Progression of dirt bikes, which were the pioneers?

[Bioflex]

Hi to all here, I'll do an introduction later as a new member.
     Ive been reading the forum for interest over the last 6 months, now thought it'd be worth posting.

After checking out some of the interesting discussion in the pre 90's post it begs the question as to what people see as pivotal changes and what were the first bikes to introduce this technology. It's obvious that some of the tech didn't quite work initialy, monoshock being an example that took a while to catch on.

So anyway, if anyone can fill these blanks it would be appreciated:
All "firsts" here relate to mass produced production bikes rather than experimental exotics.

First bike to use a disc brake?
First bike to be water cooled?
First monoshock?
First bike with "safety seat"
first perimeter framed bike
first bike to use a cdi
first alloy framed bike, I realise this doesn't quite fit the criteria as it's not yet universal.
Skipping a few generations,

first fuel Injected bike

I am sure I've missed a few here, so feel free to chime in with some others.

[LWC82PE]

First question, do you only want to know about 'firsts' in dirt/MX bikes or firsts in all types of bikes? Because it can start to get technical. Some will say first monoshock was Yamaha, some will say it was a 1950's Vincent if you know what i mean, so if we know the boundries first that will help.

[Bioflex]

Hmmm, i thought this would be an issue, especially some early models where the lines of a "dirt" bike are a bit blurred.
Let's stick to dirt/mx bikes where possible

[frostype400]

I am tipping rokon automatic for front and rear disc brakes in 1976 pretty early probably wrong though the 75 yankee 500z had rear disc.

[frostype400]

btw how cool are rokon mag wheels.

[Nathan S]

Talking production dirt bikes:

First bike to use a front disc brake? Rokon c1974. Common: KX125/250/500, 1982.
First bike to use a rear disc brake? Rokon c1974. Common: KX125/250/500 & KTM125/250/300/350/500, 1986.
First bike to be water cooled? KTM125, 1980. Common: YZ125/RM125/CR125/CR250, 1981.
First monoshock?  Yamaha YZ250/360B, 1974. Common: MX250/400B, 1975.
First linkage rear end: KX125/250/420 1980.
First bike with "safety seat"? YZ125/250/490J, 1982.
first perimeter framed bike? KX125/250, 1990.
first bike to use a cdi? Common would be a Suzuki, I think.
first alloy framed bike? Honda CR250, 1997.
first fuel Injected bike: ATK604, early~mid 1990s. Its kinda come in in dribbles since, so I'm kinda not sure which mainstream bike to call the first.
First exhaust power valve: YZ125/250J, 1982.
First with >4" rear travel, Maico MC250/400 & YZ250/360B, both 1974.5.

In terms of what's really made a difference in the longer term (although usually not in their debut form!), I reckon the order of importance is:
Long travel suspension.
Water cooling.
Exhaust power valves.
Safety seats.
CDIs.
Front discs.
EFI (on 4-strokes).
Rear discs.
Linkage suspension (although it has packaging/weight distribution benefits, so I'm probably selling it short).
Perimeter frames.

Alloy frames are 50% about marketing, 50% about ease of manufacture, and 0% about performance, so don't even deserve a place on the list....

[frostype400]

Nathan perhaps first cdi goes to 71 tm400? They got it wrong but persisted with it works rn maybe before it?

[Bioflex]

Cheers for the responses Nathan.
Quite the historian, I could have sworn some of the old gheezers in the pre 90 class thread were implying you were a vintage "fly in" with not a care for dirt bike history.
Maybe some pre 75 questions would have stumped you:)

While the yz400 in 98 was considered revolutionary in being the first proper modern mx 4 stroke, surely a berg would have snuck in before this?   

[LWC82PE]

I dont really know what the big deal about the YZ400 was, it was only the first competition jap 4 stroke MX bike, there was plenty of purpose built competition MX 4 strokes before that. You had the air cool Rotax KTM, Canam and a few others plus the Husky TC510 in the early 80's, then later on in early-mid 90's there was the Husabergs, Husky TC610, ATK's, KTM's etc. There was many purpose built 4T MX bikes before the YZ-F400 came along.

[Nathan S]

Also want to add:
First 19" rear wheel with low profile tyre: Yamaha YZ125/250(/490?), 1989.

There was many purpose built 4T MX bikes before the YZ-F400 came along.

Absolutely. Its just that Yamaha was the first mainstream manufacturer to make a fast 4-stroke.


Cheers Bio. Got far more pre-78/pre-75 bikes in the shed than anything else....

[TooFastTim]

first fuel Injected bike: ATK604, early~mid 1990s. Its kinda come in in dribbles since, so I'm kinda not sure which mainstream bike to call the first.

Gas Gas, forget which model.

The OP has askeds about particular innovations. What about bikes that weren't particularly innovative but changed the sport? I'll throw my hat into the ring.

Yamaha DT1: sold off road motorcycling to the world
Suzukis RM's: Cheap, reliable Jap MXers that HANDLED.

[Hoony]

good well organised info from Nathan there, and i must admit i am envious of your Memory and dates Nathan.

[Moto]

I believe that Bultaco may have had the first simple production electronic ignition in 1969 with the dreaded Femsatronic.Although, my Elmontadero still has the original in it and starts first kick. Kawasaki also had a complicated CDI around the same time.
The Mk4(69)pursang also had a seat which ran up on the tank.

 Which brand had the first primary kickstart?

[tony27]

I dont really know what the big deal about the YZ400 was, it was only the first competition jap 4 stroke MX bike, there was plenty of purpose built competition MX 4 strokes before that. You had the air cool Rotax KTM, Canam and a few others plus the Husky TC510 in the early 80's, then later on in early-mid 90's there was the Husabergs, Husky TC610, ATK's, KTM's etc. There was many purpose built 4T MX bikes before the YZ-F400 came along.

The YZ-F was the first to be built to the new rules letting it run against 250s, all the other bikes listed would have been having to run against 500s

[Bioflex]

That husky 4 stroke is beautiful, anyone know what year and capacity the one pictured above is?
The Europeans really played around in the 80's, this seems to get lost at times with most of the innovation that stuck coming from the Japanese. The euros seemed to give anything a go though , then again innovations with renaults and citroens didn't exactly light the world on fire.

How about first production bike with usd's?
I remember at least one jap manufacturer went back to conventional before switching again, wasn't sure for a while where that battle would go.

Gas gas have run fuel injection for over 5 years now, does anyone know the first year that atk trialed it?