I get the impression that there are quote a few guys on here who have owned a lot of dirt bikes over many years....

For some reason, one of the threads (and some strong beer) made me think back to the early 80's when I was really into dirt bikes (the KLX is a sort of mild mid life crisis where I thought I would revisit my youth albeit with a somewhat more civilised machine).

So I started googling for some of the bikes that really made on impression on me:
1st love (obviously) = DT175MX - 5 years of paper rounds and saving every penny to get this on my 17th birthday, dented the tank trying to jump a ditch when it was 4 days old -
Did about 30K miles at least half of them offroad, modified to hell and back, never let me down.

2nd (scary) fling = Maico 250. Regarded as the "experts" bike in it's day. Built like a bomb shelter, 40 very raw horses, with a double power band - mid range it would wheelie in 3rd/4th, top end it would flick you off the back! 20MPG in the woods. Manic!

Actually I think I also had a KDX250 for a while. This was very tame compared to the Maico.

However the most outrageous bike I ever rode was a Moto Gori 250. It had (IIRC) 47 BHP, 7 gears, 13" suspension travel (with probably 33mm forks). The spec was out of this world for the early 80's. So was the power band, it started at about 11,000 RPM and ended about 12,000. It was almost unrideable, the power was digital. I remember about 6 of us repeatedly trying to get it up a hill climb, everyone failed, it either looped or died about 1/2 way up. Even my DT175 (about 15 + a bit of tuning BHP and 6 or 7" suspension travel) could just make it to the top of the hill.

Found this webpage with some similar machines:
http://rugginose.forumfree.it/?t=60577933&st=15

Happy days

 

Back in the days when Husky was a Swedish bike.

 

That's some sweet vintage all over that site.
I so wish I would have been into dirt bikes in those days.

 

Probably my third or fourth bike, was a 78 YZ125. That's the bike I most remember from my youth. I recall it as being the best handling, best suspended thing I'd ever ridden. At the time, there was a Yamaha factory rider in our club, and he offered to take my barrel to one of the factory mechanics, and have it ported free of charge. When I got it back it was so fast, I could barely hang on. I'd love
to have another one today, but I'm afraid it wouldn't match my slightly faded memories

Those Gori's are cool. I just sold my vintage Can-am's, but may run vintage MX again some day.

 

This was during a District 38 desert race. The bike was an early 70's Suzuki. I don't remember the year. It was a temporary bike - I was between Bultacos!




Ron

 

Geez, Ron, look at those quilted pants you're wearing...and real leather.

Those Kaw pants I'm wearing were one of the first leathers to have the segmented design close to what we have now but still leather. You should be ashamed to be wearing a Bultaco jersey on a Suzuki. I would never commit such a fashion faux pas.

 

My first "open class' ride.
I miss owning it, but not riding it.

 

Why do bikes from that era look so right?

Is it my age, or is it the lack of over-styled plastics/graphics and the simplicity of the engines? OTOH those puny drum brakes don't look so great nowadays.

I must say that air cooled engines look way cooler (bad pun!) than LC ones.

 

Had a few Dt 175 MX`s also had a IT 175 that was the dogs bollocks,,
Yes they were great ,,

 

One of my mate's had an IT200. It was the perfect bike for me, fast light and nimble. Never actually owned one, wish I had!