Cycle News is a weekly magazine that covers all aspects of motorcycling including Supercross, Motocross and MotoGP as well as new motorcycles
Issue link: https://magazine.cyclenews.com/i/126460
o 00 C') ...... ~£!\OOIfW $~~If~ - , • .. 30 America's "bionic" MXer talks about his new ride on Team Suzuki, his reasons for leaving Honda and the people who manage his life By Rex Ree.e It is a wet February night - 7 p. m., to be e%act - when I reach Marty Smith's house, where he lives with his long-time girlfriend, Nancy. The house is located on the top of a hill in an affluent surburban neighborhood, which overlooks the rest of San Diego. From here you can see nearby Mission Bay. "And on a real nice day," Marty indicated, pointing between a telephone pole and a tree, 'you can even see Coronado Island. " And somehwere in the city, from where Marty's house is located, are his two condominiums, which are valued (states Smith) at over 13'0,000 each. Then there is his own house, which Marty said was recently appraised at over 1300, 000. A dd to that two Porsches (a Turbo Carrera and a Targa that he wants to sell), two mini-pickups, a van, a dune buggy, tnree-wheelers, a Yamaha RD-400 Daytona Special, a mini-motorhome and matching trailer, a recently ended six-year career with Honda and a brand new contract with Suzuki, and you can see how Marty Smith - at age 23 - got to the top of the hill. But despite the lucrative contracts, money and e:cpensive toys, Marty's position in life has its moments in need offulfillment. He was at the top ofthe motocross world with two 12'cc National MX Championships in 1974 and '7' and an Open class crown later in 1977, a reputation which earned him the title of "Bionic Motocrosser" given by Motocross Action magazine. But then came Bob Hannah in 1976, who took away Marty's 12'cc championship. Marty then went to Europe to contest the 12'cc World MX Championship, and at just 19, proved to be a potentially serious threat to then-ruler Gaston Rahier; but Marty didn't care for the heavy travel, strange languages or low purse money. Injuries later hobbled Smith even more, along with allegedly poor management by Team Honda and equally poor performance by their works bikes, forcing Marty to ride modified stock bikes and later machines provided by Mugen for Open class racing. Such moves failed to improve his performance, and eventually Marty Smith faded from the mainstream of motocross populan·ty. Fans no longer found Smith a bankable commodity for their enthusiasm; and by age 23 Marty had virtually hit rock-bottom by the time he quit Honda last year. It's apparent that despite past glories and a bionic reputation, not to mention lots of money, certain "equalizing" e:cpen'ences have taken their toll on Marty Smith. He could retire if he wants to and never do another day's work in his life, ever, and leave the woes of motocross behind. But Marty doesn't want to give up so easily; in fact, only a couple of days before this interview, he had signed a one-year contract with Suzuki to n"de in the Open class for them. That came only the day after Marty had been released from the hospital, where he had his appendix removed. Other companies, namely Maico and Husqvama, tn'ed their hands at courting Marty after he had parted with Honda. But Marty settled on Suzuki, a move which has given him good reason to believe that he will rise back to the top of u. S. Motocross. That just may go to show that while money may not be everything, just the chance of winning at least one more National Championship may be everything to Marty Smith. A bn'eftour ofMarty and Nancy's home proves to be a reflection of the man who is, in some respects, still but a boy of 16. Worth about 1.2 million, Marty admits that he doesn't like to read, as he shows off his ''junk room" to me, with a table covered with a broken-down slot car set and a semi-demolished model Porsche ("I made this when I had hurt my· hip, " he said as he displayed the pieces.) In the same room is a couch, piled high with riding leathers, shoulder and chest pads and other racing jerseys and gear, some used only once before they were tossed into the pile. There is also a collection of magnum-sized champagne bottles, representing his past wins on the National MX trail. In Marty's bedroom is a collection of trophies, dating from the beginning of his racing carter. Over his bed is a picture of the Holy Saviour. Marty is a non-practicing Catholic, but he believes, anyway. The rest of the howe is rather simply furnished, yet well-appointed. Marty has a stereo system that pumps out 300 watts per channel through two sets of almost chest-high speakers which dispense during the evening of our combined interview-dinner-pool game a variety of tunes by the Stones, Led Zeppelin and Elvis Costello, among others. I get the impression that under Nancy's hand the howe relams a domesticated look, very much like the way Marty's retired fire captain father manages Marty's financial holdings. Marty is well taken care of A look in the back yard reveals a swimming pool, a hot tub that Marty is building, a punching bag that he regularly works out on. And a look over the fence towards the front yard gives you a view of Miision Bay. And somewhere out on the dark horizon, yes, you can imagine that Coronado Island is there, between the tree and the telephone pole.