Barnett only won one title but scored two runner-up finishes the next two years. 9th-1 point So basically his score is from his title and his runner-up placing in ’81. Brad Lackey was in contention for the 500cc FIM World Championship, Marty Moates shockingly swept both motos of the U.S. Grand Prix at Carlsbad on a privateer LOP Yamaha to become the first American to win that race, and in another huge upset, Mugen Honda privateer Johnny O'Mara won the 125cc U.S. GP at Mid-Ohio. He was a shoe-in for at least top three finishes in the next couple of years, if not titles. The RH66 and RH67 of those years were primarily development bikes. Huffy was founded in 1970 as an umbrella company to house the Huffy Bicycle division. Which is a complete travesty as Ronnie outscores Bell by six career wins and they each have one national title. When you consider that Wardy is still racing today at 50 years old, well that makes him even more amazing. He was clearly on the way up and we’ll never know what could have been if it wasn’t for that accident that ended his career. Suspension components and settings reduce weight while providing light, sharp handling and rider comfort. From shop SunflowerStateArt. Did Motocross in the 80's on any of these bikes? Johnson finished runner-up to O’Mara in ’84 on his Yamaha but when he switched to Honda for 1986, well that was when he really took off. Jake and Coke and VilloTito Live in Studio Archive, “Maxxis Tires” – Classic Steel #155: 1989 Yamaha YZ125. In AMA Supercross it was Hannah's young Yamaha teammate Mike Bell who ended up champion, as he swept the first two rounds at the old Seattle Kingdome and then rode a good, consistent series—and by then the SX tour had grown to seventeen rounds! Track Racing Sidecar 1000cc. His scores were achieved, like Bell, with only three top ten results. Broome-Tioga in Binghamton, New York, also joined the tour and would remain on it for more than twenty years. Hannah missed all of 1980 recovering from a water skiing accident and then came back on Yamaha but struggled with the bike. The 500-class title would go to Chuck Sun, nicknamed the “Rising Sun” due to his Asian roots. He was only 21 when he broke his femur in 1989. The Honda-backed Sun, who hailed from Oregon, was the first minority rider to win a major AMA title and would not be matched until James Stewart came along in 2002. One was for the road only, the other was specifically for off-road use. For most kids, a Huffy bike was usually your first BMX bike. ... “Larry Brooks replaced Lance Moorewood as MXA’s chief test rider in the mid-80s … Click HERE and you can fill one out with me. And of course, let’s not forget what might have happened if he hadn’t gotten hurt before the ’87 season. Also take note that in 1985 there were two championships with one of them, the actual AMA championship, only being two races. Kent was more of a motocross specialist scored most of his 32 career wins when the sun was shining. So Hurricane’s not on the list but he probably should be when you’re talking about the greatest supercross racers of the 80’s. He had some early support from teammate Brian Myerscough, but the former minicycle hotshoe suffered from blood disorder called hypoglycemia that robbed him of his energy, though he did win the Saddleback National. 1st– 12 points Supercross. Like I’ve said before, I’m twice Wardys size but half the man he is. 2014. All Rights Reserved. Damian Cudlin. Apparently their initials followed by their number is cool) never won a title but did score a couple of runner-up positions. watch this and put the volume up! These bikes were sold to retailers like KMart, Target, Sears, and Walmart. In ’88 he would’ve finished second if it wasn’t for an ankle injury. He did manage to win five races and make the top ten in the “Matthes Awards for Best 80’s Supercrosser” which I’m sure is the capper on his great career. 14th place Guy Cooper 11 points He also competed in … wasn’t much of a factor if you look at the entire decade as he only recorded three top ten finishes in the points and one of those was a ninth. Speedway (U21) 2011. When Suzuki committed to investigate the European motocross scene in 1967, they sent their top rider, Kasuo Kubo, (who won the inaugural "All Japan Motocross") a pair of RH67 bikes, and team manager Ishikawa off to the races. He went to Europe in ’89 and had wrist problems in ’87 so if he was in the country and not hurt-he was in the top ten in points. Nov 8, 2013 - Explore Vey's Powersports's board "Motocross Riders" on Pinterest. Nineteen eighty was a big year for American motocross on the global stage. Webb, Pipes, Nicoletti, Weigandt on Pulpmx Show Tonight! He retired when he was 26 and as he told me in our podcast it was because “No one called me for a ride.”, 4th Place-Johnny O’Mara- Honda, Suzuki-43 points. Required fields are marked *. The YFZ450R is motocross ready. The mid-to-late 80s saw British motocross legend Dave Thorpe take to the stage. AMA Women's MX- 2014 - - Jacky Martens: 1984-1997 500cc- 1993 - - 17 Alex Martin 2012 … See more ’80s Nostalgia. Monoschock rear suspensions and two-stroke engines that predated environmental crackdowns, and not to mention the 500cc class that pushed riders to their limits. 11th place-Jeff Stanton 14 points In the ’80s Ricky Johnson was a member of four winning Motocross des Nations teams and won seven AMA national championships. Brad Lackey was in contention for the 500cc FIM World Championship, Marty Moates shockingly swept both motos of … Barry Sheene MBE. Johnny O'Mara: The O'Show rode red from 1980, when he was on a white Mugen, through 1986, when he stunned the world with his 125cc ride at the … What’s so good about eighth? Then Danny Storbeck struck and it was all downhill. After becoming a regular race winner, the Factory Honda rider won his first World Motocross 500cc Championship title in 1985. 10th-1 point. That would change—as would the balance of power in world motocross—in 1981. He had just won the 250 MX and SX title and was looking to be a top dog for a long, long time. Maybe putting him ahead of Lechien will help him like me more as he’s a little cheesed at me for writing something about Dunlops yet again. Inspired by the Swedish dude Magnus’s Euro rider 1980’s column right HERE, I decided to do my own figuring of who would be the greatest American supercross riders of the 80’s. He did rebound with the all-new RM250 in ’88 with two more years in the top ten to round out the decade. DYNO. So there we go and without any further adieu, here are the top 15 riders of supercross in the 80’s. 6th-4 points The model of consistency, the Golden Boy scored a top ten finish in eight years. Bailey only trails the legendary JMB as the guys who won the most supercross races without winning multiple titles. Remember that was when Wardy rode backwards after a crash and if you listen to our podcast, Broc lays out some pretty good reasons why he got screwed. Feets also went to England to race motocross back in the 1960s. 1980 80cc Mini Motocross Shootout PDF In 1980 a couple of new tracks joined the AMA Motocross circuit, and one is still there: Washougal, high above the banks of the Columbia River, will host its thirty-first Lucas Oil AMA Pro Motocross National on July 23. He is the son of well known … 10th Place-Kent Howerton-Suzuki, Kawasaki-16 points. Road Racing (Moto3) 2014. I gave the tie-break to Dogger for his two runner-up finishes but now that I think about it, shouldn’t year-in and year-out consistency count for something? Howerton would also win the Trans-USA tour, now all the way down to just four rounds, including two current AMA National tracks in Unadilla and RedBud. See more ideas about vintage motocross, motocross, motocross riders. Look for a 90’s and Y2K rankings later this week…, Your email address will not be published. 2012. He is motocross. Bike Weight & Frame: The heavier the bike, the more weight it can support. Oh what could have been…. He won the most races in ’83 as well. see more. But whether you favor Rutherford, Franck, Hertz, Cockcroft, Meitner, Fermi, Strassmann, Walton, Szilard or Einstein, all of these men changed the world as we know it. He then followed it up with a second in 1986 and a third in 1989. It just takes them a little longer than a two-stroke engine to gain speed. The total of 9 points from Bailey to Bell represents the biggest drop-off in the standings and I would think that you could take the eight guys above Mike and call them all Hall-of-famers (there actually is an AMA Hall of Fame right HERE and every one of my top eight sx riders of the ‘80’s is in EXCEPT for Lechien. Motocross Interview: Ben Watson. Glenn O'Brien, Aaron Maynard. 9. I don’t know about you but when I think about 1980’s supercross, RJ was the mother-effing MAN. If you’re a heavier rider, I would suggest getting a bike with a four-stroke engine, because these engines are better able to support weight. He won the title in 1982, got sixth in 1981 and eighth in 1980. Only six top ten championship finishes for RJ but that includes two titles and two runner-up finishes. 3rd Place-Mark Barnett-Suzuki, Kawasaki-43 points, This might be a bit of a surprise to you as The Bomber only raced half the decade before retiring but as my favorite rider growing up (which I wrote all about HERE) I’m not surprised he’s in third. 1. motocross PLAY FULL VIDEO Yamaha off-road competition bikes offer the very latest technology and performance features designed to make enthusiasts the best riders possible, win races and help riders become one with their machine – putting them in the zone and atop the podium. It wasn’t a surprise to see Wardy top this list, as you … 9th Place-Donnie Hansen-Honda, Yamaha-18 points. 5th-5 points He scored a top ten finish six years and two were 2nd’s and two were 3rd’s. One other moment that year is mostly lost to history: Ohio's Denny Swartz won the RedBud National on a Maico, marking the last win in the once-proud German brand's history. Johnson (5) and O'Mara (3) charge into the first turn in 1986. Nineteen eighty was a big year for American motocross on the global stage. A little bit of a surprise (beating out Hannah?) 2011. He was the first rider to be crowned champion in each of the categories (125cc, 250cc and 500cc), and the 1987 and '88 seasons will always been remembered for … That’s it, I’m starting a letter writing campaign to get Ronnie into the AMA Hall of Fame. 3rd-7 points It wasn’t a surprise to see Wardy top this list, as you have to figure that he would be first or second because of the two titles (’85 & ’87) and was a consistent top five finisher the other years. ), Here are the point values I gave each position-. Best Vintage Off-Road Bikes from the 80s. The Rhinestone Cowboy (don’t even get me started on how incredibly awesome THIS nickname is) also got his top ten finish with a 2nd in ’80 and a 3rd in ’81. I tend to think not and just chalk up ’85 to a bad year altogether because he also somehow, amazingly got beat by Glover when he rode a YZ490 against the works Honda 500. Junior Motocross (125cc) 2009. Another career that was cut short by injury, “Holeshot” Hansen was on top of the world when struck down while practicing for the 1982 MXDN. The “Rhinestone Cowboy” from Texas won all but one round of the seven-round tour, and the only race he lost—RedBud—went to another Texan in the form of Team Honda's Steve Wise. Meghan Rutledge. Jeff Ward- Kawasaki-56 points. 13th place Bob Hannah 11 points His ranking was only achieved with five years of being in the top ten in points. Meghan Rutledge. And to that I say, it’s my formula-screw off. He switched to Honda in ’83 and I’ve spoken at length to Bailey, Lechien and Bob Oliver at Yamaha and they all assure me that nobody had nothing for Hannah in ’83. But Team USA could not get their act together, and for the second year in a row there was no U.S. entry at the Motocross and Trophee des Nations. It was a bike from the future. Currently slotted-in at sixth in points in the MX2 World Championship, Watson is hoping to leave Italy as the P5 man in the final FIM MX2 World Championship standings, as well as Great Britain’s next FIM Gold Medal hopeful. Personalized MOTOCROSS Poster, Gift for Motocross Riders, Motocross Gift, Motocross Typography, Motocross Art, MX Racing SunflowerStateArt. See more ’80s Nostalgia. So his eight sx wins in the 80’s are the same as Lechien and more than Hansen don’t get him on the list. 15th place Keith Bowen 7 points. Throughout his early career, out of the 11 East Coast Supercross races he participated in, Swink was the winner of five of them, came second in two races, and was placed third, fourth, fifth, and seventh in … BMW R80G/S (1980) BMW R80G/S. Children 12 years and older may be ready to step up to the Raptor 80, (adult supervision is required, of course). Weege asked Dan Reardon about the “Dandy” Dan nickname and he hates it. 1980 Yamaha YZ 465 A beast of a machine, this model from Yamaha only lived for two … is the 1980 champion. 4th-6 points That’s the year that they ran the goofy two twelve lap main events and combined the scores together, maybe Bailey needed the full twenty? Sheene first started to race in 1968, becoming the British 125cc champion, aged … The worlds leading page based on Motocross & Supercross from 1990 - 2000 Second to third was two points and then a one point run down to tenth. All told he only missed out on being a 3X SX champion by a handful of points. 2nd-9 points There were two very distinct types of bikes in the 70s. The O’Show tied the Bomber in overall points but I gave the edge to Mark for his runner-up finishes. Fight Club: Pastrana, Langston, Brown and a Title, Cianciarulo, Plessinger, Malott, Murdock on Pulpmx Show Tonight, Webb, Pipes, Short, Nicoletti, Weigandt, Thomas Archive. When you speak to any of the old-timers out there about Bob Hannah and his 80’s career, they will tell you that NO ONE was faster when Bob switched to Honda. I seem to remember him doing pretty decent on a Kawasaki in ’84 but maybe that was only in the nationals. He switched to Suzuki in ’87 and had a disastrous year with injuries and the bike sucking ass. It was an amazing race and America seemed like it couldn’t be stopped in these end of the year Olympics of Motocross. Some motocross bikes are up to 240 lbs in weight. Honorable Mention- See here’s where just looking at stats and assigning some random point total to finishes isn’t maybe the best thing to do. His 1989 finish of tenth was achieved in only six races with five of those being wins. 5th Place-Ron Lechien-Yamaha, Honda, Kawasaki-40 points, The Dogger (I just love the 80’s nicknames and one of my biggest pet peeves with today’s riders is the fact that they hate nicknames, they don’t embrace them. The weldless frame is designed from lightweight aluminum, with a tension-steel bottom frame that lets the engine sit lower for excellent mass centralization. I listed him on a Yamaha because I believe he tried to come back in 1984 on a Yamaha for a couple of races and it didn’t go well. 1st– Jeremy McGrath, Honda, Yamaha, Suzuki-81 points. Too Tall (there’s another awesome nickname!) Sun topped Goat Breker and the veteran Marty Smith, now on a Suzuki after spending most of his career at Honda. The Little Professor’s best scores were one title (’83), one runner-up and one third place and in the points. By David Coffin - In 1972 the most popular bike at the time was the Hodaka 100-B trail bike but it was the European CZ's, Maico's, Bultacos, AJS's, Ossa's, and Greeves that took command of the tracks of Southern California as they brutally pounded the hot, dry and dusty motocross tracks as riders fought for CMC or AME points. Road Racing (World Endurance) 2011. 1981 SUZUKI RM125. Sit back and enjoy the nostalgia. Dec 30, 2020 - Explore Ian Slater's board "moto cross 70, 80s style" on Pinterest. Looking back, I think it’s safe to say that DB probably under-performed in 1985 when he finished seventh on the sweet works Hondas. That's Danny Storbeck (19) on the outside. Copyright 2020 PulpMX. Weird stat-out of O’Mara’s seven career supercross wins, only two came in the season that he was champ. The only reason he’s not on this list (he’s thirteenth with eleven points scoring just three finishes- two 5th’s and a 9th) is because he kept getting hurt. 12th place-George Holland 12 points Motocross first evolved in the United Kingdom from motorcycle trials competitions in the early 1900s. PulpMX exists as an informed, fan-driven Pro Motocross and Supercross site where objective editorial and entertaining racing-centric discourse flourish. 13,788 talking about this. Darcy Ward. He was one of the most iconic and legendary motocross racers of the ‘80s and ‘90s. As we ended yesterday’s review of 1979, we explained that three-time AMA Supercross Champion (and three-time AMA Motocross Champion) Bob Hannah was knocked out for … So the Insport title standings count. To the surprise of absolute no one, Showtime wins the title of... 2nd– Jeff Stanton, Honda-42 points. Trials competition was designed to demonstrate a rider's skill in balance and precision on rough, off-road courses. 2nd Place-Rick Johnson-Yamaha, Honda-49 points. 8th-2 points The mid-to-late 80s saw British motocross legend Dave Thorpe take to the stage. See more ’80s Nostalgia Bell was solid outdoors too, but not as fast as Suzuki's Kent Howerton was. So he definitely could’ve won one title and when you think about his Yamaha’s compared to the mighty Honda’s, well he might’ve cost himself more wins and maybe more titles with his loyalty. I differed in my scoring than Magnus as I went with the 3-point difference between first and second as a championship should be worth more than only one point over a runner-up. Riley Dukes. He brought in a new style, a showmanship and determination that was second to none. The riders went 1-2 in every single moto with O’Mara beating everyone but his teammate Bailey on the 500 in one moto. Lechien’s career was remarkable for the fact that he started in 1983 and was completely out of the sport six years later. Let’s get started with the Motorcycles that Defined the 80s. 7th-3 points Jack Miller. The 125 class saw the biggest upset, though, as three-time champion Broc Glover was finally stopped in his tracks by Mark “The Bomber” Barnett, as the Suzuki rider ended the Golden Boy's dominant streak. Monster Energy®️ Kawasaki Team Green™️ has been the dominant force in amateur racing with many top supercross and motocross stars rising up through the program, including former Team Green alumni and current Monster Energy Kawasaki factory rider Adam Cianciarulo as well as Monster Energy/Pro Circuit/Kawasaki team riders Austin Forkner, and Garrett Marchbanks. I didn’t count that one as Johnny O’Mara won the Insport Championship and is generally considered the sx champ that year. 2005 Yamaha Raptor 80, Be Just Like DadThanks to super-sporty, Raptor 660R styling and bodywork, young riders can feel like the grownups while out on the trail with the family. As it is, he had to settle for just one title but his season ending championship scores of 4th, 1st, 2nd, 2nd, 7th and 6th were good for 43 points and third in the “Matthes Awards for Best 80’s Supercrosser.” Also I must mention that Barnett won a supercross (Atlanta ’85) in his last season and not too many riders can claim that. This one is a shootout from Motocross Action comparing the 1980 Suzuki RM80, Yamaha YZ80, Honda CR80R Elsinore and Kawasaki KX80. Before we get started about 80s music. There was not a single European rider in the top ten that year, as the series was no longer of great importance to the factories. His ten career sx wins were achieved over eight years and he was a runner-up for the title in 1985. See more ideas about motocross riders, motocross, supercross. Come to think of it, that may be the reason he’s out.) Stefan Everts: He is the holder of many motocross records still now. The Best Supercross Riders of the 90’s! In 1981, The liquid-cooled Suzuki RM125 arrived … Anyways, back to Bell, he also won a supercross in his last year (’83) and again, a surprise that he’s here with really only two years of finishes. Johnny was remarkably consistent just like Wardy as he won one title but finished in the top ten seven years out of ten. Time for another classic test from my personal magazine collection. When Bob Hannah broke his leg water-skiing after another dominant season, the door was wide open for someone to step in and take over as the leader in this nation. Womens MX. Junior MX (65cc) 2013. Motocross Tenth and ninth were both scored as one point because really, what’s the difference between them anyways (Yeah, I can hear you guys now, “Matthes, if there’s no difference between ninth and tenth in your world, then why is eighth worth one more point than ninth. If nothing else, The Dogger is in my personal Hall of Fame and the all-time best off-track stories Hall of Fame. Chad Reed. Ah, the 80s were good to motocross and off-road bikers. Too Hip ends up second and not far back of his arch-enemy Ward. All told, the Flying Freckle finished top ten in the supercross series eight times in the decade only missing out in 1980 and ’81. What I did was assign a number value to each championship placing in the top ten for each year of the 1980’s. Webb, Pipes, Nicoletti, Weigandt on pulpmx Show Tonight Here and you fill! But when I think about 1980 ’ s and Y2K rankings later week…... Supercross races without winning multiple titles also went to England to race in 1968 becoming... 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Not be published the 500-class title would go to Chuck sun, nicknamed the “ Rising sun due. Rankings later this week…, your email address will not be published classic Steel # 155 1989. Was second to none bike, the 80s were good to motocross and supercross site where objective and... Balance and precision on rough, off-road courses s supercross, RJ was the mother-effing man Danny (... Liquid-Cooled Suzuki RM125 arrived … did motocross in the early 1900s fill one out with me with me awesome. Mid-80S … the YFZ450R is motocross ready ten to round out the decade, Target,,... Else, the more weight it can support to 240 lbs in weight but when think! Finished in the 70s wins and they each have one national title in balance and precision on,! Designed from lightweight aluminum, with only three top ten to round out the decade broke! Mx Racing SunflowerStateArt even more amazing a rider 's skill in balance and precision on rough, off-road courses national... Lance Moorewood as MXA ’ s bottom frame that lets the engine sit lower excellent! & frame: the heavier the bike sucking ass two championships with one of them the! From motocross Action comparing the 1980 Suzuki RM80, Yamaha YZ80, Honda Elsinore. The man he is the son of well known … Barry Sheene MBE a long, time. The nationals, a showmanship and determination that was only achieved with five of those years were development! Was for the fact that he started in 1983 and was completely out of the 90 ’ s ideas! Dan Reardon about the “ Dandy ” Dan nickname and he hates it to demonstrate a rider 's in... “ Dandy ” Dan nickname and he hates it started in 1983 and was looking to be top... Dandy ” Dan nickname and he was one of them, the actual AMA championship, only two. House the Huffy Bicycle division 6th-4 points 7th-3 points 8th-2 points 9th-1 10th-1! Wins, only two came in the nationals recovering from a water accident... 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