by Andy Bowyer
One Industries Thursday Rev Up
Thursday, September 22, 2011 | 2:20 PM
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Hello, everyone, and welcome to the Rev Up. A lot of people have said this, but it’s steadfast in that one of the coolest things about our little hobby is the brotherhood. I’ve been everywhere and nearly everywhere I've been has produced an encounter with a moto guy. It’s pretty cool how this notion keeps popping up with real consistency.
Last weekend I sat down with Mickey Boone (of 1974 Factory Honda fame), also famously known as the man that claimed Bob “Hurricane” Hannah’s 1976 factory YZ125. Our fates had somehow landed us at my watering hole. I say “my” watering hole, because that is where I go and watch NASCAR and drink the most beer, then yell the loudest. Louder than everyone. Sad, but true. Anyways, we shook hands and began watching the live coverage of the final round of the 2011 Lucas Oil AMA Pro Motocross Championship.
Through much of our conversation volley, there was a lot of debate, which was all really awesome for me. Mickey is a good dude, still looks good, and is in great shape—the type of guy you would like to see yourself resemble when you are 50 plus.
I think it’s one of the coolest things ever when this scenario come to fruition. I know it happens to a lot of you reading as far as you have. In the always-revolving attention span I’ve been blessed with, I came up with a hat trick of examples of our sport’s evolution.
FITNESS
Back in the day those guys ran a pair of 40-plus-minute motos, instead of the now standard thirty plus two. Which is gnarlier? I say that the pace of today’s motocross is the most taxing physical and mental test that there is on the spinning earth. Soccer is the most, by the books, but the danger element gives us the nod. Moving along, I think the upper echelon of motocross professionals are more physically fit than the old-school squad. It isn’t a matter of “grit,” because the old school had more grit than what we see today earning “chug points” on live television. They were the pioneers of awesomeness.
As humans do, we evolve. Grit doesn’t mean better.
Technology has allowed motocross racers to reach almost demi-god levels of fitness and prowess.
Personal trainers and advancement in technology have changed the way riders train.
Photo: Simon Cudby
Mr. Boone told me heavy stories about how they all knew Hannah would train. He said Bob would go out and ride his bike until it was out of gas, then push it back to the truck. Then he would take a water break and run the bike out of gas a second time.
That said, none of those guys weighed their food, had personal trainers, or the global evolution of what the body needs to kick a damn mudhole in competition.
We know a lot more now. We are fitter, faster, and stronger. Equally awe inspiring in all three categories. Nobody, including Bob Hannah, rode a dirt bike around a motocross track as many laps as Ricky Carmichael did. Nobody ever will.
MACHINESAlmost everything is relative. There was a time in our sport when riders could overcome the technology they were riding. That isn’t the case anymore. Hasn't been the case for quite some time. They can make a factory 450 so fast now that they de-tune the bikes for supercross. A lot. I contend this has raised the level of fitness and required skill of the riders.
The spike in technology has also aided the parody.
The “four-stroke generation” began in 1997, but it didn’t take over until 2005. It changed almost everything. The first ones were better, but the bikes you can buy today can almost accommodate what Chad Reed needs to beat James Stewart. Pretty damn close.
This was never the deal when two-stokes ruled the earth.
Transversely, the old timers had a lot of mechanical failures. But when you look at how Andrew Short, Ryan Dungey, and Justin Barcia failed to make it to the line in recent times, we still get stung. Has it gotten better?
Bikes have changed a lot over the years.
Photo: Simon Cudby
THE SHOW
I love old-school moto photos and what sticks out to me the most is the scene in the background. Faded banners and box vans set the backdrop. But it’s relative, and back then that was the nuts. What we saw then was straight pimp. Isn’t it funny? I remember the first time I walked up to Brian Swink's 1993 factory RM125 that was sitting at the back of Marshall Plumb's factory box van. It was "sano-fush" in every impossible detail. But it wasn't in the same solar system of what the kids get to see now.
Was it better, or cooler on the same scale? Yes, it is.
Take a look at the pit area of the outdoor nationals, and the supercross stadium parking lots. It is on par with any motorsport you see on live television. As for supercross? Wow. I never thought I would see the day that the “show” would be something people pay money to see merely for the fireworks and production. But they do, by the tens of thousands.
And it’s a good show.
In closing, I suppose my theme with this week’s column came from how cool my experience in meeting Mickey Boone was. It was just a random bench racing session that sparked what I wanted to write to you all about this time around. Well, some of it was kind of just thinking about how this season ended, and the year of most things we associate ourselves with. You know, SX, MX, X-Games, and MXoN. After that stuff has concluded, it’s time to start looking at what lies ahead.
Evolution.
Evolution lies ahead. The only two certainties of 2012 is that washed-up moto guys will meet at a bar to bench race, and that motocross is going to get bigger, faster and stronger.
Thanks for reading, see you next week.
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One of the most skilled and stylish riders in motocross, Kevin Windham is on the short list of all-time fan favorites. He tells his story here. Page 116.
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Well I still wish the factories would put a little money into 2 stroke development. With electronic control and fuel injection, you could certainly control the power better. The simplicity and power to weight ratio is so much better then these high stung 4 strokes. Cheaper too!
Sorry, I meant to say "high-strung"
Good read Andy! I agree with the no matter where you go, when you bump into a moto guy, it's like catching on old times with an new old freind. There is nothing better than old washed motocrossers bench racing with a cold one. It's amazing how much faster you get after a few beers! lol
Soccer/? Come on. They take acting lessons so they can act out if anyone touches them, and they get time to rest before play resumes. Soccer has become a pansy sport.When we see soccer on TV we always say "Acting is on again"
Not related to this......but why no word on Dungey in 2012 yet?!?!?!
Good read, Mr. Bowyer. Remember how fast we were on 80's? We would be mid-pack today, but that is the evolution of sport. I can't wait to see where it goes from here. RC
MotoOn, according to Matthes, after the MXDN, Dungey headed off to Austria and the press release will be coming soon.
We moto folks are still a quasi- secret handshake society who are used to peeling back the layers to show our true passion only when we happen to discover a kindred spirit, especially in the white collar ranks that I inhabit.
Parody or parity? Not sure where that one was to go???
Here comes the silly season!
To Bowyer : ( Hope Clint gets the JGR ride, & wish RCR hadn't pimped him so hard & left him hanging... but, it's the way of the world) : Regarding paragraph 5 here (fitness) Yes, the 70's & 80's guys had more grit... w/o any doubt, AND they were fitter... they rode inferior equipment, longer... in classes just as deep then as now... Look at the 125 class in 81'/82' & 83'... How many overall titles( over the years) came from the guys in that class in just a 3 year span ? Over a dozen...
Re: Trainers... Johnson/Bailey/O'Mara/Ward/Stanton all had them, they just didnt parade them around like shameless Aldon Baker's as is the case now... the trainers now want more exposure than the riders for crissake... Make no mistake, they had trainers that beat the living shit out of them daily w/o any fear of overtraining, which is what allowed O'Mara/Bailey/Ward/Stanton & Johnson to be able to dive into other very difficult sports the second their career's ended, w/o missing a beat... O'Show was a Norba Mountain Bike Nat'l Champ before his Kawi ride even officially ended.. Stanton's fitness was AS good or better, AFTER he retired... as a direct result of the specific training he did WHILE he was racing... Same w/ Wardy and Bailey.... Bailey did 2 Ironmans based on the suffering & training he adapted to ( from super fit guys close to him) WHILE he was racing....
Their training was just as specific, if not moreso than what goes on now.... Aldon is NOT revolutioning ways to clear lactate... These guys knew their training zones & what their AT's were 1 HELL of alot more than Reed or Stewart did 2 years ago...
Stewart & Reed despite their titles, are NOT more sophisticated in their "off the bike" training schedules than Wardy, Johnson & O'Mara in 86' i absolutely assure you. These 3 trained w/ Olympians every week... In say 08' Reed/Stewart & Villopoto did not ! Another example, Tickle won a West title a little more than 90 days ago, & he can't ride around the block on a bicycle w/ 50 y/o O' Show... My point, it aint as deep ! If it was, he would NOT be allowed to get away w/ that total lack of "top end" aerobic fitness.... Overall though, your's was a great piece, & i'm w/ you on all of your points... STILL wish Clint had gotten 12th or won a couple of those things outright to get in.....
Name the bar and I will see you there!
@mrb186........keep preaching the 2-stroke tune.......I hear ya brother!!!!!!!.........maybe the maunufaccturers will catch on. I read a while back that in the the late 90s, early 2000s that FMF Honda was getting a rumored 41 hp out of their 125s. With the lighter bikes these day would they not compete with 250fs. Maybe I am just biased, but when I have an extra 2000$, I will no doubt have a two choke 125 to go along with the KX450! Braaaaaaaaap!
SepkovicEmbezzled I agree mostly with ya but I think the riders want there trainers there at the race not the trainer saying look at me.. Also I do feel there is a more targeted approach to what SX/MX needs more than ever and there has been more learned over the years.
I can't believe we have to wait til January for the next meaningful race. I guess I'll have to be happy with hockey and football for a while. I HATE the end of summer!
I NEED A SILLY SEASON UPDATE!!!!!!!! I'm dyin' here!!
A lot of contracts end Sept 30 so maybe next week a lot of Silly season news will break.
Andy - Liked the article, but fully agree with SepkovicEmbezzled.
In addition to what he wrote about, I recall Bailey mentioning in an interview that he and O'Mara were considering hiring swimming coaches to improve their triathalon times, and this was in addition to their other trainers. They decided not to because they realized they were getting a little carried away - but it illustrates the point that today's training is not any more hard core then the Johnson/Bailey/O'Mara/Ward/Stanton era.
As for the machines, factory mechanics were actually detuning 500cc 2-strokes for the same reason as today - more power than an human can use - but it was for outdoor nationals where the 450s are not detuned.
And yes - those "extra" 10 min for a 40 min moto do matter.
I wish they would go back to 2 strokes my self, the 4 strokes are way to costly to repair and modify. You can buy a 2 stroke cylinder and head, have the cylinder ported the head cut and buy a pipe for the cost of a 4 stroke top end overhaul.