Trying to figure out Vintage MX classes....??

LuckyStar64

LuckyStar64

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I've had some interest in doing some vintage racing that would be reasonably local. I've looked up the racing classes online and they're confusing at best with different classes for different series. Do you guys pick your favorite bike, then figure out what class you and the bike qualify for? Or do you pick a class, then build your weapon to suit?

I'm a minibike F-R-E-A-K so I'd love to race a clapped out XR75, but that not being an option in any vintage events-- the bikes I like would be as follows: 1980 YZ125, '83/"84 YZ125, '82-'83 YZ100, or a non current '97-'98 YZ125. I love coolness-- so a YZ100 would be a rare and cool bird. It's air cooled, but it has a linkage swinger. Would they lump that in with the liquid cooled "83 YZ125's? or the Air Cooled A style swingered '80 YZ125's? What runs in 40+?

The easiest route would be to hunt down Z-Mans' '83 YZ125, or run a non current 125. Like I said though-- coolness has more to do with it than ease. Any sites with info would be helpful. --L*64
 
Look for an air cooled, dual shocks, and drum brakes bike, that's old enough to get served at the bar and you'll qualify for quite a few classes.
 

AMA's rules:

E. Vintage Motocross Equipment

1. Like Design is frames, swing arms and forks must be of period design and materials (pre-1975 for Vintage and pre-1978 for Evolution

1). Any design not clearly documented as period design must be submitted for written approval by AMA Racing at least 30 days prior to competition.


2. Vintage Motocross Class Breakdowns:
a. Vintage – Vintage classes will include machines originally sold as pre-1975 (and like design) models. Vintage classes will include bikes with 7 inches or less front wheel travel and 4 inches or less rear travel
b. Evolution 1 – Evolution 1 classes will include machines originally sold as pre-1978 (and like design) models. Evolution 1 Classes will include bikes with a max of 9 inches of travel for the front and rear. No water cooling.
c. Evolution 2 – Evolution 2 classes will include bikes with no linkage type rear suspension, no water cooling and no disc brakes. There are no travel limitations.
d. Evolution 3 – Evolution 3 classes may have been produced with water cooling and have linkage type rear suspension, but they cannot have disc brakes or any power valve type mechanism built directly into the engine. Yamaha’s YZ 1982-1984 are the only eligible motorcycles allowed to use a power valve mechanism.
e. Non-Current – Non-Current class will include motorcycles originally sold as 1998 and older (and like design) models.

==============================================================================

On the YZ's, if it is monoshock but no linkage it's EV-2.

And if I'm not mistaking the YZ's rear linkage came in 1982, which makes them EV-3.

From what I have been told there is a growing movement to race the 100's, like the YZ100. Particularly out on the west coast.

Pitracer member MXkid was telling me a good deal about the west coast activity. He was saying they are really building those small bore Post Vintage racers up and getting full class's on the gate.

Also, in the Vet age class's, (example- 40+), race what you brung, it's not bike specific.
Hope this helps. (As long as it's old, hee hee! ).

For us personally, it all began with the me buying my 1982 KDX, and later finding out that there was actually a class that I could race the bike in. I've only added to my Post Vintage collection as my interest continued to grow and certain bikes came available.

On the Vintage side, I got really excited watching guys race these old pre-1975 bikes and decided that I wanted to do it as well. The Yamaha MX250 appeared to me to be a good entry point into Vintage Saturday racing. It's been fun. Even though I was only 9 years old when my bike was built. I'm into it!
 
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I like the twin shockers myself, but an early monoshock would be cool, love my Yami's. I raced an MX250 for years and will be building another one this winter. Of course, I like my Penton 250
 
I got started by restoring a bike I wanted when they first came out, an '81 KX250. We started racing it then decided to build a vintage bike to race on Saturdays, something that would be cheaper and easier to restore than the KX. We ended up with a low hour but very neglected Yamaha MX360. Good examples are reasonably cheap to buy, parts are plentiful and cheap, they're plenty fast and they're pretty bullet proof. The KX is up against the mighty full floater Suzuki's in EV3 but it's still pretty competitive and the MX isn't in the top 10 of anyone's list of vintage open classers but it will easily hold it's own and it'll put that stoopid lookin grin on your face every time you ride it.
So my point is to buy/build what you like and ride the class it fits in.

Kevin
 
Thanks for the help. It looks like Z-Mans' '83 YZ125 would be a good buy that's in the classifieds right now. I've read up on the YZ100 that Dave Miller put together, and I kinda want to build one myself. Would that have to run with the liquid cooled bikes with linkages?

In Plus 40, it would be a no brainer that you'd have to run a non current bike to not get smoked? --L*64
 
Actually I'm not sure they would let you run a non-current machine in 40+ class. The latest model bike would still have to be a Evo/Post Vintage class bike.

Someone correct me if I'm wrong on this but the non-current class began as an extra support class to the event. Not meant to compete against vintage or post vintage machines.

You might be surprised on the "getting smoked" also. There really isn't a lot of differences in an EVO/PV bike and an updated non-current machine. And there is never a shortage of really good racers out to prove it to you. My 84 YZ250 doesn't feel a whole lot different than my 03 YZ250. They were both great bikes. And Fast!
 
If non-currents are allowed in age classes, I'm (and alot of others) doing it wrong. I with you Mike, it is limited to Evo/PV from my understanding.
 
LuckyStar64 said:
In Plus 40, it would be a no brainer that you'd have to run a non current bike to not get smoked? --L*64
Click to expand...

Keep in mind that I got 2nd overall in Non-Current last season on my '84 RM250.

But, to answer the question, no you cannot race non-current bikes in the "age" classes, except for the new Non-Current Vet30 class.
 
I think broadly of the Vintage and Post Vintage classes chunked into 2 main themes.

Classes are either based on:
1) Bike displacement, technology, and ability
any age rider but similar machines and rider ability
OR
2) Age and ability
any legal machine/displacement but similar aged riders and abilities

The classes are defined on page 34 in this link.
http://www.americanmotorcyclist.com/Libraries/Racing_Documents/AMA_Racing_Rulebook13_web2.sflb.ashx

The combined classes for Post Vintage EVO 1,2,3 are divided up by age and ability and as I read the rules the bike must still be a legal Post Vintage bike - EVO 1, 2, or 3 to race. You could not race a non-current bike in any Post Vintage combined class. You can race an EVO 1,2,3 "up" in non-current classes but not the opposite.

You kinda need to decide if you want to race with guys on competitively similar bikes or guys your age on a wider spread of bike displacements/technologies.'

I have so many areas to improve before my bike makes a difference in my competitiveness that I am happy in combined classes for right now.
 
Is there like a vintage open class where someone can take an older machine retro fitted with say a newer models engine and updated suspension to?
 
You could but it would be non current if the motor was after 83--84 and before 98 in AMA only. As a rule vintage has a travel limit, post vintage does not. A newer engine would get flagged if you got caught - they expect the bike to be as it was in the year produced. You can run a flat slide carb on a PV RM because it had one but you can't on a CR because it didn't. On the PV bikes it's pretty loose on the suspension as long as you don't have upside down forks or disk brakes on either wheel as a rule. If you look at AHRMA and AMA they call the classes vintage or PV under slightly different names but they are quite similar. I will try and attach a PDF of each. On the AHRMA handbook go to page 53 and start reading. Finally, get your butt to vintage days and you will learn a bunch!
 

Attachments

  • AHRMA Handbook.pdf
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  • AMA_Vintage_Motocross_Classes.sflb.ashx.pdf
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Seems like it can get complicated, I have no time for another hobby now but in the near future I plan to put together a vintage bike. My first bike was a 78 TS185, I'd love to have another one all the way restored to run in vintage classes.
 
Ya-- It's even more complicated than I originally thought!

Let's do it this way then. I'll give ya the three bikes I'm considering, and you can tell me where I'd run them. I'm 40+, and I can ride OK depending on the track. I've been to the Mid- O track, so I have some idea of what a vintage track would be like.

The bikes I'd seriously consider would be:
'82-'83 YZ100. (There's a workable one on Ebay right now too! I'm 5'4 and I love tiddlers)
'83-'84 YZ125. (I LOVE the one Z-Man has in the classifieds now)
'80 YZ125, or maybe and '81 YZ100. (I believe these would run in the same class as they're pretty similar) --L*64
 
Looks like you'd run the first two choices in EV 3 86-125cc or EV 3 40+ B or C and the third choice fits into EV 2 86-125 or 40+ B or C.

That's the way I read it.
 
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