Hi Terry,  I've found your awesome site. Keep up the good work!!    Guy Jamar 

 

                             Dear Terry,
                             Just a few words to let you know how important your mxworksbike.com is to the vintage
                             MX community.
                             Being an European from Portugal I followed US motocross since 1975, buying at the time
                             MiniCycle Action and MX Action Magazines. I still have most part of magazines from 1975 to
                             1990, so, everything you have in your collection it’s very familiar to me!
                             Congratulations for your great page! It makes me go back 25 years!
                             Thanks for bringing memories alive!
                             Kindest Regards
                             Andre Holstein Castro

      

         Hey Terry, Great collection of works bikes. I always wondered what happened 

         to all that cool stuff from the 70's. I am a big Marty Smith fan so I really enjoy

         the Hondas the most. Loved looking at all your stuff and keep up the great work.

         I stop in from time to time.   Jed Falk 

 

 

        

           Terry,

           Fantastic site. Good work! Especially the pictures of those work bikes from the 70s.

           As a motocross fan of especially the 70s a lot of memories came above to that wonderful time.

           I’m looking forward to what you add still more. Lots of success with the site.

           Regards,

           Jan-Willem van Essen, the Netherlands.

 

          

           Terry, great site! You have some of the best bikes on this planet. We all wanted to be Marty Smith

           or Bob Hannah at one time. When I visit  Calif I have to go to the old Saddleback race park area.

           I just re-live the old days for a few minutes. Your site sure brings back the golden days of motocross. Dino

     Terry
     I have not been able to cover the entire site but have been on your new web
     site for a half an hour or so and man is it great!! It's one thing to be
     fortunate enough to be able to own all those great bikes but to take the time
     to develop the web site and share them with us less fortunate is above and
     beyond the call of duty. Thanks so much for letting the rest of us share in
     your knowledge and love for that era. I'll be checking it quite often.
     Tim
 

Terry,

Awesome website!  It’s great that you have made the effort to do all this.  It is important for our sport and athletes to keep track of all the innovations and achievements.  It would be great to keep an eye on the current Works bikes currently racing in Japan and Europe to add to your or someone’s collection.

Thanks again,

Richard

Terry,
I have just cruised onto your site and want to send you a message of support.
Great site, love it! Please keep going.
I write the newsletter for our local VMX club in Perth, Australia and will
give your site a big plug. If you want to download any photos from our
gallery, then go for it.
Cheers.
Paul Berdal

 

Terry,

What a great website, you are to be commended for preserving the history of Motocross thru the video's and bikes you have.

Thanks,

Rick Salazar

Holy Smokes Terry
Totally bitchen
How cool is Joel's works 250 downpiper? / How about you on your Mugen?
Plus everything else
Ill dig up some stuff this week (promise) like
                  Tech sheets
                  Old photos of the day (mechanics / bikes / etc)
Someday we'll do an interview of whatever
Totally way way cool
Good luck with it
Dave Arnold

 

Hallo Terry

 

Great Web-site. I am proud to have one of my Yamaha factory-bikes from 1973 in your collection, and I believe it's a great idea to start a Web-site, there everyone in the whole world can look at your fantastic collection, and I am sure it will be a great success in the future.

Håkan Andersson

 

Hi Terry,

I Just found your web page linked on Mark's Nightmare Racing web site and wanted to let you know that you have the COOLEST bikes & web site that I have ever seen. .also back in the early '90's I had a small off-road shop in S.C. and I use to buy Tecnosel seat cover & decal kits from a place in IL. would that have been you?.. Thanks, Buddy Johnson 

 

Hey, Terry. Brian Sneathen Here from Indiana. How have you been doing? Just wanted to write in and say your site is SUPER COOL! You have done a great job with the site. I know how much work it is to do this. I thank you for taking the time to make this site possible. This is the best most interesting Vintage Motocross site I have ever seen on the web, as I knew it would be when you were telling me about it when you were building it. I know how much more you have to show us all. I look forward to seeing your updates and changes. Just let me know if I can help you with anything. Again well done and thanks, Terry. THANKS, BRIAN.

 

Terry, Congratulations!  Scott and You have done a great job on keeping the true spirit of Motocross alive forever!  I am really impressed, Keep up the good work, look forward to visiting your site over and over.  (PS on the OW Yamahas, what numbers match with the years?) Alan Burke

 

Hi Terry,

Great job on the website. It has the potential to become the premium gathering place for MX history.   

Also, I'll be scanning some more "stuff" and sending it to you as soon as I can find a hole in my agenda. 

Much appreciated that you'll be able to assist with the ring.

Thanks and Best Regards,

Bill Buchka

Hey Terry,

I have gone thru your site a few times now. It is a great way to remember the old MX days. It makes sense to collect this historical library – nice job! Ray Kline

I have just run through your web-site. I didn't have the time to go through everything. Since my father was a Yamaha dealer from 1963 to 1973, I am really interested in the Yamaha racing history.  I have enjoyed the pictures of the vintage YZ's. I will keep checking for updates.    Robert Wilson

I thought you might like some of these pics. They are from the Canadian GP in 79 and 80. You have an awesome website.

Claude Giguere
 

Terry-  Thank you so much for bring the bikes and races, I've dreamed of since I was in grade school. Please find more 70's-80's Motocross/GP and Supercross video's and put them on DVD. You are doing more for the history of Motocross then anybody or group out there. Keep up the good work. 

Thanks Jon Forsell

Terry,
Very cool site you have launched! I happened across it while doing some more
study on my old friend ROCKET Rex Staten of whom I've recently launched a new
website in his honor.
I really appreciate your dedication of time, energy and resources in building
your collection, the MX world needs never to forget the good old days of HP and
shear guts of the riders that I and im sure you consider far superior in
character and style as compared to the modern mx'er. Anyway, great job, love it, keep up the good work and be good.
Eric Johnson
OLD S'CooL Restorations

Terry, thank you VERY much for this website, I really really like the 76' and 77' works RC-500 pics, any 70's RC Honda pics are great, if you could find a works 76' RC-250 Type 2 that would be the ultimate, even pics of this bike are rare. Anyway thanks a million for this website, the MX community has needed this for a long time, keep up the great work.        Sincerely, John Fuqua

 

Terry your site just gave me 2 hours of wonderful memories, thank you. 

Marty Moates

 

Terry,

For us old guys there is not a better site on the Web.

For you yonger guys, look and learn. It's all about the riders, the bikes, and the rest of the folks that lived the birth of American Motocross. Thank you for what has to have been an incredible amount of work.

Larry Maiers

 

Dear Terry, 
Really enjoyed spending a couple of hours checking out your works bikes website. I was amazed at the detail you have on some of the works bikes listed. The AMA really did halt the development of motocross with it's production rule. 
Like you, I remember looking in awe at the unobtainable works bikes, especially the Honda's with their coke bottle shaped works swingarms. 
Keep up the good work and info on the works bikes that deserve their own place in the history and fokelore of our sport. 
Regards, 
Rob Kinsey 

Hey terry

I’m tarek saba , my family and I used to own one of the largest Suzuki dealers in the southern California area called orange county Suzuki , we helped out a lot of mx racers from the early seventies to 2003.many became famous champs. I used buy tecnosel seats from you all the time and other EU stuff to sell in our store. Just wanted to say hello after seeing your site, Its really cool. It seems the old day were so much cooler then now? I love reading and seeing all the cool early stuff. Keep up the great site  Tarek Saba

Hi Terry

 

Being a kid in New Zealand and growing up when the first CR's were released in 1973 and seeing pictures of Marty Smith in MXA I  was his double down there, even down to his Jofa mouth guard!! So awesome to see these pristine machines, what a trip down memory lane.

My son thinks I'm crazy ogling these "old" bikes but they are awesome. Great job!   Ben

 

Terry,

Thanks for the information regarding your new website.  How refreshing to visit a vintage web site that fulfils all expectations.  Great archive pictures and articles, all put together by an enthusiast with a true passion for the `golden era' of motocross.  Thanks for sharing your passion on the web and, I look forward to the further development of your site.

Glenn Marriott

Markfield

England

 

Hello, Terry  I just wanna tell you that i think mx worksbike.com is the best vintage mx site that i ever seen keep up the awesome job and thank you again!!  craig

Hi Terry

First off, I’d like to congratulate you on a fine website and an absolutely awesome collection of motocross-related memorabilia. It was an absolute pleasure to spend time going through each page, and re-acquainting myself with some of the greatest bikes ever to turn a wheel on an MX track. For the ones from Europe, like Eric Geboers’ ’89 CR500, it makes me proud to say I’ve seen that bike in action, and it looks as good today as it did when I first saw it over sixteen years ago.

Once again, I tip my hat to you for having amassed a great collection, and rest assured I’ll be checking back regularly to see what other delights you’re able to share with MX enthusiasts everywhere.   Many Thanks    Alex Kwiatkowski

Hi Terry!

You have a awesome site. Brings back alot of memories of back in day. I worked at a shop with Glen Appling and knew him and his family pretty well.  I just got out of the Air Force and worked at a couple shops in O.C. and helped with several Pro riders  and was lucky enough to do the nationals in the late '70s and early 80's.

Thanks again

Chuck Hanson

 

Hello Terry,

I read the interview and all is good.

I really enjoyed your web site, you must put a tremendous amount of time into this.

It is very nice to see that someone like you is preserving history, this way all the things that were created before will be more appreciated probably by the people who love motocross today. I am still riding a lot off-road with my friends over here and the first week of October I am trail riding the course of the six days trials in Slovakia, I know somebody there who is going to be our guide and he promised me that we will be doing a lot of scary up and downhills in the TATRA mountains. Nowadays my offroad bikes are a WR450  CRF450 and a CRF250X.

I love all these bikes.

But most of all I loved the bike that you display on your website, you know the one in red. I wish I still owned it, but you know what happened and you are the owner now, it is a good feeling that it is in very good hands now.

Best regards, and I will be watching your good work frequently now!!!!!!

Pierre Karsmakers

 

Terry;

You should consider having a high quality wall calendar for 2006 made up for sale on your site. You have so many wonderful photos that you could use. You could have a paragraph of your commentary on the side of each photo explaining its significance.

I'll bet that people like myself who really enjoy the material on your website would be willing to pay $10-20 for one to hang in their office at work or in their workshop at home.

Regards,

Mark Lafferty

Terry - I think the calendar idea is a good one.  Can you do this?

regards and keep up the good work - awesome web site

Ross Campbell
Perth Western Australia

Mr Good,

It was long over due, but finally thanks to you, a very informative web site featuring the bikes we all remember, but can never find good pictures of, now exists.  Nice to know the once forgotten treasures of an unforgettable era gone by have found their way into the hands and home of someone who truly appreciates them. We are all fortunate to have a site to visit such as this. Thank you for making it happen.

 

Sincerely,

Joe Abbate

Cycle Therapy

 

Hi Terry,

I just found your website. Job well done! 

Even thou I have pursued other interests for the last several years, I still have all the stuff I got from you in the past only for sentimental reasons. Your website reinforced the great admiration I had for your collection and for sure brought back many memories. Thank you!   My regards to Cindy and the kids,  Oscar Azevedo

Hey Terry, this is an incredible website. I am a 39
year old mx racer from the late 70's early 80's. I
grew up on Bob Hannah and Johnny O' and that whole
crowd so seeing these great vintage works bikes from
that era is a dream come true. I am always scanning the
internet for sites and photos about the older works
bike and you have it all here. keep up the great work
and I will pass your site onto every mx fan I know.

Daniel Johnston

Helloooo Terry,

 

I've just gone through your website and I was blown away!  Your restorations, photos, and insight into the original construction of works motocross bikes is very interesting reading.  I also enjoyed the rare photos, interviews, and updates of my favorite riders.  I am going to be checking in all the time now.  You are doing excellent work for our sport. 

 

                                                                                                                              I Sincerely Thank You,

                                                                                                                                    Mark Baird   

Hello Terry,

 

I just received the November 2005 issue of Dirt Bike magazine that featured your Karsmaker RC 500 and provided your website address. I really enjoyed surfing your site and viewing the un-obtainable exotic works bikes. This certainly reminded me of the time when American moto-cross was in it's infancy and those of us that had production dirt bikes drooled at the exotic one-off's the pro's were provided by the factories. The brilliant engineering and quality craftsmanship that went into producing those bikes have withstood the test of time -  all the bikes you have collected still evoke the same passion for the equipment now,  as it did back then. Keep up the good work! I plan on visiting your site often to watch it evolve much like moto-cross has over the years.    

 

Guy Lake

 

Hi Terry,

 

 I saw the article in Dirt Bike magazine that featured Pierre Karsmaker's RC 500.  After reading the article I immediately went to your website.  It is awesome!  You must have dedicated hours and hours into this venture.  You deserve credit for your vision and dedication.  I would write to the Queen to ask her to give you an MBE or OBE, but I don't think she's into dirt bikes!  I'm from Manchester, England and I remember watching Pierre race at Doddington Park in the south of England in 1974 (I think). He was amazing.  He was flying, even lapping faster than De Coster!  Unfortunately, he snapped the footrests in one race, and snapped the frame in another.  Thanks again for your website, it brought back some very happy memories to a 54 year old dirt rider.

 

Alan Hodson

 

Terry,

            What a site. A man after my own heart. I am 52 years young and lived the seventies Moto-X days.  Raced a Suzuki TM125. Remember all the big names during that era. Looking real hard at getting into Vintage racing. Your Web Site just made up my mind. Have a good selection of vintage (60-70’s) street scramblers ( Suzuki TC250 , Honda CL77, Kawasaki A7SS) but think I may shift my time to Motocross.  Keep up the good work.  

John Ferreira
 

Hey Terry,  

Your site is an outstanding well of mx info!  It’s not often that I find a web site where I find out old school mx info that I hadn’t heard before.  It’s even cooler that you have guys that were my earliest mx heroes, like Hakan Andersson and Pierre Karsmakers, writing you, pining for their old works bikes!  Sorry, Pierre!  LOL!  I have tons of old school pics, let me know if I can contribute in some way.  You can check out some of it at my website www.sameoldstory.com

Regards,  Steve Bauer

Hey Terry, 
Glad to see you've still got the whole works bike thing going. But what I really want to know is this: do you still have a 1976 YZ125C parked in the laundry room? And that Marshall stack parked in the living room. I got wind of that Tripes bike a while back and I'm glad to see it ended up in your collection. What a great story. 
Next time I'm back in Chicago I'll see if you're around and maybe we can go over to Red Bud and I can try that triple jump again. Hope you're doing great. 
 
Fran Kuhn

Dear Terry, 
 
Thank you for offering up a deal I could not refuse on the 5 DVD set. I just finished watching the 125 USGP (Very Loud as suggested). I have had a difficult time finding any results other than O'Mara winning it. Also I am sure your educated eye caught Stefan Everts cleaning his dad's bike after practice. No wonder he became as good as he did being exposed to things as he did. You and it seems your son are a real asset to Motocross history and I am forever indebted for your work and passion. 
 
Lou Blanchard 
Portland, OR 
 

Terry, Great website! I have spent over an hour on it and am still in Heaven! Thanks for sharing your collection online and keep up the good work!

 Your site defines the "Golden Era" of Motocross!

Randy Hackett AMA# 665 District 14 MX  (1973-1980)
 

I have been a fan of MX since 1976.  I remember the European bikes. I am hoping you will find and display some of these incredible machines.  Notably, Maico, Bultaco, Ossa, Penton, Husqvarna.

Best site on the web for MX fans.

Thanks Terry. 

Ron Alexander

My name is Dave Shelton and I met you at Mammoth Mountian in 90 when the first
aluminum 125 CR125 I ever saw was right there in the parking lot for
some condos where you were staying. I talked with you for a few minutes
and you were convinced that I knew what I was doing and INVITED ME TO
HELP YOU AND THE MECHANIC GET THE BIKE TOGETHER!
I was there to only get some fork stickers but WOW!  You made me a factory
works tech/mechanic for a night! What a blast, I will remember it
forever. I found out about you and On The Line Racing through a friend
of mine at the time that I was living in near San Luis Obispo Ca. His
name is Frank Villa and his younger borther Paul was a local pro. Frank
and I had a real passion for Works bikes too of course. I remember he
even had an aluminum tank on his RM250.
 
What a site! I have some photos of the 85 RC's from Anaheim that you
would love to see!
 
Dave Shelton
Tucson, Az.
 

Hello Terry,

I really enjoy to watch your collection, every Mx fan
would like to have the same collection of great bikes
in his garage.
It reminds a lot of 'souvenirs! for belgian mx fans.

Michaël Censier
Belgium

PS :Maybe we'll see you with your bikes at vintage
race in Namur before the GP ?
 

Good job Terry!  Glad to see the collection has grown.  The stories are a
great read also.  Will have to check in more often as the site develops.
Best regards,
Scott Swinehart
 

 Hey, fantastic website. I can't tell you how much time I've spent pouring over the images, and the text is fascinating. It's great to see such great close ups and read the tech details of the bikes that were so mystical back when I was a kid. I had seen some of your collection in the past in various magazines. I must have read the articles in Dirt Bike about Hannah's OW and Robert's RH a dozen times. It's great that someone gives these bikes the treatment that they deserve.

 One thing that I find really interesting is how you found these bikes, or their history after they were through racing. Some of the stories (if I have them right), like the works Suzukis sitting out in the shed in England, or the OW that you found in the AMA officials yard blows my mind. The fact that the factories would just forget about these bikes after all the time and money that they invested is amazing to me. If you could give a quick description of how you came into possession of some of these bikes, or what they did after they were done racing, I would love it.

 

 Anyway, thanks for the website and have a great new year.

Jim Dyer

 

Hello terry,

I just checked out your site and it brought back a lot of memories from the 70s & 80s.  i was a three digit wannabe just like many other guys were back then.  we're the riders that make the fast guys look good.  keep up the good work.  i have a lot of old pix i can share if i ever find the time to scan them.  I've enclosed a sample. 500 support class, 1978 agency, Missouri.  i think i got somewhere around 21st.

it's pretty clear that we crossed paths sometime during our pro riding days.  i too was a pro mx wanderer, from Arkansas but moving around following the nationals and supercross.  i got my license in Memphis, moved to San Jose, back to Arkansas, to west palm beach, back to Arkansas, back to San Jose, back to Arkansas, moved to Belgium, back to Arkansas, back to France, then to Oklahoma City, then Fort Worth where I finally decided I was too old at 38 to keep up with the local pros. 

 

thanks,

Mike Lambert AMA Pro #405 and $757  1977-86

Great web site, telling my buddies. For the mechanics
section you have to include Eric Crippa. I remember
seeing his photo when he was Howerton`s mechanic and he
still wrenching now!  Inspired me to take up the
profession too!  Mike at Concord Kawasaki/Yamaha

Terry,
I grew up listening to my father's stories about the greatest riders of
all time.  This site really brings it home to me.  I have been riding
since I was 4 years old and have never stopped.  I really like the works
bikes that you have and can't wait to read more when you keep adding
stuff.  This is the best vintage MX site that I have seen.  Everyone who
loves motocross should visit this site to know the roots of the sport
and why it is important to know who Roger DeCoster, Joel Robert, Marty
Smith, Bob Hannah, and many others are because they are the reason it is
so big today.

Keep up the Good Work,
Eric Huff

GREAT JOB TERRY,

Growing up three miles from saddleback & still here I

 share with you many memoriess.

Fantastic bio from MR. MOTOCROSS , i will buy the book!

The Technique of motocross is also stellar, to bad todays

venues are so sterile.

Dead on w/Hurricane but don't forget Dave Jennings used to

bust his chops now & then, their duals on those RM'S were

the real deal .If you could get some of that footage on video

you would blow some minds.

Please ask the the roosting tire is faster than the flying tire

crew to mention what their doing these days.

If you'd like to walk the old track let me know.

Dell Primrose.

 

Hello Terry, 

 Your website has totally blown my mind. The photos of the Golden State series blew my mind and brought back some great memories.

  I was in those races against Johnny "O" Mara, Rick Johnson, Ron Turner, Brian Myerscough, George Holland and so on.

  To see those pictures I thought to never see again at saddleback was to cool.

  I even pulled a holeshot on my box stock YZ -125 G, against Johnny "O"s  Mugen and all the big boys

 when "Flying" Mike Brown made me mad on the starting gate before the race. The bummer is that when I came around the first

 sweeping turn to the right, there was a big rock that caught my rear wheel as I was in a full pitch flatrack slide and

 I just about bit the big one as everyone got by me.

 I hate that rock to this day!!

 I was also at the Nationals in 1979,1980 watching Bob Hannah and Kent Howerton with Marty Tripes having some killer battles.

 Hannah even snuck my friend and I in the pits, because the security would not let us in.We hung out with all the big riders that day.

 What a collection of historic motocross bikes you have been able to get your hands on. They are in beautiful condition.

 You are one lucky guy to get your hands on one of those sweet Mugen  Hondas. Those were works of art and still are.

 I sure am happy to see that you were able to get these bikes to create a living collection of motocross history.

 Thank you for sharing this with everyone and myself through the creation of your website.

 These are the beginnings of motocross that helped manifest this sport into what it is today.

 You are keeping its memory in tact for young and old to appreciate.

 

 Great job and my hat is off to you. Or should I say my helmet.

   Sincerely,

   Foster Edwards 

 

Terry, I have spent the past two nights looking at every single page, picture, and article on what is an absolutely amazing tribute to the greatest era in the history of motocross.  Like you, I was captivated by the factory riders and their bikes of the 70's and early 80's.  You are a very lucky man to have these works of art to look at, sit on, and hopefully enjoy an occasional ride.  Thank you so much for the dedication and willingness to share your passion.  I am a HUGH Hannah fan, and spent hours looking at the fantastic pictures of his 1979 OW40 250.  I had the honor of seeing and meeting Hannah at Unadilla in 1979.  I will check the site frequently to see what is new.  Keep up the great work.  Thank you for brining my memories to life.

 

Mark Ware

 

What an awesome website, these were truly golden times in motocross and unfortunately it can be rather difficult to find anything from this great era! I lucked up with finding the site by the David Bailey shirt you have on E-bay. I frequently do searches on ebay for David Bailey because he is my favorite rider in the 80's.I would love to have the shirt, but I am quite sure it is out of my price range so I will have to be satisfied looking at it and his helmet on your website. I will frequent the website often and look forward to the updates as you do them. Thank you very much and good luck!!!!!!!!!

C. Douberly

 

Hello Terry,

 

I know you've been told hundreds of times what an awesome website you have.  It doesn't matter: you need to be told thousands of times more! 

I have never been a motocross rider or a racer in any form.  I just developed a fascination for motorcycles in the 70s that continues up to this day.  Hakan Anderson's bike was THE bike that leapt out from the pages of the magazines that were part of my daily diet then.  Problem was, there were very few photos published and a lot of them in black and white.  I used to go to the local Yamaha dealer and ask for the newsletters from the month before - just to get a glimpse of the bike somehow.

Seeing the bike in the flesh, so to speak, is like a dream come true.   Thank you very, very much for creating and maintaining such a great website. 

 

Gig

Bacolod City

Philippines

 

P.S. - Is it true you have Bob Hannah's 125cc water-pumper???  Now THAT is another

          bike that captured my imagination and fantasy!   Bob Hannah is my all time

          hero :)

 

terry:     Great web-site, keep posting as much of this stuff as you have.  Me and my family were at '75 Oly Supercross, and major races around Dallas-Ft Worth , and Houston area in mid and late '70s, I keep coming back to your site to re-live those great memories.   Thanks and keep up the good work.

Steve Tanner

 

Terry...  
Thanks for bringing up my travels with you on the 1976 125 National Circuit. Us old racers don't get much press anymore. I LOVED your stuff. I'm sorry I lost track of you. Give me a shout and we'll catch up.  
Kim Blackseth 
AMA Pro Motocross 
1974-1979 
 

Terry,

Wonderful website!  I have been viewing three DVD's that I purchased from you:

Motocross Classics

Yamaha Motocross

Suzuki GP 

These are absolutely fantastic.  The footage of vintage stars like Roger DeCoster and Joel Robert is just amazing.  Man, could those guys ride!!  I hope you put one together profiling Bob Hannah, one of my favorite riders ever.  As a young enthusiast back in the late 1970's and early 1980's, Bob became one of my heroes.

Thanks for this site.  The sport of motocross is still great, but the 1960's and 1970's are irreplaceable.

Thanks,

Scott Vaughan 

 

Hi Terry, 

Just wanted to tell you how much I enjoyed viewing your web site.  Your collection is fabulous and the web page shares with all of us your beautiful bikes.   

I would love to visit you some day and hopefully you will visit my museum whenever you visit So. California.

All the best,

Tom White

Early Years of MX Museum, aka White Brothers guy!

Hi Terry,
Great site!! Amazing photos and bikes!
Based on the awesome content that you have, any chance of adding in some
European bikes of the 70's? Great bikes like the Husqvarna's, Maico's and
Bultaco's of that era would make your site even richer.
It's very hard to find any good documentation of the European bikes of that
time.
Thanks and great work!
Al

Terry

Wow, this is the coolest thing ever, Brings back alot of memories of the way things used to be and going to a race to see the "one off" factory bikes. Keep up the good work

Dave Fatino

Great collection! Is nice to see all the bikes and equipment I grew up with, as well as all the people that have created what we now have today.  Thanks for the trip down memory lane.  Mark Conley

 

Hey Terry, what a trip - down memory lane! Thanks for putting this site together.

I just thought I'd send some pics of one of my (many) bikes from 1980. A KX 420. A dog of a bike but the noteworthy item are the forks.

The first incarnation (I believe) of the upside down fork development (by Steve Simons).

I did a lot of the prototype machining on the upsidedowners -"USD's"- and ride/race testing as well. 

These forks pictured were being pre-tested for Brad Lackey (Hence the #6 number plate) during one of his pursuits of the World Championship  500cc title battling Andre Malherbe..

I have been riding all of my life since my first minibike at age 7. Raced the NorCal scene for about 10 years. Did the 1980 Golden State Series.

Raced places like Watsonville, Sears Point, Hangtown (both places) Carnegie, Hollister, Dixon, Sand Hill, Madera, Friday night races at Fremont Raceway, Saddleback, Oakland Staduim Supercross? Yes! Bill Spencer promotions I believe.

I worked for Simons forks for almost 8 years.. from '77 to '84. Raced a rode during that period as well.

Working at Simons and racing, I met a lot of people, mechanics and racers. (I would get Press and Pit Passes for the Nationals) many that you have mentioned here.

Whenever the Nationals came to town, a lot of the racers and mechanics would come to Simons to get their forks and shocks tuned for the race (Simons then was the distributor for Ohlins shocks) and to hang and party. I met Steve Wise, Cliff White, Roger D., Brad Lackey, Jim Pomeroy, Goat Brecker, Stig Peterson(mechanic), Marty Moates, Mike Brown (Remember LOP? Lorenze Offner Products? I am even wearing an LOP t-shirt in one of those pics) The list goes on.

Even Doug Domokos came to hang with us one week before Sears Point. We talked Doug into taking his bike to a local mall one night to "terrorize" the place and wheelie around past the shops, sidewalks and parking lot. It was a hilarious.

Coincidentally I used to practice at a place in Sunnyvale and Santa Clara where we would try and beat this "crazy-fast" rider.  I remember it well,  and for whatever reason, his bike had no seat, just a piece of 2x4 duct taped to the frame. Rumor was that his dad wanted to force him to stand up more. Who was it? Danny Chandler.

I even met a few celebs at Simons; Gene Hackman, one of the Ramones (can't remember who though), Heather Locklear who was dating a Team Yamaha Factory mechanic, and John Bonham (of Led Zep) and his son Jason who came in to get parts for his forks.

I could go on with the names and places, but I won't ;-)

So yeah, I grew up in that magical era of the motocross scene of the 60's, 70's and 80's

memories; Simons, Moto-X Fox, Protopipe, Turner Racing. DG racing, JT, Jofa, Whoop-De-Chews!, Koho (what? hockey gear? Yes.)

FMF, etc etc. Raise your hand if you remember Blendzall (how sweet it is), stinger pipes, compression releases and lineman boots!

 

Take Care,

-Mike Sommer

Folsom, Ca -

by way of Mountain View, Ca. (Where we used to ride our minibikes and motorcycles, Google now sits on top of that dirt.)

Hi, Just visited your site, and may I say, I love it! I started riding and
racing in 1971 and have been riding motorcycles ever since. I loved being around
for the birth of American MX and DirtBike magazine. All the personalities of the
riders, the bikes, and the tracks were something very special to me and
something Ill never forget. Seeing the stories on your site from the real top
world MX riders was like a breath of fresh air on memory lane! Seeing the bikes
was wonderful and I've been back again and again since I saw the site the first
time a month ago! Thanks again for a great place to go to see the way it was!

Kevin Vaughn

Terry,
Man, what can I say? You did what I should've done back
in the late 70's,head west. I often wonder, but I'll
never know what could've been.
Every once in a while I see something that brings me
back to those great years of motocross. I just get lost
in your website. How cool is it to look at the stars
AND bikes of yesteryear? I remember most all of those
guys/bikes. When a guy wanted it so bad, he'd travel the
nation on a mission to hopefully gain a factory
ride. Just about unheard of now.
Motocross just isn't the same anymore. And your site
just enables those of us that remember the good old
days, to take a long look back in time! T-Totally kewl
man!
Roger Sjodin
Houston,TX
raced 70's era

 

Terry it was great talking to you again the other day,

what a great collection of machines you have ,thanks for the cool DVD s and i hope you had a chance to check out my yz s on my web site actionmotorsports-atk.com this should bring back a memory or two. take care i'll talk to you soon until then keep on diggin up the awesome bikes and parts and i'll keep sending people to your site.

Hank Merenda  action motorsports Hesperia ca

Terry,
I found some old 1974 thru 1976 issues of Motocross Action and Dirt Bike and
reminisced.  I guess Marty Smith on his fire engine red Honda 125 was my
favorite.  I hated when Hanna beat him out in 1976, even though I was also a
Hanna fan.  I loved it when Smith dusted them at the U. S. Grand Prix.  I read
the article about his first race on an open bike. He hated it.  Got 4th, though.
He said it was too fast, but the writer suggested that the competition would
never have agreed to him entering his 125 in that race.
 I love the photo of Karsmaker's RC 400.  I was reading an old article where he
won at Mexico, New York, I think on that very bike. 
Jammin' Jimmy Weinert on Kawasaki and Tony D on his 250  Suzuki were also
favorites of mine. 
Bring back the Trans-AMA.

Thanks for your site.
Suggestion: interviews with the riders.
Mark B.
Lubbock

Hi Terry, What a cool site really nice. I am from South Africa and started racing way back in 1983. I still ride  but must admit I miss the old days I remember when American riders dominated South African Motocross.  Like Rex Staten 1982 – 1983, Larry Wosick 1984 – 1998 and Jim Tarantino 1984. Jim Tarantino still lives In South Africa and at the ripe old age of 40+ still hauls ass on a MX bike. He only rides on a social basis these days. You must have ridden against him in your day I know he was AMA Rookie of the year 1982 and King Of Saddleback. He beat “ Rocket “ Rex Staten to the 1984 South African National 250cm² championship before retiring to start a business here Promotion Products.   Keep up the good work.

 Regards, Brett # 490 RCR Kawasaki  

Hello Terry
Well done on a fantastic website .I love the old works bikes of days gone by.
Keep up the good work .
Regards
Steve Wood  (England)

Terry,

Thanks so much for your website. When I was just a wee taka I had (and still have) a huge poster of Andre Malherbe above my bed and dreamed of one day entering the open class on a CR500. Finally I bought one but by that time the 500cc class was finished.