Vintage Dirt Bikes
91
The Good Old Days of Racing and Riding
For those of us that have been riding dirt bikes long enough remember the days of dual shocks, and no travel rear suspension. Hearing the clanging of the aftermarket shocks, Curnut as they came across the desert and thinking what is that racket. Thinking back if you could handle a bike back then today would be a breeze. Today there are vintage races with people out riding these old bikes that date 1974 or older. Nothing is considered vintage after that because things changed. Remember when mono shocks came out and we wondered is that going to work? If you are into collecting these bikes it can be a daunting and expensive hobby. Some bikes were limited production and some definitely deserved being limited like the American Eagle. My Dad had one briefly and it may have had the shortest life span in our garage of any bike owned by a family member. There are some bikes that hold great nostalgia either because I had one or always wanted one. For me owning a Penton Jackpiner 175 would have been heaven and never owned one. I did ride a 1969 Penton 125 and know of only one other. It was ridden by a girl from the same motorcycle club as me and our favorite thing to do was hill climb. Never wanted a Bultaco cause every time you’d break down people would say they knew one was laying out there in the desert because the buzzards (Bultaco Buzzards) were out. The days of old are definitely gone but not forgotten. Maybe one day I can still have that “now” vintage Penton sitting in my garage. Probably would never ride it because the first thing out of my mouth would be the suspension sucks and how did we ever ride these things. In the early 70’s racing was at its purest and by the end of that era things had changed. They did change for the better because motorcycle evolution was improving the bikes we rode but desert racing never really seemed the same. Looking at a Penton or Husqvarna from those days does bring back the memories.
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Clymer Vintage Dirt Bikes: Bultaco, 125-370Cc Singles, Through 1977, Montesa, 123-360Cc Singles, 1965-1975, Ossa, 125-250Cc Singles, 1971-1978 (Clymer Coll)
Price: $21.59
List Price: $32.95 |
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Clymer Collection Series CLYMER, Vintage Dirt Bikes, V. 1 - Part No. M300
Price: $24.55
List Price: $33.95 |
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Bultaco Miura Motorcycle Gear, Art Poster with Metal Frame, poster size: 18" x 24"
Price: $193.47
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Motocross Racers: 30 Years of Legendary Dirt Bikes
Price: $29.98
List Price: $29.95 |
Dirt Bikes Pre-1975
100 – 175 CC
Bultaco Pursang 125/175
Bultaco Alpina 125/175
Can-Am 125/175 MX/Enduro
CZ 125
CZ 175
DKW 125 BoonDocker
DKW 125 Enduro
Hodaka Combat Wombat
Hodaka Wombat
Honda MT 125
Husqvarna 125
Kawasaki KS 125
Montesa Cota 123
Ossa 125/175 Phantom
Penton Jackpiner 175
Penton Six Day 125
Puch 125/175 Enduro
Rickman 125 Six Day
Suzuki TC-125L Prospector
Yamaha DT 100/125/175
176 – 250 CC
Bultaco 250 Matador
Bultaco 250 Sherpa T
CZ 250 Motocross
Greeves 250 MX
Honda Elsinore CR 250
Honda MT 250
Honda XL 250 K1
Husqvarna 250/360 Road & Trail
Husqvarna 250 SC
Kawasaki KX 250
Maico 250
Montesa Cappra 250 VR
Ossa 250 Phantom
Ossa Pioneer 250
Rickman 250 MX
Yamaha DT 250
251 – 600 CC
American Eagle 405 MX
BSA N21 600
BSA Gold Star 500
BSA 441
Bultaco Alpina 350
Bultaco Pursang 360
CZ 400 Motocross
Greeves Qub Desert
Greeves 380
Harley Davidson SS 350
Husqvarna 400 WR
Kawasaki 350 K-9
Maico 400/450 MX
Maico 501
Norton 500
Penton Mint 400
Rokon RT-340
Suzuki TM-400l Cyclone
Triumph 500 BSA 500
Triumph Trophy Trail 500
Yamaha DT 360
Yamaha MX 360
Looking Back
Looking over the list I know there are bikes not listed on here. If you read this and think of one I missed please list it. With age we all seem to forget things and when someone brings something up we get that ah ha moment. When looking back at the days of old it reminds me that motorcycles and the gear that was worn has come a long way. Today's young riders have no idea what it was like to ride a motorcycle like the ones listed above. I have owned Yamaha 90, Penton 125, Honda MR 125, Maico 250, Husqvarna 250, KTM 250, and a Honda XR 250 which covers about most of what I have ridden. I won riding a four stroke back then and being told you could not win racing enduros on a four stroke. I remember another racer, Billy Fulmer and I had a laugh over being told that, since we had both ended up being successful on four strokes. This happened ages ago and today no one would consider saying something like that.
Happy riding and keep the rubber side down.
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Comments
That was cool. When I was a kid, my cousin used to race motocross. I remember how much fun it was to watch and I'd pretend my Big Wheel was a dirt bike. The Enduro picture reminded me of that...
I saw interesting thing over the weekend. A bicycle was motorized. You can cycle it as well as throtle it like motorbike.
Good job.
David: Big Wheels were before my time but my brother had one. When he was a kid he went to a Saddleback Park (no longer there) which you could ride motorcycles but he took his Big Wheel and rode down hills with it. He ended up breaking it in half.
I just got back into dirtbiking now that I'm too old for it.(HA) Got a KTM 200 EXC with about twice the power of my old 68' Greeves 360. The best bike I used to have was a little 100 Zundapp ISDT replica.(4 sreed no less) At 190 lb.I could drag it over anything I couldn't ride over!
R.J. Roberts: Glad you stopped by. Greeves! Now that's a blast from the past. KTM is a good choice. They have always been popular in my family. My Dad still rides and he is 73. :) And I still can't keep up.
resspenser says:
2 weeks ago
I really enjoyed this hub and the pictures of these great bikes. My first dirt bike was a old 175cc Honda and was an xl. I stripped it of the lights and turn signals and put on two new shocks and had a ball on the trails around here.
Hmmmm maybe I can find one on Craigslist.