A View from Carson's World: Dino Daze - Vintage Motocross - Dirt Rider Magazine

XR75's and MR50's are the bikes of choice for the kids class.

I started racing Vintage MX this winter and it's been a blast. This past weekend was the big Dino Daze vintage race up here in the Northwest. It was the 25th annual race and it has grown over the years into one of the biggest vintage races, bike show and swap meets in the country.If you are into XR75s , Maicos, Huskys and other bikes I can't pronounce, this is the place to be. Vintage racing is for bikes that are usually 1980 and older, but there seems to be a class for just about any older bike you show up with. The old bikes are cool because a lot of the parts on them are handmade and pretty crazy to look at. Some of the owners are just as crazy! These guys are into every little part on their bike and have tons of riding and racing stories from "back in the day". I think some of the guys like working on and talking about the bikes more than riding them. I can relate.My dad and I have been restoring XR75's for as long as I can remember. Hunting down the original parts or finding trick aftermarket stuff is fun. Going to the swap meets or checking out E-Bay to find that one last part to finish a restoration is hard work but worth it when the bike turns out perfect.

The thing I like most about vintage bikes is riding them. You can learn a ton from riding a bike with bad suspension and a slow engine. It teaches you how to be smooth. If you over jump something or just try to pound through the whoops, the bike is going to beat you! You also have to learn how to work on them. Vintage bikes seem to have problems that you don't run into on modern bikes (chains coming off, spokes breaking, fouled spark plugs, etc.)Vintage racing is pretty laid back compared to regular racing. It's more about the BBQ and swap meet than clearing the big triple and collecting points. Everyone seems to know each other and is always planning the next event. If you ever get a chance to check out vintage MX or race one, give it a try. If you like looking at old bikes, check out www.vintagefactory.com and www.mxworksbike.com.See you at the races