Rick Doughty's Top Ten
Top Ten Predictions of the Future
 by Rick Doughty - VINTAGE IRON
If you are old enough to appreciate a '74 Honda Elsinore, you probably remember the real estate agent and self-professed psychic, Jeane Dixon. Whenever she spoke, it was front-page news in the National Enquirer and the public ate it up.
Ms. Dixon predicted everything from Presidential assassinations to alien visits. Her batting average wasn't all that great but when she was right; she hit it out of the park.
She predicted, John and Bobby Kennedy's assassinations, Churchill and Nixon's rise to power, the Watergate scandal, the end of the Korean war, the Apollo fire that killed three astronauts and more. Big stuff to be sure.
The fact that she also predicted the second US civil war that was to take place in the 80's or that aliens would visit the earth and teach us how to create a Sun pill that would replace food and power our cars and that (this is a doozy) Canada would become one of the most powerful countries in the world along with Brazil. OK, Brazil gave us the thong bathing suit so I will give Jeane her due on that but the other predictions were proverbial swings and misses.
The American public paid little attention to the things she got wrong and instead focused on what the next big thing she might be right about.
I recount this trivial bit of history to set the stage for my Top Ten Predictions for the sport of vintage motocross and hope that you, the reader afford me the same grace Jeane Dixon enjoyed when she was not correct 100% of the time.
These predictions are not in any particular order of importance or significance. They are not drug or alcohol induced. They are simply transcribed as they were channeled to me from the powers that pull the levers and push the buttons in my pretzeled cranium, which resides under my "Wonder Turban".
Prediction #1: The stubborn founding elders of AHRMA that have long resisted change and progressive thought, will die. While their contributions to the sport will be eulogized over and over, the membership as a whole will secretly harbor a hope for change.
Prediction #2: That hope will be dashed when younger clones that were genetically engineered to deny the existence of any motorcycle manufactured beyond the British shores replace the deceased elders. Did I mention that the clones are immune to the aging process so that the possibility of new management in the coming years will evaporate?
Prediction #3: The rising cost of fossil fuel will negatively impact the attendance of remote National events and in turn increase the importance of the local and regional series. This will be a silver lining to the fuel crisis as the regional events will improve in quality and attendance and not require a second mortgage to pay for gas.
Prediction #4: The fuel cost issue will also produce other previously unimagined consequences like the elimination of the twins class as singles have a much better MPG. Ride sharing is not a new concept but eight grown men in a Toyota mini van with bikes strapped to the roof is. Low compression engines can run on lower octane (cheaper) fuel. 1/2" spacer plates between the head and the cylinder will be required by AHRMA and closely scrutinized at tech inspection, not unlike suspension is today.
Prediction #5: For the Nationals "travel" will take on an entirely new significance. AHRMA will announce an incentive program to try and shore up the low attendance numbers by devising a complex formula that takes into account the distance the participants have traveled, how many carbon credits their car pooling has generated and how they voted in the last trustee election. The combined total will be added to their allowable wheel travel on either end of the machine. As an added bonus, owners of British bikes will be allowed to add disc brakes and electronic fuel injection but it must be EFI made by Lumal (the new Lucas and Amal merger corp.)
Prediction #6: The independent vintage racing clubs collective power in the market will continue to evolve based on satisfying the needs of their rider base. Seeing the writing on the wall AHRMA will sell off the dirt sports to the AMA who will sell it to DMG (Daytona Motorsports Group) who will run vintage motocross races on the infield of NASCAR events during commercial breaks. Dale Jr. will run the #88 on his CZ.
Prediction #7: The current fascination with Maicos will give away to a greater following of Honda CR models. Maico hit is zenith in 1981 and quickly unraveled thereafter, while Honda owned the remainder of the decade with Magoo, Johnny O', Bailey, Johnson and more. Their time is actually overdue if you use vintage racing history as a gauge. When vintage racing began in the late 80's a '74 Maico was only 14 years old. An '86 Honda is currently 22 years old and the guys that lusted after them are now in their 40's.
Prediction #8: American Honda and Honda Japan will take note of this trend and while they will be pleased that their 20-year-old product is being restored and raced, they will do nothing to support it.
Prediction #9: All the various class names will give way to the standardization of names that recognize the era of riders rather than contrived categories. Evo, Grand Prix, Ultima will give way to Pre-MC, Pre-RC and Pre-Bubba.
Predication #10: Prior to the end of the first decade in the new millennium, McCook's Racing website will be recognized for its outstanding quality and contribution to mankind by a gazillionaire philanthropist, who decides to make a magazine version for world wide distribution, thus resulting in a paycheck for yours truly...
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