Though others in your household might not agree, one of the advantages of vintage racing is the relatively low cost of acquiring a motorcycle. In today’s economy, you can buy several race-ready vintage bikes for a whole lot less than the cost of a new YZ 450F.

Indeed, if you ask around the pits, the average number of bikes sitting in the garage at home is, probably, in the double digits. Part of the lure, no doubt, is the relatively low cost of acquisition.

And, while there are many sources for vintage bikes, it is not uncommon for many North Atlantic series riders to simply shop around the pits.

Without question, we like to buy and sell bikes to and from each other.

For a typical example, check out George Ackerman’s record.  

In his own words: “I  sold a ‘78 YZ 250 to Jay Crandall, sold a ‘74 Hodaka Super Combat to Fred Guidi, bought ‘74 CR 250 from Bill Mathews and sold it to Billy Covitz, bought a ‘74 CR 125 from Thor Lawson, sold a ‘75 Bultaco Frontera to Mike Bolton, traded a ‘74 Penton Jackpiner to Jerry Casciero for a Honda Mini Trail,  traded a ‘73 CR 250 to Ronnie Rollins for a ‘79 YZ 125, bought an ‘80 RM 400 from Thor Lawson, sold a ‘76 Bultaco 360 to Team Bultaco, bought a ‘78 YZ 100 and an ‘80 YZ from Glenn Grahe and Curtis Belcher, sold an RM 125 to Matt Payne, bought and then traded back a ‘74 Combat Wombat for a mini bike to Roger Boardwine,  sold a Bultaco Pursang to Bill Mathews and  sold a Bultaco Frontera to Al Conte.”

Whew.

But George’s story is not that unusual.

Fred Guidi has purchased vintage  bikes from Ray Weir, Rich Fogel, Scott Sayers, Lee Mox, Rob Preston, Alex Moroz, Rick Tatano, Roger Boardwine, Allen Brown, Corky Root, Dan Welch, Al Conte and Brian O’Connor.  Fred also admitted to “chasing Ed Day for a year to get his YZ400 and  Joe Kelly for an Elsinore. Scott Sayers had to be coerced via the end of my Uzi to sell his famous RM250.” Says Fred: “My wife says that I cannot help it.”

Neal Siegel raced a ‘ 74 Can Am T’NT that later was passed through Larry Mace, Allen Brown, Jay Wilson, Jay Crandall and Daniel Way. The bike originally was purchased from the author of this column.

Billy Boram has been racing a 1977 Honda CR 125 that belonged to Wayne Miller, got sold to Thor Lawson then ended up in the Boram garage. It got sold again at this year’s York swap meet. Father Bill Boram is racing a ’77 Yamaha YZ 400 that once belonged to Al Conte.  

“For now, I'm planning on keeping the bike but you never know what PVR family member might be the next owner,” says Bill Boram.

Tommy Grimmel also has been involved in numerous transactions. Says Tommy: “Brian O'Connor and I have traded and sold a bunch of bikes back and forth. When I first met Brian about 15 years ago, I bought a C&J Honda XL 350 from him. He just got the bike back from me about a year ago. Brian traded me a different C&J Honda that came from Allen Brown.”

“Yes, you can blame for some of this bike incest,” Grimmel says.

Will Gahrmann bought Raven Wilson’s Honda SL 125, raced it for a while then sold it to his brother. He got it back on a trade and sold it to Neal Siegel.

Grimmel also had an SL125 that he loaned to Will Gahrmann then sold to Mike Gallagher. Neal Siegel bought it from Gallagher then sold it back to Grimmel along with an SL100. Tommy then sold the SL125 to Bill Mathews but not until it was fitted with a new tank from Will Gahrmann. Confused?  

Indeed, there are hundreds of similar stories like these and they  typify the amount of horse trading that permeates the AHRMA North Atlantic series.

Looking for another race bike? Forget eBay or craigslist. Just check out the bike sitting next to you on the starting gate. Chances are, it could be your next ride.

By Rae Tyson

Regardless of the type of vintage competition, motorcycle choice tends to be based the age of the rider. When choosing a bike, it is a decision that usually harkens to the rider’s early experiences on a motorcycle. So, if you were a teen in the 1960s, your choice logically would be European. In the 1970s and 1980s, those memories were more likely associated with something Japanese.

Typical would be Maryland rider Scott Sayers, who grew up racing Kawasakis from the early 1980s – and rides the same bikes in post-vintage motocross.

But some competitors don’t fit that mold.

For a variety of reasons, some have selected bikes from an earlier era. Others have decided to ride something newer.

Their rationale is intriguing.

Nathan Terry, a former PVR officer now living in Utah, grew up riding a ’73 CR 250 but switched to an ’83 CR250R because the longer-travel suspension was easier on his ailing back.

Pennsylvanian Cortez Lawrence’s early racing history in the 1960s included a Bultaco Astro and Kawasaki Greenstreak. But, exposure to a Husqvarna WR400 in college led him to a post-vintage CR480 when he began vintage motocross.

Wayne Miller of Virginia was surrounded by the typical array of Japanese and European bikes as he was growing up. But his hero, from an earlier era, was Dick Mann, who won multiple  championships on a BSA. Wayne now competes in vintage motocross on a B50. “I feel like a world champion,” he says.

Francis Snyers of West Virginia started racing in Belgium in the 1960s on a Greeves. He now rides an ’83 Maico.

Maryland trials rider Ken Gummerson started riding a BSA B40 in Scotland in the 1960s but switched to a 1970s Yamaha TY and Honda TL when he began vintage competition.

“Husky” John Both, 52, gravitated toward a pair of post-vintage Husqvarnas because his older brother was a factory support rider “and that’s basically all we had in my parents’ garage.”

Thomas Herman of Virginia began racing scrambles in 1968 aboard a converted 150cc Suzuki street bike. After considerable success on the motocross track on a TM400, he quit racing in 1973. When he started vintage racing in 2007, he chose a post-vintage RM, “which my 62-year-old body likes very much”.

Doug Taylor of Nashville began racing competitively in the 1980s on a KX250 and CR480. When he recently got interested in vintage racing, his choice was a 70s square barrel Maico. “The memories past and present are priceless,” he says.

Nick Taylor, a Maryland dirt track rider, began racing in the 1970s with the latest in custom framed bikes. Next season, he’s going to be dirt track racing on a 1949 Indian Warrior that he inherited from his dad. “My ultimate goal with this is nothing short of rewriting history,” says Nick of the Indian model that contributed to the downfall of the brand.

But the most radical examples may belong to the youngest AHRMA racers. For this gang, Ricky Carmichael represents a motocross legend from the past.

Teenagers Billy Boram and his cousin, Thorne, both race on post-vintage Honda CRs. Billy’s 125 came from fellow racer Thor Lawson; Thorne found his 250 on eBay. “Everyone at the races is interested in the boys,” says Bill Boram, Billy’s dad. “It certainly is something that will stay with them the rest of their lives.”

Austin Rush, 16, started riding at the age of nine on a PW50. He competed in vintage cross-country last season on a 1979 Yamaha IT 175 but plans to switch to a KDX200 this year. Austin says he loves the “sound and smell” of a vintage two-stroke. But the bikes are only part of the attraction.

“One of the biggest things I love about vintage bikes isn’t the bikes,” he says. “It is the community that comes with it.  It is a great thing to be a part of.”

By Rae Tyson

By its very nature, vintage racing tends to attract an older crowd. It’s not unusual to see a starting gate populated by competitors who are in their 40s, 50s and 60s.
But there is an unwritten side effect of the aging process, one that doesn’t get discussed very often.

And it has to do with health.

Over the years, vintage competitors have ended - or curtailed – racing because of medical problems. In some cases, those issues were the result of racing incidents. In other instances, vintage careers have been derailed by medical problems unrelated to racing.
Though this list is far from comprehensive, a number of North Atlantic racers have either stopped racing – or significantly reduced their involvement – as the result of on-track crashes. Among them: Tim Jones, Bob Siegel, Gene Mongole, Pete D’Alessandro, Larry Mace, Mike Mitrione, Ray Weir, Harvey Holcombe and Dave Romine – all hurt in motocross competition. Jock Weir suffered a debilitating back injury while riding a modern bike on the track.

The second category would be competitors who got hurt in motorcycle-related incidents on the street, with injuries significantly affecting their competitive involvement. That list would include Michael Bolton and Stan Bollinger.
We’ve also lost competitors because of automobile accidents. Long-time ACR racer Richard Fogel was involved in a serious crash in 2010 and has been in rehabilitation for a back injury ever since. Luckily, Fogel hopes to join us at Budds Creek when the motocross season kicks off in the spring.

The last category involves guys who have developed medical issues unrelated to racing.
Ray Weir, injured in a crash at Elizabeth City, was later diagnosed with skin cancer. Tuck Beveridge, injured in a get-off  at Budds Creek, also was diagnosed with cancer but has since returned to racing. George Ackerman developed heart problems and will be watching from the sidelines this season. Bob Gilman’s trials and cross-country activities also ended because of heart problems. And we cannot forget that we lost Jerry Casciero because of cancer.

Racing or riding injuries reflect the inherent risks of our hobby. There is a risk, however small, and we all are aware that getting hurt represents the realities of any form of racing. Fortunately, we have a number of competitors who have recovered from injuries and successfully returned to vintage racing. And we have a number of competitors in all forms of competition – motocross, cross-country and trials – who have managed to avoid any serious injuries.

Medical problems related to competition are sometimes the result of bad luck and sometimes the result of poor judgment. The reality is: We are all beyond the point of battling with Ryan Villopoto for a national championship. Though we all want to win, realizing the limitations that come with age will certainly reduce the likelihood of injury.
Medical problems unrelated to motorcycle competition  are, unfortunately, a normal and inevitable side effect of the aging process.

So, as we prepare for a new season, the watchwords should be: ride smart. And, as we get older, it would be wise to pay more attention to your health off the track as well.