AKIRA WATANABE: 1978 WORLD MX CHAMPION

In the history of the World Motocross Championship, riders representing upwards of 15 individual nations have claimed world titles. However, interestingly, amazingly and almost unbelievably, only one Japanese rider has won only one World Championship. His name is Akira Watanabe and in 1978 he won the 125cc World Motocross Championship. During the 39 years which have followed, no rider representing the nation of 127 million inhabitants has been able to win a World Championship.

Akira Watanabe was born in 1954 in Utsunomiya, Japan and first became intrigued by motocross by seeing 50cc race bike inside the store front window of a motorcycle dealership. He took to the bike quickly, and within two years was racing. Excelling in local and regional races around the nation, by the age of 17, Akira had caught the eye of the Suzuki Motor Corporation and was hired to test, research and develop the brand’s motocross bikes. In 1974, at age 19 and already a professional, he won the Japanese Championship in both the 125cc and 250cc classes. One year later, he fulfilled his boyhood dream of being sent to Europe to contest the 125cc World Championship Series. “Of course I remember Akira,” exclaims Roger DeCoster. “He was based in Belgium, actually, when he raced in Europe. That was during the Gaston Rahier days. He actually spent some time living with Gaston on the East Side of Belgium. He also rode with me. Akira raced the Trans-AMA Series, as well. He was a good rider – a very good rider. I mean you don’t win a World Championship without being a decent rider. Akira was very focused and he really wanted it bad. He came to Europe, which was not so easy for a Japanese rider.

MARTY MOATES AT THE CARLSBAD RACEWAY

In the month of June, during the summer of 1980, Carlsbad Raceway and Marty Moates would become synonymous with one another. On that sunny afternoon Moates, the consummate underdog as an empty-pocketed privateer, rode his LOP Yamaha to victory at the 500cc USGP, a race that until then was dominated by visiting European stars. It was the one race every American rider dreamed of winning, though no one had pulled it off up to that point. But in Cinderella fashion, Moates, born and raised in nearby San Diego, pulled off what remains arguably the single biggest upset in motocross history.

John Banks’ 1980 JBR600

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Former GP racer and engineer John Banks approached Colin Clews at CCM with a plan for a new British bike in 1979. Clews manufactured frame kits to John’s design that would accommodate his engine of choice: the 500cc, four-valve twin-port Honda motor from the XR. In January 1980, 20 machines left the Bolton factory. Banks’ choice of engine for the JBR project was reliable, easily modified, light and readily available... Via

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A Tribute to Cees Van Dongen

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Cees van Dongen (1932 – 23 December 2011) was a Grand Prix motorcycle road racer from the Netherlands. Van Dongen was born in Rotterdam. His best season was in 1969 when he won the 125cc Spanish Grand Prix and finished the season in third place behind Dave Simmonds and Dieter Braun.

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To be the Number 1

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No comment, just amazing shots from Motorcycles Heroes

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Michel Rougerie

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Michel Rougerie (April 21, 1950 in Montreuil-sous-Bois - May 31, 1981 in Rijeka) was a Grand Prix motorcycle road racer from France. His best year was in 1975 when he won the two races and finished in second place in the 250cc world championship behind his Harley Davidson team-mate Walter Villa. Rougerie actually scored more points than Villa that season, but because only the best six results of the season were counted, he lost the championship. He was killed in 1981 while competing at the Yugoslavian Grand Prix.

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Barry Sheene

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Barry Sheene, two time World champion in 1976 and 1977, began his sports career with the Bultaco TSS.

Barry Stephen Frank Sheene MBE (11 September 1950 – 10 March 2003) was a British World Champion Grand Prix motorcycle road racer. He became the British 125cc champion aged just 20, and finished second in the World Championships for that class a year later. Sheene won the newly formed Formula 750 European championship for Suzuki in 1973. A spectacular crash at the Daytona 200 in the 1975 season threatened to end his career, breaking his left thigh, right arm, collarbone and two ribs, yet he recovered and was racing again seven weeks afterwards.
In 1973, he won the Formula 750 World Championship. In the 1976 season, he won five 500cc Grands Prix, bringing him the World Championship. He repeated as champion in the 1977 season with six victories... Read more


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Yvon Duhamel

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Yvon Duhamel (born October 17, 1939 in Montreal, Quebec, Canada) is a French-Canadian professional motorcycle racer and father to current AMA Superbike roadracer Miguel Duhamel. He won the World Championship Snowmobile Derby in 1970. He was also a very active ice racer, using hockey shin pads to allow him to lean over farther, scraping his knee on the ice rather than merely sliding his foot as did speedway racers.

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A Tribute to Gary Nixon

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picture courtesy of phillybeef via : www.southbayriders.com

picture courtesy of Mahony Photos

Gary Nixon (January 25 1941 – August 5 2011) was an American motorcycle racer who, when on Triumph motorcycles, most notably won the A.M.A. Grand National Championship in 1967 and 1968. He was also a former winner of the Daytona 200 motorcycle race on a 500cc Triumph, claiming a victory in the 1967 event. Nixon was also known for his partnership with legendary tuner Erv Kanemoto when they won the 1973 U.S. National Road Racing Championship for Kawasaki. In 1976 he competed at the international level, laying claim to the Formula 750 world championship until international politics denied him that prize. He was inducted into the AMA Motorcycle Hall of Fame in 1998 and the Motorsports Hall of Fame of America in 2003. He last resided in Maryland and participated in vintage motorcycle racing as well as testing motorcycles for the locally produced syndicated public TV automotive review program MotorWeek.

Nixon suffered a heart attack on July 29 2011 and died on August 5 from complications.

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Vintage MX: 1974 Bultaco Pursang

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Jeff Buchanan via : www.ultimatemotorcycling.com
Pictures via : www.theowencollection.com

In 1973 Bultaco rider Jim Pomeroy shocked the racing world when he became the first American to win a Motocross Grand Prix. It was the Spanish GP, and to cap off the moto win, Pomeroy famously wheelied across the finish line and flashed the peace sign.

The crowd went nuts. Bultaco rewarded Pomeroy's continued loyalty to the Spanish brand (despite a flood of offers from other manufacturers) by naming their 1974 Pursang after him.

Bultacos had a beauty all their own. They had shapely, extremely thin fiberglass gas tanks-so thin that the head fins stuck out on either side.

Bultacos (or "Buls" as they were affectionately known) had superb handling. In corners, their ability to either pivot in soft or hard soil, or to rail berms with equal aplomb, made them extremely accommodating for a range of riding styles. Despite the limitations of suspension travel they managed to be relatively stable (for the period)... Read more

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Just dreaming before the week-end

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all pictures copyright : Doug Klassen

and dont forget to visit his great blog : www.40on2.blogspot.com

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Steve McQueen's Husqvarna to be Auctioned

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Courtesy of Bonhams



Following Bonhams' highly successful inaugural motorcycle sale in Las Vegas earlier this month - where approximately 200 motorcycles brought buyers and sellers together from around the world for a sales total exceeding $2.5 million, the world's leading auctioneers of motor vehicles is proud to announce its third annual auction at the Quail Motorcycle Gathering.
Hosted on May 14th at Quail Lodge in Carmel, California, Bonhams' sale of "Exceptional Motorcycles & Related Memorabilia" will include what is understood to be the very motorcycle featured on the front cover of the August 1971 issue of Sports Illustrated being ridden by none other than "The King of Cool," Steve McQueen... Read more




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John Parker

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Via : www.offroadmotorcycles.ca



The above photo is a perfect representation of the ‘Johnny Parker’ era I remember so fondly. I was just a little kid in the stands at Welland County Speedway, watching Parker hammer around with a ton of ’70s hair streaming out behind his Kawasaki or Harley XR750. My parents used to ‘sugar me up real good’ and force me to have a Saturday afternoon nap so I had a fighting chance of staying up long enough to watch the finals. Invariably the show would run late, and lots of times I’d fall asleep on the wooden bleachers listening to the ferocious sound of a pack of XR750s.

The next morning I’d tell my friends all about the races, and before long we’d be scraping our knees to the bone racing our bicycles around in circles. Naturally I’d be rocking the 111 of Johnny Parker, I mean, by putting his number on my Schwinn how could I lose? Besides, it was an easy number to replicate with electrical tape.

Parker, who holds five CMA #1 titles, 21 National Titles, 32 Provincial titles also has the record for the most National wins in a row and has won the coveted White trophy. Of course he has a small handful of rivals, but it’s safe to say he’s pretty much dominated Dirt Track in Canada.

Now, a whole bunch of years later, I got to know John a bit through his job as Shop Operations Manager of the motorcycle department at Budds BMW where he’s taking care of our long-term test BMW G450X. Honestly, I was a bit nervous about meeting him since he was a hero of mine as a kid, but before long we got talking about dirt track and all the people we both knew. A few days later we were hanging out n his garage, digging through old photos and talking motorcycles, just like a pair of kids who never really grew up.

Parker is still racing, winning and psyching-out the younger racers in the pits. And he’s just as fast as ever, finishing second to Don Taylor in 2009. He’s long been associated with Kawasaki Canada, and his home business, John Parker Racing, is a leader in dirt track engine and chassis technology. For motoheads, like you and I, the amount of craftmanship that goes into a Pro-level dirt track bike when compared to your average motocross bike is sick. Sick enough in fact to make even factory MX bikes look downright agricultural. They say a picture tells a thousand words. If that’s the case, then the following thousand or so photos can give any classic adventure novel a run for the money.

The following pics are from John Parker’s personal archives, unless otherwise noted.
















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Vintage Excelsior, Indian at Vegas Bonhams

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Bonhams is pleased to announce the addition of several important motorcycles from two renowned collections to their inaugural motorcycle sale in Las Vegas on Jan. 6.

First, from a famous Texas-based collection best known for its numerous and exquisite automobiles come several motorcycles - something the owner was increasingly focused on before his untimely death in 2009.


Some of those being offered include a 1935 Rudge 250 Sport, a 1952 Triumph Thunderbird 650, and a 1957 Moto Parilla175 MSDS.

Of significant note, however, are two tremendous examples of early American motorcycles, both formerly owned by Otis Chandler - a rare 1911 Curtiss Marvel Single 500 and the first year production 1901 Indian F-Head "Camel Back."


Then, from the collection of another Gulf State-based aficionado come 23 motorcycles of diverse makes and models. Included are two motorcycles from legendary maker Vincent - a 1939 HRD Meteor and a 1952 Black Knight Special with sidecar - and the incredibly rare, show-stealing 1916 Excelsior "Big Valve" Factory Board Track Racer in original paint condition.

Both collectors are known for their tasteful and diverse interests in motor vehicles and, most importantly, for their demand for quality. As such, the models offered from these collections can be regarded as some of the best examples in existence.

Additionally, all the proceeds from the latter gentleman's collection will be donated to a designated non-profit organization... Read more




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J.N. Roberts

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James Nelson "J. N." Roberts is a semi-retired off road motorcycle racer from Southern California. In the 1960s and 1970s he was a top desert racer on two wheels in the United States.


Roberts won the Barstow to Vegas race four times in a row. He also won the Mint 400 three times and the Baja 500 and the Baja 1000 twice each. He teamed with Malcolm Smith to win the motorcycle division in the 1967 Mexican 1000, later to be known as the Baja 1000.


Roberts also represented the United States at the 1971 and 1972 International Six Days Trial, a form of off-road motorcycle Olympics. After his racing career, he became a stuntman in the American Film industry. Roberts appeared in the 1971 film On Any Sunday in the 2005 film Dust to Glory, and in the 2008 film, Full Circle, The Legend Lives On, playing himself.


He was inducted into the AMA Motorcycle Hall of Fame in 1999. In 2009, Roberts was inducted into the Off-road Motorsports Hall of Fame.



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Don Castro

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Don Castro is an extraordinary dirt-tracker and roadracer who battled handlebar-to-handlebar with some of the greatest motorcycle racers of all time during the 1970s.


Many consider the early 1970s as one of the greatest periods for dirt-track racing in the history of the sport. Castro competed against famed racers and Hall of Famers Gary Scott, Kenny Roberts, Mert Lawwill, Chuck Palmgren, Gene Romero, Dave Aldana, and others. His win at the 1973 San Jose, Calif., half-mile is considered to be his greatest victory .


Born on Dec. 28, 1949, Castro grew up in Hollister, Calif. When he was almost 16, he got a Honda 90 so that he would have a means to get to-and-from work. But Castro didn't just use the small bike for transportation—he began racing around town on it, drawing the attention of the police, who reported his shenanigans to his father.

"He made a deal with me to buy me a 500 Triumph if I would stop running around town on the Honda," Castro says.


So at the age of 16, Castro began racing in Sportsman TT races as well as competing in hillclimb. At the age of 18, he transferred to the Expert Sportsman class. He turned pro novice in 1968, and then junior in 1969.

"I did well until I broke my leg at the Triumph factory," Castro recalls. "I signed with Triumph to get free parts and a motorcycle, and then [Hall of Famers] Gary Nixon and Dick Mann invited me to play soccer. We both kicked the ball at the same time and Dick broke my ankle. I couldn't race four nationals, and then I won six in a row. That was 1969. I was in the running for the title of Junior of the Year but Dave Aldana beat me out on points."


In 1970, Castro became a pro expert and got a Triumph factory ride. His first roadrace was at the famed Daytona track in Florida, where he finished third on a three-cylinder Triumph.

"I didn't want to get beat. I just loved to go fast," Castro says. "I'm kind of dyslexic and don't know if that helped, but when you go 120, 130, 140 mph, everything slows down.

In 1971, Castro raced short track, TT, half-mile, mile and road races. He finished ninth that year aboard a Triumph.

In 1972, Castro was a privateer aboard Triumphs and had his van and equipment stolen.


"I tried to regroup but I didn't regroup very well," Castro remembers. "I asked K & N if they had an extra bike I could ride, and they did. So I flew to Tulsa [Okla.] and got the Yamaha running. I rode for them for the rest of the year."

1973 proved to be a good year for Castro. He got a factory contract with Yamaha, teaming with Roberts. At the San Jose, Calif., half-mile during the time trials, five riders broke the old lap record. Roberts beat the record by a full half-second by turning a lap of 4:26:08. Hall of Famer Mark Brelsford turned a 4:26:43. Also coming in under the old record were Hall of Famers Cal Rayborn, Mert Lawwill and Gene Romero. Castro was the sixth fastest qualifier.

All but one of the 12 competitors in the 20-mile National final would be be future Hall of Famers: Kenny Roberts, Castro and Chuck Palmgren on Yamahas, Rex Beauchamp, Lawwill, Jim Rice and Brelsford on Harley-Davidsons, and Gary Scott, Mike Kidd, Eddie Mulder and Romero on Triumphs. Randy Scott was also on a Triumph... Read more




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"Pops" Yoshimura

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Hideo "Pops" Yoshimura (October 7, 1922 - March 29, 1995) was a motorcycle tuner, race team owner and manufacturer of speciality motorcycle accessories. He is remembered for his ties to the beginnings of AMA Superbike racing and the Suzuki factory racing team. He was born in Fukuoka City, Japan.


Yoshimura was called into military service during the Second World War where he was trained as an aircraft mechanic. After the war, he began tuning motorcycles for American servicemen stationed in Japan and in 1954, he opened his first shop, with his wife and children helping him. In 1971, he moved his business to Los Angeles at the beginning of the four-cylinder superbike era. He gained a reputation as an excellent motorcycle tuner.


In 1976 the AMA introduced a racing class for production based bikes and Yoshimura established himself by entering fast, reliable Kawasaki Z1 bikes. In 1978 he switched to Suzuki bikes and began winning races. Steve McLaughlin won the 1978 Daytona Superbike race while Wes Cooley and Mike Baldwin won the prestigious 1978 Suzuka 8 Hours in Japan. With Wes Cooley as his rider, Yoshimura claimed the AMA Superbike national championship in 1979 and 1980. Yoshimura formed a close relationship with Suzuki and eventually his team became the official Suzuki factory racing team in the United States. His company experienced success as one of the world's largest performance aftermarket sportbike exhaust manufacturers.


Yoshimura died of cancer in 1995. He left a legacy as a master craftsman, tuner and fabricator and was one of the pioneering personalities of superbike racing. In 2000, he was inducted into the AMA Motorcycle Hall of Fame. His son continues to operate the company which still enjoys success in the AMA superbike class with rider Mat Mladin winning six championships in seven years, and Ben Spies winning the 2006-2008 championships.





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