The Honda QA50 KO Minibike was released as a 1970 model and sold as varying successor models until 1975. It was a fascinating dabble into a very niche market by Honda – the off-road minibike market for children. As well as their fathers, mothers, siblings, uncles, aunties, grandparents, and anyone else who might like the…
This is doubtless one of the most important Husqvarna’s of the 20th century, it was ridden by World Champion Bengt Åberg in 1968 in Santa Cruz as part of the 1968 Inter-Am series where it was seen by accomplished motorcycle racer (and actor) Steve McQueen. McQueen was so impressed with the new Swedish two-stroke that…
This is a complete collection of Honda SL Motosport models from 1971, all of the bikes have been restored except for the rare, low-milage SL175 which was in such fantastic condition it only needed a re-paint in the correct Candy Sapphire Blue. The collection is made up of a Honda SL70, a Honda SL90, a…
We damn near had no film. The sinking sun gave us a hard out of around 6:10 pm and my watch read 5:30. Months of planning, a lot of money and the sliver of a reputation I had nearly joined the disappearing daylight.
The Husqvarna 250 Cross is a motorcycle that sits high on any list of genuinely influential 20th century bikes – it wasn’t the first offroad racing two-stroke motorcycle, but it quickly became the most successful of its age, and the basic formula that went into it would shape almost all motocross motorcycles going forwards. The…
This off-road racing motorcycle is the only one like it in the world – it was built in Sweden by a motocross racer as a parts-bin special that was considerably quicker than most of its competition. The Gold Star The bike started life as a BSA Gold Star, widely regarded as having one of the…
Hodaka is a name unfamiliar to many in the motorcycling world, it was a joint Japanese and American company that specialised in building lightweight two-stroke motorcycles – many of which were designed for off-road use. The company is widely credited with helping to popularize trail bikes in the United States, they build a range of…
This Husqvarna Model 30 A is a custom motorcycle of sorts – it was built by a privateer racer before Husqvarna offered their own factory-built version – the Model 350DT (DT for “dirt track”). The 1920s and ’30s were an important, formative time for dirt track racing – also called flat track, circle track, and…
This is Dennis Hopper’s original 1970 Husqvarna 250 Cross, he bought it brand new just a year after the cinematic release of Easy Rider, one of his most famous works which he had co-directed with Peter Fonda and co-written with both Peter Fonda and Terry Southern. Dennis Hopper – Counterculture Hero and Hollywood Icon Hopper is remembered…
The Bultaco Pursang was one of the most successful two-stroke motocross bikes of its era, taking on some of the biggest motorcycle marques and regularly trouncing them while hardly breaking a sweat. A Brief History of Bultaco Before he died Paco Bultó requested that he be laid to rest in a Bultaco shirt with his moustache…
The Yamaha SC500 was a motocross bike that quickly became world famous for its exceptionally challenging handling. Talented riders could barely tame it, but most others were left either flying off the back or popping accidental power-wheelies every time they crashed into the razor thin power band. The Yamaha SC500 When it was launched in 1973…
“Scramble” is a 1981 film about British motocross by talented amateur filmmaker Syd Pearman. The film offers a fantastic look into the world of weekend warrior motocross riders, including a personal favorite who arrives with his Suzuki loaded on its side in the back of his hatchback. There’s a good amount of racing footage despite…
