Moto Retro News

Issue #6 is (finally!) coming!

Hi Folks

Just a quick note about issue #6, which was supposed to ship before the holidays, but which is running a bit behind.

Very sorry, but the holidays and a couple of SNAFUs over the last month or so have put me in catch-up mode.

But we’re close, and have the cover ready to go, which is shown here. We’ll have the issue at the printer in a few weeks (end of Jan), with mailing in early February.

The issue is packed with great stuff, including the long-awaited feature on Suzuki’s GT750 LeMans – aka ‘Water Buffalo,’ ‘Kettle,’ etc. Also included are pieces on Suzuki’s 1968 TM250 (Japan’s very first motocross bike), Honda’s legendary first ATC90 3-wheeler, the Snake River Motocross of the early 1970s (which also featured Evel Knievel’s notorious ‘jump’ attempt), Honda’s RC30, a Gary Nixon tribute, a bit of On Any Sunday 40th Anniversary grist, some retro event coverage and a couple of very cool Kawasakis.

Highlights from the past few months are many: Mid-Ohio’s AMA Vintage Motorcycle Days in July, the El Camino show and annual 2-Stroke Extravaganza in September, and the Barber Vintage Festival in October, which was the best-ever for the Birmingham folks. I’m amazed how much energy there is currently in the retro/vintage market, as all events were packed to the gills.

One of the cooler events was Marty Tripes’s recent Carlsbad Reunion event at the spectacular Carlsbad-replica track at The Ranch, run by Sondra, Mark and Stu Peters, long-time gurus of CMC fame and the So Cal motocross scene. I was shocked at how accurately Stu, Mark and Sondra been able to recreate the historic ups, downs, jumps and square-edged holes of the original layout, and nearly everyone who rode that day – and especially the legends and old-time pros who rode there week in and week out – was similarly impressed. I raced my trusty-but-lethal CR480 that day, and I’ve never had more fun getting the crap beat out of me. Thanks to Michael C. for the help getting my CR dialed, and to the American Retrocross folks for the support.

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-Mitch