What was the BEST year to buy a NEW MXer

[Davey Crocket]

OK, this will throw the cat amonst the pidgeons, well at least for the few VMXers on here .....I reckon 74 as tojo had finally started to produce some good bikes....Yamaha YZ 250/360A and B's, Honda Elsinore's (abeit missing a big block engine), Kawasaki KX 125 and 250 (I dont think the 450 was that good), Suzuki although wining most of the world championships where selling sardine cans on wheels to joe public (mind you, I think the 74 TM's where pretty looking bikes...I like sardines ), the Euro's had it happening aswell,  Montessa Phantoms, KTM's, Bultaco's (Jim Pommeroy won the Spanish GP on a supposed stocker), Maico's, Husquarna's, I know I've left a heep off but thats what you guy's are for.....I'm sure senoure Firko will add  a few more. It wasnt just the quality of the bikes but also alot of them where just dam pretty to look at.....if it looks good, it must go good....scyhc out the opposition before the race even started (I never had this problem....poor apprentice wages saw to that). Anyway, agree or disagree, what do you think?

[TM BILL]

Much as i hate to agree with you John  i think you nailed it  tip in the mix the limited edition RN 400 and RH 250 and what a year

[Davey Crocket]

Shouldnt you be in bed......canoodleling an Italian ride?

[TM BILL]

Been in bed hours  going on a 2 day trail ride 2morrow  too excited to sleep 

[Marc.com]

74 the Brits were also still in there with Cheney and CCM .... yep its was all new. Next best for me was 81, first water cooling single shock bikes, kind of the next leap forward.

[VMX247]

60 & 70 when British bikes where heeps cheaper  and 2009-2010..when our son got a shit load of holshots and bought home his first winning cheque 
cheers

[Nathan S]

2006.
Bikes are cheap, fast, versatile and reliable.
Credit is both cheap and easy to obtain.
The economy is strong, and the GFC is just something that the more worry-prone pointy heads occasionally mention on the news - hell, they didn't even call if the GFC back then.
You can get good bikes from at least nine different manfacturers with dealships & support networks in this country. There's also a plethora of both Chinese and exotic bikes available if you so desire.
All but one of the credible manufacturers gives you a choice of a 4-stroke or a real motor.
The aftermarket is booming and the internet combined with the recently-enacted FTA means that most of those parts are available at very favourable prices.

[Davey Crocket]

Phark.....I just woke up....should have stayed in bed......geez Nathan...I was really referring to the vintage scene, you have gone from pre 95 to pre 2006, a 4 year old bike is way off being vintage. I'm sure you have seen the movie "Back to the Future"?.....just try and go back in time, I know its hard for you to conform to our silly old dreams, but I'm sure you can do it!!!.....Hows my 4 gearchange housings coming along?Vandy and a couple of other guys are getting toe'ee. PM me, I'll pay the postage or what ever ransome you want.

[Nathan S]

Sorry for answering the question! 

1974 was definitely the year with the most (viable) choices. But the genuinely good bikes of the year were expensive, relatively hard to get hold of and couldn't reliably/competitively be taken from the showroom to the racetrack.

In 2010, I'd rather be buying a brand new 1974 Ossa Phantom at 1974 prices than a brand new 2006 RMZ at 2006 prices!
But assuming I was an average income earner in both 1974 and 2006, the new bike would be FAR more attainable in 2006.
And I'd get more of my money back for a four year old RMZ than I would on a four year old Phantom in 1978 (percentage wise).

PM me your address.

[JohnnyO]

I'm with Marc, '74 was a great year with so many new competitive bikes then '81 was also a good year with the first of the watercooled and single shock bikes.

[cyclegod]

For me it has to be 1979, New RM's, New KX's, New CR's that all looked like "new" bikes not just a sticker re-hash of the previous years models.

[Davey Crocket]

Your wrong Nathan.....there was alot of money floating around in 74......Australia had a new Labor government and ol' Gof Whitlam was dishing out payrise's and money like no toomorrow. The reason why there where so many bikes available was because the world was ticking over rather nicely.....it was just about to turn too shit though....arh-laa what we sort of have now. Remember, this years bikes are built and developed last year......73 was a good year......now someone will shoot me down in flames.

[Nathan S]

All things are relative.
We might have had more spare money in 1973 compared to 1970, but we've got tons more to spend on the non-essentials in recent times.

[pancho]

I don't EVER remember having spare money!. But during the 60s' after blowing the gearbox to pieces once more on my 500 AJAY stripped down for Moorebank while being half a lap in front as usual, some-one gave me a ride on a new Cotton 250 motocrosser. I was very impressed. If I had any brains then I should have hocked myself into some hire purchase crooks and bought one. [Or what I really wanted was a Compy AJAY]. cheers pancho.

[oldfart]

My 2 cents worth would be  1973 thru to 1975. As most manufactures where going toe to toe with development and pouring big $$$ into winning.