Dirt Bike History 101

[roadholder]

The early off-road models weren't too far off of their street cousins of the day. Add some knobby tires, change gearing, tank, handlebars and pipe with perhaps some minor carburetion and engine spec differences. The guys who raced these were definitely tough...wresting 300+ lb scramblers with minimal suspension and ground clearance. My Catalina Goldstar lives an easier life today, and fortunately the street-model similarities allow them to adapt well to that use.

[nachtflug]

Originally Posted by Trailing Jack

Were did everybody go?
First time I've seen this thread go to page 3!

[ctune80]

Has anyone else seen the pics from MX Rewind at Unadilla this last weekend? Some great stuff there! Lots of legends, Gary and Dewayne Jones, Jim Weinert, Tony D, Ron Lechien, many others. Guy Cooper was the star and there are some great shots of him airing out a Bultaco Pursang! I didn't go but a few pics are filtering in. Hope more it becomes an annual event, I won't miss it next year!

[Thumpermeister]

Originally Posted by roadholder

The early off-road models weren't too far off of their street cousins of the day. Add some knobby tires, change gearing, tank, handlebars and pipe with perhaps some minor carburetion and engine spec differences. The guys who raced these were definitely tough...wresting 300+ lb scramblers with minimal suspension and ground clearance.

Hard going in the off-road world indeed!

[nachtflug]

http://advrider.com/forums/showthread.php?t=806275

[supershaft]

Originally Posted by nachtflug

One of my all time favorites!!

[Tanami]

Stumbled upon this and thought to place it here perhaps for ISDT fans?

http://speedtracktales.wordpress.com...l-rider-class/

Stay well,

Stu

[jub jub]

Originally Posted by nachtflug

Beautiful bike!

[jub jub]

Originally Posted by JeffS77

took my '79 KLX out to the MX track this weekend .. some prep pics







while never really great bike Kawi was on to something that just didn't take off..it is in my opinion a way better handling bike then the period XR Honda's and a bit lighter.Being that it is a KX125 frame/suspension with some long travel shocks and a beefy aluminum swing arm and better geometry compared to the XR..But the little trail bike 2 valve Kawi gave up a lot of HP to the 4 valve hondas.

Some folks had success racing them in enduros but most where bought as play bikes...with the modern pipe on it and a 34mm VM series Mikuni this little bike can rip

I got bit my the MX bug after doing the Elsinore Grand Prix last year and will be doing my first MX event next month





ride em dont hide em

I had one of those! Had a White Bros. 262 big bore kit, Super Trapp exhaust and Works Performance shocks. The bike handled beautifully but was still a turd in a straight line. This was taken at a hair scramble, thus the jeans.

[Rusty Rocket]

^^^^^^^^^^^^^

It was real easy to bend those long spindly shocks. I was present for 2 such problems back in the 80's on 2 different bikes.

[jub jub]

Originally Posted by Rusty Rocket

^^^^^^^^^^^^^

It was real easy to bend those long spindly shocks. I was present for 2 such problems back in the 80's on 2 different bikes.

That's for sure, forks as well. You had to land just right to keep them from bending. I could always tell when they bent because my handlebars would go crooked. I had a small hydraulic press I used for straightening them out, which was practically after every ride.

[JeffS77]

Originally Posted by jub jub

I had one of those! Had a White Bros. 262 big bore kit, Super Trapp exhaust and Works Performance shocks. The bike handled beautifully but was still a turd in a straight line. This was taken at a hair scramble, thus the jeans.

Mine is still stock other then the pipe and carb..thinking of going with the big bore high compressions KZ piston and maybe having mega cycle grind a cam .....but like you say it wil still be a turd

thought you guys might like this series of photos....I can feel the front end seriously flexing on landing .. look at the last pic.. I think the front wheel is deflecting in that one even.

[jub jub]

Originally Posted by JeffS77

Mine is still stock other then the pipe and carb..thinking of going with the big bore high compressions KZ piston and maybe having mega cycle grind a cam .....but like you say it wil still be a turd

thought you guys might like this series of photos....I can feel the front end seriously flexing on landing .. look at the last pic.. I think the front wheel is deflecting in that one even.

You make that bike look small! As for adding a big bore piston, it will give you a little more but not much, plus, detonation became a real problem even with leaded gas. I had to retard the timing to the point where I lost the extra power of the big piston. Still, all in all, it was a fun little bike.

[dhaynes]

http://www.retronaut.co/2012/03/ital...der-1971-1974/

Beware, the entire retronaut.co site is nothing but a great big giant time si... hey, look there, pictures of a 1937 Antarctic Snow Cruiser!

[A_Vasiliev]

Currently in the market for a CZ 981 or 514 (open-class motocrosser), hopefully will have one before the fall is out. If I end up finding one for a decent price, I'll be sure to post up pics and start a thread describing the resto-mod process.

Figured you vintage motocross guys would enjoy seeing some work getting done