by Davey Coombs
The List: The Man, Covered
Thursday, March 21, 2013 | 6:30 PM
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PrintA reader wrote us a note recently and asked why we always call Roger DeCoster “The Man” when he's really a team manager.... I have withheld the reader's name to protect him from bench racers that would be incensed by this lack of respect! Actually, DeCoster has become such an accomplished team manager that younger fans of the sport might not realize just how incredibly fast and wildly popular he was during the 1970s. That's when DeCoster really was The Man, racking up five 500cc World Championships, four Trans-AMA titles and more magazine covers than anyone in the sport! So in the interest of our younger readers who might only know him as "The Manager" of the Red Bull KTM team, here's a glimpse at Roger in his prime...
A shot from the '73 Carlsbad USGP landed Roger DeCoster on the cover of Rick “Super Hunky” Sieman's seminal off-road magazine. Coincidentally, #1 Roger didn't win the race. Instead, it was German Maico rider Willi Bauer (2).
Classic Roger DeCoster look and style, this was shot at the 1974 Carlsbad 500cc U.S. Grand Prix on Motocross. DeCoster was always the favorite at this race, but somehow managed to never win it! His Suzuki teammate Gerrit Wolsink won Carlsbad five times, but DeCoster won five world titles, so he's probably okay with that! This is the old Dirt Rider magazine, by the way—it would disappear and then be relaunched in the eighties.
Another shot of The Man at the '74 USGP, on the cover of the '75 event. DeCoster traveled to America often to race, and not just GPs. He raced Inter-Am (250cc) and Trans-AMAs (500cc) and even the occasional supercross.
Carlsbad again, but this cover became iconic in the seventies. Cycle World, founded by Joe Parkhurst was the biggest magazine in all of motorcycling, and rarely did they run a motocross cover. But this shot by Fernando Belair was good enough for Page One.
When Dick Miller ran MXA they named a Rider of the Year for each season, and for 1974 it was Roger DeCoster, even though the cover date was April 1975. What was on the inside cover? An advertisement for the 100cc version of Hodaka's “Screamin' 125cc Super Combat!”
Because DeCoster did not race the nationals—he was busy kicking the rest of the world's ass—he usually ended up with a three-digit number for the Trans-AMA Series. Never has #104 looked better than it did on DeCoster in 1977 (sorry Shae Bentley).
Another Trans-AMA title, another Dirt Rider cover. And the open-face helmet always looked cool on The Man, specially when he lit his Jofa mouthguard dangle like that.
Roger DeCoster on his way to yet another Trophee and/or Motocross des Nations win. DeCoster was on a record 16 winning teams for his native Belgium. Then he did even better as Team USA's manager!
Check out the funky multi-link forks on DeCoster's Suzuki at the start of the 1979 Grand Prix season. What's also interesting about this photo is the fact that it was shot by Geoff Fox, the main man behind Fox Racing.
In 1995 Roger was doing some magazine work for Dirt Bike, and they ended up putting him on the cover for a 125cc shootout—four of him, to be exact!
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Yes the good old days !
Just seeing the Aticle Tittled "The Man" Gave me goose bumbs!!! I still remember when Racer X interviewed Short and he Exclamed that DeCoster was working in the Machine shop,
Hay DC do an interview about when Roger stayed up all night and made is first long travel suspension after geting beat by I think Bauer or was it Hansn Mash I cant remember that was a long time ago? Anyhoo there was and article about that in CYCLE WORLD" mag and we got it at the shop on thusrday, one guy on that Sunday after we got that mag at St Peters won on his CZ with the shoxks moved up. 2 weeks later all of us experts had long travel.
Not many people know Roger "The Man" has an enginirreing degree that he got while he was racing full time also!
Hey if I am wrong ask Roger! He will tell you very modestly.
I thnk I have most of those mags still!
What can be said about a man named "The Man". What I like best is his forthrightness. I am still tweaked about him blaming Dungey for the second bent shifter at the MEC (pun alert), but he doesnt need my undying gratitude, so I will pound sand.
Decoster is Pro racing, and he is the epitomy of ALL TIME. He is to Motocross/Supercross as Ferarri is to F1.
I like the photobomb dude behind Karsmakers. He's a factory photobomber.
Where would we be without him. Would MX be what it is today here in America??? Probably not. He put in the time to make the very best bikes for his team riders and advanced the bikes beyond what others might have thought they would do. I would sure would have like to ride one of his Factory Honda's he built for Hannah,and the others back in the 80's
@ ride111mph---You said it real good!
Had the pleasure of bumping into The Man and his crew of six or so after Hangtown last year, late in the evening, at Chipotle of all places. Timing worked out and I ended up buying them a round of beverages, gave them congrats on RD5's 2-2 to start the season. Decoster was way cool after a long HOT day at the track, ended up bs'ing about old tracks, dirt bikes and street bikes for ten minutes with me and my crew of six mx'ers, like we had been riding buddies for decades. Very cool guy and a total 2 wheel fanatic.
#RacerX
Is the advertisement at the top of the page covering up links, like to MX schedule and other stuff?
The first RD, Roger Decoster came over here to race as many a European did, but he discovered a new home. Roger rode his way into our hearts, managed and groomed our riders for success at the Moto Des Nations. His skill as an motor builder, suspension tech and rider motivator made him the most sought after team manager on the planet. From his days as a rider, on into his managerial days, success has followed him, and not by accident. Roger's work ethic is unrivaled, he expects only the best from himself, just as he does those he works with. To top it all off he has a wonderful way with the fans, always time to shake a hand and take a photo ..For all this and much, much more he has earned and deserves the title, THE MAN!!!
PS I am old enough to have read all those mags and a fan who has one of the photos....Thanks Roger, for coming to America, and making it a motocross power!!
The Dos XXXS beer guy, has to call Roger D up for tips on being "The Man"
lol :-))
Diggin the posts on DeCoster. Nice to see so much respect for such an absolute gentleman & professional in our sport that we're ALL eat up with. I go way back to 72, Rio Bravo, Houston TX Trans AM....what I saw those guys do on bikes was magical. Started it all for me. I will always remember Roger as a mega smooth, ULTRA FAST total racer. It was unreal how smooth & calculating the guy was.
He will never be replaced in my mind. And I'm sure most of you guys.
Cheers to Roger D.....the ONE AND ONLY! :-)
"Like"..."LIKE"..........!!! :-))
Still have that 1995 Carlsbad program, with Roger D's autograph (and others) : )
I've called him "a God" a few times in person. Really such a great guy and represents the best of our sport. He's the best.
Out of all the autographs from racers I've collected over the years, my favorite is being the last one in line for Albertyn's signature in 99' @ Hangtown (I guess they had to cut it off somewhere?).....anyways, just as Greg finished signing, guess who steps out of the semi.....The Man !! I scored and got his sig too, on Albertyn's poster. Proudly hangs in the garage to this day.
I got to see him race several times at Lake Sugar Tree in Va. Him and Hannah going at it was classic! I remember him coming from behind in one moto making up time with some really different lines around the track. An example of this was at the end of the straight behind the lake dam, there was a steep 20 to 30 foot up hill into a tight flat left hand 180 that turned you around and right back down the hill. Everyone else would blast up that hill and take the turn on the flat inside hugging the hay bales and kind of pivot around the stake. Roger would kind of jump up the outside and rail the small lip around the outside; a very dramatic look with the bike laid over nearly dragging his inside bar on the ground leg straight out with his left boot beside the front wheel just frikin haulin' ASS!!! NO ONE else was doing that and you could clearly see how much faster it was to do what he was doing there! Roger DeCoster used to KILL IT!!!
One of my favorite moto memories was watching the veteran DeCoster and a young Bob Hannah go at it up and down the hills of Unadilla in the later '70s during those Trans-Am series. And I have a box in my basement full of mostly Dirt Bike mags from the early to mid '70s. I fell in love with the sport from reading about RD, Wolsink, Mikkola, Everts the elder, Geboers and all those Euro riders, along with American youngsters Marty Smith, Tommy Croft and the Hurricane ... along with many others. The good old days!
I lost alot of respect for him last year when he did not pick 800 for MXDN.
After a long day of drinking , track walking , girl watching and being privileged enough to watch some of the best racing ever at Carlsbad at a 500 GP ....I got to meet and get a picture taken with Roger and the winner Gerrit Wolsink ....one of the best days of my life..the dude is a bad ass and a gentleman.
here is one of the RD pictures at Carlsbad 1974
http://www.ebay.com/itm/Vintage-1974-Roger-Decoster-Carlsbad-US-Grand-Prix-11x14-Signed-PhotoGraph-Rare-/321080042966
I met Roger for the first time as a 12 year old kid at the 1975 Trans-AMA at Red Bud. He didn't win that day, but I was still star-struck as he signed my program after the race. 28 years later, I ran into him again in the pits after the 2003 Anaheim Supercross opener. I was nervous and babbled like a 12 year old kid. He is class, personified, and a living legend of the sport.
Here is another ....cant find the one where is flat in thsi corner
JimM
http://www.motocrossgiant.com/PhotoDetails.asp?ShowDESC=N&ProductCode=RDMX203F
Got it !
Carlsbad UGP 1973
http://loti.mywowbb.com/forum19/72-30.html
JimM
Good job DC!
Roger DeCoster has probably done more for the sport of motocross than anyone alive. As a racer, team manager and sport ambassador, he was and is second to none. I had the privilege of seeing him race many times in the 1970's. Those of us that saw him race fully understand why he was universally known as "The Man". And on top of all his accomplishments and contributions, he is a humble, down-to-earth decent guy. Ha always takes time to talk to fans. Great guy.
Just like many of you on here I too got the chance to meet The Man back in the 70s as a star struck teenager and was amazed at how humble he was. In the early 90s I got a pic of my son shaking his hand at Red Bud and then he and I talked about racing for about 5 minutes. I was astonished that he took that time to stand there with my son and I. that is true professionalism and this is what he expects out of his riders as well.
His style was so smooth it was as if he, the bike, and the track were one. Not sure that can be taught and not sure I have ever seen that on another rider since.
I thought it was short for "The Mange."
Add Motocross Action's European Stars mag to the list.
Anyone who has not seen Roger's Motocross files show should check it out, his stories are great.
Davey, such a great person Roger is. I had the chance to watch him race a few Trans-AMA's. I was standing by the jump, in which the front end on his factory Suzuki snapped off, in mid-air, at the '75 Livermore Trans-AMA. While my wife was in an antique store in the CA Bay Area, she found a framed picture 3'wide and 2' tall of Roger smashing a berm at the first USGP. Wife asked how much, and the lady said: " That old thing, we've had it so long, she wanted $1.00, wife gave a 5.0 and could not wait to get home and show me. I had Roger sign it at one of the Bay Area S-X races years ago. When I asked Roger to sign it, he asked where I got, and told him the story. I sent you pictures of this framed picture, and it was featured in 'Your Collections' section a few years back. I had all of the magazines that you shared in this story. Roger, is still the BEST ever!
In the early 70's when Motocross was on TV maybe twice a year Roger DeCoster was still practically a household name.
Not just for the young ones racer x. I was born in 72 i rode bikes from my early teens, but i never started racing till i was 24. Very late and i sometimes wish i was shown the racing side in my early teens. anyway roger was clearly an icon of his time and its great to see such a man at the helm of the ktm race team. When you think about all the haters on the dunge #5 saying he will struggle bla bla bla ect when he went there, what a joke ! what an oppotuneity to work with someone that iconic in the industry and the results show for themselfs. If there is one regreat i will have when im done with the sport i love , it will be that i was never exsposed to it in my childhood to injoy watching people like roger race and looking thru the mags dreaming i could race a dirtbike one day. still starting late is why i still race and love it now @41. Thanks for sharing racer x love yr work.
Loving all the Roger deCoster covers. I bought nearly all of those mags back in the day!
Roger is such a superb ambassador for our sport, a great guy I have met many times.
Made me chuckle the headline on Cycle News cover
"Gold (en) Shower for Team USA!" They'd never get away with that innocence nowadays!
I met Roger when he attended the NESC awards banquet back in '91 or '92. He was very personable and chatted with anyone who was willing to get the nerve up to approach him. He and Hannah are on my all time favorites list.
With SO many of Roger DeCoster's autographs ending up for auction and for PERSONAL PROFIT, it's no wonder it's hard to pin him down at an event. I doubt very seriously it's very humbling for him.
In retrospect, I also find it quite hypocritical that a once vintage hero who took the reigns on begging us for money to support the late Danny "Magoo" Chandler and AFTER Danny's passing would be a part of "an online auction site" scheme to get his autograph...for $150.00 !!! Hit us up for donations and hit us up for personal profit? I STILL LMAO when I think about it. Proud to say I CONFRONTED the offending "vintage star" and got the auction pulled. The moral of this story is, be wary of those with questionable morals tweaking your pocket book for a handout.
And folks ask me why I'm SO darn cynical. You "stars" of TODAY and YESTERYEAR simply leave the door wide open to the truth!
AND..."Rick “Super Hunky” Sieman's seminal off-road magazine?" DAMN STRAIGHT! There has NEVER been a "rag" worthy of off-road unless it included his presence!
Same to you...
Nice Work DC and "The Man" is so gracious, considerate, and polite. He helped my
Pro race program in '84 with Honda. He always has the time to talk with spectators and is so great with them. I don't get autographs, but I did ask Roger for one a couple of years ago in the tower at Red Bud. He is truly a legend.
One of the best photo's ever is of Roger leaned over in a corner at Carlsbad (mid 70's) ... bike bottomed out, left handlebar dragging in the dirt, left leg straight out touching under the handlebar. I'd buy a copy of that photo in a minute ... I bet thousands others would too.
He used to come up to Canada (Copetown) for the TransAm series (73/74 I think). Roger, all the other Euro's and best Americans at the time. It was fall, always a little damp and muddy and you could go into the pits and stand 6 feet from the bikes and riders. No barriers to hold you back .... you gave them space out of respect. They all used to work out of bare bones rental trucks back then and put the bikes on wood crates. Between moto's riders would sit in the tin vans and eat or lie on the ground to rest. The Japanese mechanics would wear white jump suits. As a wide eyed 15 year old kid this was all mind blowing. These were great times.
I remember all the magazines above. I'd read them in class with them hidden down behind my desk ... my teacher would ask me a question and I'd be busted. I got my 74 Elsinore shortly after that and 17 years of racing and a passion for dirt bikes that is still strong today. Live changing stuff.
Theres never been another rider to do everything he's done. Even if they somehow had the education and skills he possess', no ones had the drive. And yet, I dont know if theres a more humble human being in the pits. Spoke with him at Southwick and he was so cool. DA MAN!
Many folks don't know that besides being a five time World Champion, Roger was also many times Belgian national champion in motocross...and trials. In his day racers did it all ( if they had the talent ). Roger was at the forefront of instituting a training schedule and strict dieting as part of his racing program, when American racers were still partying all night during the season.
I had the pleasure of seeing him race in SoCal and at a Trans-Am race in 1978 in Texas. At that Trans-Am race he got caught in a first turn pile up...and then blitzed the field from last to seventh by throwing his bike sideways into every flat corner...WFO! The fans didn't even care who won that moto...as every one couldn't wait for "The Man" to roost by on his next lap. Even Dungey's last to seventh at Southwick when Suzuki muffed his bike wasn't as impressive as DeCoster's charge that day.
Also, his son served proudly for the USA in the Middle East...so hats off to "The Man". He is an exemplary example of what it means to be a champion...and a valuable American citizen. Out of all the many memorable motocross athletes of all time, I doubt any could surpass Roger DeCoster is dedication and valuable recognition for the sport we love.
@ Maico25 - Sorry, didn't see your post until now. Are you still having problems with the ad at the top of the site covering up the navigation bar?
its funny... I can remember having some of those issues. One would not think they would remember a mag cover 30 years later...
His 5 titles say so much at a time when the moto world could come over here and just pick up payouts and trophees any time they wanted. He won 5 'true' world championships against the best in the world-. And that was just the start of his amazing run in this industry. I remember when we used to pull 'decosters' crossing up on our bicycles and minibikes.
The best pic I've seen of DeCoster in awhile is on MXA's website!
Look under "Why RD is THE MAN.
Pretty juicy!
@JR
Yes
@JR
Just a couple minutes ago went from advertisement to just gray bar covering navigation bar.
Google "Roger DeCoster photo's". Some amazing images to be seen. Including that one of him dragging his handle bars through the dirt at Carlsbad. This will bring memmories back for guys over 50.
Mr. Roger DeCoster, in my opinion, is the type of person who's accomplished presence over their lifetime, form the myth's and the legends which slowly evolve as they are passed down from people as you guys and the Davey Coomb's of the media, to one another through generations in time to create icon's we can simply yet genuinely refer to as, "The Man."
I cherish Bob Hannah's reference, regarding Roger DeCoster, (in Steve Matthes' recent PulpMX Show interview) as he still refers to him, to this day, as (a), "God."
Coming from Bob; that is some pretty lofty company to be associated with.
Seems like just last July, driving over 3,000 miles (round-trip) in the mid '70's and literally hanging off one of those metal fence posts high up near the crest of the Carlsbad Freeway just to observe the minute variance the left hand-grip would miss my face, as Roger would alter his out-side line on the shiny blue groove of that track, for 45 minutes (twice) As it was well worth my time spent bringing along a micrometer for proof. And yet, to see him come up short, year after year to his Suzuki dentist team-mate. At least he (Gerret Wolsink) was also a fellow Belgian and... riding a Vwerks RN370. I guess that is some consolation, even for God...
Thank you so much, Davey Coombs, for a another well warranted omage to a historically accurate legend of, and to, the sport of Motocross in our (own) time.
"Hep Meh Lord"
PS Maybe it was just a feeler gauge, I can't be sure, as it was the '70's, Dude...
Like, Peace, Man!
@ caseypons
Nice try
I think your barometer is a little off. You wouldn’t know a RN from an RM if it came by and roosted you.. You weren’t even born in that era……….LOL And you wouldn’t have known the man the earliest you would of know the man would have been decades later.. Tell me why you traveled 3000 miles to see the man when you couldn’t even get to your local Washougal that is within a rocks throw of your lil abode there in the great NW………Some history aficionado you are !
@TORONTOTWIST; Hey aren't you ready for a name change yet. You've had this one for nearly 12 hours. No sense arguing with you as you know (all) about me, right.
As far as Washougal goes. SPEEDtv, my friend.
After all, you are just a pup in a pen, compared to your elders which are Roger and me. Sonny Boy...
Nice to hear from you, young fella!
PS Stay on topic will ya, this is about icon's and legends, not you or me!
Peace, little brother!
I tooks some super8 movies of the 1976 Trans-AMA at Saddleback, and the 1975 USGP at Carlsbad, mostly following RD. I gotta post them on youtube one of these days... He was amazing.
Hey Davey, How about The List: The Hurricane,Covered???
Photoshop has come a long way since 1995, hasn't it?
Also that linkage front end on the old Suzy... man, I bet it turned great because it had to add a ton of extra weight!
Thanks Davey for this article on The Man. I remember in '78 at Lake Whitney Trans AMA watching Roger and Hannah absolutely flying around the track. I'm a huge Marty Smith fan but Roger and Bob put on a clinic! After the race the fans could go in the pits and you where just mere feet from your heroes. It was truly a great time in the sport. Roger had and still has such a mystique about him. You just give him respect. He's an incredible person and invaluable to the sport
Great article. I went to a few Trans Ams back in the early 70's, one at Rio Bravo MX in Houston, TX. I was allways rooting for Ake Jonnson because he had such bad luck and he was actually a hair faster than RD. But on that day at Rio Bravo the track was a sea of mud and Roger was flying. I remember him coming down the long start straight each lap and there was a flat left hand sweeper at the end. Roger would man-handle that Suzuki through the thick mud, sliding sideways over bumps and ruts. I never thought he would be able to slow it down enough to make the turn but every lap he would fly into it, sawing at the bars, on the edge of control and somehow slide through the corner faster than anyone I had ever seen. You could see the strain in his face as he forced the bike forward. In that mud, he didn't ride effortlessly and smoothly to a win. It was a heroic effort for him. And that's what I have allways respected about RD. He has allways given his all to the sport no matter what he does. I still think he is one of the best, if not the best, MX riders to have ever raced.
Those forks were RIBI quad laterals if I remember right.
The man said they worked very well, just too many parts for mass production.
@PSHAW
You still got The Mans phone# ???
Remember that?
@TORONTOTWIST: Why would you think you knew where I was in June or July of 1976 and 1977. And why would you make a totally false acquisition that I wasn't driving to Carlsbad to see the USGP during those same years. Are you alright, or do you need medical intervention. Seriously!!!
You come on these boards and slam people with ridiculous and reckless abandon, and then disappear, only to return with a new alias, until you've tipped yourself off, as you have done again today.
I have no idea who you are, or what you stand for, but I know one thing, you have no clue about me... and your false acquisitions about what I sincerely, and truthfully post on these boards. Especially about when and where I was 37 years ago. So, check your meds pal, and leave me out of your false acquisitions and personal fantasies. Deal??? Good!!!
PS Correction X's 3; Accusations (not) Acquisitions