1988/1989 ATK 406 Classic Motocross Review

[@mxmike123]

I purchased a brand new 89 406 and still have it in my garage. Been racing mx since my 1970 RT1 MX at Indian Dunes. I've had a ton of machines but always loved how well the ATK handled.

[@markparent3323]

I concur. I've owned four 406s. My old man bought one new in '91 which I still own. The bike sits tall, the frame is short and the geometry is steep but the bikes are mysteriously stable, predictable and not at all twitchy. 100% intriguing. Hats off to Mr. Leitner and his engineering prowess.

[@SreidMX]

I had a 92 for a while and rode the wheels off it. When people saw it in the pits I was an immediate celebrity. The bike was easy to ride and made decent power. It’s one of those I regret selling. Nice review and I concur on all points.

[@keithpeterson3447]

I've been wanting one of these for a long time. Back as a kid in the 90's I thought it was some junker because of the air cooling & no linkage. Now I love it because of that simplicity.

[@chrissilva661]

Owned an 91 ATK 406CC (Cross Country) thus desert tank, wide ratio 6 speed, air intake snorkel, etc. I replaced the Acerbis headlight/number plate with an MX number plate and rear fender. Raced desert, H&H in Eastern Washington State. What I remember most was the rock solid agility of the chassis in sand compared to my 1990 YZ250. Great memories of great times on a great machine!

[@chrissilva661]

Edit-😂Stability not agility

[@alexochoamx198]

Awesome video. I watch all your videos and have been waiting for one on the ATK. Great job. I have a 406 and a 605. Great reliable bikes. The suspension is phenomenal for how old they are. I couldn’t afford one then but I am lucky to still enjoy them now. Cheers!

[@TheMotocrossVault]

Thanks 👍

[@thevoxofreason8468]

I wanted one of these badly when I was a teenager. Loved them then and still do.

[@brianravenberg6654]

I graduated high school in 89 and wanted a 406 so bad. When I was 42 I found one and restored it to like new condition. I now also have a 97 605. I still ride both of them regularly despite my friends telling me I need a newer bike. I agree the Horst made bikes are the best. For riding trails I love the old 89 406. Great video and history.

[@billallen4793]

Dream machine's when I was growing up! ...from Wyoming USA 🔫🤠🇺🇸p.s stay safe

[@zrxer2]

Wow, perfect timing! Thanks for this vid, Tony! I picked up a 1988 basket case 406 a couple weeks ago. It's in pretty rough shape but I intend to bring it back to life. Won't be a show bike but will be nice. Will be built to ride. It's missing all the rear brake parts, the engine's out and the top end is off--and--someone has painted the frame pink! Ugh. So far it looks like the things I need are available. Can't wait to get this cool ol' bike back on the dirt. As always, enjoyed it and keep the great videos coming! --Bruce

[@TheMotocrossVault]

Good luck with the build I would love to see it when you’re done

[@zrxer2]

@@TheMotocrossVault It may take a while as my projects seem to drag on and on. lol. However, I most definitely will send you a pic or two when finished. Thanks for the interest. --Bruce

[@jcs480able]

I imagine the rear disc brake set up is tough to find parts for. I have a 83' CR480R and began stock piling hard to find parts whether I need them or not.

[@M.V.1]

2 tempi anni 80 e 90, sono un grande ricordo... 👍🏻👍🏻👍🏻🇮🇹🖐️

[@htperry]

I had a '89 ATK 406 as a trail bike. I really enjoyed it and likened it to the '78 Maico 450 Magnum I rode as a tail bike in '79. Of all the trail bikes I've owned, Japanese and European, I have the fondest memories of the ATK and Maico.

[@chadkennedy529]

Ahhh the ATK .... what an 8 year old would draw if you told them to draw a dirt bike.

[@modenaro1776]

Great vid. Thanks! Almost forgot about ATK's. Used to see them on Laguna Canyon Road in the mid/late 80's. Picked up (2) 85's, an 88 and a 90 604e last year. And an 89 cross country 406 last week. the 88, 89 and 1990 are Ca. plated. So will be riding those around town often. Thanks again. And keep up the good work.

[@docwatsyn]

My Pop's still has his '89. He raced it back in the day in So Cal. Nothing fancy, just amateur stuff. Remember meeting Mr. Leitner at one of those races when I was 6 or 7 while Pops was lining up for his moto. I got to ride that Beast around Gorman in the summers of '00 and '01. Thing would pull any hill out there in 2nd gear easy. Lots of fun to ride and open up out in the desert!

[@adamcarrasco3872]

I’m definitely gona buy a couple atks when the time comes!!!!! Hopefully soon!!

[@BatKountry]

I have a 87 Canned Ham 406. Mine doesn't have the disc break but was told you could order with the setup. Lack of the rear disc and aircooling means it qualifies for a lot of post vintage racing and it does very well in those classes.

[@johnelliott2497]

that intro graphic is badass

[@bartledew]

The local pro at Perris raceway in SoCal was super competitive and frequently finished on the podium riding these motorcycles.

[@138_k5]

Willy Musgrave

[@bartledew]

@@138_k5 Willy was very fast indeed.

[@mattmiles9779]

Please do a video on the 60cc motocross bikes of the 1980’s. Thanks for the awesome content!

[@micahmiller7313]

Great vid! I picked up a 89 ATK 406 two years ago because I had never seen one. Did a restoration on it and documented the progress on my youtube channel (and vitalmx of course). It is an odd bike for sure.

[@brianking1138]

I have been waiting for this review. I thought these were so cool when they came out.

[@docrw]

Selling my ATK406 was one of my biggest regrets.. Hard to understand how they thought it didn't make enough HP because for most it's a monster!!!

[@timothymckern8956]

I almost bought a 604 there was a dealership in Redlands California I would like to see the one on the 604

[@jcs480able]

There was always a couple of those at poker runs in the early 90's. The only thing i remember was the shockingly high sticker price in the dirt rider test.

[@robertaccioHVA]

I had the 1988 406 with a CalFab Alloy swingarm got it from Kearney Mesa Yamaha in San Diego. Funny for me as eurofile , we in NA seem to only know Can Am, many many small cottage marques in EU used both the disc valve 175/250 etc and piston port reed 347/406 engines. SWM used both series, if I remember at least 5 brands used these air cooled Rotax moto engines

[@davos4wdadventures]

Enjoy your work 🇭🇲

[@MattySlimz]

Totally unorthodox bike. I always heard old timers at the track(s) talking about them and how good they were in their early years. I’ve never seen one in person, but it would be cool to see one of these magnificent air cooled monsters up close. Finding one for sale in any condition must be rare as hens teeth. GREAT review! 👍🏼🤙🏼

[@brandonbredfield9461]

Buddy found a running one for 300 bucks lol

[@albertboersma7294]

ive got a 1994 406 and a 1996 250 limited edition and a 2001 kx 250 and a 1990 ktm 250 ...the atk had 5 speed wide ratio gears and 6 speed wide ratios ...they are fast and have all the best parts money could buy with better rear breaks and front breaks in the mid 90s

[@patrickirby9825]

Great desert bike.

[@donaldfuller5041]

I always wondered why rotax never built innovative 2 strokes in the dirt bike world. They were ahead of the competition as far as snowmobile engines.

[@EarthSurferUSA]

One word,--Cannondale! After decades of many great companies making dirt bikes, do we realize how amazing this man is to have put together such a different bike that worked as good or better than the bikes with all the clout? Now, think of this American made bike that could be in business today and for the last 20 plus years,------if Cannondale had actually hired this man for head of operations and bike development. It could have happened. I interviewed there, and even I could tell Horst Leitner was the man who Cannondale needed, not the guy who interviewed me.

[@EarthSurferUSA]

Cannondale had a couple of problems. Other than over zealous sales techniques that turned off dealers, and bike component configurations that were not past the prototype phase well enough to sell, the last big one that nobody notices was on the shop floor,---where the money is actually made. You have to be good there too, because a lawn mower division can't bail you out, and neither could their very well built bicycles.

[@michellewilson9665]

Do you have a video regarding the ATK 605??

[@rochellestanley9532]

Cool bikes, remember them well

[@modenaro1776]

No idea why early ATK's are not more sought after today? C&J frames, WP susp., Rotax power, Made in the USA on the decals. :o) Maybe one day folks will put it all together. Historic, hand made, super low production, easy to work on bikes that haul azz.. :o)

[@craigf7188]

Great review as usual, Tony could you do the yz250 history updates and I reckon one of Bradshaws bikes would be cool

[@TheMotocrossVault]

I will be doing one on the YZ 250 in the future but it takes a long time to do all the research

[@montycrain5783]

I understand the Rotax 500 motor was a really great 2 stroke open class motor, much closer to the CR480 or Maico 490. That motor and a Normal rear brake and it would have been a Incredible Bike. Check out the Cycle guide 1983 500 for the shootout.

[@robfitzgerald9665]

Hi, Did Honda make an MR50? Your Pod Casts are awesome. Thanks, FitZ

[@TheMotocrossVault]

Yes in the 1970s

[@chadkimmel8957]

The oddest part of the ATK was the goofy countershaft disk brake.

[@scottlichlyter1533]

Please do couerage on both the husaberg 2 strokes &husaberg 4 strokes too.

[@frankbailey9542]

Make some atk shirts! And hoodies!

[@dwayneolson2774]

Do you have anything on the ATK 250? I’d love to see how it held up in a shootout.

[@TheMotocrossVault]

Not yet

[@chadkimmel8957]

Please do Maico!

[@scottlichlyter1533]

❤

[@1969cmp]

I'd have one. 😁

[@caseymckeeborrego]

Those ATK bikes were oddball for sure. Rode with a couple guys that had them in bigbbear. They had the 605 and 406 street registered and I was on my plated, AL baker built XR600R. My riding skills weren't great yet, but I could tell that the Honda could leave them both for dead. They chugged fuel too. My bike got leaned over to donate gas on the regular.

[@TraveladvRajanSRai]

Ha joke the atk would spank that piece of crap Honda suspension

[@TraveladvRajanSRai]

If adjusted carb it's fine bit not set

[@caseymckeeborrego]

In stock form yes, the Honda is completely underdamped and undersprung. Mine was revalved and resprung. The atk definitely handled better than the old XR, but those riders definitely could not keep up.

[@chadkimmel8957]

Maico, please!

[@Johnr37us]

I started racing KTM‘s in 1990 and About 1994 The local Harley dealer decided to become an ATK dealer ( he had to build a separate shop) because I had a Harley and he knew I raced KTM dirt bikes he told me of his plans and asked what I knew about them and when I told him that they used a lot of KTM components and for that Reason I knew how to work on the suspension when he found that out I become his favorite person . And he kept it going for a few years that due to lack of sales he stopped.and then later on in 1998 a friend of mine became a ATK dealer by then they had a liquid cooled 250 and a. 260 ( the 260 was actually a 251 ) well they reminded me a lot of the early model KTM‘s and that had that European feel. Of course KTM no longer has that feeling.

[@Metalefty3]

Had one, hated it.

[@TraveladvRajanSRai]

I gota 605 dual sport 4s

[@TraveladvRajanSRai]

There long lasting Enduro bikes

[@coerteilander2614]

I have maico 81 and a reare pls yamaha 500, from koos mulder, also naamd mulder yamaha

[@TraveladvRajanSRai]

They were best til 04 same bikes.

[@derrickzenner9300]

I rode a 250. Engine sucked. Low power. High vibration.

[@TraveladvRajanSRai]

Tune it or carb

[@TraveladvRajanSRai]

They last 30yr unlike 3yr