I had one that was ported and polished by a local tuner. The porting had been butchered by someone with a porting tool and no knowledge. My tuner adjusted the transfer ports etc. When you rode it hard so it didn't load up it went hard. Traction was a problem.
What awesome camera work! No GoPro. No image stabilization. Editing cuts were done with razors and tape! Truly the result of artists working together. And, of course, Steve McQueen. An artist on the screen and in Life.
@@peetsnortregards to Steve McQueen/ Honda Elsinore 250....in the start of this short clip of any Sun On Any Sunday, I think I saw Marty Smith in the beginning, he was a Honda Motocross extraordinaire. I believe he passed away last year. He wasn't that old either. Those were good times back in the 70s, that's when I started really getting into racing motocross, 73-74, 75 before the Yamaha Monoshock came out in 75-76 it was all primarily Honda Elsinore on the tracks. I had it modified Suzuki tm125, actually faster than most stock Elsinore but their suspensions sucked. R&D took off in the 70s all the way up till the 1990s. They seem( manufacturers) to have reached a plateau except for electric bikes. Do you ride or what is your background?
Yes indeed! He was actually pretty damn fast too. It’d be nice to time travel backwards to then for about a week in those deserts. If it were possible…I’d go😎
Steve was a man's man back when men were men. The good ole days, watching this video brought back so many memories of when I first started riding and racing dirt bikes back in the early 70's. First bike was a Yamaha DT80 and then my first real bike was a 75 Suzuki TM125 that my older brother passed down to me. Loved that TM and thought it was the coolest thing ever, that was until I got my 76 Suzuki RM125. That changed everything. I've had too many dirt bikes to count over the years, but as it stands right now, I have 11 of them at my house. Of course, some of them I bought for my two boys and they've outgrown them. I'm 58 years old and still love dirt bike riding. My current ride is a 07 KTM 450 EXC that I ride in Colorado whenever I get a chance, but my favorite go to bike is my old 94 Kawasaki KDX 250 that I've had forever, it seems. I have many others, but these two are my favorites. Great video.
@@jiffjiffernson7292 Well, in this video Steve starts riding last and in real life he started last too, he was abandoned by his mum and lived in boys homes and on the streets. Then in the video he comes from the back and out-rides the pack, in life he rose to the top to become one of the biggest actors and ended up an icon. As for the bit where he leaves the group of riders and goes his own way, Steve was his own man and would often disappear into the desert on his bike for days by himself much to the chargrin of his agents and film directors.
I bought one of these new from the dealer, $695.00. It was a blast to ride. It tore up the dirt wherever I went. I sold mine around 1978 - 79. I would love to have another one, but with my bad back, I don't think I could kick start it! I love watching this video over and over, it brings back a lot of memories.
Mark H I had a 1977 YZ-80D. They didn't make the YZ-100 for to many years might your 1978 YZ-100E be the last year for that. Was it twin shock or mono shock
@@scottgolden2766 The 78 YZ100 was the new mono-shock with a steel swing arm. My first brand new MX bike, out the door for $800.00. The prices tripled in 5 years after the 1986 production rule, and it only got worse with the EPA forcing the 4-stroke on the industry. Glad I was a kid then, when a kid could afford a bike. I feel so sorry for the generations of millions of kids, who will never have those great experiences. How do we measure the losses?
@EarthSurferUSA it’d take a lot of measuring! Those were golden times; I’d wager, better times?! Seemed like to me way more “freedom” to roam & ride & fish & just “be” without all the hullabaloo & BS!
As a young guy he was a legend to me, black belt, stunt driver and motocross racer. I went on to pursue those same hobbies and they led me to both my military Spec Ops and later Federal Special Agent careers. Retired from service, things come full circle, now I do stunt coordination!
I think people forget what a bad ass motorcycle racer Steve was! I think he was ranked 11th in the world as a amateur dirt bike racer! Remember "On Any Sunday"? With his buddies Mert Lawwell, and Malcom Smith! After crashing and breaking his ankle he still finished the race in pain! He loved all motor sports! Sad we lost him to cancer in 1980 after he shot his last movie "The Hunter" Rest in peace Steve-O!!!!!!!!!! And the "Elsie" was and still is an awesome scooter! The camera and editing work was second to none! I guess I would know as I was an editor for many years! My friend broke his shoulder on a "Elsinore" CR125cc at "Motorcycle Hill" in Los Angeles in the 70's just when they first came out! That's how I got to trade him a Les Paul "Black Beauty" custom guitar for it! I always wanted to get the CR250, but got the Yamaha YZ250 instead! O-well still was a boat load of torque and was fun! Last note Steve rode "Husky's most of the time! Thanks and ride safe out there!!!! My best, JF.
He wasnt a amateur when he was racing Moto Cross, I know because the manager of a Perth Bike Shop who was born on the Isle of Mann and was a ranked Road Racer raced against Steve in Germany, he had the photo's to prove it, he even sat at the same table as Steve at the Presentation Night, many Road Racers started racing Moto Cross because they were being paid more than they were road racing.
@@jamesmatheson5115 Check your facts! I'm talking about motocross not the Isle of Man! You are most likely too young to know! My dad was good friends with Steve and was a director! Steve left his Triumph 650 Bonneville at our house for me to take care of when he went abroad and he said I could ride it! I raced for many years in motocross then flat track then on to drag racing! It has nothing to do about being paid for Steve for racing motorcycles He had some endorsements, but was an armature on the dirt bike circuit! Going back in the 60's and 70's! O by the way Steve sat at our dinner table many times and broke bread with my family! Your friend spent one night with him! No American has ever won the Isle of Man that proves European road racers are the best! I raced because I loved it! Not expecting money till I saw all the bullshit politics that is everyday life in this day and age as it was always since the dawn of Man! Steve always wanted to do his own stunts, but the studios had too much to loose if he got hurt! However having said that he did a lot of crazy stunts and driving! Check out Bullet! He did not take any bullshit from the studios or anybody! My best to you and all your family and friends! JF Cancel Reply
At 57, I just picked up a 74 and a 75 125. I had a new 74 back in the day. Escape Country, Valley Cycle Park, Saddle Back, Irwindale Race way, Orange County Race way, Indian Dunes (Shadow Glen And International Tracks) At 16 years old. Time flies. Live it!
"Time flies. Live it!" Sure does. The only difference is I don't bounce as well as I used to and convalescing takes longer. But, riding is still worth it.
Scott Golden i remember all of those tracks as well. to bad that they are all gone now. as soon as i get my time machine working i will let you know. until then i guess i will just have to watch On Any Sunday again. by the way for those of you who do not know we lost Bruce Brown about a couple of weeks ago. a good friend of Steve,s. i wish that they would make movies like that again. but imo. there is not any actor in Hollywood that is any where near as cool as Steve McQueen was.
lilorbie lilorbie Sad news hearing about Bruce Browns passing. I was a little to young and just missed out on riding those places. I did ride at Indian Dunes once. I believe that I heard that Saddle Back was the best of all of those riding places. What was your favorite one. You said you a 74 125 was it a Honda
My brother got the 125 cc at the local Honda store for $300 I was told. It was an unsold '74 bought in '76. It was a great bike but the cylinder wore out fast in those days. A friend bought a 250 and I saw him jump 10 feet straight up at a rock quarry. The handlebars collapsed and bent that beautiful gas tank. I was riding the first year XR-75, so I couldn't believe ten feet of air.
@@wayneburgess2885 Yeah - the only fault in those old “air hammers” was the lack of longevity we get from todays liquid cooled bikes. I had a ‘86 CR 125, and it was a beast.
I used to get a dink on the tank from my dad on one of these must have been 3 years old this is why there called the good old days no one to say you cant ride here wtf has happened .
Had the !973 125 Elsinore. I was 15 years old and it was summer . I lived on that thing. 24/7. day and night. Learned to slide sideways with my feet on the pegs coming out of the corners , on a wheely. Best handling 125 I've ever owned.
I had a CR250 Elsinore.was a new leftover '74 I got in 1977.For a 15 year old kids first bike, it was a beast.scared the crap out of me many a time.good times.
So glad I was able to grow up in that era. Got my first Honda 70 in 71 @ 11 and thank God, never looked back. On my 45th bike now and don't know how many broken bones, but next to surfing it is still the best gig in town, no matter what the weather. (waves aren't always there.)
You summed up exactly how I feel, Patricia. I was born in the late Seventies and love riding motorbikes. There is a sense of connecting with that primeval urge to explore and expand the boundaries of what is possible. I'd love to get my older brother and sister past their motorbike tests and go riding together; recapturing those halcyon days when we played together and didn't have a care in the world. :)
+Patricia Potter Thanx. just to let you know it is Scott, as Patty is my wife. I am not too good on this thing and it is under her name. She did also grow up in the 60s and 70s. We married in the mid 90s and she started riding with me and I got her a 76 Honda MR 175 and a 74 xl 125, and we restored both of these bikes great fun to ride and learn on. Just need to leave Fla. as no place to ride, and go to Ga. or Tenn. where people know how to have fun. Nice to know there are others who appreciate the old school. God bless. Let me know where you all are from.
Hi, apologies, didn't realise you were using your wife's account, Scott. I'm from the UK, North West to be precise. In fact, I used to live about 30 minutes away from the CCM Motorbike factory. I learnt to ride on a Honda H100-SJ. Moved onto a Kawasaki ER5.
+freedomvigilant1234 No problem, glad you wrote back. My dad was stationed in Kimbolton England (sp?) from 1943 to 1945 and was a tail gunner in a B-17. Ever heard of this base? ( he passed in 2010 at 85, and did ride some w/me off road) I now have a 74 xl350 Honda and just bought a 2013 DRZ 400 suzuki with 86 miles and have put a yosh pipe, Clarke tank and turned it all yellow to save the nice black body work and steel tank. It is a good ride and at my age and shape good for some cow trails and back roads. Am wanting to get either a Ktm or Husky 350 street/trail. Have had one husky and a couple Ktms. Do you have any knowledge or opinion on either of these bikes? any input would be appreciated. thanx. Scott
Yup, Kimbolton is close to Santa Pod in Cambridgeshire, famous for drag racing. Your Dad must have had some real guts to go flying in those B17's.... Especially as a tail gunner. Now, KTM's have a pretty good reputation, well made and reliable. There is a channel on You Tube called Men And Motors. If you google KTM and Men And Motors you will find some great reviews. Husquvarna's I have never ridden.
I bought a 125 Elsinore brand new and all it needed was a good port job to turn it into a 250 Husky killer. And yes, it was and still is the best looking dirt bike of all time.
I'm almost 66 now and had the same experience, could wheelie that bike thru the gearbox. Narrow power band but the clutch could help you out. Starting line at MX races back then had 30 bikes on the line and 26 of them were Elsinores. Marty Smith sold a million of them by winning and looking so cool.
It's a flim i love to watch. Am 67 and i had the same Honda experience back in 1974 and rode my bike in New Jersey in Millstone. Back than it was farmland open and unbuild. Now just housing development. But that desert riding was a dream for a young dirt bike rider. I slept with dirt bike magazine at night with the light on check out all the machines that were out at the time . The Suzuki TZ 400 was my dream bike back in the day. We all loved Steve in On Any Sunday. .. great bike movie. RIP Steve .
Love this video, thanks for posting it! He was a good rider, really smooth style and nice to see that 250 Elsinore.... this really was a golden era to be riding dirt bikes. Beautiful.
@@mahinat.coover8972 Right? It was weak weed, so we didn't get blasted. Plus the cool part was taking time to pass the bong around, listening to Black Sabbath and Zeppelin and bullshitting. Great times.
Love it! I remember those good old days before Elsinore got developed & you could ride anywhere no hassels & remember Steve Mc Queen being there thou I didn't get close enough to meet him, Bummer
At that time I was campaigning a Bultaco Pursang, 250 & 350. That Elsinore was a little quicker but a little too peaky on top. The Bultaco used mellow mid-range power which was more controllable in corners. Both were a blast to ride.
Pursang 250, used one with hare N hound runs in the sixties, as a paperboy took all winter of saving my money for it, first thing crashed it in the front of my dad's garage, wanted ceriani forks any way
I had a 250 Pursang too.A 1970.That first 250 Elsinore,to my mind,was and still is,the most beautiful dirt bike of all time.Man,how I lusted after one! But I'll tell you,some of my riding buddys got them,and they were fast,but none of us could ever figure out how to make them turn.The Bultaco handled like a dream,and was damn near as fast.With a set of Konis,new fork springs,and a port job,I actually stayed competitive on that old thing until the long travel suspension revolution came along a few years later.
This was about the time I started my dirt bike riding life. I can fully relate to Steve’s outlook on the reasons he rides and many more. I still ride with my sons and mostly other young guys regularly with modern bikes and safety equipment. It has truly made my life better in many ways with the friendships and adventures shared. I’m 61 now and looking forward to the next ride! (Snowing as I write).
I find great pleasure in these classic videos. Is fascinating the power of classic motors, i never would change a classic by one modern engine. That sense of freedom and force is really wonderfull...i love classics engines...thanks for share!
Great Vid. I owned a 1973 CR250M Elsinore man it was great!!!!, a better bike than I was a rider. It was a fast light 2 stroke with a very tight power band, over 30HP and weight about 214lbs way better than my old honda sl-100.
Old school, I was 14 years old when that bike came out. Those are the days of down pipes, dual rear shocks, and 4 inches of suspension travel, lol. Funny thing is, it was the hot bike at the time, a friend of mine Rick O'Brien raced one at Sparland in Illinois, and nobody could beat him.
my friend and I raced Sears Point whenever it ran. One time,we were at the sign-up trailer and looking at the posted races.I said" look at this guy's name ,Harvey Mushman !."We didn't find out till later that it was McQueen. He was in my race.
This video is amazing on so many levels... the camera work (no GoPros back then, just 16mm film cameras), the riding (you can't tear across the desert like this in SoCal anymore or you'll get arrested), and of course Steve McQueen
Yet another reason California SUCKS. Just let a liberal in, they'll screw up anything and everything... even the USA. Thanks Joe, Gavin, Nastee, et al.
MY GOD!! That brought back old Memories! I had an "Elsinore" in 1974 cost $1000, which was a whole lot for a 250! It was the baddest Factory Motocross Racing Bike ever made! Of course, I could not handle one as good as Steve! Wish I could call back some years!
i remember reading once that steves wife said "he spends all his time in his garage drinking beer with his disgusting motorcycle freinds" i wish id met him,wed have got on well!
God im glad i grew up in the 70s rode a 76 RM 125 and me and my buddys rode all over the New Mexico desert chasing jack rabbits and coyotes....im 63 now and ride a 89 KDX and ride by myself mostly.....great Video...DAMN those were good days
Soon as they came out I had to have one..All my mates were riding Suzukis..Which were very good too..What a life that was back then..Local Races plus out to some ones Farm just to push it to the limit..New Zealand MX was as good as anywhere
This was shot out where I grew-up riding at a place called Holiday Valley (off hwy 138 between Gorman and Lancaster, CA). Looks picture perfect after a winter storm with snow in the mtns and water in the riverbed. (Y) Sadly, it doesn't look like that anymore.
I am glad I red comments! I thought it looked like Gorman. First place I ever rode in the dirt! Back in 1979, had dual purpose Yamaha 125 with a seat and rear rack big enough for 3 people. GREAT TIMES! Sad to hear what it has turned into!!
I like the actual moto boots with the sock turned down over the top of the boot.. I started offroading back in 1969.. I had linesman lace up boots..we were riding in the NJ pinebarrens...still go riding there and lots of other places across the u s. I'm now 65 and still twisting it ! 😃
It was about 40yeras ago, I watched this film and I was impressed. So I bought and rode this HONDA for about some years.,,,,, I have wanted to watch this film again. Thank You So Much!
+Matthew Weisenburger two strokes still rule, the the manufacturers are what allowed 4strokes to take over. Two strokes continued to in in AMA until 2005-6 when it basically became impossible to win. a two stroke head cost $50 vs.$2000 for a four stroke. thousands of moving parts
Purr Cat “thousands of moving parts” lmao valves cams and a timing chain and you have a 4 stroke. They’re not that complicated. You never see two strokes in motorcross anymore I’m pretty sure that means they’re dethroned.
This video n music is so energizing and soothing at the same time.... Awesome.... Makes me wanna hop onto my bike and blast away....I wish we still had 2 strokes around n a dirt trail
Right after the redistribution of our production to communism in china (started in 1978), as if free enterprise and communism are compatible. It is up-side down.
I restored my 74 at 50-years old after giving up racing and trying to relive the glory years, that bike scared me. I really don't remember it being so violet, even my 500cc2t's seemed mellow compared the Elsinore.. One thing I always had in stock was kick starter pawls, great memories.
For now on I will not ride too fast on the street. Because Steve McQueen asked me nicely. He is the man. The King of Cool Thank you for uploading this video. Thank you Steve McQueen for your entertainment, advise, and inspiration. You're never dead.
Two of my brothers brought home one each when they first came out. We did moto and open desert. I was on a TM 125....The Elsinore was state of the art but not for long. The liquid cooled mono-shockers would soon rule the roost.
When the Yamaha YZs came along they took the top spot from Honda. but Honda was unchallenged for quite some time before that. with the Elsinore and the red frame Elsinores. the Yamaha YZs with their mono shock rear suspension. started the long travel suspension revolution.
"For a man's ride. HONDA" Haha, love it. Steve was a good rider. Better than any actor I've ever seen. He had a great riding style. He really knew how to ride.
This brings back memories. The 70s. There was a street legal version, too; the MT 250. A street legal 2 stroke. Before PCs, before pagers. You had to use paper road maps and pay phones to travel around. I was a kid. I could leave the house and be gone for hours and my parents didn't worry.
The MT was maybe the worst two stroke ever. I worked on a pretty tidy MT250. I got the impression Honda was trying to get people to buy four strokes. Or it was designed and made in Taiwan.
I had a friend that bought a used MT250 that had been modded with engine parts from an Elsinore including the expansion chamber. It had working lights too. It was like riding an Elsinore on the street, and you had to be careful not to run across a cop while riding it with that loud pipe LOL…
Last photo I saw of Mr. Mc Queen was a picture of him messing with an old Indian motor cycle on the cover of Easy Rider back in 80 or 81 announcing his death, geez he would be in his 90's now, he was 50 when he passed. He and Clint Eastwood riding 650 Triumphs in the movies gave me motorcycle fever back in the 60's they were easy to work on which was a good thing because they broke down often. After that I got into Harley's during the AMF days, and you always carried a set of wrenches with you, which I thought was just normal LOL. I did turn into a decent mechanic though.
Wow that brings back some great memories! And you would be surprised at how much fun you can have on a short, underpowered bike like that. . It pretty much forces you to read the terrain more exactly, too. Now, denting that flimsy tank with your legs is a real problem, as is the rear sprocket bolts coming loose all the time.. But damn, it sure was some fun times.
At about 3:20 if you look close the left side of the tank is dented from his knee. My 71 Bultaco M87 has the rear sprocket bolts safety wired and stop nuts from the factory.
Scott Vanthof. Hell yes the music the cars the motorcycles.....it was real back then....today it all sucks. 72 I was a freshman in HS....fuck the Coors the cheap weed...no aids to worry about...my 70 Buick skylark gs455...suzuki ts185.....I would give my left nut to go back
Damn, I miss the freedom of a dirt bike! Had an elsenore 125, kawi 250, yamaha tt500. If I tried to ride one now, you could follow the trail of parts that fell off of me...
A Snowmobile racer I knew in the 70s had a 125 and did the engine porting and polishing. He also put a 14 inch rear sprocket on the back wheel. He would loan it to me and let me ride it all day. That thing almost never used the front tire. And it would almost climb trees. Rode the 250 as well. They were great.
Steve McQueen Will always be a legend like Ken Block If you want to be to keep ridding bikes and being manly there is only one choice. 🇺🇸🇺🇸Trump 2024🇺🇸🚁
I had that same motorcycle.. good times! and still have the ticket somewhere that I got from parking it on the sidewalk Infront of my highschool in 1979
thanks Hellion I really liked the Cr 125 also but I am over 6 ft and the 250 fit me, now I ride a CRF250x for a play bike and have a vstrom 1000 for road trips.
Lake Elsinore Grand Prix was awesome. Now it don't even go down Main street. My uncle had a house where they closed off the street. Every year it was a weekend party .
![[HD] Greatest Hollywood Car Chase of All Time - Bullitt (1968)](/img/n.gif)
50 years later and still one of the coolest bikes ever made. You could still have a blast on it today.
Thanks for bringing up the years.
A half a century ago I was racing a 125 Elsinore 🤦♂️
Almost anyway 49 years holy monkeys
🚶♀️🚪
CA. all but disallows two-sttokes now.
I had one that was ported and polished by a local tuner. The porting had been butchered by someone with a porting tool and no knowledge. My tuner adjusted the transfer ports etc. When you rode it hard so it didn't load up it went hard. Traction was a problem.
okay boomer chill out
@@OregonCrowBetter a boomer than a millennial who’s confused about their gender and rides a sissy e-bike.
What awesome camera work! No GoPro. No image stabilization. Editing cuts were done with razors and tape! Truly the result of artists working together. And, of course, Steve McQueen. An artist on the screen and in Life.
IZ DAT STEVE REEVES?
It was a professionally filmed Honda public service commercial. professional equipment, shot from a helicopter was anything but a amateur production.
🤣🤣🤣@@stevenmeyer9674
A helicopter is not cheap
@@peetsnortregards to Steve McQueen/ Honda Elsinore 250....in the start of this short clip of any Sun On Any Sunday, I think I saw Marty Smith in the beginning, he was a Honda Motocross extraordinaire. I believe he passed away last year. He wasn't that old either. Those were good times back in the 70s, that's when I started really getting into racing motocross, 73-74, 75 before the Yamaha Monoshock came out in 75-76 it was all primarily Honda Elsinore on the tracks. I had it modified Suzuki tm125, actually faster than most stock Elsinore but their suspensions sucked. R&D took off in the 70s all the way up till the 1990s. They seem( manufacturers) to have reached a plateau except for electric bikes. Do you ride or what is your background?
Mc Queen had classic form and style for that generation of motorcycles.
The golden era of motorcycling as I see it. God Speed
Yes indeed! He was actually pretty damn fast too. It’d be nice to time travel backwards to then for about a week in those deserts. If it were possible…I’d go😎
We can it good steez these days
when they came out with electric bikes, real motorcycling died.
What a great blast from the past this is!!! 250 Elsonore and Steve MC Queen riding it... Pure Gold!!!
Steve was a man's man back when men were men. The good ole days, watching this video brought back so many memories of when I first started riding and racing dirt bikes back in the early 70's. First bike was a Yamaha DT80 and then my first real bike was a 75 Suzuki TM125 that my older brother passed down to me. Loved that TM and thought it was the coolest thing ever, that was until I got my 76 Suzuki RM125. That changed everything. I've had too many dirt bikes to count over the years, but as it stands right now, I have 11 of them at my house. Of course, some of them I bought for my two boys and they've outgrown them. I'm 58 years old and still love dirt bike riding. My current ride is a 07 KTM 450 EXC that I ride in Colorado whenever I get a chance, but my favorite go to bike is my old 94 Kawasaki KDX 250 that I've had forever, it seems. I have many others, but these two are my favorites. Great video.
This is a metaphor for Steve McQueens life....a poor start, beating the pack and then going your own way....Legend!
that makes no sense at all
@@jiffjiffernson7292 Well, in this video Steve starts riding last and in real life he started last too, he was abandoned by his mum and lived in boys homes and on the streets.
Then in the video he comes from the back and out-rides the pack, in life he rose to the top to become one of the biggest actors and ended up an icon.
As for the bit where he leaves the group of riders and goes his own way, Steve was his own man and would often disappear into the desert on his bike for days by himself much to the chargrin of his agents and film directors.
Nobody wanted to be around him lol.
@@Porsche996driverEither way, Steve never gave them the chance lol
Cool guy, loved him in Papillon!
I bought one of these new from the dealer, $695.00. It was a blast to ride. It tore up the dirt wherever I went. I sold mine around 1978 - 79. I would love to have another one, but with my bad back, I don't think I could kick start it! I love watching this video over and over, it brings back a lot of memories.
i had a 74 mt 250 those were the fukin days!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Mark H I had a 1977 YZ-80D. They didn't make the YZ-100 for to many years might your 1978 YZ-100E be the last year for that. Was it twin shock or mono shock
I too raced a YZ100E......great memories....... God I feel old!
@@scottgolden2766 The 78 YZ100 was the new mono-shock with a steel swing arm. My first brand new MX bike, out the door for $800.00. The prices tripled in 5 years after the 1986 production rule, and it only got worse with the EPA forcing the 4-stroke on the industry. Glad I was a kid then, when a kid could afford a bike. I feel so sorry for the generations of millions of kids, who will never have those great experiences. How do we measure the losses?
@EarthSurferUSA it’d take a lot of measuring! Those were golden times; I’d wager, better times?! Seemed like to me way more “freedom” to roam & ride & fish & just “be” without all the hullabaloo & BS!
As a young guy he was a legend to me, black belt, stunt driver and motocross racer. I went on to pursue those same hobbies and they led me to both my military Spec Ops and later Federal Special Agent careers. Retired from service, things come full circle, now I do stunt coordination!
Great story!
I think people forget what a bad ass motorcycle racer Steve was! I think he was ranked 11th in the world as a amateur dirt bike racer! Remember "On Any Sunday"? With his buddies Mert Lawwell, and Malcom Smith! After crashing and breaking his ankle he still finished the race in pain! He loved all motor sports! Sad we lost him to cancer in 1980 after he shot his last movie "The Hunter" Rest in peace Steve-O!!!!!!!!!! And the "Elsie" was and still is an awesome scooter! The camera and editing work was second to none! I guess I would know as I was an editor for many years! My friend broke his shoulder on a "Elsinore" CR125cc at "Motorcycle Hill" in Los Angeles in the 70's just when they first came out! That's how I got to trade him a Les Paul "Black Beauty" custom guitar for it! I always wanted to get the CR250, but got the Yamaha YZ250 instead! O-well still was a boat load of torque and was fun! Last note Steve rode "Husky's most of the time! Thanks and ride safe out there!!!! My best, JF.
He wasnt a amateur when he was racing Moto Cross, I know because the manager of a Perth Bike Shop who was born on the Isle of Mann and was a ranked Road Racer raced against Steve in Germany, he had the photo's to prove it, he even sat at the same table as Steve at the Presentation Night, many Road Racers started racing Moto Cross because they were being paid more than they were road racing.
@@jamesmatheson5115 Stand
@@jamesmatheson5115 Check your facts! I'm talking about motocross not the Isle of Man! You are most likely too young to know! My dad was good friends with Steve and was a director! Steve left his Triumph 650 Bonneville at our house for me to take care of when he went abroad and he said I could ride it! I raced for many years in motocross then flat track then on to drag racing! It has nothing to do about being paid for Steve for racing motorcycles He had some endorsements, but was an armature on the dirt bike circuit! Going back in the 60's and 70's! O by the way Steve sat at our dinner table many times and broke bread with my family! Your friend spent one night with him! No American has ever won the Isle of Man that proves European road racers are the best! I raced because I loved it! Not expecting money till I saw all the bullshit politics that is everyday life in this day and age as it was always since the dawn of Man! Steve always wanted to do his own stunts, but the studios had too much to loose if he got hurt! However having said that he did a lot of crazy stunts and driving! Check out Bullet! He did not take any bullshit from the studios or anybody! My best to you and all your family and friends! JF
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At 57, I just picked up a 74 and a 75 125. I had a new 74 back in the day. Escape Country, Valley Cycle Park, Saddle Back, Irwindale Race way, Orange County Race way, Indian Dunes (Shadow Glen And International Tracks) At 16 years old. Time flies. Live it!
"Time flies. Live it!"
Sure does. The only difference is I don't bounce as well as I used to and convalescing takes longer. But, riding is still worth it.
SCALECRAFT
Remember at the track in 74-75 , 20 + ELSE'S ON THE LINE ? Then the mono shock came out with Yamaha. Evolution.
Lots of places to ride in SoCal back then
Scott Golden i remember all of those tracks as well. to bad that they are all gone now. as soon as i get my time machine working i will let you know. until then i guess i will just have to watch On Any Sunday again. by the way for those of you who do not know we lost Bruce Brown about a couple of weeks ago. a good friend of Steve,s. i wish that they would make movies like that again. but imo. there is not any actor in Hollywood that is any where near as cool as Steve McQueen was.
lilorbie lilorbie Sad news hearing about Bruce Browns passing. I was a little to young and just missed out on riding those places. I did ride at Indian Dunes once. I believe that I heard that Saddle Back was the best of all of those riding places. What was your favorite one. You said you a 74 125 was it a Honda
I wanted one of these in 7th grade and I still want one. This bike was the new age of motocross. Still has awesome looks today!
My brother got the 125 cc at the local Honda store for $300 I was told. It was an unsold '74 bought in '76. It was a great bike but the cylinder wore out fast in those days.
A friend bought a 250 and I saw him jump 10 feet straight up at a rock quarry. The handlebars collapsed and bent that beautiful gas tank. I was riding the first year XR-75, so I couldn't believe ten feet of air.
@@wayneburgess2885 Yeah - the only fault in those old “air hammers” was the lack of longevity we get from todays liquid cooled bikes. I had a ‘86 CR 125, and it was a beast.
Steve and icon of the 60,s-70's great actor and a good rider.. life slips away.. the Elsinore days..
That 250 was badass in it's day. I used to ride one myself just like that. Damn this video makes me realize just how old I am.
Don’t think about it…lol ha ha we are all getting older!
I feel your pain Brother
I used to get a dink on the tank from my dad on one of these must have been 3 years old this is why there called the good old days no one to say you cant ride here wtf has happened .
@@Yoda-em5mt And you probably will never forget that two stroke buzz going through the fuel tank. Proably an 'un-wipable' memory :)
@@Jonathan-L Too true two strokes are so good .
Had the !973 125 Elsinore. I was 15 years old and it was summer . I lived on that thing. 24/7. day and night. Learned to slide sideways with my feet on the pegs coming out of the corners , on a wheely. Best handling 125 I've ever owned.
I had a CR250 Elsinore.was a new leftover '74 I got in 1977.For a 15 year old kids first bike, it was a beast.scared the crap out of me many a time.good times.
I remember them being three model years leftover and highly discounted.
Great catch.
So glad I was able to grow up in that era. Got my first Honda 70 in 71 @ 11 and thank God, never looked back. On my 45th bike now and don't know how many broken bones, but next to surfing it is still the best gig in town, no matter what the weather. (waves aren't always there.)
You summed up exactly how I feel, Patricia. I was born in the late Seventies and love riding motorbikes.
There is a sense of connecting with that primeval urge to explore and expand the boundaries of what is possible.
I'd love to get my older brother and sister past their motorbike tests and go riding together; recapturing those halcyon days when we played together and didn't have a care in the world. :)
+Patricia Potter Thanx. just to let you know it is Scott, as Patty is my wife. I am not too good on this thing and it is under her name. She did also grow up in the 60s and 70s. We married in the mid 90s and she started riding with me and I got her a 76 Honda MR 175 and a 74 xl 125, and we restored both of these bikes great fun to ride and learn on. Just need to leave Fla. as no place to ride, and go to Ga. or Tenn. where people know how to have fun. Nice to know there are others who appreciate the old school. God bless. Let me know where you all are from.
Hi, apologies, didn't realise you were using your wife's account, Scott.
I'm from the UK, North West to be precise.
In fact, I used to live about 30 minutes away from the CCM Motorbike factory.
I learnt to ride on a Honda H100-SJ. Moved onto a Kawasaki ER5.
+freedomvigilant1234 No problem, glad you wrote back. My dad was stationed in Kimbolton England (sp?) from 1943 to 1945 and was a tail gunner in a B-17. Ever heard of this base? ( he passed in 2010 at 85, and did ride some w/me off road) I now have a 74 xl350 Honda and just bought a 2013 DRZ 400 suzuki with 86 miles and have put a yosh pipe, Clarke tank and turned it all yellow to save the nice black body work and steel tank. It is a good ride and at my age and shape good for some cow trails and back roads. Am wanting to get either a Ktm or Husky 350 street/trail. Have had one husky and a couple Ktms. Do you have any knowledge or opinion on either of these bikes? any input would be appreciated. thanx. Scott
Yup, Kimbolton is close to Santa Pod in Cambridgeshire, famous for drag racing.
Your Dad must have had some real guts to go flying in those B17's.... Especially as a tail gunner.
Now, KTM's have a pretty good reputation, well made and reliable. There is a channel on You Tube called Men And Motors. If you google KTM and Men And Motors you will find some great reviews. Husquvarna's I have never ridden.
I bought a 125 Elsinore brand new and all it needed was a good port job to turn it into a 250 Husky killer. And yes, it was and still is the best looking dirt bike of all time.
I'm almost 66 now and had the same experience, could wheelie that bike thru the gearbox. Narrow power band but the clutch could help you out. Starting line at MX races back then had 30 bikes on the line and 26 of them were Elsinores. Marty Smith sold a million of them by winning and looking so cool.
100%
The King Of Cool just like those original Elsinores, 2 Originals that can Never be replaced or equaled. We miss you both.
Luke!
Tom Cruise.
It's a flim i love to watch. Am 67 and i had the same Honda experience back in 1974 and rode my bike in New Jersey in Millstone. Back than it was farmland open and unbuild. Now just housing development. But that desert riding was a dream for a young dirt bike rider. I slept with dirt bike magazine at night with the light on check out all the machines that were out at the time . The Suzuki TZ 400 was my dream bike back in the day. We all loved Steve in On Any Sunday. .. great bike movie. RIP Steve .
Love this video, thanks for posting it! He was a good rider, really smooth style and nice to see that 250 Elsinore.... this really was a golden era to be riding dirt bikes. Beautiful.
Steve McQueen was the real deal.
rockeypaul1 iiiii
He didn't even try to act "bad ass or cool" but he was. The Cooler King! :-)
Ah the good old days... When we had places to ride. I never owned one of the original Elsinores, but boy did I dream of them. Still do. Great video.
Gracie❤❤❤❤❤&
Thank you from Germany for this wonderful awesome Video- Steve McQueen is really one of my favorite hero's,all-time 👍
The 1970s +2 stroke bikes+ hippie chicks+cool music+mild weed====great times. Some of the best years of my life.
I agree using weeds in moderation....just to nip the edge off n chill out!
@@mahinat.coover8972 Right? It was weak weed, so we didn't get blasted. Plus the cool part was taking time to pass the bong around, listening to Black Sabbath and Zeppelin and bullshitting. Great times.
Love it! I remember those good old days before Elsinore got developed & you could ride anywhere no hassels & remember Steve Mc Queen being there thou I didn't get close enough to meet him, Bummer
At that time I was campaigning a Bultaco Pursang, 250 & 350. That Elsinore was a little quicker but a little too peaky on top. The Bultaco used mellow mid-range power which was more controllable in corners. Both were a blast to ride.
Pursang 250, used one with hare N hound runs in the sixties, as a paperboy took all winter of saving my money for it, first thing crashed it in the front of my dad's garage, wanted ceriani forks any way
The Bultaco Pursang was the best looking bike of that era
I had a 250 Pursang too.A 1970.That first 250 Elsinore,to my mind,was and still is,the most beautiful dirt bike of all time.Man,how I lusted after one! But I'll tell you,some of my riding buddys got them,and they were fast,but none of us could ever figure out how to make them turn.The Bultaco handled like a dream,and was damn near as fast.With a set of Konis,new fork springs,and a port job,I actually stayed competitive on that old thing until the long travel suspension revolution came along a few years later.
My good old friend Bill use to ride with Steve with his Bultaco, he’s now in his mid eighties. I loved Steves short interview!
This was about the time I started my dirt bike riding life. I can fully relate to Steve’s outlook on the reasons he rides and many more.
I still ride with my sons and mostly other young guys regularly with modern bikes and safety equipment. It has truly made my life better in many ways with the friendships and adventures shared. I’m 61 now and looking forward to the next ride! (Snowing as I write).
I find great pleasure in these classic videos. Is fascinating the power of classic motors, i never would change a classic by one modern engine. That sense of freedom and force is really wonderfull...i love classics engines...thanks for share!
Agreed! Same here
He was a gr8 all around racer,and actor!!! thx for posting-never saw this before!!
Great Vid. I owned a 1973 CR250M Elsinore man it was great!!!!, a better bike than I was a rider. It was a fast light 2 stroke with a very tight power band, over 30HP and weight about 214lbs way better than my old honda sl-100.
Old school, I was 14 years old when that bike came out. Those are the days of down pipes, dual rear shocks, and 4 inches of suspension travel, lol. Funny thing is, it was the hot bike at the time, a friend of mine Rick O'Brien raced one at Sparland in Illinois, and nobody could beat him.
my friend and I raced Sears Point whenever it ran. One time,we were at the sign-up trailer and looking at the posted races.I said" look at this guy's name ,Harvey Mushman !."We didn't find out till later that it was McQueen. He was in my race.
Brilliant! What a great story. I hope you beat him!.....lol
Awesome.
This video is amazing on so many levels... the camera work (no GoPros back then, just 16mm film cameras), the riding (you can't tear across the desert like this in SoCal anymore or you'll get arrested), and of course Steve McQueen
Jina Choi - yes you can- I did it last week in Jawbone. ;)
All duly noted😊very true! It’d be nice to go back in time and visit for a week. Better times…
You are right. No drones either in the 70s. They must have used a real helicopter.
Yet another reason California SUCKS. Just let a liberal in, they'll screw up anything and everything... even the USA. Thanks Joe, Gavin, Nastee, et al.
@@russellhelms2835 a week? I'd never come back
MY GOD!! That brought back old Memories! I had an "Elsinore" in 1974 cost $1000, which was a whole lot for a 250! It was the baddest Factory Motocross Racing Bike ever made! Of course, I could not handle one as good as Steve! Wish I could call back some years!
Great Man Great Actor Great Rider....... R. I. P. Steve......
"RIP" 🤔 Death was staged. Entered the Federal Witness Program aka Gone With The Wind. Many other well known names on that list too 😊
way way cooler than james dean
i remember reading once that steves wife said "he spends all his time in his garage drinking beer with his disgusting motorcycle freinds" i wish id met him,wed have got on well!
boss 302 gorie Ali McGraw said that!
@@walterwynnchok7474she was just mad because she wasn't included. There was a sign on the garage door. No girls allowed ! 😂
Back in the day when you could leave your truck wide open and take off for a tear on your sweet SILVER Elsinor CR250.
SHUT UP
and he probably left the keys in the ignition
There wasn’t anyone within 250 miles
With a 10 dollar bill to buy some beers
Sad what the country has become... we couldn't see it coming. We gave it all away
I think this is a clip from "On any Sunday" McQueen was always one of my hero's. great actor, and done his own driving or riding. great clip
That dude knew how to live no matter how wealthy! That's why I respect him so much.
God im glad i grew up in the 70s rode a 76 RM 125 and me and my buddys rode all over the New Mexico desert chasing jack rabbits and coyotes....im 63 now and ride a 89 KDX and ride by myself mostly.....great Video...DAMN those were good days
Soon as they came out I had to have one..All my mates were riding Suzukis..Which were very good too..What a life that was back then..Local Races plus out to some ones Farm just to push it to the limit..New Zealand MX was as good as anywhere
Thanks for posting this, takes me back to my childhood
I remember when Honda introduced its first 2 stroke.The CR 250 was a 214 lb. monster that put all the European bikes on the trailer.
Awesome video. Great actor and rider
This was shot out where I grew-up riding at a place called Holiday Valley (off hwy 138 between Gorman and Lancaster, CA).
Looks picture perfect after a winter storm with snow in the mtns and water in the riverbed. (Y)
Sadly, it doesn't look like that anymore.
well, yes - yes it does look like that - however there are now wind farms and solar panels to contend with on the low ground.
Robert Baldwin Still live up here and you can’t do any of the crap anymore without a getting a ticket. It sucks!! But we have solar fields!! Lame
I am glad I red comments! I thought it looked like Gorman. First place I ever rode in the dirt! Back in 1979, had dual purpose Yamaha 125 with a seat and rear rack big enough for 3 people. GREAT TIMES! Sad to hear what it has turned into!!
I like the actual moto boots with the sock turned down over the top of the boot.. I started offroading back in 1969.. I had linesman lace up boots..we were riding in the NJ pinebarrens...still go riding there and lots of other places across the u s. I'm now 65 and still twisting it ! 😃
Sooo glad we have this video!
It was about 40yeras ago, I watched this film and I was impressed. So I bought and rode this HONDA for about some years.,,,,,
I have wanted to watch this film again. Thank You So Much!
1970's! Back when 2 strokes ruled!
I Still rip them now!
mike jones Yes, and thankfully now they're nearly dead and replaced by the truly better four stroke.
They ruled all the way up till 98 when the yz400f dethroned them (from motorcross)
+Matthew Weisenburger two strokes still rule, the the manufacturers are what allowed 4strokes to take over. Two strokes continued to in in AMA until 2005-6 when it basically became impossible to win. a two stroke head cost $50 vs.$2000 for a four stroke. thousands of moving parts
Purr Cat “thousands of moving parts” lmao valves cams and a timing chain and you have a 4 stroke. They’re not that complicated. You never see two strokes in motorcross anymore I’m pretty sure that means they’re dethroned.
camera work is incredible for that year
Great pilot
That soundtrack makes me teary
Classical Gas ?
This video n music is so energizing and soothing at the same time.... Awesome.... Makes me wanna hop onto my bike and blast away....I wish we still had 2 strokes around n a dirt trail
What is this music anyway? ty
That clip is great and has the spirit and joy of free offroad motocross riding .
My first bike was a 1979 KTM 250 GS . ❤😊
I rode one in 73 and right out of the box, right after this era the whole World started going up-side-down.
Right after the redistribution of our production to communism in china (started in 1978), as if free enterprise and communism are compatible. It is up-side down.
Still have my 50 Elsinore from when I was a kid
Those were the days! The King of Cool on an Elsinore!
I restored my 74 at 50-years old after giving up racing and trying to relive the glory years, that bike scared me. I really don't remember it being so violet, even my 500cc2t's seemed mellow compared the Elsinore.. One thing I always had in stock was kick starter pawls, great memories.
I feel really happy watching this video, thanks for the video
For now on I will not ride too fast on the street. Because Steve McQueen asked me nicely.
He is the man.
The King of Cool
Thank you for uploading this video.
Thank you Steve McQueen for your entertainment, advise, and inspiration. You're never dead.
War hero stunt man amazing actor . What a human we don't have them anymore like this.
The two years I ran the Elsinore Grand Prix , I pitted with Steve. He ran his Triumph "twingle" 500 both years.
Two of my brothers brought home one each when they first came out. We did moto and open desert. I was on a TM 125....The Elsinore was state of the art but not for long. The liquid cooled mono-shockers would soon rule the roost.
When the Yamaha YZs came along they took the top spot from Honda. but Honda was unchallenged for quite some time before that. with the Elsinore and the red frame Elsinores. the Yamaha YZs with their mono shock rear suspension. started the long travel suspension revolution.
"I'm still here you bastards"
Papillion!
"For a man's ride. HONDA" Haha, love it. Steve was a good rider. Better than any actor I've ever seen. He had a great riding style. He really knew how to ride.
those old CRs may not have been the fastest bike, at the meet but they were absolutely bulletproof
man he is ridin the shit outta that thing
Great video! Does any one know the name of the song that starts playing when Steve Mcqueen Starts Riding The bike?
This brings back memories. The 70s. There was a street legal version, too; the MT 250. A street legal 2 stroke.
Before PCs, before pagers. You had to use paper road maps and pay phones to travel around.
I was a kid. I could leave the house and be gone for hours and my parents didn't worry.
The MT was maybe the worst two stroke ever. I worked on a pretty tidy MT250. I got the impression Honda was trying to get people to buy four strokes. Or it was designed and made in Taiwan.
I had a friend that bought a used MT250 that had been modded with engine parts from an Elsinore including the expansion chamber. It had working lights too. It was like riding an Elsinore on the street, and you had to be careful not to run across a cop while riding it with that loud pipe LOL…
My brother had a MT125. Yep, it was a turd performance wise. But couldn't kill that thing ( Lord knows I tried). 😅
The best action actor Mr. Mac queen. Will never forget Bullit and my favorite, JUNIOR BONNER! Still got the paper clip from the day he passed away.
they dont make them like him anymore. he was one of my idols as i grew up racing motocross.
Some great drone shots there.....
Steve was good in all he did. Steve was a special breed
Just a thinking individual, the way the breed should be.
Bonito vídeo. Que tiempos aquellos, había que ser un hombre para manejar esos hierros. McQeen, gran motero y gran actor.
Many people think SM was an actor could ride, but he was really a rider who could act. "Racing is living, the rest is just waiting." - Steve McQueen
Last photo I saw of Mr. Mc Queen was a picture of him messing with an old Indian motor cycle on the cover of Easy Rider back in 80 or 81 announcing his death, geez he would be in his 90's now, he was 50 when he passed. He and Clint Eastwood riding 650 Triumphs in the movies gave me motorcycle fever back in the 60's they were easy to work on which was a good thing because they broke down often. After that I got into Harley's during the AMF days, and you always carried a set of wrenches with you, which I thought was just normal LOL. I did turn into a decent mechanic though.
Wow that brings back some great memories! And you would be surprised at how much fun you can have on a short, underpowered bike like that. . It pretty much forces you to read the terrain more exactly, too. Now, denting that flimsy tank with your legs is a real problem, as is the rear sprocket bolts coming loose all the time.. But damn, it sure was some fun times.
At about 3:20 if you look close the left side of the tank is dented from his knee. My 71 Bultaco M87 has the rear sprocket bolts safety wired and stop nuts from the factory.
30 hp isnt under powered. A 2001 cr250 has 52 hp.
Thanks for posting.
Me and Steve two of a kind. Good looks and a CR250M. 😎
amazing bikes in their day I well recall riding these machines that power band wow even the 125 Elsinore was quick
lord take me back where it all made since 1972 to begin with.
We were tired of pull-chord mini-bikes.. The 1969 Honda 90cc Motosport (4-stroke);
Scott Vanthof. Hell yes the music the cars the motorcycles.....it was real back then....today it all sucks. 72 I was a freshman in HS....fuck the Coors the cheap weed...no aids to worry about...my 70 Buick skylark gs455...suzuki ts185.....I would give my left nut to go back
Me too !
I'd take the nuts to have balls to ride my 1971 Yamaha RT360
I loved the smell of those old two strokes running Casrol R.
Damn, I miss the freedom of a dirt bike! Had an elsenore 125, kawi 250, yamaha tt500. If I tried to ride one now, you could follow the trail of parts that fell off of me...
Thanks Steve!
My Grandfather in-law rode with him at this race ! RIP to both !
A Snowmobile racer I knew in the 70s had a 125 and did the engine porting and polishing. He also put a 14 inch rear sprocket on the back wheel. He would loan it to me and let me ride it all day. That thing almost never used the front tire. And it would almost climb trees. Rode the 250 as well. They were great.
I was racing then, but I never got to ride an Elsinore, neither the 125 nor the 250. I'm sure they were a blast.
Loved my 250M Elsinore in Rampart Range Co !
Steve could ride!
Steve McQueen
Will always be a legend like Ken Block
If you want to be to keep ridding bikes and being manly there is only one choice.
🇺🇸🇺🇸Trump 2024🇺🇸🚁
I can smell that 2 stroke exhaust now!
Never knew he did a Honda commercial...cool, thanks for posting this.
I had that same motorcycle.. good times! and still have the ticket somewhere that I got from parking it on the sidewalk Infront of my highschool in 1979
Wow thanks so much for posting follow that
thanks Hellion I really liked the Cr 125 also but I am over 6 ft and the 250 fit me, now I ride a CRF250x for a play bike and have a vstrom 1000 for road trips.
💪 Alway wanted one. Setteled for a 76 Yamaha DT400. Just a kid then..still want one..
Steve nailed that whoop section like a pro
I bought a MT250 2stroke brand new, it was my first enduro at the ripe age of 16. It cost me $1200 bucks lol...neat video
We had this bike, a Bultaco, Xr 75 and a brand new Yz80e first of the mono shock bikes back when dual shocks were disappearing.
gr8 video...gr8 music too...wish i ws born in those days!
Lake Elsinore Grand Prix was awesome. Now it don't even go down Main street. My uncle had a house where they closed off the street. Every year it was a weekend party .
Steve was always Super Cool.
A Super Legend for all Time.