My Dad's Bikes

[the Eel]

My Dad was cleaning out his shed recently and trotted out these beauties. He took some pics and emailed them to me. Back in the '70's we used to go watch him and my uncle race these bikes in enduros and trials competitions all over the Northeast. These babies are part of some of my oldest and best memories of growing up in a New Jersey where you could pretty much ride wherever you wanted. Ahh the 70s !!! I had a very good time growing up in the 70s. Anyway, I believe these are all Ossas - the orange one is a Pioneer, I think the white and green is a Stiletto, and I believe the real funky looking dark olive bike is a Mick Andrews trials replica. I rode the orange Pioneer several times as a teen ... believe me, it's a total beast.

 

[the Eel]

And one more ... such memories.

 

[the Eel]

Now you know where my euro bike thing comes from ... Ossa was Spanish.

 

[holeshot]

I always wondered what Ossa's were like to ride. :ride: Not too many people had one in my neck of the prairie (no one had one, come to think of it).

Looks like all of them could be restored.

 

[the Eel]

My uncle was on pit crew for some Yankee trials riders for a time, and I think through them he somehow had the Ossa connection. Even well after the bikes had been laid up my Dad would drag one out every so often, wrench a bit, and fire it up. Pretty cool. I have a really neat photo of him racing somewhere - I'll try to find it and scan it.

 

[ktmboy]

Good stuff. Very cool!

 

[a454elk]

Right on dude, those pictures are worth a 1000 memories I bet.

 

[dirt bike dave]

The white and green tank looks like a tank from an MAR, though the front fender and seat of the bike in the pics do not look very trials like. I think the funky green one with the body work is a Stiletto.

Very cool pics! It looks like most of those are early 70's models.

One of my buddies had a Pioneer (the orange one) and he loved that bike. Will still start talking about it at the slightest provacation, 30+ years later!

IMO, one of the coolest looking bikes of all time is the Ossa Phantom GPII from '76 1/2. Beautiful bikes.

Thanks for posting those pics!

 

[Okiewan]

Sweet.

 

[dirt bike dave]

http://hem.passagen.se/exmitel/pictures/magazines.html has plenty of pics and magazine tests of Ossas.

 

[2strok4fun]

Cool stuff!

I also enjoyed growing up in the 60's & 70's. I remember when ABC's Wide World of Sports used to cover Motocross, ya know, before satalite, cable or even ON tv.

 

[Jon K.]

Ahh, the Stilleto. I believe the one with the Craig Vetter looking bodywork is indeed a Stilleto.

I rode one once, and once only. I was just a 16 yr old kid, and looking to get out of the 100 class. Shorty (my sponsor from Plank Road Yamaha) was concerned that I did not have the physical strength to ride a bigger bike, so we "tested" on a Stilleto.

I was doing just fine, no worries. Hey! I can do this!

Going down a smooth straight, no bumps, jumps, holes, or anything to cause a problem. Shift into third and Bam! For absolutely no reason; the Stilleto spit me off. :eek:

I do recall sliding on my butt, watching the bike cartwheel in front of me. Quite spectacular actually.

Shorty declared that I was not yet ready to move up to a bigger class. Bullstuff! The evil Stilleto was at fault! So we got a 400 Maico "radial" and never looked back.

Hey Ossa! Take this! :nener:

 

[KiwiBird]

Nice Eel, way cool :cool:

 

[Kx Steve H]

very cool, so....... when is he shipping them out to you :)

 

[Ol'89r]

Good stuff. Very cool!

Brings back some ol memories eel. :cool:

 

[scar tissue]

Cool stuff!

I also enjoyed growing up in the 60's & 70's. I remember when ABC's Wide World of Sports used to cover Motocross, ya know, before satalite, cable or even ON tv.

AHHHH yes the dark ages. Back when we only had 6 channels of stuff we didn't want to watch. Now we have 900 and still nothing good on. :bang: (Until Sat MX replays of course) :cool:

Re: Growing up in the 60's, Man, I hang out with a bunch of old guys. I wasn't even born in the sixtys :nener: I just move like I'm old. :moon:

Cool pics. Eel.

 

[PhastPhart]

Very nice. I always thought that Ossa's were the thourghbreds of the Spanish bikes even though I was a Bultaco guy. Does your Dad still have them? Looks like you could make a couple of fun projects out of them.

 

[ktmboy]

Cool stuff!

I also enjoyed growing up in the 60's & 70's. I remember when ABC's Wide World of Sports used to cover Motocross, ya know, before satalite, cable or even ON tv.

............and they had "the Superbikers", where they'd invite the best from MX, speedway and road-racing to race on a half motocross, half-paved track to crown the best overall racer. I think they have something similar now---SuperMotard.

 

[Eeels Little Bro']

Wow

Wow, what a blast. I've rode the Pioneer and the Stiletto, but I have never seen the actual bikes looking as good as they do in the pics. And let me tell you about those memories!!!Wow, makes me feel good inside. Those bikes were unstoppable years after there time. I bet they'd still fire today. Great to see them looking primed though. And thanks for the memories.

 

[the Eel]

Jimbo - is that you ?!!