25-Year Anniversary - Dirt Rider

1993
Honda's 1993 CR250R is so good that it wins the World 250cc MX title for Greg Albertyn and Jeremy McGrath scores a 250cc SX title in his first attempt. MC likes the '93 CR so much, he races one in 1994 and 1995. Naturally, Honda kept that fact quiet. Ty Davis and Fred Andrews are the first name motocrossers to make a switch to full-time off-road racing, and Andrews wins the prestigious GNCC title for Yamaha. Davis finds stunning success off-road including eventually winning the national enduro title twice-the only West Coast rider ever to do so. Dirt Rider conducts the first 24-Hour Test for more than one bike. The new Kawasaki KLX650R faced off with the venerable Honda XR600R. Kawasaki and Mike LaRocco also win the final U.S. 500cc national title. Four-strokes keep the class healthy in Europe. Piloting a works Husqvarna 500, Jacky Marten becomes the first motocrosser of the modern era (since Jeff Smith and BSA in 1965) to win a World MX championship on a four-stroke. Mercurial fan-favorite Damon Bradshaw started the year strong, but a knee injury and his dislike of the 1993 YZ250 chassis pushed him to the brink mentally, and then into retirement. Yamaha is the first company to give an 80cc MX bike a modern chassis. The all-new YZ80 features a real shock and an inverted fork tied together with a beefy frame. They sell like hotcakes.

1994
When little-known Swede Marcus Hansson wins the 500 MX World title on a privateer Honda, Americans sagely decide we were right to kill the 500cc class, but the Open bikes remain the premier class in Europe for another eight years. The Euro riders are fast enough to win the Motocross des Nations and end the 13-year American win streak. McGrath continues his domination of 250cc U.S. supercross, and his trademark Nac Nac brings the free-riding/freestyle movement into the light. Greg Albertyn wins his second 250cc World championship and announces his intention to abandon Europe to race in America. Bobby Moore finally wins a 125cc World title. We used clean-cut, unpierced and tattoo-free Mike Metzger as a photo model for the first time. He and fellow freestyle hero Tommy Clowers were NCY Yamaha teammates and serious racers. Mike Craig proved a fragile replacement for retired Damon Bradshaw. By the end of the season his factory bike was sitting idle, and John Dowd got his big break. Dowd was considered too old (approaching 30) at the time, but lacking options, Yamaha gave him a shot. The relationship worked out well for both parties. Kevin Windham was the top amateur racer of the year.

1995
After switching to Kawasaki in 1992, Danny Hamel rapidly builds on his desert legend, then starts to work on broadening his talent by racing ISDE and other more technical off-road races. The off-road world is stunned when Hamel is killed in the early miles of the Baja 500. Team Green never races in Baja desert events again. Ricky Carmichael, James Stewart and Travis Pastrana are the minicycle heroes of the year. In less than two years, KTM has completely rebounded from financial woes. Ironically, the first company to have production bikes with inverted forks remakes its image by being the first company to return to 45mm Marzocchi conventional forks across its entire line. The company is healthy enough to buy Husaberg in preparation for its own brand of modern four-strokes. Damon Bradshaw ends his retirement and returns to Yamaha and races nationals with number 114. Though he is back, his old fire is MIA, so he doesn't win, but the crowd still loves him. Metzger, now with body art, is on the cover doing a heel clicker and is soon far better known for his free-riding antics than he is for his racing success. In addition to his expected SX title, McGrath earns his first and only outdoor championship in the 250cc class. While doing riding tips at the end of the year, McGrath commented that the only way to win an outdoor title was to get in the fast, rough line and hammer it; just take the abuse. Joel Smets gives Husaberg its first World MX title in the 500cc class.