Out of the gate in Glen Helen when two-strokes had been king.
Competition is a healthy part of human biology. The desire to win is one of the few items that can be stronger than the will of self preservation. Many racers are very happy with bragging rights and a inexpensive plastic trophy. From small curiosity spawned the Nationals. Promoters noticed the entertainment value of the great spectacle. All it took was arranging events involving a bunch of motocross nut products and cutting out a track in an empty field.
Motocross is partly what it is because of the supporters. As more people become fans, the greater they want to ride and experience the thrill of bombing across rough terrain for the sake of glory. The influx of money in the industry pays for bike developments, more grandiose events and fancy aftermarket replacement mods. For many fans, their initial introduction to racing is by going to the National or watching Supercross over the tube. Sadly, that experience has changed significantly since two-strokes fell out of prefer.
Motorcycles are noisy, but two-strokes are pleasantly noisy. Fans love sound. Pre-mixers also seem to have more difference in pitch. With a four-stroke requirements is loud, but quite constant. Hearing a full range of noises from your motorcycle is like catnip for race fans. It is very pronounced when a two-stroke is pinned. The full experience must engulf all of the senses. Two-strokes are usually visual machines, too. The off-color smoke adds to the ambiance. Smoke is one of those visual clues that will identifies the machine. The smells, the particular sounds and the sights tell a tale.
The two-stroke recognizes itself as a monster and the driver must tame it faster compared to anyone else. Most of all, two-strokes are more difficult than four-strokes to ride. Their brief powerbands and varied response need more rider attention. This leads to the opportunity of many more mistakes, which certainly the actual races more interesting. With thumpers, the race often gets dull before the first lap is over. The particular riders still have to fight the particular track and each other, but fitness is what is put on display. Back in the two-stroke days, racing was a lot more inconsistent. The inconsistencies made it a better fan experience. The greater the experience, the greater fans that will come to the sport.
