Vintage?

[Mike38]

According to the AMA (American Motorcyclist Association) and the VDTRA (Vintage Dirt Track Racing Association), a Vintage motorcycle is PRE 1981, (or 1980 and older). What do you consider a Vintage motorcycle?

[Bultaco206]

It depends. You can't really compare the AMA to VDTRA, or even AHRMA. If you want to talk pure off-road (MX & H/S) then true vintage runs thru the '74 model year with most racing organizations. The '75 model year is recognized as the start of the long-travel era. (aka Post-Vintage, Evolution, etc.) The term Innovation is also used by certain groups. (That's usually '85 and up.) Even the AMA Districts are dropping the 'vintage' term and replacing it with 'non-current.' (Nothing real vintage about an '89 RM or a '96 CR.)

So...a vintage bike is generally recognized as anything that's 1974, or older.

[Chris_from_Oz]

Pre '75 IMO.....Although people I know call '80's bikes vintage ?

[huntmaster]

That's OK. We're not all clear on what a "thumper" is in these threads...nevermind a vintage one! he he.

Pre '75 IMO.....Although people I know call '80's bikes vintage ?

[Penguuin74q]

I define pre 75 as vintage. 1974-75 was a major division point in motorcycle development with the rapid adoption of long travel suspension. There is probably no other evolutionary change in technology for dirt bikes that was as far-reaching, or happened as fast.

[OregonTrail]

Most organizations define vintage as 7" of travel in the front and 4" in the back, which puts that about 1974-76 depending on the manufacturer. So for the general term 'vintage' I'd have to say 74-75 and older with an asterick. There's always the exception. ?

[junkyard dog]

I say twin shocks and 2 valve heads. Can you tell I'm a TT500 fanatic? ?

[BC3]

74 and earlier.......

[Domenic_WRF]

Anything with drum brakes

[XL500R]

i wouldnt call my 82 xl500 vintage, even though its been replaced with the XR line, which is being replaced. id say early 70's vintage. i used to own a Gemini sst 50, That was vintage

[dakman74]

I'll make up my own definitions...anything over 15 years old...Vintage, anything over 25 years old...Classic!

[midwestmotocross]

If you're competing, it's defined by the sanctioning body.

If you're just looking for casual opinions, then it wouldn't be a year, just whatever bikes represent that era just before the rat bike era. For me, that would make it exactly one year older than the oldest bike in my garage

[jacksmack21]

I have 1982 xt 550 and I would consider it vintage. I am going to be looking into getting vintage tags for it. Jack

[dakman74]

Regardless of sanctioning bodies, the question was what do you consider to be vintage?

If you go by one of the dictionary definitions for vintage: of old, recognized, and enduring interest, importance, or quality...anything that classifies as such would be vintage. I'd say indendent of any particular year, if it's over say 10 to 15 or so years old, it fits this definition, because if it didn't, they wouldn't be of enduring interest. Then again, there's not much difference between vintage and classic...and the lines blur between these and antique, but I prefer to think of them in order of age...vintage being youngest, classic in the middle, and antique being oldest.

As far as classic...definitions such as: of recognized value, historically memorable ...would apply to bikes say 25 years old or older. Again, if they didn't fit these definitions, we wouldn't care to discuss them because they would have faded away.

For one defintion of antique: being in the style or fashion of former times, anything could be considered antique when it comes to bikes. If you compare an XR400 to a CR450F, the XR400 could be antique since from certain points of view fits the aforementioned definiton.

Anywho...it seems that a lot of the conversations in the forum span bikes ranging from the 70's to the early 90's, so that's probably pretty representative of what people consider vintage.

Here's another definition to consider...if it's old enough not to be listed in specific manufacturers forums (like the XT's) then it's probably vintage! LOL

[Husky_Forever]

Anything with drum brakes front and rear. That how I look at my 'vintage' bike. Steny

1975 Husqvarna 400WR

[xr_bill]

I occasionally run an 84 xr500 in the 4 stroke class in some local hare scrambles here. I have found that my bike is older than many of my competitors. I say that if the bike is older than the people you're riding against.......it's vintage!!!

http://img119.imageshack.us/img119/3290/p22307149zu.jpg

[OLD TIME BIKER]

In the USA, only antique is clearly defined by the Antique Motorcycle club of America as any motorcycle 35 years old or older. The terms vintage and classic remain undefined and debatable. In Europe, the terms vintage and classic are defined by certain age/ year cutoff dates. As for license plates that define a vehicle as antique or historic, that varies state to state. In Illinois an antique plate is issued for 5 years to a vehicle 25 years old or older, a vehicle with an antique plate is allowed to be driven only to and from shows, parades, club meetings, repair facilities and all day on Sunday.

[IHScoutII]

I say twin shocks and 2 valve heads. Can you tell I'm a TT500 fanatic?

The TT500 and the XT500 are my favorates bikes, they just look nice and are fun to ride but yep, pre 1980 are what I consider vintage.

[dorkpunch]

If i have one in my garage, its probably past vintage clear into antique. if 1981 is the cut-off, i have one bike out of lots that isnt vintage!

[WIESCOED]

83 TT600 is the king of VMX