueduct. sure go ahead just be ready to out run a helo or a sheriff on a quad after about 15 minutes.

who would I ride with? they all hung it up 30 years ago!!!

what if I go to a race alone and get hurt?

what if I go to a race with someone and get hurt?

I figure with a little practice (or lot) I can still ride fast enough to get hurt really bad. but I'm still going back out one way or another. The 2008 WR Yamaha should have been a YZ 125. Mistake bike that was. Should have just done it. Give it hell pvangel, I just dumped $1500 sunday on a new lens.

nachtflug · 03-29-2011, 06:00 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by pvangel

Flug, you are welcome to try it anytime,

I really want to ride one of those 150's. I'll bet that thing screams and hauls ass.

Garthe · 03-29-2011, 09:49 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by nachtflug

I really want to ride one of those 150's. I'll bet that thing screams and hauls ass.

NF, although I rode street from 16 in Chicago (I was a daily commuter) till 41 when I picked up and move tp PHX. I bought my first dirt bike when I was 38...XR 650 R.

Well, I'm 49 now and as you know, I have NO MX racing experence. I gota give it a shot. I've gone to 3 VMX races, just to see who the good guys are...

YOU can do anything you put your mind to. Sell the 250 and buy what ever suits you (V-MX or modern) and go to the track.

Time waits for no one...

crankshaft · 03-30-2011, 04:41 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by nachtflug

road riding is masturbation with a helmet on I don't care how many miles you do at the end of the day you still didn't really do it.

Totally agree Flug

A friend of mine, a guy named Ken Smith was a Honda sponsored guy back in the 70's that one day hung everything up. He made a comeback last year after 18yrs away and kicked ass.... amazing. He just turned 50 and plans to attack even harder this year

pvangel · 03-30-2011, 05:49 AM

I wise man once told me that " you have to have a passion in life, can't be work and it can't be a women"
My wife of 28 years supports me in whatever I do and is truly a great women but my passion was my business wich turned into a death sentence. After 30 yrs it was more about accounts receivable's and Workers Comp Insurance and audits and breakdowns and just more stress in my life than I needed, I drank, chewed tabacco, was fat and out of shape. I woke up one morning and told my wife I was selling the business (which did not go over well at first) and doing something else!

I chose quality of life over quantity, My passion is MX and I want to be able to ride once or twice a week. My family comes first but this is trully second on my list, I'm 51 what am i gonna do wait till i'm 60 to start?

The guy who graduates from Harvard in last is given the biggest applause because he has the same piece of paper that the person in the top of the class has....I wanna graduate last at Harvard....

eatpasta · 03-30-2011, 09:25 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by pvangel

I'd rather be a racer for a day than a spectator for life....
.

never heard this one before but a worthy life long mantra for sure....

awesome thread so far!

cant wait for a bit more of it!

and we gotta get you a decent camera!

03-25-2011, 08:15 PM	#16
LC Garage On Any Sunday Joined: Mar 2011 Location: Columbia County Oddometer: 581	great story Great story and inspirational! I have raced motorcycles & cars since '72. I left bike racing in my late 30's and raced cars for 12 years and recently (2006) came back to occasionally race vintage MX. The cameraderie of the motorcycle racers is so far beyond the car guys there is no comparison. I wonder now why I ever left (I think it might have been the broken knees). Anyway I love your story, the comeback overcoming obstacles and the pictures, you are on the gas! I encourage anyone to try the vintage racing, there is a class for every age and talent level, just go have fun and enjoy the whole experience.

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03-28-2011, 06:05 AM	#19
pvangel ^OP Team AARP Joined: Sep 2005 Location: South Salem, NY Oddometer: 1,465	First race of the year is April 2-3 in Budds Creek Md. I usually race a modern bike class as well as a vintage class but think I am going to concentrate on 2 vintage classes, +40 Evo and than the Evo 125 GP. My son has moved up to a 125 (99 yz 125) so he can race vintage 90's and then the 125 GP class as well. Thats 4 classes a day which should be more than enough track time for the two of us. I might ride my modern bike at select races like Southwick or Broome? In order to get back in shape we have been riding at least once a week to try and get back in shape, here is some Blackberry pics from our seceret test track that we purposely keep blurry so as not to reveal the location.... My son,

03-28-2011, 06:08 AM	#20
pvangel ^OP Team AARP Joined: Sep 2005 Location: South Salem, NY Oddometer: 1,465	Me hammering some laps trying to get some winter weight off,

03-28-2011, 06:10 AM	#21
pvangel ^OP Team AARP Joined: Sep 2005 Location: South Salem, NY Oddometer: 1,465	The girls lined up and ready to race.... if only I was

03-29-2011, 09:34 AM	#22
pvangel ^OP Team AARP Joined: Sep 2005 Location: South Salem, NY Oddometer: 1,465	Headed out for one more ride before Budds Creek.

03-30-2011, 05:49 AM	#29
pvangel ^OP Team AARP Joined: Sep 2005 Location: South Salem, NY Oddometer: 1,465	I wise man once told me that " you have to have a passion in life, can't be work and it can't be a women" My wife of 28 years supports me in whatever I do and is truly a great women but my passion was my business wich turned into a death sentence. After 30 yrs it was more about accounts receivable's and Workers Comp Insurance and audits and breakdowns and just more stress in my life than I needed, I drank, chewed tabacco, was fat and out of shape. I woke up one morning and told my wife I was selling the business (which did not go over well at first) and doing something else! I chose quality of life over quantity, My passion is MX and I want to be able to ride once or twice a week. My family comes first but this is trully second on my list, I'm 51 what am i gonna do wait till i'm 60 to start? The guy who graduates from Harvard in last is given the biggest applause because he has the same piece of paper that the person in the top of the class has....I wanna graduate last at Harvard....