WHEN WE RODE THE GREATEST WORKS BIKE OF THE ’70s, REDBUD PRESS DAY & A GIANT TRIKE: THE WRAP

MotoFactory · 5 июля

Back in the late ‘70s, factory race bikes were the stuff of dreams. They were the product of an all-out, win-or-else mentality and had nothing in common with the bikes that were being sold. It was hard to even get a close look at one, and unthinkable for anyone outside of the factory to actually ride one.

Nonetheless, in late 1976, the Dirt Bike staff got to ride the most exotic works bike of the time. Gunnar Lindstrom was the editor back then. He had been a factory rider himself, and that opened doors that would otherwise be closed. Pierre Karsmakers and John Rosenstiel met the DB guys at Saddleback Park with the Honda RC500 Type II. It had recently been revealed at the World MX round in Italy, where Karsmakers had won the second moto against the likes of Roger DeCoster. Here is what they wrote in the January, 1977 issue of Dirt Bike:

This perfect example of the Honda RC500 Type II is a part of the International Motocross Museum.

What would you do if American Honda offered you a ride on an RC500 Honda? You know, the latest works bike that Pierre and Marty and Tommy ride? Don’t answer, we already know. You’d jump at the chance. How do we know? It happened to us.

On a spare day between Trans-AMA races, Honda, in the persons of Pierre Karsmakers and John Rosenstiel, met members of the Dirt Bike staff for a semi-clandestine gathering among the mid-week granite ruts at Saddleback Park. Purpose: to let us ride one of the six RC500 Honda motocrossers in the United States.

You’ve seen pictures of it, or, if you were lucky, got close enough at a race to want to get closer. It’s the red one; very red. Red frame, red tank, red engine. Without question the most svelte of the new motocrossers. It stole the show in Italy at its debut and opened the way for a whole new line of apparel accessories. Heads stretch out the windows of the DirtBike truck as we pull into the pits next to it. You can almost see ions pulsing in the air from the electric tension.

Pierre Karsmakers on the Type 1

John R. and Pierre are accommodating, pointing out a few of the RCs clever nuances while we soak them up and lend them to film. This RC deserves its new designation. No part bears more than a visual resemblance to the old Elsinore line. This is no punched-out 250 Elsie! All of the motor pieces are sand cast magnesium, symbolizing the new-ness of the bike. Titanium bolts hold it together. In the RC, steel is the rare metal. We assume that the RC500 is exceedingly light and meet with our first awakening. At the last Trans-AMA Pierre’s bike tipped the scales at 234 pounds.

Nice things. The swingarm is so close to the countershaft that only one larger size of countershaft can be used without rubbing. And the countershaft is on the opposite side compared to the Elsinore. In fact, the whole engine is reversed, a mirror image. And John R. claims that this bike is much better for service than previous bikes. Access is better and basic service can be performed quite quickly.

January, 1977 Dirt Bike Magazine

We slip off to dress while the others talk. A casual reappearance with helmet, goggles, gloves and the rest in place gets the point across. John R. waves us forward. There’s no backing away now. The RC is tall, the tallest motocross bike we’ve ever encountered, as a matter of fact. Just rocking the bike in place moves the suspension through three inches of its travel. Sounds like a lot until you subtract it from the total: 12.4 inches at each wheel. That’s why the RC stands as a giant and why the seat is thin and even why it seems to slant forward.

With control operation checked, goggles adjusted and gas turned on there’s only one thing left to do. Start it. We expect this thing to be a bear. Standing aside, the right foot gingerly approaches the lever. A swift kick and retraction and the lever moves easily through its travel. The motor spins through twice and on the third rotation catches. It’s running! Nothing to it! Shut it off and start it again just for fun.

Time to go now. The clutch pulls easily and a gentle nudge slips the transmission into first. With a little gas the RC500 pulls easily away. No revving, jerking or wheelspin It drives away like a real live mundane motorcycle. Can’t hardly touch the ground, but now it’s OK. We’re going. On the track caution is in order.

This motorcycle produces Grand-Prix-winning horsepower and it might be best not to let it all loose at once. The transmission shifts with just a touch up to third and the motor growls happily at low rpm. A little twist of the throttle and the RC crouches and goes. The powerband is much smoother than you would expect in a works motocrosser. Almost 13 inches of rear wheel travel sticks the power to the ground tenaciously. It’s hard to encourage wheelspin.

Marty Smith won the 1977 AMA 500cc National MX Championship. Photo, courtesy MXA.

Ah, but it does get going. With pure acceleration, not wheelspin. At a moderate speed in third gear the suspension is barely working. Bumps and chuck holes disappear under the front wheel. And now a turn,–the brakes work easily and smoothly. Tires gnaw at the ground and the bike slows. Slows too much, in fact. We’re not used to this much brake power. Point the front end in and squirt the bike out with some throttle. Myths begin to fall. The RC isn’t hard to ride at all. There’s flywheel and powerband to compare with any production motocrosser. Just more of everything. Through the whoops now in fourth gear the RC rocks gently like a roller coaster ride. No concussion, just suspension movement. And power to the ground. When the throttle is on, the bike accelerates. When the brakes are on, it slows down.

By now we must have been around a couple of times and the scattered early impressions are beginning to congeal. The initial unreality of what we are doing is beginning to change into a harmony of bike and rider. You question yourself: Has there ever been anything like this? Have you ever ridden anything this good? Of course not. It doesn’t take a champion to ride it, it’s just plain good. There must be some way we can make off with this thing. Got to have it. Maybe if we entered a Trans-AMA and claimed it. No, that wouldn’t work. Have to qualify for one of those. Maybe if we gave Honda a free 12-page ad.

What? There’s someone on the track. It’s John R. signaling that we stop. No! Who wants to stop? He seems pretty adamant, though.

“You’re just about out of gas. You’ve been riding for 50 minutes.”

“Yeah? Who would have guessed.”

REDBUD ON THE FOURTH

One of the great fourth of July traditions is Redbud! Press day was Friday, and Brandon Krause was there to catch all the patriotic colors, as well as get a first look at Tony Cairoli’s Ducati. Chase Sexton was also back in action! Here are some of the images that Brandon sent home.

RJ Hampshire.

Antonio Cairoli

Justin Barcia

J Coop’s colors.

Jett Lawrence

Malcolm Stewart

Landon Gibson

Benoit Paturel on the Twisted Tea/HEP Suzuki

Aaron Plessinger

Chase Sexton and Justin Barcia.

Tom Vialle

Malcolm Zingo, dreds a flyin’

Jo Shimoda

Chase Sexton

OUTSIDE OUR CONFORT ZONE …

Waaay outside. The guys at BRP offered to let us ride a new Can-Am Canyon last week. “Great,” we said. “What’s a Canyon?”

It turns out that the Canyon is the ADV version of the Spyder street, We got on it and had no idea what we were doing. But, we had fun. Don’t hate us for that!