Jim Stein

Age: 68   

City Calimesa.  Calif. 

Family does not approve of me racing

I am retired 

my first race was 1964 first bike was a Tauasue 50cc


I started racing inn1964 in the American 50 club ridding local events in southern Calif. In 1966 I started ridding for Hodaka and rode TT, Desert, and flat track! In 1967 Edison Dye hired me at 17 years old to race the first MX series with the Americans against the Europeans .





At the end of that series I finished with the most points of any American rider, at the MX event at Forest Ranch the CZ factory representative came to me and said lets take you to Europe to ride for us! So I signed a contract and went to CZ ! I was the first American to have a signed contract with CZ to race in europe in early 1968! 


I returned home at the end of my contract in 1970! I then was hired buy Yamaha to test ride for them during that time I was almost killed testing the 1971 Yamaha 650 at Willow Springs Raceway! 


I also helped Ken Maley build and develop his prototype Speed way frame! 



I stepped away  not to return  until 2010 !   Started racing vintage bikes and here we are today! 

The stories from my time in Europe are to long too put in this form! But stuff like us eating warm roles and beer with the Russian tank commander in Prague! Etc etc!