Emig was so fun to watch. He led and left the others in a lot of the races but when he battled he fought hard and smooth. So much style. Back and forth. Like that Main at red budd, he rode wide open it was nuts how fast he could go
It took 8 years, (from here, 1997), for the starting line to be all 4-stroke. James and RC held out the longest on their 2-strokes, and were still winning, including hole shots.
One of the highlights of the series, watching Damon Bradshaw earn his last national win. I think I am gonna go listen to his Whiskey Throttle Shown interview again,---- now. :)
The death of the sport for the masses. I started out as a 12 year old kid, with no parental support in 1976 buying 3 brand new bikes over 6 years, making $1.00/hr part time at my dad's store, (a new MX bike was under $850 for that long). Any kid could make a few bucks doing something, were buying bikes for the first time in their family history. Then the 1986 production was put in place, (by the fim in Europe), for the USA only, and Yamaha helped the most. Bikes tripled in cost in the next 5 years. Now no kid on his own are buying bikes anymore, and market share was cut at least in half. The sport starts shrinking after 1986. The prices for a 250 2-stroke stayed at about 5 grand until the epa evasion of the 4-stroke in 1997. Yes, the 4-stroke was forced on the industry, and the prices are almost trpile again, (getting clse to 15 grand today). The result is about 1/10th of the market share the sport used to have,---and even though I will grant you, the 4-stroke hooks up to the ground better, everything else about it is evil, and you actually cheer for the end of the sport. The FIM can't fill the gates in Europe now. They would be if the 4-stroke was never forced on the industry with epa regulations with unlimited power over any producer. It is called, "economic fascism" when outside forces tell a business or industry what to do. Believe me, the factories really have no interest in pricing them selves out of the industry. I predict Suzuki to be the first to stop making MX bikes. More, but probably not all will follow. My guess is Yamaha and KTM will be the last to go if that happens. They play by the government rules the most,---and Yamaha, the only jap manufacture still makes the 2-strokes for 250cc and under. Do you see what Yamaha did there? From now on, if your parents did not ride and make a good 6 figure income, your not going to be able to buy a bike. You welcome that. Stop please. :) Doug in Michigan
Yes. The hair line can throw us for a loop. :) He is another one who came into the pro game late, did not ride mini-cycles,---pretty sure. I was at Red Bud when he won an overall there. "The junkyard Dowd", is what he was called, (instead of "junkyard dog"). His Dad owned a junkyard. I wonder what he is doing these days. It used to be that a lot of ex-racers started businesses. Probably more, per capita, than business college grads today.
I was 12 years old in 1997. A kid in South Africa obsessed with motorcross. Never got to actually watch the guys race as moto wasn't on TV or anything here. The magazines were my only connection to the sport. So cool to be able to watch all these races on UA-cam now!
@@Rodders5000 I am in Michigan USA, all my life. 58 yrars old and started riding back when a kid could afford a new bike in 76. They sold the most bikes back then by far, but believe it or not, it was rarely on TV. We got a subscription to "Cycle News" news paper to keep up with the racing. Then "Motoworld" was aired on cable, (a 1/2hr weekly show that briefly covered all cycle racing in the USA.), and I would be able to see it by taking my break when it was on at the bar I flipped burgers at. That lasted a few years, and was how i found out that David Bailey got paralyzed in early 1987. It was not until I moved to a city, in the early 90's when ESPN2 and Speed world would carry it on basic cable. I did not want to pay for cable, so I just watched it with friends at a pizza joint with a few beers. Now that NBC has taken over,---and I don't use TV anymore, I have not seen a full race unless it was bootlegged on race day on YT, (soon to be removed, unless not in English). Heck, I first starting learning to ride looking at still pictures in magazines, lol, and "how to ride" articles in them once in a while, (then a Gary Bailey book in the early 80's). I know I could have gotten faster quicker if I saw Hannah through a Go-Pro on his helmet. :) We can't seen NBC races on YT now. But these past races are more memorable anyway. :) Doug in Michigan.
What would McGrath comment out,----outdoors? He won one, but he wasn't man enough to work that hard, (neither was Pastrana), which is their choice, and cool with me. His 72 SX wins will never be beaten though. He was the man on the BMX tracks. :)
Emig had the heart. McGrath didn’t have the stamina to race outdoors. Then lost indoors as well. It was good to see someone else win and Jeremy cry the entire year
My favorite era of motocross. That factory Kawasaki KX250SR of Emig was just amazing! Superb riding style of Emig also, standing on the pegs a lot.
Emig was by far the king in 97 dowd was tuff though
Stantindg in the pegs a lot. Yeahhh
Emig was so fun to watch. He led and left the others in a lot of the races but when he battled he fought hard and smooth. So much style. Back and forth. Like that Main at red budd, he rode wide open it was nuts how fast he could go
The camera angles at Glen Helen were awesome...bring back the Glen to AMA Nationals!
It took 8 years, (from here, 1997), for the starting line to be all 4-stroke. James and RC held out the longest on their 2-strokes, and were still winning, including hole shots.
To listen to a pack of all 2 stroke bikes is so f****** refreshing 😂. I miss that so much. My opinion 2 strok over 4 stroke any day. 💯😈💣💙
One of the highlights of the series, watching Damon Bradshaw earn his last national win.
I think I am gonna go listen to his Whiskey Throttle Shown interview again,---- now. :)
Welcome, 4 stroke.
The death of the sport for the masses. I started out as a 12 year old kid, with no parental support in 1976 buying 3 brand new bikes over 6 years, making $1.00/hr part time at my dad's store, (a new MX bike was under $850 for that long). Any kid could make a few bucks doing something, were buying bikes for the first time in their family history. Then the 1986 production was put in place, (by the fim in Europe), for the USA only, and Yamaha helped the most. Bikes tripled in cost in the next 5 years. Now no kid on his own are buying bikes anymore, and market share was cut at least in half. The sport starts shrinking after 1986. The prices for a 250 2-stroke stayed at about 5 grand until the epa evasion of the 4-stroke in 1997. Yes, the 4-stroke was forced on the industry, and the prices are almost trpile again, (getting clse to 15 grand today). The result is about 1/10th of the market share the sport used to have,---and even though I will grant you, the 4-stroke hooks up to the ground better, everything else about it is evil, and you actually cheer for the end of the sport. The FIM can't fill the gates in Europe now. They would be if the 4-stroke was never forced on the industry with epa regulations with unlimited power over any producer. It is called, "economic fascism" when outside forces tell a business or industry what to do. Believe me, the factories really have no interest in pricing them selves out of the industry. I predict Suzuki to be the first to stop making MX bikes. More, but probably not all will follow. My guess is Yamaha and KTM will be the last to go if that happens. They play by the government rules the most,---and Yamaha, the only jap manufacture still makes the 2-strokes for 250cc and under. Do you see what Yamaha did there? From now on, if your parents did not ride and make a good 6 figure income, your not going to be able to buy a bike. You welcome that. Stop please. :) Doug in Michigan
thanks for sharing
Damn, didn't realize how good Dowd was.
Yes. The hair line can throw us for a loop. :)
He is another one who came into the pro game late, did not ride mini-cycles,---pretty sure. I was at Red Bud when he won an overall there.
"The junkyard Dowd", is what he was called, (instead of "junkyard dog"). His Dad owned a junkyard.
I wonder what he is doing these days. It used to be that a lot of ex-racers started businesses. Probably more, per capita, than business college grads today.
I was 12 years old in 1997. A kid in South Africa obsessed with motorcross. Never got to actually watch the guys race as moto wasn't on TV or anything here. The magazines were my only connection to the sport. So cool to be able to watch all these races on UA-cam now!
@@Rodders5000 I am in Michigan USA, all my life. 58 yrars old and started riding back when a kid could afford a new bike in 76. They sold the most bikes back then by far, but believe it or not, it was rarely on TV. We got a subscription to "Cycle News" news paper to keep up with the racing. Then "Motoworld" was aired on cable, (a 1/2hr weekly show that briefly covered all cycle racing in the USA.), and I would be able to see it by taking my break when it was on at the bar I flipped burgers at. That lasted a few years, and was how i found out that David Bailey got paralyzed in early 1987. It was not until I moved to a city, in the early 90's when ESPN2 and Speed world would carry it on basic cable. I did not want to pay for cable, so I just watched it with friends at a pizza joint with a few beers. Now that NBC has taken over,---and I don't use TV anymore, I have not seen a full race unless it was bootlegged on race day on YT, (soon to be removed, unless not in English).
Heck, I first starting learning to ride looking at still pictures in magazines, lol, and "how to ride" articles in them once in a while, (then a Gary Bailey book in the early 80's). I know I could have gotten faster quicker if I saw Hannah through a Go-Pro on his helmet. :)
We can't seen NBC races on YT now. But these past races are more memorable anyway. :) Doug in Michigan.
McGrath vs Emig...no coment
What would McGrath comment out,----outdoors? He won one, but he wasn't man enough to work that hard, (neither was Pastrana), which is their choice, and cool with me. His 72 SX wins will never be beaten though. He was the man on the BMX tracks. :)
Emig had the heart. McGrath didn’t have the stamina to race outdoors. Then lost indoors as well. It was good to see someone else win and Jeremy cry the entire year
5:58 yeah we are definitely used to that odd sound now
Nope, not me. I don't get used to bad ideas.
Lol if there was more 4 strokes out there..David bailey
McGrath on the horrible Suzuki
Shows how talented MC really was, because you're right: that Suzook was a POS