What's happened to all the real bikes???

[Captain Bilko]

I can't help thinking at times that people tend to manufacture their idea of how they'd like the past to be.
Nobody seems to be interested in the bikes that were available. The bikes that won races around the country and were the pride and joy of the working class bloke (or blokette)

Apart from the done to death 490 Maico in all its guises, nobody seems to care a lot about the production bikes of the time.
YZ 465's only get a mention if they're still in the crate or have some mad price on them. Or the YZ 400 f
RM 400n's. There were a zilliion of them around in 1979. People only talk about their braking backing plates.
The 125's and 250's of the eighties (which were the death knell for the 500's) seem to be just a little too boring....

This came to me whilst thinking about a blokes Can Am Sonic (amids the usuall babblings about how HL's and CCM's ruled the planet). Sure there weren't a lot of them (Sonics) about but they sure do seem to go really good. I suppose you could have bought one and they look pretty exotic to me. They barely rate a murmur.
My own favorite model gets nothing but derision from the ignorants who know nothing about them let alone ridden one.
No other Husky apart from the 'Silver Bullet' gets a look in.
Nobody talks about late 70's KTM 250's but I've seen one from Bendigo that was blindingly fast. No KTM's really apart from the Penton stuff and the 495's
What about a KX 420? Grouse lookin' bikes! Nup

Maybe it's just this place....

[SAABCOMBI]

Here Here, well spocken 66m, totally agree, most people want the best models, the best models are only as good as the rider who  is twisting the throttle.

[Nathan S]

When we buy new bikes, we are sensible and pragmatic - we look at value for money and reliability and parts supply and all the rest.
When we buy old bikes, money is less of an issue and certain bikes develop a legend around them (that's often overstated). For a lot of us, actually going fast isn't as important as it is when we buy a modern - instead, we go for the bikes that we wished we could afford/give us the horn/whatever.


If the "legendary" Maico 490 was really that good, then every serious privateer would have bought one in the day. Even now, they don't turn an average rider into a moto-god and are not essential equipment to win VMX races.


People have been going nuts over post-VMX KX and CR500s - I understand the appeal, but there's a lot of nonsense spoken about them too. There's a number of bloody good reasons why they stopped making 500s... (And I've got a KX5 that I love - but I'm not kidding myself that I'm fast on it).

[firko]

I seem to think all of the bikes mentioned in the red post that are supposedly overlooked get a geurnsey on here and at the races.  It's the obscure and unusual that are neglected by collectors and forum jockeys, not those bikes mentioned by Ross. I reckon they get plenty of support both here and at the track.
I don't quite follow your reply either Dave?

[JohnnyO]

Because VMX is broken down mostly into 5 year groups people tend to buy the latest models in that group so many models 2 or 3 years earlier than the cutoff date are overlooked.

[Mick D]

Dave, you remind me of the Ferangi star trek spices. Your brand loyalty extends no further than the next brand you are profiting from.

[090]

Here Here, well spocken 66m,

Yes well spocken. Beam me up Scotty....

[VMX247]

People have been going nuts over post-VMX KX and CR500s - I understand the appeal, but there's a lot of nonsense spoken about them too. There's a number of bloody good reasons why they stopped making 500s...

Yes they stopped making them,though...I read just the other day from a very wise vmxer who suggested, the pre85 of today are our pre65&pre75's of tomorrow.
The Sunbeams,Sprites/AE,Mexican Callibella,CCM,Goldy etc makes of bikes are and will be colletors items.quote:It's the obscure and unusual that are neglected.
So to the question ..the real bikes are out there, though most are in sheds to stay and yes the HL500 thread has me in circles too  
cheers A

[mx250]

 

[Captain Bilko]

In the light of a new day part of the problem rests with cut-off dates you're right. There's a perceived belief that a bike from the early part of an era ('85/'86 model in pre-90, '81/'82 models in Pre '85) just isn't gunna cut it with the later bikes of the era.
I reckon' the muscle bike mentallity probably has a lot to do with it as well.

I would have thought with the availability of great 1980's 125's, 250's, their availability of parts and things like Ohlins 360 barrels and other such off-the-shelf go fast gear that there'd be a storm of these bikes. But they're hardly touched on.

And for the life of me I can't work out why people will argue the merits of over-weight, ill-handling, average powered bikes 'till they're blue in the face over a run-of-the-mill, low cost two stroke production bike. 

[Slakewell]

KTM won the 250 world title in 77 in fact they came 1,2,3. The 77 KTM is great bike and I'm building one to be ready for CD8. The 77 KTM 400 is one of the best vintage bikes you will ever ride as well.
The 81 bikes are great Evo bikes and IMO one of the best Evo bikes you can race. There are 3 open class KTM bikes for 81. 390, 420, and the arm strecher 495, plus the 250 is a great bike. If you can find a 1980 MX 125 you will have one of the best evo 125's as well.
Whilst the MX models are rare in Aus converted enduro bikes are just as good with a few mods.
There are more KTM's apearing in VMX now people are realising how good they were.

[Canam370]

Its the bum on the seat that counts for a lot in racing, not the latest bike in the class. I recall that the current pre '78 title is held by a '75 model Canam ;

[DR]

Ross, give me the run of the mill converted/modded trailies and so called 2nd rate stocker mx'ers any day of the week. These are the bikes I and near all my mates grew up with. No matter how much bling is thrown at so called 'desirable' models or exotic chassis's these days they exhibit nil attraction to me (genuine works models excluded). Head over to the camping area B at CD8 and you'll see far more of the grass roots of mx history. Just my take but never in my wildest dreams would I expect everyone to agree

[Marc.com]

Nobody seems to be interested in the bikes that were available.

Not sure of your point, I am with Firko the ordinary bikes get plenty of space on the forum, also you go to mention the Can Am Sonic, seems that is the exact opposite of what you are describing as it was scarcely available or ordinary run of the mill low cost 2 stroke at the time.

[Captain Bilko]

My point is that people don't seem to go off the deep end about Sonics and yet from the point of veiw as an Evo (four stroke) racing bike they probably deserve as much attention (if not more) as the other 4t Evo bikes that people are always banging on about.....