First I would like to say you guys are great, and this site is very entertaining and informative. However you must be nuts. The explanation in this article is so far off base I cant believe it got printed anywhere except maybe some book about fairytales and myths. Bikes from the 60s and 70s are great as are all bikes bikes, but to think for one single minute that they are anywhere as reliable as any new bike is absurd. Don't you guys remember putting pistons in your CR at the track, primary drive chains in your Bultaco. I do. Bike have evolved into what they are today because that's what works, period. In the 70 there were many ideas being tried some good most bad. How is it that a strong duel leading shoe drum brake is a good thing but a strong disc is a bad thing? I was one of the last "A" riders in my dist to go to a four stroke for the very same reasons listed in this article. I could not have been more wrong. I have raced a modern 4 stoke for 3 years now. In that time I adjusted the valves once and replaced the piston and valves one other time. I race year around approx 35 times a year, usually 2 or 3 classes. I don't get to practice as much as I would like but I do get out one or twice a week for and hour or two. My RMZ450 has never let me down or failed to work and run almost perfectly every time. I contend that most riders now cant or don't work on their bikes because they don't have too, and therefore never learn how. I personally know guys that have raced for years that cant do much more than change oil, in their bike or car. These guys are not going to adjust valves because they simply cant, on the other hand they are changing pistons either. Back when I started racing if you were not a pretty mechanic you did get to race long, because your bike was broken and not running. As far as the tracks are concerned ya they are more challenging and scary because in order to use any of the potential of a moto bike build in the 10 years you cant just ride around a field with a few bumps. I am 48 years old and have been hurt more often on some very poor handling bike with four inches of suspension than a bike that works better in every measurable category. Racing is all relative if everybody is on a 12 hp bike its racing if everybody is on a 40 hp bike is racing. But if you for one ,minute think that the sport would be better off with 30 year old tech and proformance levels you are out to lunch. If Suzuki sold TM they would simple not be in business, Suzuki new the back in 1975 ten year before the AMA changed the production rule. It often seem strange to me that one group (vintage for example) does not want to except modern bike but then they are confused as to why a modern racer wont accept they point of view. I think both groups should embrace the other for the benefits each has to offer and condemn them because they don't agree. I would love to see more vintage races in my area (Minnesota) but the only way that is every going to happen is to do it with ALL the other motorsports enthusiasts. Here in dist 23 we 2 or 3 races every weekend for modern bikes with 250 to 400 entries at each race. We have 4 vintage races a year. I seem we (vintage enthusiast would be well advised to buddy up with the main stream moto guys and work with them not condemn them. Modern bikes and motocross work and the sport has never been more popular. Just for the fun of it I took my RM250C with to the track yesterday. A nice indoor track to to technical but not an out door track either. I was able to all the obstacles except on on the old bike. Laps times RMZ450 55 seconds, RM250C 1 min 8 seconds. I could run about 15 laps on the 450 however after only 3 or 4 I was done on the 250. If it were not for the four strokes I don't think I would be racing anything any longer. Hey back in the 70's how many 50 year old guys do you remember racing. I don't think they even had a class for anything over 30 back then did they? I was just a kid and not really to interested in anything other than 125 A. I dist 23 we have 12 to 20 guys in the 45+ class every week. If I was racing I two stroke I would have hung it up a few years ago. Well that my take on it. Happy riding to everyone, new and old.

--- In tmsuzuki@yahoogroups.com, "Doc" <gotherat@...> wrote:
>Great artical,hits the nail on the head. its plain and simple, just
no FUN. barry
> Barry there is an article with a similar topic on the McCook Racing
> site. I hope Mick doesn't mind me linking. Well written by Terry
> Frazier and worth a read. Doc
>
> McCook Racing Article
> <http://mccookracing.com/articles/terryFrazier_LongTermEffects.htm>
>
>
> --- In tmsuzuki@yahoogroups.com, "barry myers" <barry1869@> wrote:
> >
> > hello all,I found out last night the stark reality,that I need to
> > stick to vintage friendly tracks !! a friend of mine races modern
> > bikes/tracks.like an idiot,I let him talk me into racing last night.07
> > yzf250,I liked the bike,Loved the plush suspension,but the track was a
> > whole different story.doubles,triples,back to back table tops,jump
> > faces very severe.I raced 1 moto and parked it.I have but one body to
> > give.didn't fall,didn't get lapped,but my skinny little *"" was
> > exhausted.what's with 2 1/2,3 foot whoops, I don't think so !! barry
> >
>

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