THE WEEKLY FEED: MX DES NATIONS 1983- A BALANCED DIET OF TEAM USA

A HISTORY LESSON

While Team Honda provided the entire team for the 1981 and 1982 Motocross des Nations, managed by Roger DeCoster (who rode his last MX des Nations only two years prior on the winning Belgium team), 1983 brought all of the OEM’s onboard and a team was built of top American pilots who all rode for different factories. David Bailey (Honda), Suzuki was represented by Mark Barnett, Yamaha had Broc Glover and Kawasaki had Jeff Ward. For Glover, Barnett and Jeff Ward, it was their first trip representing Team USA. The Trophee des Nations (250 class) was held in Czecho. The team won with David Bailey going 7-5, Mark Barnett going 3-4, Jeff Ward going 8-2 and Broc Glover finishing 1-3. USA finished well ahead of Belgium. The next week in Belgium the top places in race one were Glover, Ward, Jobe and Bailey. Moto two it was Bailey, Vromans, Barnett and Ward. Team USA dominated again. Of note, Jeff Ward raced for Team USA in the Motocross and Trophee des Nations 9 times!  Jeff raced every class and get this…every time Jeff raced for his country Team USA was the winner.

This photo is moto two in Belgium, with David Bailey moving around Mark Barnett, both of whom are mounted on 500s. Barnett’s Suzuki was the last in line of big-bore 2-strokes from the company. It was actually a retagged version of the RM465 which came out in 1981. Bailey was on a full works Honda CR500 and at the time in was considered to be the best open class motocrosser of the era.

 

 

NEWS

 

GEAR BAG

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ALPINESTARS GATOR TECH 7S

Alpinestars is launching the Limited Edition ‘Gator’ Youth Racer collection to honor this special Thanksgiving festive celebration of motocross racing. Gatorback Cycle Park hosts the longstanding tradition of the Mini O’s, otherwise known as the Winter Olympics of amateur motocross racing, where top amateur racers bring speed and power to the table in this unique race event format, which includes both motocross and supercross competition.

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INSIDE LINE CONNECTS

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VIDEO JUTEBOX

Some classic James Stewart 125 action!

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This is pretty stinking funny!

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Evil Knievel at his best

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This is old school!

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This vid has some hairball crashes

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SOCIAL DISTORTION

 

WOLF: BACK IN THE DAY

The Wolf, day one at the Swedish ISDE. I had built, along with the help of Charles Halcomb at Suzuki and Randy Hawkins a pretty nice DR350 for the event. We made removable subframes, ran a Honda CR250 airbox, RM front suspension and a Race Tech Modified RM shock. I felt that if the event was anything like Germany in 1989 (flat, grass track specials and nothing too nasty) that the machine would be superb. Of course I failed to realize that the Swedes were  gnarly and loved terrain that would horrify the normal pilot, let alone a mag goon who had visions of Gold. The days were between 160 and 189 miles, nearly 100% trail, roots for miles and rocky beyond belief. And the first two days were easy because it was dry. Rain hit and the same trails turned into a nightmare. For me it was survival and I actually enjoyed the perverse brutality until day five. My chain came off in the last special test of the day, five miles from Parc Ferme and I houred out. Riches to rags is my motto!

 

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