Motocross

Me and my Maico at Dino Daze in 2004. They have classes for your age and/or a different class for your motorcycle (depending on it's age and displacement). The AHRMA (American Historic Racing Motorcycle Association) has national championship classes and races all over the USA. It's becoming so popular that they don't have enough numbers for everyone who wants to compete.
I used to race motocross back in the 1970s but stopped after 8 years because I felt kinda beat up! I kept my tools, so when I got this bike, I could work on it (take the clutch apart, change the brake pads and sprockets, etc. but not split the cases - that takes an expert, and mine works at the Motocentre in Yakima, on Fruitvale Avenue.)
Maicos were/are made in Germany and feature excellent engines and great handling. The level of innovation was very advanced for the time and the machines they sold were light and strong. Sure wish I'da kept those old bikes, however, because I had to go find this one when Vintage Racing became an opportunity. However, there are vintage motorcycles available.

In 1975 I raced this 1974 OSSA 250cc Phantom. The photo was taken by a professional photographer who sold the prints back to us. My jersey says Maico, because I owned a 1973 MC400 Maico before I bought this lightweight (205 lbs) OSSA. I could ride the OSSA faster, mostly because of its light weight and great horsepower.


This is my nephew, Brett, on a motorcycle that his Dad raced back in 1969/1970s - actually his Dad and his uncle George built the frame from 4130 Chrome-moly steel in their own jig. The made a few other frames and sold them as "GS" frames. The engine in this bike is a 1969 CZ made in Czechoslovakia and the forks, hubs, etc. are off of that same machine. The gas tank is under the seat, and the carb draws air thru it! Their effort was to keep as much weight down low as they could - and it works, as Brett has won some Vintage Dirt Racing NW races in the expert class. Actually, he races in two classes - the 'Classic' over 250cc group and the Over 30/Under 40 group, which gives him 4 motos every weekend that he races!
Brett's Dad raced this bike at Puyallup Raceway Park (I remember pushing it around trying to bump start it) and we even have video of him in a National racing Gary Jones (among others).
Brett's Grandfather took a 8 mm movie camera to his son's races and they've made a VHS tape, and converted that to a DVD showing 'Old School' motocross. Luckily, he even made some film of the 1973 Trans AMA race at Puyallup, which is very interesting to watch. I had a 35mm SLR with a 200mm lense, and putting the race together with the photos is even better - we used Eric Clapton's "Slow Hand" album for a sound track, since that old 8 mm camera didn't have much to say :)

Here's another photo of the GS with 250 cc CZ engine and Works Performance shocks. Since the gas tank is under the seat, the frame rail in front of the seat has a cover on it, in case the rider wants to climb up there to weight the front tire in a particularly tight turn.