Steve Mcqueen/new Cr250 Elsinore Promo Video

[michaelmoore]

There is some nice panaromic footage of the California high desert. From the comments with the video it was shot out near Willow Springs Raceway.

Those days of "unload and head out in any direction" are definitely long gone.

cheers,

Michael

[copemech]

Too Kuel! Those were some good looking bikes! I cannot even remember the year or what I was riding at the time they came out.

Sex on wheels they were! Steve was an avid rider, nice to see that clip.

I really miss bikes that would do powerslides like that! These new(tall) things just suck at it! We had an open practice field in the 'hood with a flat track and a couple jumps that we could blast speedway style!!!! (which has also made me want a seat/ tank on the trials bike as well)

[michaelmoore]

My Honda book shows the CR250M0 was released February 1973 and was sold as 1973 and 1974 models.

The only veglia recollection I have of the one time I raced one is that the front end wanted to wash out in the corners, much like my BSA B50MX and a Ducati 250 Scrambler. It was certainly light and powerful.

My first MX bike was a TM400R Suzuki Cyclone. The first time I had a ride on a Maico I was thinking "am I supposed to be able to do feet-up slides like this without falling down?"

Switching from the TM to a 125 improved my lap times.

cheers,

Michael

[copemech]

As memory serves me, I was still on a '71 Suzy 125 that had been converted with the factory race kit at the time. Back then there were no factory race bikes like the Elsinore, as you kinda had to build your own out of a DT, TS or something. The Euro bike were far too exotic and pricy(still not that good). I do still recall one of the rich kids down the block having the first Elsinore 125 out, and although a beauty bike, we still outrode him. As stated the handling was not "all that"!

Somewhere along in this time period DeCoster was smoking the euros on the jap bike, and the friggin RM 400 (KILLER) was invented! Yea, one ride on that will do!

Somewhere in there I did get what I recall was a '74 CZ 250, which was a wicked bike! Somewhere in there, I reverted back to a new 125 Penton, with good success.

I found a pic of the old Suzy, my gosh, we beat them things to death! Kinda like a modern rider on a TL-125!

[jse]

My first MX bike was a TM400R Suzuki Cyclone.

THAT must have been "interesting, Michael!

For those of you that are not familiar with the bike,

the TM was a 38 HP, on/off throttle, missle and started the

used bike ad format:

"FOR SALE-Suzuki TM400.

Used once-injury forces sale"

I rode one a couple of times. The engine would be great for short track oval racing

but the chassis/suspension was not able to keep up with the engine. A couple of riders

campaigned them in my area with reasonable success, but they were a real handfull to ride.

Jon

[michaelmoore]

The TM had been used to sponsor a rider at the Suzuki shop I worked at in college, so when the new model came out I bought the old bike. It sure was fast in a straight line.

My first MX was on my 71 TS185R, and then I got the TM. When the TM broke (they vibrated pretty bad and would break the motor mounts and then throw the chain through the crankcase) a friend let me ride her kitted TS125R (like the one shown above) at a race. I can't remember if I won all three heats or had a 3-1-1, but in the last one I had pulled out a lead the length of the front straight. The 125 was NOT scary to ride like the 400 -- why, I could even use some throttle in a corner!

That sold me on riding 125s so I bought a new 1972 125 Maico and raced that for a couple of years, moving after that to a used 250 Griffon. At that time I was doing more trials than MX.

cheers,

Michael

[copemech]

Back in the old days, we were not limited in the 125 class. I liked to ride, and could ride-up a class, so it was not unusual for me to sign up for maybe 125EX and 250EX in the same day on the 125's, some days maybe open class as well. So, 9 motos on the day, a beating! But I did kick some butt on the big bikes!

Bit of irony in all that, it was one of them days at a small local track I was trading first place with some idiot on an old TM400 and me on the Penton! A bit of a mid-air collision coming out of a creekbed cost me my left ACL upon a hard landing and having to plant the leg to recover. Last half of the last lap of the day. I won the race on one leg, three class wins on the day!

I lost the war! Knee is still buggered! Along with the other one now after my "comeback " in the mid "80's on A CR250 rocket!

Trials is good now!