40 Day Countdown To AMA Motocross Opener: 1985
Monday, April 25, 2011 | 4:45 PM
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Welcome to the forty-day countdown to the 40th year of American motocross. The 2011 Lucas Oil AMA Pro Motocross Championship begins on Saturday, May 21, at Hangtown in Rancho Cordova, California. Racer X Online is counting down the days and years to the opener by reviewing each of the previous seasons of AMA Motocross.
1985 was the last year of the works bike as well as the last with three separate national classes.
(Click here to view previous years)
The year is 1985, people are into the new real Coke formula (not really), Tina Turner is making a comeback like no other with her ‘Private Dancer” CD, people are trying to figure out this pop singer Madonna (flash in the pan?), the Edmonton Oilers win their second straight Stanley Cup, Showtime takes over as the LA Lakers beat Boston for the NBA title and what exactly is that thing called the ozone layer?
Kawasaki's Jeff Ward was the man in '85 as he swept the 250 nationals and supercross standings.
The 1985 season would be the last in America for the works bikes. Sweeping changes announced by the AMA which would ban the exotic machines in favor of a production based bikes for 1986. The idea was to help privateers compete with the factory squads, and perhaps also to stifle Team Honda’s dominance on works bikes. As well, the 500 and 250 class was going to be combined into one series (splitting the season) in an effort to get more depth in each of them. So 1985 was the last year that the Nationals would feature works bikes and three pro classes.
The schedule is getting close to the one we see today. Five of the tracks on the ’85 schedule still reside on the 2011 tour, and Southwick was getting ready to come back on. The series did see a one and done with the Las Vegas national, however.
Long time Suzuki star Mark Barnett had switched over to Kawasaki and went back down to the 125 class in an effort to recapture the magic. The experiment didn’t work as Barney suffered injuries and ineffectiveness and retired at the end of the year. It wasn’t all bad, though, as he did win the Atlanta Supercross in his swan song. 125 national champion Jeff Ward took his ’84 125 number one plate and moved up to the 250 class for the nationals as did his rival, Johnny O’Mara, while last year’s 250 class runner-up, Ron Lechien, moved down to the 125s on the ultra-trick HRC125.
Motocross Magazine was a short lived publication in the mid-80's. That's Johnny O'Mara leading Scott Burnworth.
The star power in the class was definitely in the 250s, as combined, there were over ten national championships on the line each and every time out. Jeff Ward, Johnny O’Mara, Rick Johnson and Bob Hannah went at it for the title although Hannah would once again get hurt and miss some races. Ward was fresh off the supercross title and was coming into his own on the Kawasaki KX250. O’Mara had the latest, greatest Honda works bike and Johnson was the defending champion in the class. It wasn’t going to be easy for anyone to win the title.
In the end, it was Ward continuing his roll from the supercross season, as he captured five wins to get the class championship. Johnson and O’Mara would win two each with Hannah showing that he still had it in winning Millville. Just like Bailey and Hansen in years past, Ward’s two titles in one season meant that he was now considered the top rider in the world. The big difference was that Ward did it on a green machine, a brand that had struggled just a few years earlier. Kawasaki never gave up on Wardy, and Wardy stuck with them. These were great times for the Flying Freckle.
Despite being at a massive equipment disadvantage, Yamaha’s Broc Glover reclaimed his 500cc title over David Bailey, who fought with the bike and some small injuries the entire year. Glover poured it on in the second half of the season and took his air-cooled now-long-in-the-tooth YZ490 to what was his sixth (and last) national championship. Although Glover would race for another three years, his injuries would mount and he wouldn’t be a factor in another title chase, although he would win his final race of his career in America, the 1988 LA Coliseum supercross.
Bailey would suffer the indignity of losing the runner-up spot in the points to privateer Eric Eaton from Washington when he moved down to the 250’s to help out teammate O’Mara at the last round. The only way that Bailey would lose second was if Eaton happened to win the overall and that is exactly what the privateer did on his home track.
Billy Liles modeling for the clothing company EP Racing.
As for O’Mara, he missed the 250 National Title but did win the 250 USGP at Unadilla. Bob Hannah was flying that day and won the first moto, but the Hurricane crashed and suffered bike problems in moto two. Hannah had always been fast and popular at Unadilla, but time was running out on his career, and no matter how hard he tried, luck just never seemed to be on his side at that legendary track.
In the 500cc USGP at Carlsbad, Bailey wins via 1-1 scores after Glover crashes while leading the second moto.
In the 125s it was all Lechien all the time, as the gangly six-foot plus kid toyed with the rest of the field to win his first (and only) national championship. A DNF in the opener and a flat tire at Mt Morris were the only reasons “The Machine” lost a race the entire season. Lechien joined Bailey in the 250 class at the final round which produced AJ Whiting’s only career national win in the 125 class at Washougal.
Years later, Lechien smiles when thinking about that year. “I had a good year in 85, just a killer bike and I was at the prime of my career. I had a lot of confidence and pretty much felt indestructible and just worked those guys. I got a flat tire in Mt Morris and at Gainesville, my rear headstay flexed and cracked the cylinder head. I got second or third with the flat and really the only motos I lost were due to mechanicals.”
Coming on strong in the 125 class were Suzuki teammates Erik Kehoe and George Holland, who each took advantage of Lechien’s problems to win a race.
Ron Lechien was the man in the 1985 125 nationals as he almost won every race on his really trick HRC125 Honda.
The team of Bailey, Ward and Lechien went to the Motocross des Nations in Germany and with an all-new format that saw every bike out on the track at once. The team won the event for the fifth year in a row.
Unfortunately at the end of the year, Honda’s Lechien would get arrested for possession of drugs in the Tokyo airport when he was going over there for a supercross. Honda immediately fired Ronnie and he was allowed to return to the United States. Lechien would get hired by Kawasaki for the ’86 season
1985 NATIONAL MOTOCROSS CHAMPIONSHIP
1985 250cc National Motocross
March 3 Gainesville, FL Jeff Ward, Mission Viejo, CA Kawasaki
March 31 Sacramento, CA Jeff Ward, Mission Viejo, CA Kawasaki
May 19 Las Vegas, NV Rick Johnson, El Cajon, CA Honda
May 26 Mt. Morris, PA Jeff Ward, Mission Viejo, CA Kawasaki
June 2 Atlanta, GA Jeff Ward, Mission Viejo, CA Kawasaki
June 16 Denver, CO Jeff Ward, Mission Viejo, CA Kawasaki
July 7 Buchanan, MI Rick Johnson, El Cajon, CA Honda
July 28 Binghamton, NY Johnny O’Mara, Gardnerville, NV Honda
August 11 Millville, MN Bob Hannah, Carson City, NV Honda
August 25 Washougal, WA Johnny O’Mara, Gardnerville, NV Honda
1985 250cc National Point Standings
1.) Jeff Ward, Mission Viejo, CA Kawasaki 446
2.) Johnny O’Mara, Gardnerville, NV Honda 428
3.) Rick Johnson, El Cajon, CA Yamaha 381
4.) Bob Hannah, Carson City, NV Honda 359
5.) Brian Myerscough, Calimesa, CA Kawasaki 253
6.) Jim Holley, Northridge, CA Yamaha 251
7.) Jeff Hicks, Atwater, OH Honda 247
8.) Danny Storbeck, San Antonio, TX Yamaha 227
9.) Steven Burdette, Chelmsford, MA Yamaha 166
10.) Scott Burnworth, El Cajon, CA Suzuki 147
1985 was the last year of the works bike as well as the last with three separate national classes.
1985 500cc National Motocross
March 3 Gainesville, FL Broc Glover, El Cajon, CA Yamaha
March 31 Sacramento, CA Broc Glover, El Cajon, CA Yamaha
May 19 Las Vegas, NV David Bailey, Axton, VA Honda
May 26 Mt. Morris, PA David Bailey, Axton, VA Honda
June 2 Atlanta, GA David Bailey, Axton, VA Honda
June 16 Denver, CO Broc Glover, El Cajon, CA Yamaha
July 7 Buchanan, MI Broc Glover, El Cajon, CA Yamaha
July 28 Binghamton, NY Broc Glover, El Cajon, CA Yamaha
August 11 Millville, MN David Bailey, Axton, VA Honda
August 25 Washougal, WA Eric Eaton, Tacoma, WA Yamaha
1985 500cc National Point Standings
1.) Broc Glover, El Cajon, CA Yamaha 379
2.) Eric Eaton, Tacoma, WA Yamaha 316
3.) David Bailey, Axton, VA Honda 314
4.) Jo Jo Keller, Plymouth, MA Honda 244
5.) Billy Liles, Fairburn, GA Kawasaki 228
6.) Michael Fisher, Santee, CA Honda 223
7.) Mark Murphy, Ft. Myers, FL Yamaha 222
8.) Scott Manning, San Bernardino, CA Yamaha 217
9.) Alan King, Troy, MI Kawasaki 204
10.) Kevin Foley, Longwood, FL Yamaha 198
Ricky Johnson wearing the number 1 in 1985.
1985 125cc National Motocross
March 3 Gainesville, FL George Holland, Kerman, CA Suzuki
March 31 Sacramento, CA Ron Lechien, El Cajon, CA Honda
May 19 Las Vegas, NV Ron Lechien, El Cajon, CA Honda
May 26 Mt. Morris, PA Erik Kehoe, Granada Hills, CA Suzuki
June 2 Atlanta, GA Ron Lechien, El Cajon, CA Honda
June 16 Denver, CO Ron Lechien, El Cajon, CA Honda
July 7 Buchanan, MI Ron Lechien, El Cajon, CA Honda
July 28 Binghamton, NY Ron Lechien, El Cajon, CA Honda
August 11 Millville, MN Ron Lechien, El Cajon, CA Honda
August 25 Washougal, WA A. J. Whiting, Sherman Oaks, CA Suzuki
1985 125cc National Point Standings
1.) Ron Lechien, El Cajon, CA Honda 417
2.) Erik Kehoe, Granada Hills, CA Suzuki 378
3.) George Holland, Kerman, CA Suzuki 362
4.) A. J. Whiting, Sherman Oaks, CA Suzuki 288
5.) Rick Ryan, San Jose, CA Kawasaki 271
6.) Eddie Warren, Clio, MI Kawasaki 257
7.) Keith Bowen, Pontiac, MI Yamaha 250
8.) Guy Cooper, Stillwater, OK Honda 235
9.) Larry Brooks, S. Pasadena, CA Honda 207
10.) Mark Barnett, Bridgeview, IL Kawasaki 183
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I'm not sure if the gear was tight enough in '85 - WTF!!??
The gear was that tight - but we were alot slimmer!
How cool was Lechien's bike? I had to get one of those Oakley half masks like Ward too. They weren't out in New Zealand so had to get one from the US. Like everything.
I remember how tight my JT gear was back then....ouch. Funny how styles change over the years.
Loved the Bailey's and Lechien's JT Helmets and Scott goggles. those two guys were so fluid on their bikes it was ridiculous. Good memories!
Hannah's win at Millville would be the last Outdoor National win of his career. I have this race on VHS that I bought from Gary Bailey 26 years ago. I always wished he had Millville '83 for sale also, because Hannah destroyed everyone that day., even worse than he did in '85.
Wardy was my fav rider for many years and in 85 he just killed it!!! I think thats the year at the MXD that Rodger D told Wardy to slow down because he was going faster then everyone by so much it was sick!!
Jo Jo Keller and Steven Burdette two NESC guys did well, NESC guys started doing well in 83 I think. Lots of fast guys came out of new england!!
The knee's of my jt's wore out the first 1/2 hr of riding............keith bowen, eddie warren jr...alan king...denny bentley, bigelow bros, hinkle,swink, stanton ,lisa akin, hilgendorf, horrocks michigan had a few as well
I screwed up. Mistakenly posted in the '84 thread of the Ward / Glover SX debacle when it was actually this year (85).......oh well.
I think this was the year Honda began to question O'mara's will to win. He had the best bike (by far) and should of avenged Honda against Ward for the '84 125 title. Apparently, Wardy had his number..........Honda should've left Lechien in the 250's and let O'mara stay put in 125's and regain his title & confidence........or not, what do I know.
Also, I'm pretty sure the 500 title went to Broc based on Bailey knocking himself senseless at the Gainseville opener and ended the moto finishing dead last thus, mathematically eliminating himself from the two-rider race that was the 500 class that year (Bailey / Glover).
love the magazine cover: " Radical table top aerials" ...man the good old days. I remember hiking over the hills in Simi Valley as a kid watching RJ, Bailey and O'Mara playing around at Honda Land....just before 86 so probably RJ's first days on a Honda...
I had to come back and mention surwall, spreeman,
Yeah 85 was a good year I made it to the Denver National and a couple of Supercrosses to watch.In texas we had Storbeck and also Dennis Hawthorne making some good rides at the Nationals.
I got a new YZ 490 tricked it out I was glad Yamaha's were white!! With the Ohlins suspension and a few other mods my YZ was pretty good! Had to mis a lot of races that year because of work. wanted a 85 YZ 250 to have a Rick Johnson replica and put the 490 rod in with the yz 60 ignition and a few other mods I knew about. more on that tomm. Oh I did like my 490 it was a Honda beater! I had a very advanced machine shop at my disposal at work so I made some parts and cheated. As Rick Johnson had on his rear fender ' If you anint cheating your not winning" but that was on one of his honda's.
I was sponsored by EP, but I'm glad I didn't have to wear that '85 gear.
not only was the gear tight it looks like billy had a cup on or he was stuffing...........
@jojo. can you upload that VHS of hannah at Millville to one of the BitTorrent sites? C'mon share the wealth!
Have to add a bit here as 85' is the year that I have some first hand knowledge. I became a privateer in 85' mainly because that was the first year of the 125 east/west class and the factory boys weren't allowed in. Some of the guys I knew in the class were Mad Mike Jones ( he was once skinny,fast and a team green rider) Fred Andrews( of GNCC fame) Ronnie Tichenor,Larry Brooks,Eddie Warren..and the list goes on. One of the best memories other than the racing will be standing next to those Honda works bikes every weekend. Not one part was the same as my production Honda. Thanks for reminding me of one of the best years ever. Forgot to mention the mullet era began also..pretty sure O Show had a sweet one.
The 4 stroke 'mx' bikes on the cover of the mag...why do they bother? It's not like anyone will ever be able to build a competive production 4 stroke...
Anybody remember the 1985 CR500R? The 1st production water cooled 500cc Honda. That was without a doubt the strongest motor in a 500cc two stroke I ever raced, as after that they got more and more mellow.
The gear was way cool during this period, and we all had hair like Billy Liles did in that ad. Well at least I did. I wish I still had all of it now, 22 years later....LOL
anyone remember what a 125/250/500 retailed for back in '85?
RJ sure had some great style back in his Yamaha days. Seems like he bulked up and lost a lot of that finesse about the time he got on Hondas. And I always thought it was funny that Kawi hired Lechien fresh off a serious drug arrest, but fired Emig for a lesser offense. Moral of the story: Drugs are bad, unless u are winning! haha
Bike were somewhere around $1850 to $2500
Thumbs up if you clicked just because of the sweet RJ pic!
RJ?? I thought that was Zach Bradshaw!
Welker, the RJ quote on the fender was from the "Rodil cup" SX series and it was on his very trick Innovation sports YZ with dropped aluminum tank and lots of other goodies.
I definitely have to disagree with you on the YZ 490 issue. My '86/7 CR500's positively killed 490s with extreme prejudice. All the machining in the world couldn't get those beasts jetted for squat. My buddy was a die-hard Yamaha guy / Honda hater and he was constantly frustrated at the lack of work I put into my bike and the constant fidiling he had to do to his........swapping jets / needles / etc. for the morning AND the afternoon motos plus swapping chains & sprockets to deal with that four-speed......I even loaned him some of my tools that I rarely had to use at the track (Honda quality I suppose, j/k).
forgat what i was bout to saay,,,, i know i'''m a stupid head................
Membered what i was bout to say.....redy??? ok here it is: I heart Dirt bikes!
Carlsbad... Nice!!! 86&87; CR500.... Those were the glory days of Honda!!!
That is a sweet pic of RJ! Always loved that white gear, I have a nice set of white Fox gear that I save for nice race days, so I can go out and look like an old slow RJ.
1985 kx 125, $1700 out the door. Pretty sure, I think the 84 was $1600.
I certainly remember the 85 Cr 500 2 of my buddies got one, both had broken femers by august i think. (I was a 250 cat).......The thing I remember about the YZ 490.....GD thing sounded like it was gonna rattle apart that ol gal was LOOONG over due for a make over.
78 RM 250 out the door, $1,499.00 -77-78 RM 125 $999.00 out the door. (90 day loan,) bag grocerys after school, and race sat night, and maybe sunday if i was still able.
gravatar check...
1 more srry
No mention that '85 was the year that the supercrosses used a two moto format.
I remember at Atlanta they raced two 10 lap mains.
If I am recalling correctly Barnett won his last supercross race without winning either of the motos. a 2/2 I think.
Another great write up! Love the rare photos. Especilally the one from Broome w/Dogger and Holland chasing Kehoe. Lechein"s Honda sounded so much different than any of the125 works bike in that era.
Please, lets not forget that Magoo suffered his career ending crash late in 1985.
I remember 1985! That was the year I attended my first supercross and motocross. Those pics bring back a lot of memories!!!
Didierlotsyeng, for sure. They just seemed to be built better back then. I fabbed a copper gasket that my dad called "the washer" so I could pull the head to check things out but was always just putting it back on. This drove my YZ 490 buddy nuts! I'd tap the side of the carb with a screwdriver "yep, it's good to go!" My buddy would be checking voltage / ohms / resistance, reeds, leakdown tests (he always thought there was an airleak, it was just jetted for crap), etc, etc while I would be torqing fasteners that never needed it or something very important like buffing the plastic. Good times for sure!
BillC - Sounds like we roosted some of the same dirt in the '80's. Do you remember the epic battles that JoJo Keller and Jimmy Meenan had in those days? Honda vs. Suzuki, Bettencourt's vs. Cycle Design??
Hey Carlsbad I know the stock YZ490 was not as good as the Honda I wont dissagree at all with you on that. Mine I did things people did not think of and I had Access to titanium special teflon and rubber washers to stop the vibration problens machined my own carb needes and slide and some head modsI did put a Pro Circuit pipe on it ported it ever so lightly and made it into a 4 speed because at fisrt the Honda could pull me for a bit on my shift to 3rd hense I fixed that when I cnaged the trasmision. It was no way close to stock.
I also respect and enjoy your posts Carlsbad wish Trick would come back with his posts.
Dynamo, I remember the '85 CR500. I've got one right now, and haven't ridden it since '86! Slightly modified. It rips.
I also have a '97 CR500 with less than 20 miles on it, all on pavement!
Those bikes are like money in the bank.
i still have the 1983 KX 125 that i bought new for $1600 in 1984 and it still rips!!
@ BillC & MXLord> don't forget Joe Waddington coming in and killing it in the late 80s. Barton and Badger started hitting their stride about then as well. I think Randy McCann caused a first turn pileup in every Southwick national he entered. Dowdy had just won the Amatuer class and had moved up to Expert. I remember my first Expert class race and Meenan passed me so smooth and effortless. He was a class act all the way.
Welker, thanks for the compliment, obviously you're a man of superior character. We rarely get to see that here, maybe it'll rub off on some.
Yeah, what happened to Trick? There were several guys that had worthwhile input / comments that don't seem to be around anymore. Hopefully they weren't run off by snotty posters / comments.
I called my old buddy after having thought of him when I posted on here about his 490 and he reminded me about the time he heat seized the beast doing jetting runs / plug chops while wearing shorts / shoes and grabbed the bike with his legs to keep from getting spit off and permanantly branded his leg squeezing the pipe.....Brutal, but funny, in a way only old friends would understand.
You and him probably would have gotten along famously with the YZ 490 improvment programs always in effect.
In 1985 i had a cr 250 that was absolutely no joke, and still to this day some of the bikes out there are not much stronger. I will admit that i tried many times to break the throttle & learned that technology has its advantages. It also helps if you can actually ride also.
joemotocross589, you sound like you were at the delta nite races in Ohio around the early eighties. I was the guy racing the stripped down KLX250 in the 250 class. Back then you couldn't race it in the 125 class. My buddie said I would pass a guy in a turn, and then he would fly past me on the next straightaway like I was standing still, then I would pass him again the next turn! The bike handled great but but the motor was a dog. I wonder how it would have been racing it with the 125's? Delta, that place rocked!
welker/carlsbad I'm still here just undercover. racerX doing a great job with this stuff dontcha think? If the "punk-tards" come back i'll have to bail out again, cuz I cant put up with them anymore. luckily they wont be on these oldscool articles, since they dont know anything about moto anyways. Only the cool people come on here. just our little secret ok.
@ WFO_UFO
I raced at Delta Ohio back in 1982 and 1983, and yeah,that was my first exposure to night racing there at the Silverdome Qualifier. I won the 250B class in 1982 at Delta.
@ jairtime
I had a 85, 87 (my fav) a 1990 and a 1996 CR500, Used to drive people nuts when I would win Hare Scrambles Overall on them in both Ontario and Ohio. They sure worked great once dialed in.The 87 was my favourite as it was just a touch smoother for off roading, and the suspension was much improved.
I sole my 96 to help fund a new snowmobile........LOL
Now I just go photograph Sprint Car races for kicks, with zero desire to ever ride a bike again. Go figure, I used to drive all over the norteastern USA to race Hare Scrambles and now I won't even go to Toronto to watch a SX.
How 'bout that Eric Eaton win at Washougal! I know the 500's were depleted at that race but he did beat Mike Fisher (no relation) and he was no slouch. I just remember how AWFUL the track was that day, so dusty- I've raced there in the dust, being tapped-out in 4th on the downhill after the ski-jump- I could barely see my fender, YIKES!
Times 2 or 3 or whatever on the 85 CR500 being the fastest stock motocross race bike ever, Stock gearing 3rd gear starts no problem, that thing was brutal. The YZ490 was a non-turning, pinging turd. The kaw's streched their frames so bad even the local pros went through 3 frames in a season. Awww the good old days : )
@MXLord327 Yes I rememer them well, I rode for Cycle design as well. Still friends with the owner Doug. Lots of good battels, JoJo Keller and Jimmy Meenan, Joe Waddington, Badger, Leo Foto, Pat Barton, Dave Rudnicky, Henry, JD, and a few more. great times. The 80's and early 90's the NESE was stacked!!!
In '84 the CR250 was great, in '85 it was too much of a mid-range torquer, '87 was great again.
'87 CR500 had to be good, I think they were all good. My '91 was sweet.
Yep WFO, 77-78-79-80......then joined the usmc(1980) to race at saddleback......the recruiter said "sure you can race".... I figured boot camp be a slide, then race in cali, for the next 3 yrs......the corps had different plans for me though. But I did get my dream of racing at saddleback park in 1983, on a strange yz250, (never rode anything but Rm's) saddleback is ALOT different racing than redbud..... anyways broke t-7 t-8 off bonzia.....sat in the tool room for the remainder of my time.....got honerable disc. tried again in 1986 at mustang , and baja,...it was over.... I raced delta every chance i could back then, parents were harley people, and got mad and wouldnt help at all after i turned down a harley 250 ride in 78....i rode it around the parking lot, shut it off, and said "id rather ride my ragged out RM.....that was it for any help. I crashed alot at delta to be honest....frigging alan king used to make me sic on his maico's.....and mark hinkle on that damned montesa lol great times down there.
Joemotocross, Mustang Acres was my home track and my first race (1975 YZ125C), the brunk bros used to haul butt at that place. Baja Acres was awesome too, but the comp was a lot stiffer. I went over the bars on a downhill jump while running mid pack on a '78 RM400, my only open class ride, but i loved that bike. District 14 ruled!
WFO,if you are talking the downhill at mustang (that goes in front of the gate) the rocks at the top gave me religion a few times,...if you are talking the down hill double at baja.....(sand) i have some skin from my nose still on a RM250 front fender someplace heheh My favorite track ever is red bud though, (the national track) god i loved that place. ty gene ritchie.