CLASSIC MOTOCROSS IRON: 1976 AMMEX 250MX
The only brand owned by an AMA National Champion as opposed to raced by a hired gun National Champion
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Vintage MX Bikes
Motocross Action brings to you their over 40 years of history testing and riding dirt bikes. This column is all about nostalgic motocross bike over the years. Many of the dirt bikes you will find are from the late Tom White’s Early Years of Motocross Museum. You will find everything from Harley Davidson to Hodaka to Bultaco dirt bikes from the glory years of motocross.
CLASSIC IRON: 1959 MONARK 500 MOTOCROSS
The Albin-powered Monark has the most unique history of any motocross bike ever made — it lived two lives
CLASSIC MOTOCROSS IRON: 1968 PENTON 125 SIX-DAY
A handshake deal formed a parrtnership between an American offroad icon and an upstart Austrian brand that changed the sport
CLASSIC MOTOCROSS IRON: 1965 CZ 250 TYPE 968 TWIN PIPE
CZ twin pipes enjoy celebrity status among motorcycle collectors because they were raced by Joel Robert and Roger DeCoster
CLASSIC MOTOCROSS IRON: 1973 KAWASAKI F11M 250
By 1973, the Japanese manufacturers realized that warmed-over trail bikes wouldn't cut it in the American motocross market—so Kawasaki built a semi-production run of 200 F11M 250s
CLASSIC MOTOCROSS IRON: 1962 BSA 500 CATALINA SCRAMBLER
After Feets Minert's Catalina victory, BSA named the Gold Star DBD34 the "Catalina Scrambler "and added the mods that Feets used
MXA RETRO TEST: WE RIDE RICKY CARMICHAEL’S 1998 SPLITFIRE KX125
The MXA wrecking crew wanted to know what kind of bike a hammerhead like RC really rides. What better way to find out than by riding race bike?
CLASSIC MOTOCROSS IRON: 1964 DOT DEMON 250 SCRAMBLER
The Devoid Of Trouble (DOT) Demon 250 Scrambler was one of the prettiest bikes ever raced
CLASSIC MOTOCROSS IRON: 1974 MONTESA 250VR VEHKONEN REPLICA
The bike with a connection to Steve McQueen, Dan Gurney, Phil Hill connection and Kalevi
CLASSIC MOTOCROSS IRON: 1972 ZUNDAPP MC125
Before making dirt bikes Zundapp built detonators for the German Army in WWI and sidecars for WWII
CLASSIC MOTOCROSS IRON: 1973 HONDA CR250M ELSINORE
To restore one it is important is to find an Elsinore with a clean, undented tank. New and original tanks have sold for as much as $2000 on the vintage market.
CLASSIC MOTOCROSS IRON: 1971 MONARK 125MX
"Out-of-the-box winner" from Sweden—with help from Germany, Italy and England
CLASSIC MOTOCROSS IRON: 1974 HUSQVARNA 125CR
At one time the Husqvarna 125CR was the most expensive 125 motocross bike a rider could buy
CLASSIC MOTOCROSS IRON: 1971 RICKMAN ZUNDAPP 125 METISSE
British Grand Prix stars Don and Derek Rickman manufactured eponymous motorcycles from 1960 to 1975—including Zundapp and Hodaka models
CLASSIC MOTOCROSS IRON: 1971 VAN TECH HARLEY BAJA 100 KIT BIKE
Van Tech frame kits could use Yamaha 60, 80, 100, 125 and 175 engines; plus Suzuki, Bridgestone, Hodaka and Harley Baja 100 engines
CLASSIC MOTOCROSS IRON: 1963 YAMAHA 250 ASCOT SCRAMBLER
A bike you would really want to race at Ascot. This limited-production twin was derived from the street-going YDS2 model (with aluminum cylinders similar to the TD1 road racer model).
CLASSIC MOTOCROSS IRON: 1969 GREEVES GRIFFON 380
On the Griffon, Bert dropped the aluminum downtube, but kept the leading links for those who demanded them — the rest got Cerianis
CLASSIC MOTOCROSS IRON: 1971 HODAKA 100 SUPER RAT
Hodaka made the engines for Yamaguchi and Pabatco was the American Yamaguchi distributor. When Yamaguchi went out of business, Hodaka and Pabatco agreed to join forces to avoid going out of business
CLASSIC MOTOCROSS IRON: 1974 OSSA 250 PHANTOM
Killed by Generalissimo Franco, Spain’s economy, worker strikes and the changing times
CLASSIC MOTOCROSS IRON: 1968 YAMAHA 250 DT1
In 1968, Baby Boomers found a cheap entry into the sport and in the long run the DT1 made the dirt bikes accessible to the masses
WHEN GIANTS ROAMED THE EARTH & IRON MEN RODE THEM
This a compelling story about the history of first works bike—you should read it even though it contains words
CLASSIC MOTOCROSS IRON: 1975 CZ 250 FALTA REPLICA
At a suggested retail of $1490, the Falta buyer got the classic aluminum coffin-style gas tank, center-port exhaust engine, magnesium hubs, lipless alloy rims and a single-downtube red frame
CLASSIC MOTOCROSS IRON: 1968 MAICO MC125 MOTOCROSS:
The rotary-valve Maico MC125 was based on the MD125 road racer, but was the victim of bad timing and high pricing
CLASSIC MOTOCROSS IRON: 1960 HUSQVARNA 175 SILVERPILEN
The Silverpilen was the Swedish version of the Hodaka Ace 100—both were the bikes that spawned a generation of Grand Prix and AMA National stars
CLASSIC MOTOCROSS IRON: 1962 PARILLA 250 WILDCAT SCRAMBLER
Racing the Parilla 250 Wildcat Scramblers against the smaller Cubs was like stealing candy from a baby
CLASSIC MOTOCROSS IRON: 1969 HUSQVARNA 250 CROSS
In 1969, demand for Husqvarna motocross bikes in America would actually exceed the Swedish factory's ability to produce them.
CLASSIC MOTOCROSS IRON: 1976 YAMAHA TT500 FOUR-STROKE
Since Japan had a “tiered” driver’s license program that limited younger riders to 400cc, Yamaha chose 400cc for the Japanese domestic models and 500cc for the American market
CLASSIC MOTOCROSS IRON: 1966 MATCHLESS 500 G85CS
Less than 150 were produced, and Vic Eastwood, Chris Horsfield and Dave Nicol raced them. Sadly, G85C was the last Matchless motocross bike
CLASSIC MOTOCROSS IRON: 1973 KAWASAKI KX450 TWO-STROKE
Brad Lackey was disappointed with Kawasaki’s less-than-enthusiastic support, so he put a Husky tank on his Kawasaki, repaint it black and wrote “Kaw” on it—it became the famous Black Kaw
CLASSIC MOTOCROSS IRON: 1981 HONDA CR250R
Honda went all Star Wars on the cosmetics, plus water-cooled the 1981 CR125 and CR250, introduced the ill-fated CR450 and unveiled the stupidest front number plate in motocross history