25 Years Ago August, 1980
25 YEARS AGO AUGUST, 1980
Man, that's a lot of dirtbikes,” was my first thought while looking at this issue’s cover. The second was, “Did they actually make it across that creek? It looks deep!” The editors tested no fewer than seven 250cc two-stroke enduros, including entries from now-defunct Can-Am and Maico, but curiously not Honda, which was only interested in participating in a four-stroke shootout. “Having a choice of models when shopping for a new motorcycle is really nice,” the story began. As for how it ended, the editors chose the then-new Kawasaki KDX250, calling it, “The easiest bike to ride with almost effortless control.”
• It must have been a slow month for streetbikes, because the two on test were entry-level customs, the Kawasaki KZzzz 440 LTD and Yamaha “Exciter” SR250. Wake me when it’s over, okay?
• As for racing, Allan Girdler treated readers to a colorful account of the second annual Ontario Raceway meeting of the Vintage Racers of Old Motorcycles, or VROOM, which must rank as one of the great alltime acronyms. And on the following pages, John Ulrich recounted the star-studded Ontario Six-Hour. Looking beyond the luminaries atop the results proved enlightening, however, as I recognized a few familiar names: Third-place Dennis Smith now runs Dunlop Sport Tire Services; seventh-place Wendell Phillips owns Lockhart-Phillips; and 10th-place Lee Fleming manages Champion Motorsports in nearby Costa Mesa. Just goes to show that racers don’t fall far from the tree.
-Brian Catterson
