Best Looking MX'er of all time. Vote.

[mx250]

Guys, delete all references to Harley and dirt bikes in the same sentence - nice bikes maybe  , but to be grouped with MX'er in any sense other than the exceptionally general is ridiculous.

Harleys are an abberation within motorcycling generally and only surviving to emotionally support those with low self esteem issues  :'( . The kindest, most accurate description of Harley I've ever read was in an American road test of about 20 years ago. The jurno describe them as 'vintage motorcycling at its best' - and that was 20 years ago and nothing changed or improved.

Dirt bikes generally, but MX'ers particularly, are designed for pragmatic function over form. Putting an antiquated 200kg  asthmatic 1200cc breathless motor making 60bhp into a beatifully engineered frame with details such as a carbon firbe mudgaurd does not make a beatiful bike let alone a beatiful MX'er.

To be gracious, the only role Harley has with dirt bikes is as some sort of ironic comic relief 

[Tahitian_Red]

Hmmm

[firko]

MX..I'd totally agree with you if we were talking about Harley Davidson road bikes but have to come in here and disagree with your criticisms of Harleys as dirt bikes. While the XR750 is no motocross bike it is indeed the absolute king of flat track racing. Many manufacturers have tried to knock the XR750 off it's pedestal since 1972, and some actually did for a brief time, but 35 years later, the Harley is still king. Not only is the XR750 fast, it is also a beautiful piece of kit. Smooth and lacking any of the traditional Harley baubles, the bike is a classic execution of the form, function and beauty trifecta.

When you first posted this thread you asked what is the best looking motocrosser of all time. That's a big question that evokes our personal likes and dislikes and what we think is beautiful to the eye. By telling us to delete all references to Harleys and dirt bikes in the same sentence you're imposing your own prejudices on us after asking our opinions. Many of us like Harleys and have valid reasons for posting them. I happen to love Marsh Runyons XR Harley for it's superb engineering, beautiful deatailing and macho stance. I also know how much of the owners soul is reflected in its appearance. Others like yourself and Doc don't like it and that's cool. To overall dismiss all Harleys as worthless dirtbikes however is not only dismissing the bike but dismissing other peoples opinions when that's exactly what you asked for in the first place. Don't get me wrong, I'm not an apologist for Harley Davidson. I agree that they are overweight, gutless tanks as road bikes but I do think that some Harley Davidsons have much to offer as a valid dirt bikes and have as much right to be in this thread as a CR390 Husky if that is what someone likes. Nothing personal here, (I should insert a smiley here ) I'm just playing counterpoint to your statement. Cheers.
Below. Marsh Runyon fiddling with his mid fifties KR Harley flat tracker.

A very pretty little Champion framed 250 Harley

[Lozza]

I'll take one of those early TM's(not the Suzuki's)  for a bit of beauty.There was a pic in VMX of one of Dick Mann's BSA 250's that I loved.
For a change I'd have to agree 100% with you there firko

[Nathan S]

I reckon the 'factory built' Harley MXers look great.

[Phil]

Beautifully articulated Firko. I'd have an XR750 in a heartbeat. Marsh's lovely XR1000 surely does reflect his unique personality. That KR he pictured working on in his shed is the bike I hooned around the paddock behind his house. Scared the shitter out of Mary Janes donkeys. There's no room for prejudice when it comes to bikes. Even the humble AT1 or Hodaka deserve as much respect as Black Betty or a Harley.
There's room for all bikes of all persuasions in our sport.

[Doc]

don't get me wrong. I did not say exclude Harleys I simply said they do nothing for me. Dirt track Harleys are somewhat different but if the situation arose whereby I had a choice then I'd still go for an XS650 dirt tracker (see Eddie's bike below) before a Harley. That's just me.



and another early TM for Lozza.

[TooFastTim]

And that Harley MXer went on to become a Cagiva and eventually a Husky. Pity that pic didn't show the "other" shocks. Ah, here we are: http://harleydavidson250mx.freeservers.com/images/76mx250proto.jpg

[Hoony]

MY Vote (thanks Web-Meister Graeme, it worked 

Honda's 1985 CR500RF

[attachment deleted by admin]

[090]

Nice one Hoony! Thats close to my heart! My weapon of choice at the ripe old age of 18 

[Hoony]

Have you always had big bores then Brad? i should have bought got one earlier, it took my mid life crisis at 43 to make the move to my first ever big bore 2 stroke, boy have i missed out till now !

[paul]

poetry in motion

[paul]

[All Things 414]

Wow! I just got through all that Harley stuff! I really wanna see all you guys after a long long session in a boozer after your footy teams have all lost and someone starts talking bikes. Throw in a small nuclear device as well........

[paul]

BOOOOOOOOMMMMMMMM