• REMEMBERING JOEL ROBERT (1943-2021)
There was a time in American motocross when every teenage racer knew he had to pronounce Joel Robert’s name with the proper accent. To be in-the-know, you had to say “Joe-el Row-bear” or suffer ridicule from your friends. But fame and fortune are fleeting things. Of course, a six-time 250 World Champion like Joel Robert will never be truly forgotten, but the glory does fade with each new generation of motocross fans. In memory of Joel, who died of a heart attack on Tuesday, January 12, 2021, MXA wanted to go back to a happier time with Joel—not to his glory days, but back to the roots from whence he came.
The first time I rode a motorcycle. “I was 6 years old when my father took me out with his Vespa scooter. I would let the clutch out too quickly and stall the engine. Finally, I started riding, but I was so little I couldn’t put my feet on the ground, When I wanted to stop, I would ride into the garage and put my hand against the wall.”
My first race. “I was 16 years old, but you needed to be 18 years old in Belgium to race. My dad told them I was 17-1/2 and my passport was a little bit modified. They saw me take some laps in practice and let me race.”
My first win. “I was still 16 years old, and it was at a rain race in Chimay, Belgium. I raced a Zundapp 250 street bike that my father had turned into a motocross bike. I only made it three laps on the muddy track, but I was the only guy able to make it up and down the hill. No one else finished the first lap, so they stopped the race and said, ‘You are the winner.’”
My first sponsor. “In 1964 I got a CZ that the Belgian importer gave me. It wasn’t a works bike, just a stocker. When I was racing in England, I got free Castrol oil and Dunlop tires. In Italy, I got some chains from Versachi. I didn’t have any real sponsors at that time, but I won the 1964 250 World Championship on that bike.”
My first time racing against Roger DeCoster. “It was at the Belgian Grand Prix in 1964. He wasn’t an international rider at the time, just a local Belgian rider who had the opportunity to race the GP. He was younger than me. I don’t know how he finished, maybe 18th or something like that. It wasn’t until 1965 and 1966 that he came out on the Grand Prix circuit.”
My first World Championship. “I had no car at the time. A friend of mine agreed to take me to the 1964 Swedish and Finnish GPs, but after Sweden he left me in Sweden alone. Torsten Hallman was the 1963 World Champion, and I was fighting with him for the 1964 Championship. Amazingly, Torsten Hallman took my bike to Finland, and Dave Bickers gave me a ride. Torsten and I were fighting very hard at the races, but were good friends after that. It was a really good time. In 1964 I won the Championship too easily. I didn’t know that you had to work hard. In 1965, 1966 and 1967, I finished second in the 250 World Championship. After that I learned how to win, but it was more difficult for me.”
My first Japanese bike. “In 1968 Olle Peterson signed with Suzuki and worked on developing the bike for the next two years. When I signed with Suzuki in 1970, the bike was a really good bike. It was light and handled well, although it was not as powerful as the CZs. The races were 40 minutes plus two laps, and after 30 minutes we were still in good shape because the Suzuki was so easy to ride.”
My first visit to America. “Coming to America was a dream for me. Torsten Hallman and Edison Dye brought us over for the Inter-Am, and we drove from New York to Los Angeles. There were six European riders, and it was good fun for us to race against each other, but the Americans were not as good. I was surprised that the Americans were not very good at motocross. We did a lot of motocross schools, and it was sort of like a vacation.”
• ARE YOU READY FOR HOUSTON #1: HERE IS THE ANIMATED TRACK MAP
• 2021 AMA NATIONAL MOTOCROSS CHAMPIONSHIP STARTS ON MAY 29
• 2021 AMA SUPERCROSS CHAMPIONSHIP STARTS THIS SATURDAY, JAN. 16
• THE COMPLETE 2021 MONSTER ENERGY SUPERCROSS TELECAST SCHEDULE
WP AIR SHOCK RETURNS ON BARCIA’S GASGAS 450: THIS WEEK IN MXA #3
MXA FIRST RIDE VIDEO: 2021 HUSQVARNA FC350
• REM GLEN HELEN GETS BUSY & HOT IN JANUARY • RACING ON THE 16TH, 23RD & 30TH
• 22ND ANNUAL TEXAS WINTER SERIES ROUND 3 AT VILLAGE CREEK ON JAN. 23-24
• 2021 WORCS SERIES STARTS ON JANUARY 22-24 IN LAKE HAVASU
• WE RIDE MIKE ALESSI’S WORLD TWO-STROKE CHAMPIONSHIP YAMAHA YZ325
MXA PRODUCT SPOTLIGHT: VINTCO VINTAGE MOTOCROSS PARTS—FOR 1970 THROUGH 1980 BIKES
1976-1981 YAMAHA YZ125 1976 TOP END PISTON KIT (56mm STANDARD)
1976-80 YAMAHA YZ125 CLUTCH KIT
1976-1981 YAMAHA YZ125, 1974-1981 YZ250, 1974-75 YZ360, 1976-1979 YZ400,1979-75 YZ400 1980-1981 FRONT WHEEL BEARING KIT
VintCo has high-quality wheel bearing kits to get you back on track. These wheel bearing kits are made with modern materials and manufacturing techniques to ensure an as good or better than OEM fitment and performance. This Yamaha YZ125 (1976-81), YZ250 (1974-81), YZ360 (1974-75), YZ400 (1976-79), YZ465 (1980-81) front wheel bearing kit includes the two bearings and seals to complete your build with ease. The OEM part numbers are provided to ensure an exact fitment as well. These replica wheel bearing kits from VintCo will help you keep the ride going! Retail price: $14.95.
1974-1981YAMAHA YZ125,1978-1979 KAWASAKI KX125 WRIST PIN BEARING
1974-1976 YAMAHA YZ12 CYLINDER SLEEVE (56mm STANDARD)
1972-73 HODAKA WOMBAT, 1973 COMBAT WOMBAT & 1974 SUPER RAT CONNECTING ROD KIT
1974-1978 HONDA CR125 PISTON KIT
1981 MAICO 490 TOP END GASKET KIT
1981 SUZUKI RM125 MAIN BEARING KIT
For more information on Vintco go to www.vintco.com or call (515) 210-9977.
• MXA FIRST RIDE VIDEO: 2021 HUSQVARNA FC250
MXA MOTO-QUIZ: WE WERE ALL YOUNG ONCE
• MXA SHOOTOUT VIDEO: 2021 HONDA CRF450 VERSUS HUSQVARNA FC450
CLASSIC MXA COVERS: THE SUGAR BEAR LEADS
That is Kawasaki-mounted Billy “Sugar Bear” Grossi winning the 250 Support class at the 1973 Round Atlanta Trans-AMA on the February 1974 cover of MXA (Five months later, Billy’s brother Bob Grossi would make the July 1974 cover.) Adolf Weil won the 500 class at Road Atlanta ahead of Roger DeCoster, Hakan Andersson, Willi Bauer and Gerritt Wolsink. Mike Hartwig was the first American in sixth place.
• MXA SHOOTOUT VIDEO: 2021 KAWASAKI KX450 VERSUS YAMAHA YZ450F
• MXA AD OF THE WEEK: THE BOYS TO BEAT IN THE 1981 “MR. MOTOCROSS” SERIES
If you are wondering why none of these riders names rings a bell, that is because this is the race poster for the Australian “Mr. Motocross” Championship from 40 years ago.
MR. MOTOCROSS AUSTRALIA (1974-1990)
1974 …Trevor Flood (Yam)
1975 …Gary Flood (Bul)
1976 …Tony Gunter (Suz)
1977 …Tony Gunter (Suz)
1978 …Stephen Gall (Yam)
1979 …Tony Gunter (Suz)
1980 …Stephen Gall (Yam)
1981 …Stephen Gall (Yam)
1982 …Stephen Gall (Yam)
1983 …Ray Vandenberg (Suz)
1984 …Jeff Leisk (Hon)
1985 …Jeff Leisk (Hon)
1986 …Craig Dack (Hon)
1987 …Craig Dack (Hon)
1988 …Craig Dack (Yam)
1989 …No series
1990 …Craig Dack (Yam)
• MXA FIRST RIDE VIDEO: 2021 GASGAS MC 450F
HAVE YOU SEEN THE FEBRUARY 2021 ISSUE OF MXA YET?
HOW TO SUBSCRIBE TO MXA SO THAT YOU NEVER MISS ANOTHER ISSUE, PLUS GET A $25 ROCKY MOUNTAIN GIFT CARD TO COVER YOUR COSTS
If you subscribe to MXA you can get the mag on your iPhone, iPad, Kindle or Android by going to the Apple Store, Amazon or Google Play or in a digital version. Even better you can subscribe to Motocross Action and get the awesome print edition delivered to your house by a uniformed employee of the U.S. Government. Did we mention the $25 gift card for any part you want from Rocky Mountain ATV/MX? You can call (800) 767-0345 or Click Here (or on the box at the bottom of this page) to subscribe.
• MXA FIRST RIDE VIDEO: 2021 GASGAS MC 250F
• KEEPING TRACK OF THE 2021 RACE SCHEDULES
2021 AMA KICKER ARENACROSS CHAMPIONSHIP
Jan. 8…….Starkville, MS
Jan. 9…….Starkville, MS
Jan. 15…….Lubbock, TX
Jan. 16…….Lubbock, TV
Jan. 22…….Guthrie, OK
Jan. 23…….Guthrie, OK
Jan. 29…….Denver, CO
Jan. 30…….Denver, CO
Feb. 5…….Reno, NV
Feb. 6…….Reno, NV
Mar. 5…….Amarillo, TX
Mar. 6…….Amarillo, TX
REVISED 2021 AMA SUPERCROSS CHAMPIONSHIP (UPDATED)
Jan. 16 (Saturday)…Houston, TX
Jan. 19 (Tuesday)….Houston, TX
Jan. 23 (Saturday)…Houston, TX
Jan. 30 (Saturday)…Indianapolis, IN
Feb. 2 (Tuesday)….Indianapolis, IN
Feb. 6 (Saturday)…Indianapolis, IN
Feb. 13 (Saturday)…Orlando, FL
Feb. 20 (Saturday)…Orlando, FL
Mar. 6 (Saturday)…Daytona Beach, FL
Mar. 13 (Saturday)…Arlington, TX
Mar. 16 (Tuesday)… Arlington, TX
Mar. 20 (Saturday)…Arlington, TX
Apr.10 (Saturday)…Atlanta, GA
Apr.13 (Tuesday)…Atlanta, GA
Apr.17 (Saturday)…Atlanta, GA
Apr. 24 (Saturday)…Salt Lake City, UT
May 1 (Saturday)…Salt Lake City, UT
2021 AMA NATIONAL MOTOCROSS CHAMPIONSHIP
May 29…Pala, CA
Jun 5…Thunder Valley, CO
June 19…Mt. Morris, PA
June 26…Southwick, MA
July 3…Red Bud, MI
July 17….Millville, MN
July 24….Washougal, WA
Aug. 14…Unadilla, NY
Aug. 21…Budds Creek, MD
Aug. 28…Crawfordsville, IN
Sept. 4…Pala, CA
Sept.11…Hangtown, CA
2021 PROVISIONAL GRAND PRIX SCHEDULE (UPDATED)
Apr. 3…Muscat, Oman
Apr. 25…TBA, Italy
May 16…Agueda, Portugal
May 23…Oss, Holland,
May 30…Teutschenthal, Germany
Jun. 13…Orlyonok, Russia
Jun. 20…Kegums, Latvia
Jul. 4…Jakarta, Indonesia
Jul. 11…Semarang, Indonesia
Jul. 25…Locket, Czech Republic
Aug. 1…Lommel, Belgium
Aug 8…Uddevall, Sweden
Aug. 22…KimiRing, Finland
Aug. 29…Igora, Russia
Sep. 12…Afyonkarahisar, Turkey
Sep. 19…TBA, China
Oct. 10…St, Jean d’Angely, France
Oct. 17…Intu Xanadu, Spain
Oct. 31…TBA
Nov. 14…Neuquen, Argentina
2021 SCOTTISH NATIONAL CHAMPIONSHIP
Mar. 27/28…Tain
Apr. 24/25…Duns
May 15/16..Lochgilphead
Jun. 26/27..Reserve date
Jul. 10… Doune (Youth)
Jul. 17…Doune (Adult )
Aug. 14/15…Rhynie
Sept. 4/5…Desertmartin, Northern Ireland
2021 AUSTRALIAN NATIONAL CHAMPIONSHIP
Apr. 11…Wonthaggi, VIC
May 2 …Canberra, ACT
May 30…Gillman, SA
Jun. 27…Maitland, NSW
Jul. 25…Wodonga, VIC
Aug. 9…TBA, QLD
Aug. 14….Coolum, QLD
Aug. 14….Coolum, QLD
2021 ADAC GERMAN NATIONAL CHAMPIONSHIP
Apr. 18…Dreetz
May 16…Moggers
Jun. 6…Reutlingen
Jul. 3…Bielstein
Jul. 18…Tensfeld
Sep. 5…Princely Drehna
Sep. 9…Gaildorf
2021 MOTOCROSS DES NATIONS
Sep. 26…Imola, Italy