Author Topic: 1980 Open Class Shootout?  (Read 2550 times)

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Offline Tahitian_Red

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1980 Open Class Shootout?
« on: November 23, 2013, 07:45:22 am »
Anyone have a 1980 Open Class shootout article from any of the major magazines?  Know the winner?
The "Factory Novice"
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'74 Suzuki TM100, '75 Bultaco 250 Pursang, '77 Honda XR75, '77 Suzuki RM125B, '77 Yamaha YZ400D, '79 Honda CR250RZ Moto-X Fox Replica, '83 Honda ME480RD Mugen

Offline bishboy

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Re: 1980 Open Class Shootout?
« Reply #1 on: November 23, 2013, 09:34:52 am »
I'll have to have a look, but I don't think I have.

I imagine that the YZ would have won, the competition was a bit ordinary in 1980, in '81 it would have been a different matter.

Offline Husky500evo

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Re: 1980 Open Class Shootout?
« Reply #2 on: November 23, 2013, 09:35:43 am »
I would like to read a shootout like that as well, so I will have to look through my magazine stash. I would expect though, even though the Yamaha is my least favourite Jap MXer (mainly due to  nightmares of experiences with the dreaded Yamahop rear suspension), that the YZ465G would come out as a clear cut winner. It was  not a good year for Maico and the Husky 390 was down on power in comparison and a bit outdated by then. The RM400T  had very little changes from the '79 model and Honda didn't even have a big bore. The dark horse could be something a bit rarer, like the Can AM 400 MX6. 

Offline KTM47

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Re: 1980 Open Class Shootout?
« Reply #3 on: November 23, 2013, 10:27:59 am »
I don't know who won in 1980, but I do know who won 1981. Maico first daylight second.

Forget the rest Maicos are best.
MAICOS RULE DESPITE THE FOOLS

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Re: 1980 Open Class Shootout?
« Reply #4 on: November 23, 2013, 10:35:50 am »
I don't know who won in 1980, but I do know who won 1981. Maico first daylight second.

Forget the rest Maicos are best.

Good clubman bikes but won nothing of significance , Geoff Mayes  won the British open title in 1980 on one of those horrible looking1980 440s