any old school moto x racers here?

[Icey101]

i was 14 and bought by first real mx bike, it was a CR250M Elsinore, green and silver tank, the first mx bike made by honda, it had 4 inches of travel on the back and a power band that would knock your teeth out, i raced it for a few years and i remember it took me days to get over every weekend due to the pounding on my body.....my heroes were Gaston Rahier, Roger De Coster, Bob Hannah, Heikki Mikkola, Brad Lackey

here check this out, you might know the rider?

HONDA CR250M ELSINORE CM - YouTube

Edit, in 1976 or 7, i saw Gaston Rahier, he came to Australia to flog his plastic ski type mx boots, he also brought his factory RM125 and went in a round of mr motocross, he beat all our champion on their open class mx bikes, the guy was incredible going past RM370s and MX400s A and B grade riders like they were beginners.

by the way Roger De Costa is a manager working for a red bull MX team in the US

[MJ5150]

I remember Hurricane Hannah, Ricky Johnson, Jeff Ward, Guy Cooper, and Johnny O'Mara. By far, my favorite rider was Ricky Johnson. Watching him and David Bailey duke it out in Supercross events at the Seattle Kingdome was great.

I road a Honda XR350 for a long time, then all my buddies convinced me to get a CR250. That was a lot of bike. Except for a spell where I really wanted a KTM, I was strictly a Honda guy.

-Mike

[Stilettoprefer]

I had a '79 Elsinore 125 for a while. Amazing dirtbike!!! Too loud for the neighbors though:/ The old bat threatened to shoot me if I kept using it around the property..... Parents made me sell it, but I made 3 times as much as I paid for it, so I didnt mind too much haha. Paid for my bass and then some:P

[nortonrider]

At the age of 13 I graduated from mini-bikes to my first real motorcycle.
A 1969 Husky CR250.

Most every one in the neighborhood that rode had Elsinores. There were
a few Bultacos and one guy had a Penton.
Man, we burned up those trails in the woods!

[MJ5150]

Who was the rider that died in the 90's I think it was riding motocross in Europe? He rode Supercross in the USA. He got in an accident, the bike landed on him, and he died. I thought he was a Honda factory rider.

-Mike

[Root 5]

I had a 1978 Honda CR 125 Elsinore with FMF head and exhaust system. I miss that bike.

I also had a Maico 490 Sand Spider. That bike was crazy fast.

Also a 1981 Honda XR500.

My heroes were Marty Smith, Roger DeCoster, Kent Howerton, Andre Malherbe, Johnny O'Mara, Ron Lechien, Ricky Johnson, Broc Glover, Danny "Magoo" Chandler, Gaylon Mosier, Brad Lackey...oh and I gotta include Bob "Buckwheat/The Hurricane" Hannah!

[Root 5]

Originally Posted by MJ5150

Who was the rider that died in the 90's I think it was riding motocross in Europe? He rode Supercross in the USA. He got in an accident, the bike landed on him, and he died. I thought he was a Honda factory rider.

Jean Michel Bayle???

[MJ5150]

No. He is still alive. This guy was right around the time of Ricky Johnson. I thought he had a name similar, or real close. I'll keep looking the next time I am on a computer. Surfing the net on this Droid gets old fast.

-Mike

[Eric Perry]

Originally Posted by MJ5150

I remember Hurricane Hannah, Ricky Johnson, Jeff Ward, Guy Cooper, and Johnny O'Mara. By far, my favorite rider was Ricky Johnson. Watching him and David Bailey duke it out in Supercross events at the Seattle Kingdome was great.

-Mike

This was my era too. I was a Jeff Ward fan. My first real bike was a KX125. I did an insane amount of work to that bike. Next up was a CR250. I cased it over a set of doubles during a heat. Got thrown over the bars and ended up with a broken wrist and clavicle (opposite arms. Man did THAT suck!!). Also got a nasty concussion. I was told that as I was helped off the track I was asking those around me who's bike I wrecked (it was mine!). That accident put enough fear into me that I stopped racing. I bought a YZ250 a few years back... got bored pretty quickly and sold it. No bike for me now.

[Root 5]

Originally Posted by MJ5150

By far, my favorite rider was Ricky Johnson. Watching him and David Bailey duke it out in Supercross events at the Seattle Kingdome was great.

It was such a tragedy that Bailey was paralyzed. I almost went into a state of mourning when that happened. Bailey was considered to have the best tchnique of anyone.

Andre Malherbe was also paralyzed. For those who may not know, he was a 500cc World Champion, from Belgium.

[MJ5150]

Maybe it was David, and I felt like he had died when I read what happened. I remember reading about it in Dirt Bike magazine, my favorite mag of the bunch back then. We'd pore over the ads building our dream bikes, saving up paper route money to get that JT visor or gloves.

-Mike

[Mike N]

I used to ride a 78 Suzuki TS185, then a RM125, KX 250, and finally gave up the bikes for a 250 Quad Racer.

I had snowmobiles too, all Ski Doo. I had a 72 TNT, 79 Blizzard, 89 MX, and I still have a 93 Formula Z.

[Root 5]

Originally Posted by MJ5150

Maybe it was David, and I felt like he had died when I read what happened. I remember reading about it in Dirt Bike magazine, my favorite mag of the bunch back then. We'd pore over the ads building our dream bikes, saving up paper route money to get that JT visor or gloves.

-Mike

I always wanted a set of Fox Shox! And those red and blue plastic-y looking boots Hannah wore!

Bailey was paralyzed during a practice at home, if I recall correctly. He's still alive and does coverage for Speed etcetera.

[runmikeyrun]

I started on a mini bike, then a moped, then an '81 Yam XT125 when I turned 16. I rebuilt and restored some 70's two stroke streetbikes over a span of quite a few years (74 RD 250, 76 Kaw 400 triple, currently own a mint 77 RD 400). I also owned a beat up but unstoppable 79 YZ250 for many many years. A couple years ago I was bitten by the dirt bug again but didn't have a truck/trailer so I picked up a 94 XR250L enduro. I have ridden the crap out of it, and just this past year started doing organized enduros. It's great fun, great exercise, and great therapy for my messed up brain.

Here's some pics:



Two stroke street bikes are SO much fun!