Best Vintage Race bike you actually owned

weimedog

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Damn Yankees
Nov 21, 2000
959
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So after we have fantisized our vintage dream, What was ACTUALLY (not fantasy) the best race bike you ever had? Is it the same as the one you were most successful on? Would it be the same bike you would "lust" for as in the last posting?

Mine ( as I posted in that clever post "vintage lust" posting) is STILL the 1980 KTM 420. Won the most on it, it never broke, only replaced tires, chains, and fork seals; for an entire season..three seasons in a row. (78 and 79 MC80, same thing)
 

DK

Member
Feb 26, 2000
37
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I really consider 74 and earlier vintage, but my favorite bike was my 75 Bultaco Pursang 200. Turned on a dime, sweet power and many trophies won with that bike.
DK
YZ250f
DRZ400
XR250
XR200
TL1000s
 

dirt bike dave

Sponsoring Member
May 3, 2000
5,349
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My dad bought and later passed on to me Mark Blackwell's '73 Suzuki TM250, reportedly raced in the nationals. The bike had Akront rims, heavy spokes, forward mounted Boge Mullholland shocks on a beautifully gusseted swingarm, an aluminum tank, no oil injection, and an aftermarket pipe. Very smooth and usable power.

Alas, it met an untimely end before it became vintage. I was letting my buddy ride it back in about '79 and it threw the chain so hard it knocked the sidecase loose and broke the mounting bosses on the center case. We gave the bike away and never heard anything more about it.

Would love to have that thing now!
 

spanky250

Mod Ban
Dec 10, 2000
1,490
1
My favorite old bike might not technically be "vintage", but it is certainly ancient by todays standards. I had a 1979 Suzuki PE 250 that was absolutly bulletproof, it never let me down in the worst conditions. It did not have the horsepower or the suspension of todays bikes, and the brakes were a joke, but it would go anywhere, climb any hill, traverse the gnarliest of trails with ease, and was in some respects as capable as any bike I have owned since, with smooth, manageable power, and decent handling.

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1992 KDX 250-FMF porting,two-stage power reeds, Fatty pipe, Power Core silencer,titanium rod,Wiseco Ultra-lite, Pro-Action suspension...Why didn't I take the blue pill???
 

weimedog

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Damn Yankees
Nov 21, 2000
959
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DK..You have a point. Guess from the "before 1974" time period mine was a 1973 Bultaco Pursang. I had a 1970 Bultaco 200cc Sherpa S that doesn't count in my mind because the 200cc class in my area was not popular so it didn't get the use of that 250. Had to run it in the same class.

[This message has been edited by weimedog (edited 01-25-2001).]
 

jeffg

Member
Jul 5, 2000
25
0
I'll straddle both sides of the 1974 fence as well, and nominate my three Huskys; '74 CR250, '76 WR250 and '78 CR125. The '74 CR (MAG) is obviously the most lusted for of the bunch, but I have a soft spot for the '78 125. It's on that bike that I made "A" rider status. The '76 WR was hard to beat as well. That bike would go anywhere, anytime. I learned alot on that bike, but later found the 125 fit my style better. Luckily, I still have all three in my garage.
 

markthomps

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May 27, 2000
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Ohhhh man, this is tough! I know Mike Zimmerman wants me to nominate the '74 KX450 (the check for the bribe hasn't cleared yet, Mike . . .) so I'm going to go with the second race bike I ever had.

A 73 Maico square barrel 250! Bought it new with the usual cobby fiberglass, in bright orange. Spent at least one off-season repainting all the fiberglass bright blue with white stripes, for reasons that I now can't remember (well, hell it looked cool back then).

Sweet motor, if down on power to a Husky or later the Elsinore's, but you could do no wrong on this bike! Among the lessons it taught me was that I was a decent rider who had been riding crap before I had the sense to get a Maico. Got usuable motor, laughable brakes, but handling from the gods of dirt themselves. I don't think I crashed on this bike a half dozen times in 3 years of campaigning it.

Mostly reliable too, except when the air filter hold-down nut came loose and got sucked into the motor, jamming the throttle full on in the process.

I've since ridden other old 250 square barrels and these are just the sweetest handling bikes known to man. AHRMA's Ron Winget does very well on his and has few problems.

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'81 490 Maico (King Kong!), 2000 CR250, 74-1/2 GP400 Maico, buncha street stuff
 

cappra

Member
Feb 8, 2001
65
0
I know this is going to be hard to beleive.
In 1974 i switched from a honda elsnore 250 to a montesa vr.
The next year i bought a v-75 and raced every weekend that season with respectable finishes and not one d.n.f. it was one darn good ride that v-75
 

VintageDirt

Baked Spud
LIFETIME SPONSOR
Jan 1, 2001
3,043
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Ve své dobì byla ÈZ ve svìtì absolutní špièka.

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'00 Honda XR400
'73 Maico MC400 (most of it anyway)
'73 CZ 380
'70 Bultaco Sherpa T
Vintage Dirt Home Page


[This message has been edited by VintageDirt (edited 03-02-2001).]
 
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johnnymoto

~SPONSOR~
Nov 9, 2000
89
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No question, a 73 250 Honda Elsinore. It hauled but felt like a tall 125. I did go through a couple of 3rd gears but I thought it was just my abuse of the trans and didn't know it was to be a chronic problem. Back then bike setup was just a twin-air filter and a set of koni shocks and if you didn't win, you thought it was from lack of pratice. I still enjoy the basics of the vintage bikes.
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70' super rat
75' cz 400 Falta replica
76' RM 370
 

MX Tuner

Member
Jun 2, 1999
34
0
The bike I did the best on was a '74 Can Am 250. I even won the Ocala national on that bike. Gawd, what a motor!

I think, no... I *know* the best handling bike I have EVER ridden (modern day bikes included) was without a doubt a '74 Maico 250. If I get back into vintage stuff, it'll have to be on a Maico.

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MX Tuner
mxtuner@mindspring.com
 

Davie Mac

Member
Feb 24, 2001
9
0
1978 CCM 580 Q3. Still have & love that Brontosaurus.
smile.gif
 

tentbound

Member
Apr 2, 2001
33
0
For Desert racing the '82 Husqvarna 430 was almost unbeatable at the time. Sure they wouldn't turn or stop- but they also wouldn't tank slap down a 80 mph sand wash. The lazy handling was a real help near the end of the second loop when when you could barely hold the bars. I rode one in every district 37 desert race of '82 and it never let me down.

That generation of Husky was very simple and easy to work on. They were well built in general- a little rough around the edges but basically bulletproof for racing. I wish I still had that bike!
 

ToddHawaii

Member
Apr 3, 2000
117
0
My 74' Husky CR250 would have to be favorite. Although my 71' Indian 50 carried me through many a desert race. Then the Sachs 125(leading-linc front suspension)would take me just about anywhere, as long as I was standing. And my father's ISDE Replica OSSA 250 was simply incredible for it's time. Maybe not considered vintage-my 87'Husky XC430 was a BEAST, but I wouldn't take anything else to race through the Cali-deserts at mach speeds.

TrailTramp
Aloooha!
smile.gif

98'Husky

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