By Timothy Cicora
I was hooked after reading an article by Rick Doughty in Old Bike Journal about how to race vintage motocross. I never raced before, so I decided to attend a vintage national at Budds Creek, Md., in 1994. I was mesmerized. I built a 1973 CZ 400 and raced it at Budds Creek and Honda Hills, Ohio, in 1995, winning my first race at Honda Hills. I then set out to race a full season in 1996, capturing the Sportsman 500 Novice national championship.
The construction of Matt Benson’s 1967 Husky in Vintage Views had given me the itch again. That’s why I purchased the El Bandido at Mid-Ohio in 1996.
I soon discovered why the bike was so hard to start. The original Amal
carburetor had a big chip out of it. A Mikuni went on in place of the Amal. The engine
internals were in good shape. The previous owner had replaced the rings and seals, along
with many other things. However, the suspension needed an overhaul. Hugh’s Bultaco
handled the front-end woes and Red Wing shocks filled with ATF were bolted on the back.
Many hours went into dialing in and detailing the bike, along with countless phone calls to Hugh’s, Mobley’s Bultaco and fellow Bandido owner Dave Light. Many thanks to them. The alloy fenders stay off the bike for racing, an expensive lesson I learned the hard way. The front alloy lasted two races, resulting in an instant $85 invoice from Hugh’s for a replacement.
I was able to win the Northeast Regional Classic 500 championship in 1996 and ‘97. The bike runs well but is a little heavy at 250 pounds plus. I’m learning more about the bike and racing all the time.
I reside in Maryland and work for Acceletronics, a company that repairs and installs linear accelerators. I’m currently working on a Premier machine and a 250 GP roadracer.