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

[suzuki43]

BEAUTY IS IN THE EYE OF THE BEHOLDER MEN.

[Captain Bilko]

66M, Why dont you just come out and say it. Stop F*#King with REAL motocross bikes and stealing parts for pretenders that are wantanbe modern slow strokers.
How many YZ125C's have been pulled apart to make an over-rated pogo-stick that are louder than a Blinkco490 with red tyres.

It's the screams that keep me awake at night DJ.
The screams of all those YZ 465's that have had their front ends ripped off of 'em to help make these monstocities....

Sorry 'Uncle' (as you seem to known now) Firko but I did deviate from what I was originally talking about true. But I sorta mean the same thing in a way.
I just can't understand why all of the effort goes into bikes that really never were on the Australian scene (I'm not even game to mention 'em anymore) when there were bucket loads of good production bikes that if left mostly un-molested would be capable of piloting most average riders around an MX track in style.

Also I'd like the vibe of seeing bikes that were around then, racing now. You know. Someone who doesn't know a lot about it can watch a race and go "Gee. There were an awful lot of RM's and YZ's around then wasn't there." Instead of these bikes that if the "onus of proof" was really put to the owners (it rarely is) they'd be loading up and going home. Good. Come back when you have a VMX bike with you.
I can't understand that you Firko can say on one hand "I don't want any of these works replica type bikes out there on the track because people will be riding any old thing around" and in the next breath come out with "These HL replicas with just about any old hardware bolted to them are just fine".
Although, when I think about it, I can work it out....

[Husky500evo]

     I believe in function before style. When considering buying a VMX bike, I usually try to select what I think will be the best bike available in the class that I intend to ride it in. I may not be the fastest rider, but I like to think that I have competitive gear . If a motocross bike is not as good as other bikes in its class, then I consider that it has failed the functionality test. I also usually find that if a certain model bike is competitive in its class, the cool factor or style follows along with it anyway .
      This is why I don't like the long legged HLs very much and all the hype that goes with them, as I don't consider them to be a very competitive bike for evolution class. I am sure that there are some guys that can go fast on them , but I think that they would go even faster on something more competitive. Even if there was a fourstroke evo class, a twinshock Husky 510 would run rings around a HL . A pre '78 class legal HL Yamaha would be a different story though , as I think one of these would go very well in pre '78 open class.
      Can Am Sonics (they have 42mm forks, not 44mm, by the way) were mentioned earlier in this thread. I own one of these and think that it is a good fun bike to ride and a great trailbike . But I wouldn't say that they are all that good as a race bike, as they are a bit heavy.   

[jimg1au]

i have just bought a tt500 frame and engine.might make some sort of trail bike out of it.
any one got ang ideas
ps
the frame hase been deraked for flattrack

[TM BILL]

I dont hate HLs that are built like the original 77 models its those gangly ugly shitters i cant stand 

I cant see any difference between one of those or me bolting in a 1983 CR 480 front end and laid down 17.5" Fox air shocks  to a 73 TM 400 , add a RM 125B tank and call it a TL 

I would be laughed out of the joint yet mr ugly HL is apparantly welcomed , Neither bike was around in the day in that spec as generally the idea was to win races and there were much better options for that available off the show room floor.

I really do like specials and hybrids but a lot of the HLs you see these days are a true definition of bad taste or just taking the piss .

[crash n bern]

i have just bought a tt500 frame and engine.might make some sort of trail bike out of it.
any one got ang ideas
ps
the frame hase been deraked for flattrack

The hot ticket on this is to throw away the frame, buy a Montesa, ditch the motor and cut and shut the frame to fit the TT500 motor into it. I think Montesa/TT500 hybrids will become the next new trend.

[Davey Crocket]

A Montin-franken Bernie....you might start something here...

[firko]

I can't understand that you Firko can say on one hand "I don't want any of these works replica type bikes out there on the track because people will be riding any old thing around" and in the next breath come out with "These HL replicas with just about any old hardware bolted to them are just fine".

That's not what I said Ross. I have no objection whatsoever to so called ''works replicas'' racing. People are free to build and race whatever they want as long as it fits into a particular class structure. What pisses me off is these bikes being labeled as works replicas when they have no resemblence to the real thing whatsoever. On the other point, HL Yamahas are generically called HL's but you rarely hear of one called an 'HL works replica' or to be specific an 'Aberg replica' unless it's a pretty close representation of the real thing. Most of these high and mighty long travel HL replicas have no historic precedent but there are a few out there with 38mm forks etc. that fit into my interpretation of replica. Whatever......It's all opinion. I personally don't care that much for HL's but respect the blokes who do's right to build them any way they want. Others on the other hand seem to be rabid haters of the bloody things and aren't about to change their opinions because of a couple of forum posts, so be it. I can't see what the whole kerfuffle is about. I personally welcome the variety and colour that specials bring to our sport.

Sorry 'Uncle' (as you seem to known now) Firko

Actually Ross I prefer Mark. The 'Uncle Firko' tag originally comes from my friends teenage daughter who's called me that since she was tiny. When I turned 60 a couple of the 'good 'ol boys' started calling me that as a pisstake. I sign off on some PM's and emails as Uncle Firko but to my knowledge haven't publicly used the tag, which causes me to wonder where you got that little snippet from?

[jimg1au]

crash
so i wait till my 1969 montesa cappra gp5 turns up at the end of september (see my montesa gp5 pics in montesa)and fit the tt500 motor in it.
only 1 question
how do i get it passed as pre 1970
cheers

[Davey Crocket]

Your just being stupid now Jimini cricket.....this is a serious conversation .......

[jimg1au]

yes i know just haveing some fun
but monty and tt500 stuff will be in my shed in september but they will never cross dress

[mx250]

Hey Jim, if you have the motor I have the frame .

(That would put Ross into a tail spin )

[paul]

Hey Jim, if you have the motor I have the frame .

(That would put Ross into a tail spin )

this monesa franken bike was built a long time ago ( pot this is kettle calling)

[Marc.com]

Most of these high and mighty long travel HL replicas have no historic precedent but there are a few out there with 38mm forks etc. that fit into my interpretation of replica.

No historic precedent apart from the mountain of photos, the odd GP win and US 4 Stroke Nationals win. RJs bike was OW forked and taller than a block of flats.

I think like the Montesa Frankenbike, nicely put together TT500 specials have just as much right to be out there as anything else. Everything that has been said about the HL reps is also valid for the Rickmans, CCMs and any other 4 stroke special out there .... they were all part of the effort to build a better mousetrap.

" I would be laughed out of the joint yet mr ugly HL is apparantly welcomed ", hey Bill if that happens a lot to you it may not be the bike mate 

[crash n bern]

That's the best use of a monty I've seen in a long time