Tag Archives: 1985

NewsNew

THE WEEKLY FEED: SPRINT ENDURO WORLD CHAMPIONSHIP • INCREDIBLE HARD ENDURO VIDEO • YAMAHA IT 200 BITD

Mike Webb was testing a 1985 Yamaha IT200 for Dirt Bike magazine. This was filmed at Indian Dunes (Wolf’s FM2 Nikon) in the Santa Clara river and marked the early stages of editors using fill flash for outdoor action. The bike was new, with the engine moving from the 175 to a full 200. This was achieved with a longer stroke, resulting in improved bottom power that proved crucial for the small bore machine. A new frame shifted the steering head 20mm rearward compared to the 175, and a 20mm longer swingarm provided the same wheelbase but with a more forward weight bias, significantly improving the steering. The bike was sold for $1749.00.

SPRINT ENDURO WORLD CHAMPIONSHIP

By Shan Moore
Johnny Girroir: “I felt at home in the woods, as I always do. I kept it consistent and was lucky enough to keep it on two wheels all weekend. I definitely need to clean it up in the cross test. I just wasn’t happy out there. I had a couple good times but nothing crazy. So, I definitely want to work on that a little bit. I had fun. Layne and Dante were flying out in the cross test and Josh laid down a couple of heater enduro tests. Just I guess consistency paid off and I kept it on two wheels.”

The Sprint Enduro World championships took place over three days at High Voltage Raceway on the Pennsylvania/West Virginia State Line. The event featured top sprint racers from around the world, including 2016 Individual Overall ISDE Champion Taylor Robert, former World Enduro Champion Jack Edmondson, and UK Pro 2 rider Jay Baxendale. These riders competed in a format that included four runs daily on two tests – a grass track and a rugged enduro test – over the three-day Labor Day weekend.

Layne Michael definitely showed his speed in the cross test, winning three of the 12, but just couldn’t catch Girroir in the enduro test. “Honestly, it came down to one crash in the enduro test yesterday and that’s where I lost the bulk of my time,” said Michael.

After three days of racing, KTM’s Johnny Girroir emerged as the winner of the Sprint Enduro World Championship, finishing ahead of Layne Michael by just 15 seconds after completing 24 tests. Dante Oliveira, also racing for KTM, started the event with a six-second win over Girroir in the opening cross test. Michael came in third, five seconds behind. The battle for the win between these four riders lasted all three days.

Dante went on to win two of the final three cross tests on day one but lost time to his competitors in the enduro tests. Girroir made up the difference with dominating wins in three of the four enduro tests, securing the day-one win by five seconds over Michael. Craig DeLong from Rockstar Energy Husqvarna finished consistently in third for the day. The top six was completed by Dante, Toth (who won the final Enduro test), and Mateo Oliveira from FMF/KTM Factory racing. Pro 2 rider Jack Edmondson from the UK placed 11th overall, while the Pro-Am class was won by Jason Tino from Magna1 Husqvarna in eighth overall.

This was only the second sprint race Josh Toth had raced all year, but he managed to get up to speed by the second day. “It was a blast,” said Toth. “ I was a little rusty and just pushing the edge and crashing too much on day one. I dug myself out of the hole yesterday and just tried to survive the tests today. Rode pretty well, but they were getting nasty and these guys were shredding.”

Although Girroir won only two tests on day two (Sunday), he maintained his top position in the standings. Michael and Dante Oliveira showed their skill in the cross test, with each winning two of the four tests for the day. Dante consistently posted some of the fastest times on the cross test but fell during the second cross test.

Tenth overall and top Pro 2 rider was former World Champion Jack Edmondson of the UK.

On day three, Dante won all four cross tests but had a crash in the first enduro test, costing him nearly two minutes. Michael outperformed Girroir in all four cross tests but Girroir made up the difference in the enduro test, securing a 15-second advantage over Michael in the overall standings, with Toth finishing third.

Overall Results:

  1. Johnny Girroir (KTM) 2. Layne Michael (GG) 3. Josh Toth (GG) 4. Craig DeLong (Hsq) 5. Ryder Lafferty (GG)
    6. Dante Oliveira (KTM) 7. Trevor Bollinger (Hsq) 8. Mateo Oliveira (KTM) 9. Taylor Robert (KTM) 10. Jack Edmondson (KTM)

middle content two stroke

Red Bull Outliers race recap- typically killer stuff from Red Bull!

This is from Spenser Wilton and documents his weekend at the Red Bull Outliers Hard Enduro. It has Spenser moving through the Prologue and into the main event which featured zero traction and mongo hills. Good job Spenser!

The Cactus Canteen transports drinking water in an ultra-rugged, expedition-ready, collapsible container that integrates with Giant Loop’s adventure-proof packing system. The Cactus Canteen has a two-layer construction featuring an inner bladder and outer cover, both built with thick, durable, abrasion- and puncture-resistant materials for years of service in extreme environments. Available in 1-gallon and 2-gallon capacities, the Cactus Canteen has a large filler neck for easy filling and cleaning, is compatible with large-mouth water filters, and has an on/off valve to control the flow of water. The canteen can be easily attached to luggage or vehicles using the daisy chain webbing guides and is designed with added visibility through reflective materials. The price for the Cactus Canteen is $99.00.

https://www.giantloopmoto.com/

Here we are up in Gorman, CA- testing the new 1984 Honda XR500R. This was a much improved machine, it had lost some suet, had improved Showa suspension, a dual carb setup to improve and smooth the power and had a radial 4-valve combustion chamber for enhanced compression. The power was tractable and strong, starting was still an issue (at least for a guy who had only spent 4-stroke time on his CB160) and despite the diet, it was still a beefy sucker to manhandle slamming the scales at just under 300 pounds. At the time I was racing a 1983 CR480 in District 37 Enduros and loved it!

Motorsport

Lifted 2023 Volkswagen Golf R Is A Pricey All-Terrain Hot Hatch

The original Volkswagen Golf was first introduced in 1974. However, it wasn’t until 1985, during the Mk2 era, that the first all-wheel-drive version, known as the Golf Syncro, was made available. In 1989, a more adventurous variant called the Golf Country was introduced with a raised suspension and other rugged features. Only 7,735 Golf Country cars were produced by Steyr-Daimler-Puch in Austria. Now, a new custom-built Golf R based on the current model aims to revive the spirit of the Golf Country.

Off-road specialist Delta4x4 has previewed this unique Golf R, which aims to explore new territories that no other Golf R has ventured into before. This lifted hot hatch comes with an 80 millimeter (3.14 inch) lift kit, adding to its off-road capabilities. It is equipped with custom 18-inch wheels wrapped in all-terrain tires. The aftermarket package also includes a roof rack for increased practicality, as well as five additional PIAA lights mounted on the hood.