In 1983 a new motocross season was approaching and I was excited about a new year. I had high hopes for improvement this year and the idea of moving into the Pro-Class was beginning to occupy my mind. We called it a Pro-Class because the best local riders in the area competed in that division on the local tracks. Some of the larger local events called it the A-class. It is not to be confused with the true Pro-division sanctioned by the AMA which requires an AMA membership and licenses to be able to participate.
In 1983 Suzuki upgraded their RM 465cc bike to a 500cc machine. The true displacement went from 464cc to a full 492cc. Well, I wasn't about to ride a 465cc when the new 500cc was available. So for 1983, I purchased this RM 500cc Suzuki. It turned out to be the best Motocross bike I would ever own. I did go faster on this bike than on any of the others. I absolutely loved riding it, my style of riding and this bike was a perfect match.
The power deliver was awesome, there was plenty of power with the new bigger engine and the delivery was so smooth it made it very easy to ride and control. This was not true of all big bore bikes, the power on some was so explosive it took a well-experienced rider to control and make the most of it. The RM 500cc was very smooth and the wheel would hook up so well. The suspension was superb, and it turned very well. It felt firm and narrow, and with the low center of gravity, it had a very light feel to it. I'm not kidding, this was a really good bike. Even now I can remember the thrill of riding this machine. That year turned out to be another very good year. I think it was this year Steve Lemons and I went to a Loretta Lynn's Armature Motocross Qualifying event. I didn't qualify that year, I think I was one place out of qualifying. However, best I remember Steve did, he was probably the one who knocked me out of it (LOL). Nevertheless, it was a very fun and productive year.
In this picture, I'm coming over the tabletop jump in Culman Ala. I don't remember the name of the track, we just always called it Culman. This is my favorite bike on my favorite track, I loved racing at Culman. I never won on this track, very seldom even placed, but I loved the challenge, it was so demanding. After leaving the gate you would make a right 90-degree turn and go over the tabletop pictured here. You would then enter a slight drop into and 180 degrees turn to the left followed by a 180-degree turn to the right. That would take you in a rough sandy area full of sand whoops, jump, and braking bumps. That would lead you in a long right-hand sweeper that would bring all the way back almost to the start. You would then make a 90 degree turn to the left and immediately fall off into a 30-foot ravine then back up the other side to jump out and make another 90 degrees to the left. That would take you to the backside and bring you all the way back around through the ravine again multiple 180's, 90's, sweepers, and switchbacks till you found yourself back at this tabletop jump again. All of this was very sandy which allowed the whole track to develop large braking bumps and sand whoops. You were constantly up on the pegs and the bike bouncing everywhere. I simply never rode a more demanding track.
It was at this track I first saw Billy Liles ride, I had never seen anyone go that fast before. He was absolutely amazing. There was no one there who could touch him, it was as if he was in a class by himself. He rode so fast yet he was so smooth and made the track look so easy, it was amazing to watch. He would later move on the true Pro-ranks and I watched him on TV race the Supercross series. However, he didn't look so fast there, comparing him to the riders at Culman was very different than comparing him to the riders in the true Pro-ranks.
Here I'm at a track in Ripley, TN. I think the name was Alsbad Motocross, it was another demanding track. It was not sandy, usually very dry, hard-packed, and dusty. It too was filled with off-camber turns and drop-offs. There were some guys who rode the Pro-class there that were really fast, however, when I watched them ride at the Amateur Nationals it was a totally different story. Comparing them to the Alsbad riders and those at the Nationals was altogether different.
The point I want to make is this, the Scripture says, (2Co 10:12 For we dare not make ourselves of the number, or compare ourselves with some that commend themselves: but they measuring themselves by themselves, and comparing themselves among themselves, are not wise.) KJV.
Also, Isaiah, a man so devout he is considered one of the Major Prophets in the Bible, yet upon seeing God in a vision responds, Isa 6:1 In the year that King Uzziah died, I saw the Lord sitting on a very high and wonderful throne. His long robe filled the Temple.
Isa 6:2 Seraph angels stood around him. Each angel had six wings. They used two wings to cover their faces, two wings to cover their bodies, and two wings to fly.
Isa 6:3 The angels were calling to each other, "Holy, holy, holy is the LORD All-Powerful. His Glory fills the whole earth."
Isa 6:4 The sound was so loud that it caused the frame around the door to shake, and the Temple was filled with smoke.
Isa 6:5 I was frightened and said, "Oh, no! I will be destroyed. I am not pure enough to speak to God, and I live among people who are not pure enough to speak to him. But I have seen the King, the LORD All-Powerful."
Isa 6:6 There was a fire on the altar. One of the Seraph angels used a pair of tongs to take a hot coal from the fire. Then the angel flew to me with it in his hand.
Isa 6:7 Then he touched my mouth with the hot coal and said, "When this hot coal touched your lips, your guilt was taken away, and your sins were erased."
Standing in the presence of God, Isaiah became mightly aware of his sinfulness. Many times we fall into the trap of comparing ourselves to others around us. When we do sometimes we can develop the idea we're doing pretty good. We can feed our self-righteousness and come to believe that we're good enough and God can accept us on our own merit. Surely God wouldn't condemn someone as good me! However, others are not the measuring stick, the measuring stick God uses to judge by is absolute perfection. Being judged by that standard is an absolute disaster for us, for there is not a single area of our lives that makes the mark. We are condemned by every thought and action, even our best deeds and kindest acts of mercy fall so short of perfection we don't even come close to pleasing God, yet only kindles his wrath against us.
We are recipients of great mercy if we have put our hope in Christ and trust only in His righteousness. Verse 7 in Isaiah 6 above is that hope, we are accepted only in him and him alone. All our good deeds and acts of kindness are only but works of faith which produce fruit in our lives, they add no merit to our hope of heaven. For the Christian, it is Christ and Christ alone!
God Bless,
David
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