ASK THE MXPERTS: THE MOST POPULAR GOGGLE OF ALL-TIME

Dear MXperts,
I am 33 years old and have been racing for four years. Recently, I got interested in motocross history, but I discovered that much of it has been forgotten. Looking at old photos, I noticed that many riders from the 1970s wore the same brand of goggles. They were white with a very thin strap and look nothing like the goggles of today. Does Jody know anything about these goggles that he could tell me?

Jody says that he hopes you aren’t looking to buy a pair of Carrera 98 Racing goggles because they are very rare, which is, odd because literally every Pro and amateur racer in the early 1970s wore Carrera 98 goggles. They retailed for $8.95 with three lenses (clear, dark or yellow) and came in a choice of white or black frames. In 2023 dollars, that would be $55. The white frames were the most popular—and everyone who was anyone wore white Carreras—except for Roger DeCoster, who had a sponsorship deal with Baruffaldi goggles.

The Carrera 98s were as minimal as a goggle could get. The top of the frame connected to the lens with snaps, while the bottom of the frame was not connected to the top of the frame. They were very flexible—some might say flimsy—not to mention that they did a very poor job of keeping dust out of your eyes because the gap between the top and bottom of the frame was 1 inch wide and was not blocked off by any foam. The strap was 3/4 of an inch wide and had a clasp to tighten the goggle to your face, which was needed, because over time the elastic would stretch out and lose its tension.

There has never been another goggle brand that dominated the starting lines like Carrera 98 (and nobody got paid to wear them).

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