Vintage mx bikes-like musclecars

[classof74]

Hi Folks, I wanted to confess that I'm one of those guys who spend a ton of money on bike restorations and do possess some expensive bikes, including the one mentioned by Penton117.

Let me first say that I truly enjoy restoring the bikes and with that comes spending the money...they go hand in hand.

To explain my passion, I'd have to take you back to 1973 at Fort Riley, Kansas. I was about 14 years old at the time and my family didn't have the money to purchase motorcycles...but I was a HUGE fan. One day I'm out running around the neighborhood and heard a sound in the distance like nothing I'd ever heard before. Running as fast as I could, I made it behind a row of military houses just in time to see a bike and rider go screaming by. It was truly unbelieveable. The local track at Fort Riley, the obvious destination of the bike, was about 2 miles away. I didn't even bother to go home and get my bicycle. I just ran for the track. What happened that day was just magical. The bike was a Honda CR125 Elsinore, the rider was Robert Ripley, from Cucamonga, CA and I was in heaven! I spent the rest of the day watching that guy go around and around the track.

That started my passion with motocross bikes, and led to riding that exact CR 125, a CR125 Husqvarna, a CR250 Husqvarna and a 1974 Penton 250.

Those years were just great and I travelled with Robert Ripley, Mark Lepley, Hank Spaulding and Tal Leonard to dozens of MX tracks operating in the state. Those guys were never that fast nor near famous, but they meant everything to me. Without parents who could afford to buy me a motorcycle, I had to make due with wrenching on their bikes and grabbing a ride every so often when they took pity on me. I don't think there was a bigger motocross fan in all of Kansas and my love of MX bikes is even mentioned in my High School Year Book.

This went on for 4 glorious years until I graduated in 1977 and joined the Navy. From that time forward I moved away from bikes but they were never totally out of my mind.

To make a long story short, with a career going great and a growing business, I found myself in 1997 getting into the vintage movement. Currently I race Husqvarna's here in Southern California at Carlsbad Raceway, for me, the epicenter of all my childhood dreams.

In addition to racing I took on the ambitious task of finding and restoring all the 125 MX bikes from 1974. Some of these bikes I've never seen, and it's truly amazing to see them rise from the ashes. There is great satisfaction in seeing the look on others faces when they see a bike in my collection that they too lusted after.

So where am I going with all this. Well, I don't restore bikes to sell, let alone make a profit. Let's face it, if you do a restoration correctly, you'll have 6K into a bike easily and almost no one will pay you that much. But again, I don't restore these bikes to sell, I restore them for my personal pleasure, no more, no less. After 30 years, with the exception of my wife and two children, nothing gives me more satisfaction than racing old Husky's and restoring the bikes that played such an important role in my childhood. I do put the money and time into them, but they give back so much more.

If you're interested, some of my bikes can be seen at //www.calvmx.com/guestbook. Working on a Monark right now (Sachs Engine), just found a Rupp (Sachs Engine) and recently got in a DKW (Sachs Engine)...not to mention the Penton and Tyran...both Sachs engines. Can anyone find me a Dalesman Linx 125?

 

[FMF MX]

Class of '74

Well put. You can't put a price on fun, and its a therapy only we can understand..My neighbors look at my pretty vintage bikes as "toys", don't realize what they do for me in terms of a time gone by, that is fondly remembered. Some people drink, some shop, some fool around. I ride vintage bikes.

Bart Carrigan

[desmond197]

I am having way more fun with my vintage bikes than with old cars. About 7 years ago I sold all of my cars, 68 GTO, 72 Eldorado, Fiat Spyder Alfa GTV6 Calway Turbo. My wife was getting sick of me fiddling with them. She told me to sell the cars and get a 20 year old girlfriend. She could compete with her for my time rather than a rust car. The cars went and I started to find bikes at junk yards. I got an Ossa pioneer for $50.00 and I was hooked. I now have over 75 bikes at a cost of $10,000. The most I have ever paid was $750 for a 67 Cotton Trials bike. Most bikes were free or under $100.  I do every thing my self except cylinder  boring and some case welding my  welder can not handle.  I have a retired aircraft welder take care of that stuff. I am just finishing a 125 Monark and completed a Greeves Pathfinder last week. I usually put about  $500 into a bike. The bikes get all new cables, seals,gaskets and fasteners. I replace bearings and rods where needed. Race bike I spend about $1000 on.  A bike takes about 2 months to finish while a car would take me 4 years to do. Lot's more time to have fun and a lot more family time. I do not think I will ever go back to dealing with cars again.

 

[Lloyd Boland]

Last year put $12,000 into restoring a 1972 Camaro with my son; new crate motor, headers, big carb, upgaded suspension, etc., etc..  It was a lot of fun and a great (bonding) experience.  Now, three speeding tickets later trying to sell it and get $5500 to $6000.  I have 6 vintage bikes in my garage right now and love them all, 3cz, 1 maico, 1 husky and 1 1976 KTM MC5 250.  (plus 3 modern bikes)  I definately prefer bikes over cars, but they can still be dangerous.  Two weeks ago at Glen Helen at the Vintage Iron World Championship I was second on the KTM and stuck my foot into a rut and put my footpeg through my boot and into my calf, fracturing my right leg.  James, even vintage bike riders have their day.  Just wanted to thank everyone on this site that many of us read the messages and obtain information and insight.  Thanks to everyone that participates.

 

[tomale]

Ok I guess that I will jump in too.
I have on more than one occasion voiced my gratitude for all the help I have recieved for this group. I am just an old motocrosser that have never quite gotten over my love of racing. I is a rush like no other and it is my only vice, if you can call it that. Still in an effort to keep the home fires glowing I have to be carful how I spend money. I do not think you can put to much of a price tag on good "clean" fun. I have been so luck with the bike I own. The really cool thing is that I have been able to get my son envolved in riding. He is 16 and it will not be too many more years before he will be going of to college and a career, etc. I have often thought it would be fun to take a barn fresh bike and bring it back to life. I know that there are bargins out there and some junkers too. The trick is to know the difference. It becomes even more difficult for anyone up here in the great Northwest because it is so far away from anything. If I buy a bike of of ebay, I still have to consider the cost of shipping the bike. based on what I have been reading it could cost me 2-300 dollars. If you add that into the cost of the bike it puts it on the upper edges of what the bike is really worth, so I need to be able to get a bike that is either local or so cheap that the cost of shipping is justifiable. The is not a complaint, it is how it is. Still I much to be thankful because if it was not for this site I would not know about some really great resources and maybe not even been able to ride my faithful steed at all.
I think that it is best for all of us if vintage suppliers keep the cost of replacment parts down. very few of us are into this for the money. It is our chosen addiction.

Thom Green,I own and ride a 76 250 MC5 MX which I bought new.

[hrbay]

Thanks James, Rob, et al, this topic has been on a lot of peoples minds I think. Good to see so many respond. I think I'll pick up another box of parts at VMD... yeah. GC

GC

[scooterdude]

This subject hits home so here's my opinion for what it's worth. How 'bout a guy that was on the way up with the company he worked for for nine years, had one of his young female employees come to him and tell him that the new General Manager just pinned her against the wall and groped her, new he had to do the right thing ( pays attention in church ) and report the violation even though he knew that it would put a noose around his neck, got forced out, had tinkered with vintage bikes in his one by one garage for years and opened a vintage shop. Thats my story. Did it for the money? Nope did it for the love. I agree with all you guys opinions and especially whomever said these bikes need to be saved. It hurts my gut to see an abandoned bike. They all have stories and deserve some respect. Corny? yep. Broke? yep. Got to get back to work before I lose everything I own. Looking back it was the best year of my life. Thanks guys for all of your valued information and guidence. I proved to a lot of nay-sayers here in S.C. that vintage does matter.
Jeff