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/1507881
W hile autumn may be the time for nature to slow down, it was also once a season for some of the fastest motocross racing ever! In the 1970s and early '80s, September meant the begin - ning of the Trans-AMA series, when some of the world's best European racers, having completed their own Grand Prix battles, would cross the ocean for a stateside showdown with all of the top Americans. The Trans-AMA train made whistle stops across the country, giving motocross fans everywhere a chance to see legendary European riders like Roger DeCoster, Ake Jonsson and Adolf Weil. Along with visiting the top U.S. tracks like Saddleback and Unadilla, there was a round held in Canada and even a stadium event (the term "Supercross" had not yet been coined) in Phila - delphia. It was a grand time at the ball, but all good things must end, and by the early '80s, the series was on the verge of turning into a pumpkin. Fewer European riders were participat - ing, making the series a battle between Americans who had already been racing each other all season long. Supercross was becoming the new fan favorite, and in 1982, the now re-badged Trans-USA series would be held for the final time. Its exit would be about as graceful as a 2000-pound Char - bray bucking bull coming out of the chute—on fire! "Trans-USA controversy ex- plodes; AMA sues Honda, Suzuki and Yamaha," read the headline in the October 6 issue of Cycle News in 1982. "In a move unprecedented in American motorcycling history, the American Motorcyclist Asso - ciation filed a $15 million anti-trust lawsuit against three of the major motorcycle manufac- turers, Honda, Suzuki and Yamaha." What did the Trans-USA do that was so nefarious? The short answer would be "nothing." But rarely are $15 million lawsuits ($47.7 million in today's dollars) understood with short answers. Ac - cording to one former AMA official, the brouhaha that brought on the lawsuit had been festering for several years in the motocross world. "The AMA believed that our motocross series here in the U.S. should be run with production-based motor - cycles," recalls Ed Youngblood, who served as AMA president from 1981 until his retirement in 1999. "There was already an international series (the FIM World Championship) that allowed the use of proto - types and one-off designs; we wanted our series to be fair for the privateer rider. We even had a claiming rule in place to help keep the field level." According to Youngblood, rep- resentatives for Honda, Suzuki and Yamaha saw it differently. They wanted to continue to use works' machinery, the exotic motorcycles that were hand-built, expensive and usually well ahead of the production bike curve. Kawasaki? "They were on the sideline with this one," says Youngblood, "and I don't exactly recall what their position was at the time." CNIIARCHIVES P126 million lawsuits ($47.7 million in today's dollars) understood with short answers. Ac cording to one former AMA official, the brouhaha that brought on the lawsuit had been festering for several years in the motocross world. our motocross series here in the U.S. should be run with production-based motor cycles," recalls Ed Youngblood, who served as AMA president from 1981 until his retirement in 1999. "There was already an international series (the FIM World Championship) that allowed the use of proto types and one-off designs; we BY KENT TAYLOR In 1982, AMA tried to sue Yamaha, Honda and Suzuki for not participating in the Trans-AMA Motocross Series. THE TRANS-USA CONTROVERSY