http://www.martytripesvintage.com/SteveMcQueen.html Check out Marty's site, he had this historic machine in his stable for restoration. Enjoy the read/look and if someone buys the LaPosta ranch please give me a call to ride it!! R
Anyone remember the highlights of Marty's riding career? I'm thinking he was sponsored/raced for Husky and Yamaha, .... any others? ( Probably). Most prestigous win? .... didn't he win a U.S. 500 GP ? Dave
Marty wasnt really a Husky guy, he was a Honda guy, big time. In some ways he was the first Honda MX guy. His big win (imo) was the Super Bowl of MX, in 1972, the first ever SX event. I was there watching.
read Marty's bio/about us,,he rode on most the factory rides at 14. http://www.motorcyclemuseum.org/halloffame/hofbiopage.asp?id=282
Dang man we are puttin' a date on ourselves now!!! I had a Tripes red on red Honda poster up in my room,,,,,I think in Jr.High....R
Wow, memory's not working too well on Marty. Must be one of those riders that just didn't evoke strong memories with me. Bigtime Honda guys, to me were Marty Smith, Tommy Croft and Rich Eirstead. That trio sticks out. And the bigtime Husky American, too me was Brad lackey. The 500 GP's and all. "Course there were others too. You guys remember those guys.... you MUST be old. Now I'm going back a looong time, but as a middle-aged teen I got a summertime job in a dirtbike shop that sold Husky, Penton, DKW and Ossa's. But what I wanted before starting there was a ........... AJS 250 Stormer. Dave
Your right.... Marty was one of the first riders that help Don Jones(Garys Father)and his sons develop the Elsinore for the Honda company...... Later Marty Tripes rode for Yamaha..husky..Can Am....and many others..he had a great stand up style and was regarded as a very smooth rider... he was great pals with bob hannah...and was there when bob had his bad water skiing (almost career ending) accident..... he now runs a specialty mushroom business thats doing well in so cal..... yes I'm getting older......
The first race I saw Marty in was the Trans-AMA at Saddleback 71? On a CZ. All the big dogs were there, he didnt win but the way he stayed on the pegs through the corners was amazing, and he was only 16. Was at the first and second superbowls of mx, he would have won the second except for a broken footpeg mid way through the 2d moto. At the time I thought it was crazy to jump from the pillars of the coliseum to the floor, now its not really that far. Some of the most memorable times were in the pits at the Carlsbad GP, haging out drinking beer with all the riders and watching porn on the side of Martys white van. Thanks for the flashbacks!
That was 4 years before I was even born.... I wonder how good of a rider they would be with today's bikes.
Thanks for the last few posts....I knew Tripes won a major, (IMO), race ...the USGP ,just couldn't remember which one it was. I was at the Trans-Am up at Unadilla NY that year. The Europeans and all..... so cool! And Lackey, on a Kawasaki ....and Howerton on a Suzuki. I just remember them as long time Husky guys. Thanks for posting past memories MX highlights. POST MORE! Dave
