Carson Brown shredding a 1980 YZ125....and why slower bikes are better.

He'd smoke most of us on here on that 1980 YZ125 

Hands down the best bike that year.

Hands Down, you are right. I raced on a 1980 RM125 in 80 and 81, if only I had waited and got a 81 RM125. 🤣

It’s funny watching Carson riding the old bikes with the new style of riding.  R local Euro style hard pack with powder on top- slippery. Hills with floater jumps, table tops, whoops, etc.  Has a lot of older 125,s 2000-07,s , new bikes also.  The older bikes r the same speed as the new. It just depends on the rider on who is faster.   Wo then fender kiss while dropping into a valley. 

Slower 2-strokes are awesomef! They definitely produced some great racing and really separated the skill level of the riders more than the 4-strokes. This seems like an appropriate time to revisit one of the greatest videos on YouTube.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=w5G7s3dKu1I

I love seeing Carson kicking all those old dirtbikes, only raw sound!! (sometimes adds rock/heavy music🤘)

No doubt, those were amazing times for dirt bikes and how they could be obsoleted in one model year... and not even resemble the previous model.

Nowadays, they tip the engine a few degrees, change an engine mount, give you BNG, raise the price... and the mags tell you how it just obsoleted your year-old ride. 

Good God, the boy can shred. Music to my ears. Imagine if he rode that 1980 YZ like that back when the bike was contemporary in 1980. He'd be a superstar.

And people say Chase can’t get to terms with his ride and this guy jumps from bike to bike like he’s risen them each for years😳

Oh, I almost forgot - the new model is now 8 pounds heavier than the previous year.

Gosh, I'm not sure how I can live without it.... 

Carson is living proof that fast guys are fast, no matter what bike, setup, aftermarket parts etc.  So many guys at the track blame this and that for having an off day when the reality is if you work on skills you can go fast on anything.  Absolutely love his videos and crazy backyard track.  

I agree somewhat, but that last couple of % to be Jett or peak Chase/Roczen speed is probably where setup comes into play.

Like most of the elite dudes could probably ride at Carson Brown speed (huuuge fan of his) with the bike being off, but that last little bit to take a Supercross main win... I can see setup playing into that?

Yeah we're talking about backyard track videos vs. racing at the highest level . It's not remotely comparable.  These videos are great though . 

I'm damn near 50 and I too, have a great fondness for the "simpler times" of mixin gas and kicking ass. But it does strike me as odd that many in my generation, who curse the complexity and cost associated with maintaining a modern 4-stroke, are skeptical of the Stark Varg, which by comparison, requires just about zero maintenance. Apparently there is a sweet spot for the amount of maintenance and tinkering that a bike requires. :-)

Carson should grab 4 old bikes and do a race tour in a few states. There’s quite a few classes he could race.  Film a little of the rd trip then high lights of the races.  Check this start sound out , maybe the best ever.  Track is in Xmas Mi. Ne of thd upper peninsula in Mi. District 16 Wi. & the UP. 

Carson does a race series on youtube. first race is against Roczen on a RM85 and an RM125, Roczen went faster on both just to illustrate the point that they're still just as fast if not faster given equal bikes.

I saw the videos. They were cool and a good watch. They're both fast guys, the bikes were sweet, but I'm not sure how it's relevant?

All I'm saying is, guys saying setup doesn't matter are probably right for a lot of people but for guys at the sharp end of a supercross race, it will factor in.

I think he is just showcasing what the old iron can do with modern technique.

I disagree, parts are important, but many riders don't invest in the right parts!

Same. 

A buddy of mine in high school had one back then and it felt gutless when I rode it . Probably could have used a top end I guess but it started easy and ran reliably.  May have been unlucky and just got a dog . 

The Bomber won the 1980 125 title. Would Carson beat him on that bike on a 1980 track? 

Shit man! What a great idea!

Im obsessed with the need to know today's best riders on old bikes vs the legends in their prime on old school tracks.

Kinda cool but best left alone.  Remember the Bombers come back in 89 with Tuf racing on a rm250 ? It wasn’t pretty. The jumps where bigger & the riders where a lot more aggressive with sprinting styles .  I think it’s a bigger deal to see 50+ yr olds racing the fast kids on 125,s.  You can catch that at the local races. 

ummm , You are kind of talking out of both sides of your mouth here especially when you chime in on the Magoo threads. I for one feel Magoo on certain days was the best rider in the world no matter what era. Take Magoo in his prime riding a 2024 450 he would be just as fast if not a little faster. Same with Stu or RC riding a 1983 125 in that era. You can NEVER change God given talent. So if you think Mark Barrnett who was not only one of the most talented riders but also one of the Fiercest SOBs to ever race in our sport would not be at the level you mentioned, you're nuts. No offense but Barrnett and those guys are before my time but there's no denying there talent. Even Carson Brown would chuckle at that. 

Honda hired riders back then on . Who has a chance of beating the Bomber. So I think he was fast back then. 

My first bike was my cousins 84 yz125. Loved going over for Easter and seeing it on a milk carton stand and finally my old man took me for a spin when I was young. I was hooked instantly from the sound, and the coolness of the whole thing. It’s the little things that get you interested