I could never get a motorcycle when I was a kid so I started in BMX around 74. Back then I was influenced by the MX racers of the day, Brad Lackey was a hero of mine but the guys I thought were the coolest were the Swedish MX guys, Ake Johnsson, Hakan Andersson, Torlief Hansen, Arne Kring, Bengt Aberg and Christer Hammergren. Most of you guys have never heard of these guys but they were generally some of the fastest riders in the world, Aberg and Andersson being World Champs. They always had the coolest riding gear and I managed to get some of the stuff they used, Hallman and Jofama stuff and I probably had one of the first AGV helmets in BMX, at least up in NorCal so I looked up to those guys. Anyway, who were the MX guys that you looked up to while racing BMX, I mean, that is mainly WHY BMX was started, to copy motorcycle MX.
[ August 02, 2006, 03:59 AM: Message edited by: spike ]
Full Version: Motocross influence..
Steven gall. Aussie mr Motocross. He was the first guy I took notice of in mx racing. He was my hero then. After that Doug Domokos was pretty cool. Not really MX though.
As a Swede it makes me kind of proud to know that Swedish MX stars influenced eraly BMX riders.
I do think the Swedish MX guys from the 60's and 70's are more famous and appreciated in the US than they are in Sweden.
I do think the Swedish MX guys from the 60's and 70's are more famous and appreciated in the US than they are in Sweden.
I never really got in to motocross as a kid. My motorcycle influences came from the flattrack side of racing Kenny Roberts, Scott Parker, Hank and Gary Scott, Jay "Springer" Springsteen and of course my dad. Theres nothing like coming out of corner, throttle wide open, feet up, banging it sideways.
This is a very interesting topic. Bicycle motocross was a realistically priced hobby/sport for me and while motocross "style" was something my crew and I emmulated for sure as we rode the early banana seat bikes that we had modified to bmx - the motorized mx bikes weren't in the picture at all for us.
I can't drop names of mx stars that heavily influenced me as the mx influence was more abstract.
But the way that some of the earliest bmx races were conducted as something for the kids of the mx dads to do at races and the early bmx hardware and softgoods that were produced by mx companies is pretty fascinating and important stuff. That's our roots. That's what I love most about minicycle/BMXA... the issues from the mid-70's are killer for insight into the mx/bmx nexus.
I can't drop names of mx stars that heavily influenced me as the mx influence was more abstract.
But the way that some of the earliest bmx races were conducted as something for the kids of the mx dads to do at races and the early bmx hardware and softgoods that were produced by mx companies is pretty fascinating and important stuff. That's our roots. That's what I love most about minicycle/BMXA... the issues from the mid-70's are killer for insight into the mx/bmx nexus.
I raced motocross before BMX, when I started racing BMX in 75 it took a back seat for a few years but I still rode. Jeff Ward, Brian Myerscough, Mike Brown, Bobby Tocco, Pierre Karsmakers, DeCoster.
quote:I grew up around flattrack too but ended up on a motocross bike instead. If every motorcycle race fan could stand in the first turn at a mile just once dirttrack would still be the biggest motorcycle spectator sport in the US.
I never really got in to motocross as a kid. My motorcycle influences came from the flattrack side of racing Kenny Roberts, Scott Parker, Hank and Gary Scott, Jay "Springer" Springsteen and of course my dad. Theres nothing like coming out of corner, throttle wide open, feet up, banging it sideways.
Thanks Rick for posting the pics, gotta send ya some more to post. Daniel W., Swedes were alot more of an influence in American MX than guys know. I'm running a yellow plate with 35 on it on my Champion in honor of Hakan Andersson who ran that number in 1974 during the few Trans-AMA races he did that year. Wish I could find more pics of the Swede MX guys from 73-75.
You wanna see motocross influence? Check out this Roger Decoster inspired Suzuki sticker on my crossbar pad and mud flap!
mud flap
mud flap
quote:Randy I agree with that - we (my family) is still very much involved in the sport. My dad who is retired from racing, is involved in building and sponsoring here is one of his bikes
If every motorcycle race fan could stand in the first turn at a mile just once dirttrack would still be the biggest motorcycle spectator sport in the US.
[img]http://images.vintagebmx.com/web_pages/indylodown/honda450[/img]
he is an associate sponsor for Shawn Baer web page who rides the AMA Pro circuit.
My 60 yr old uncle, my cousin (who also rode the AMA Pro circuit) and his wife all race on the vintage circuit (AHRMA), they ride it all road race, flattrack, MX, hare scrambles if its vintage they ride it.
I just recently got back into bmx stuff. I started back in '76 in Austin MN's little track inspired by MX. The owners of our local bike shop originally planned on running a Suzuki shop but couldnt get startup money. They decided bikes would do for a cool business. They started our track with a MX style to it...mudholes, uphill section,rubber band start. It was fun but grueling...when most of the CAlifornia guys were changing the front sprockets on thier Stingrays to larger ones for the insane CA dowhhills, we Austin kids needed a change to smaller sprockets to make it up hills and through mudholes. Rydjor bike in Austin even provided a service to kids- re-welding the bottom brackets on the Stingrays a little higher for more clearance. They ,themselves were racing MX on the days off from the bmx track.
I have 2 vintage MX bikes in the works for a local AHRMA race coming...I say bmx has nothing to be ashamed of in comparison! Both are tough-guy activities to make Steve McQueen proud!
here's my DT Yamaha..almost done...
I have 2 vintage MX bikes in the works for a local AHRMA race coming...I say bmx has nothing to be ashamed of in comparison! Both are tough-guy activities to make Steve McQueen proud!
here's my DT Yamaha..almost done...
I was not only inspired by the MX guys of the 70’s, we were also huge fans of Speedway Racing. In Bakersfield the guys would race every Wednesday night at the fairgrounds, we never missed a race. The fast guys, of the top of my head, were Mike and Steve Bass, Sunny Nutter, Jeff Sexton, Alan Christanstain, just to name a few. Several of us setup our bikes to emulate speedway; wide bars with the left one bent in a little. We’d race in the school corridors or on basketball courts, four hot laps. We’d even throw down sand to make the corners slippery so we could throw that perfect slide; what memories!
A little Motorcycle inspiration:
[ August 03, 2006, 01:05 PM: Message edited by: Reilley1 ]
[ August 03, 2006, 01:05 PM: Message edited by: Reilley1 ]
I can't stop buying these damn things! I love 70's mini-mx/trail bikes.
http://cgi.ebay.com/ebaymotors/ws/eBayISAP...TRK%3AMEDW%3AIT
[ August 03, 2006, 01:35 PM: Message edited by: The 26incher ]
http://cgi.ebay.com/ebaymotors/ws/eBayISAP...TRK%3AMEDW%3AIT
[ August 03, 2006, 01:35 PM: Message edited by: The 26incher ]
I want one of those kits soooo bad!
The guy I got the one on the left from told me had a case of 50 or so. I tried to contact him after I got the first one to buy the rest and he disappeared?
Consider it done Rick! I've got one with your name on it.
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