Anyone Into Dirtbikes?

[Wana_make_a_guitar]

I see some people on this board are into roadbikes, and was wondering if anyone was into dirtbikes.

I used to race them about 3 years ago, then I outgrew my bike (Honda Cr85). We have finally sold that bike, and gathered enough money to buy me new one. I'm looking into buying a KTM 450 or 250 EXC or maybe a Yamaha WR 450 or 250F to race endruo.

but inbetween then and now, i've been thumping around on this:

My dads Honda XR400. Soo much fun, and almost 6 months past the point where is needed new tires. Until some new tires are bought, i'm going speedway!  :toothy12:


How about you?

 

[Edin]

First place - KTM
Second place - KTM
Third place - KTM
...
...
...
...
...
Others.

Just look Dakar statistics
Since 2001 KTM winner only

2009 top ten: 8 KTM, 1 Yamaha, 1 Honda
2007 top ten: 9 KTM, 1 Yamaha
2006 top ten: 9 KTM, 1 Yamaha
2005 top 50: 42 KTM, 5 Yamaha, 3 Honda
etc...

 

[Wana_make_a_guitar]

Seems the Austrians know their stuff!

It also seems that KTM is a choice pounding at me me from all sides, my dad has a friend who is selling one, they are now cheap and now they aren't as labor intensive as they once were.  :toothy10:

 

[Edin]

Seems the Austrians know their stuff!

Of course! See Magna-Steyr's Puch military offroad car (Mercedes coop.). Mercedes Benz G-class (the best commercial truly offroad car) took Steyr's drivetrain.

So must mention Pinzgauer etc...

 

[Super Turbo Deluxe Custom]

From the time I was 10 to 20, I raced competitively in Hare Scrambles and Enduros.  I even got to race in the I.S.D.E. when it was in the U.S. in 1994.  As far as KTMs, I still remember when they were white and had the kick starter on the left side.  I remember when Husquavarnas were still Swedish, Yamahas were yellow, all of the fourstrokes you saw were air cooled and weren't competitive, and JT made the best gear and not paintball crap.  Oh and if you wore Fox stuff, it ment you rode.

Here's me in about 1991.

...in '98.

 

[Edin]

I have old still perfect working Husquarna chain saw  :hello2:

 

[texicus]

Oh and if you wore Fox stuff, it ment you rode.

Oh the good ol days.  I'll be honest in saying that I was heavy into the freestyle scene for quite a few years (back when McGrath rode with the Crusty Demons) (hell, when I was buying VHS Crusty Demons of Dirt tapes...) and I bought a pair of Fleshwound pants.  Way overpriced, but had to pose my way into that scene...and then I saw a preppy kid wearing a fox shirt and thought, well...that's odd...and another...and all of a sudden it exploded...then again I guess it's no different from me wearing an Element hoodie considering the last time I was on a skateboard I almost cracked my head open...trying to stand up on it.

But ya, KTM is making awesome stuff right now.  I might be looking into the dual-purpose 400 if I don't pick up a new gixxer...

I do miss the days of two-stroke dominance tho.  Even freestyle guys are riding the CRFs, it's just not the same.  They are awesome bikes tho, I do have to give credit where it's due...

 

[Super Turbo Deluxe Custom]

In '88, I got a Fox hoodie for Christmas.  I'd wear it to school and everyone was like, "What is that?"  McGrath is still a little too new for me.  My heroes were O'mara, Ward, Glover, Lecien, Bailey, Dymond, and Johnson.  Those guys.  I remember when they still had a 500cc class.

 

[Super Turbo Deluxe Custom]

Anyone remember ATK, the Husky 430 Auto, or Honda XLs?

 

[Wana_make_a_guitar]

Anyone remember ATK, the Husky 430 Auto, or Honda XLs?

XL's are great!  :laughing7:

I haven't ridden one yet but me and a friend are doing up a 250  that has supposedly been sitting in the shed for about 15 years. We tried a chemical bath and snadblasting the motor to get 15 years of caked on oil, sawdust and mud off it, and there is still a great deal of crap on it!

Does anyone know anything about Maico bikes? My dad had one when he was racing and is all jittery and excited that they've come back into the game.

 

[Super Turbo Deluxe Custom]

The joke with them was Maico - BreakO.

 

[Alfang]

I started riding and racing in 1973 till about 1981, My hero's were Marty smith, Bob Hannah, all the guys the super turbo mentioned, Roger D Tony D. I wanted to be one of those guys and I finnaly made it to local pro

In hindsight, I wish I had wanted to be Jimi Hendrix or Eric Clapton. My mad motorcycle skills don't do anything for me today, well actually they keep me alive on the street.  But I could be in a band now....

 

[Super Turbo Deluxe Custom]

I avoided the major injuries, mainly due to not riding over my head, but my joints act about 20 years older than they are.  Knees, elbows, and shoulders are worn out.  When I used to do Hare Scrambles, Kent Howerton had been retired for years, he'd come out and school everybody every now and then.  When I was 12, I went to Motocross camp hosted by Donnie Hansen.  Poison had a show that night, and they came out and rode with us.  The tour bus rolled up and they had 80s tucked up underneath it.  I'd never heard of them, it was when they were opening for David Lee Roth with his Vai/Sheehan band.  My dad changed Bret Michaels' handlebars.

 

[Wana_make_a_guitar]

I avoided the major injuries, mainly due to not riding over my head, but my joints act about 20 years older than they are.  Knees, elbows, and shoulders are worn out.  When I used to do Hare Scrambles, Kent Howerton had been retired for years, he'd come out and school everybody every now and then.  When I was 12, I went to Motocross camp hosted by Donnie Hansen.  Poison had a show that night, and they came out and rode with us.  The tour bus rolled up and they had 80s tucked up underneath it.  I'd never heard of them, it was when they were opening for David Lee Roth with his Vai/Sheehan band.  My dad changed Bret Michaels' handlebars.

Awesome!

 

[Wana_make_a_guitar]

Ahum, ouch.

Well, I was doing one of those 'see how far you can go on your back wheel' bets with one of my mates, and found that there was a spot where when you leaned back far enough, it only takes a wind gust the wrong way to buck you off.
Hurt my foot a bit and grazed my lower back up fairly bad. I can't sit down properly now  :laughing7:

I won't EVER mono again.

I bent up the rego plate, but I fixed it. The sub frame was also bent, but that's also an easy fix. The right indicator broke cleanly off, that a not so easy fix.
I didn't get yelled at at grounded like I expected, just a harsh 'no sympathy at all' was handed too me and I have to pay for the indicator.

again, I will NEVER mono again

:laughing7:

 

[clearerphish]

Anyone Into Dirtbikes?

sort of?  :laughing11:

:laughing7:

 

[Mor Paul]

again, I will NEVER mono again

:laughing7:

Mono isn't fun.

 

[texicus]

One time I thought I had mono for an entire year...turns out I was just really bored.

 

[Wana_make_a_guitar]

Hahaha, Re-phrase. I will never Wheelie again. I will never unicycle again.