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/1520301
L egendary NFL quarterback Johnny Unitas played 17 seasons for the Baltimore Colts, setting passing records and winning championships along the way. With his steady crewcut and signature black high-tops, Johnny U and the Colt horseshoe went together like meat and potatoes. But lest we forget, pro (and college) sports games aren't games at all, at least not when viewed from the corporate level. When Unitas' diminishing skills found him on the bench, Colts management made an unpopular decision and pawned the longtime face of their franchise to the San Diego Chargers in 1973. Unitas in a Chargers' uniform never looked quite right, just as longtime Cincinnati Reds' Pete Rose seemed uncomfort - able in a Phillies' uni, Michael Jordan looked out of place with the Washington Wizards and ignore any photo of him with the Arizona Cardinals; Emmitt Smith was a Dallas Cowboy! But for motocross fans, nothing looked stranger than Team Suzuki's Roger DeCoster exchanging his yellow and black for Team Honda's red, white, and blue! And while that aftershock was still rippling, Team Honda superstar Marty Smith did the exact same swap, except in re - verse. Smith, who had long been associated with Honda, made the move to Team Suzuki. 1980 was going to be a year of adjust - ment for fans of dirt bike racing! Roger DeCoster and Marty Smith had served their employ- ers well for many years, and it seemed unthinkable that either man would ever be in a position of needing a ride. Listing the laurels that these two men accu- mulated would take an Archives column of its own; a short list for R.D. would include his five 500cc World Championships, four Trans-AMA titles and six Motocross des Nations cham- pionships. Smith was America's first 125cc National Champion and would eventually win two more AMA titles. He won races in all forms of MX competi- tion: 125, 250, 500, Supercross, Trans-AMA and Grands Prix. Unfortunately, no one is faster than time, and by the end of the 1979 season, both DeCoster and Smith were no longer in the primes of their careers. Each CNIIARCHIVES P126 CHANGING COLORS BY KENT TAYLOR When motorcycle superheroes leave teams that they've been long associated with, it can be hard for their fans to adjust. While it's happened many times in motorcycle racing history, rarely has it happened twice in one season Roger DeCoster's Honda debut. Still looks a little odd even to this day.