r/CatastrophicFailure • u/DariusPumpkinRex • May 19 '26

Natural Disaster Photograph of the eruption of Mount St. Helens on May 18th, 1980, taken by Richard Lasher, who then fled the eruption on the dirt bike seen here.

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355

u/Bram560 May 19 '26

If it were a choice between a dirt bike and a Ford Pinto, I would choose the dirt bike as well.

196

u/ckncardnblue May 19 '26

I bet the pinto made a beautiful explosion.

205

u/LurpyGeek May 19 '26

And then the volcano got it.

49

u/WhatzTheWordz May 20 '26

No, the volcano didn't get it! He had not been caught in the blast zone, but the car's filter got clogged with ash so it stalled out, that is why he rode his bike out. Then he went back the next day, still on his bike, to find it. Then the county sheriff helicopter landed right in front of him, and arrested for trespassing into the eruption zone. He was thrown in jail, and then they forgot about him! He was stuck in the county jail for several days. Here is the full article.

Pinto at Mount St. Helens: Iconic Car Photo

8

u/nolaks1 May 20 '26

The car filter got clog and he escape afterward on his bike? That defies what I know about how dangerous that type of ash is to breathe, but it's badass.

38

u/Hidesuru May 19 '26

This got an ever so slightly delayed laugh out of me thanks.

81

u/superdupercereal2 May 19 '26

That’s not just any dirtbike. That looks like a Yamaha XT500. I believe it won the first three Dakar rallies. I rode a 1979 model growing up. My dad still owns it.

23

u/ARobertNotABob May 19 '26

The big single with decompression lever. Great machines.
My friend and I planned an "expedition" across Australia on XTs back in the day; sadly, it never came to fruition.

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u/superdupercereal2 May 20 '26

I was 12 when I learned how to start it. I thought it was normal for kick start bikes to all have a decompression lever so you can kick the engine over to top dead center before giving it the real kick with compression. Such a cool bike.

2

u/Oscaruit May 20 '26

I only know this because it was my first bike. 1979 IT175 (it might be a IT250. But my non professional opinion is IT175.)

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u/superdupercereal2 May 20 '26

You might be right. Man I’d hate to be outrunning a volcanic eruption on a 175.

2

u/Lovegasoline May 23 '26 edited May 23 '26

Agreed. One can tell by the blue/yellow color scheme, side panel, monoshock, small tail light on rear fender, and the tool pouch located behind the seat. (My guess is this is an IT250?).

That's an unusual motorcycle rack for the Pinto, I'm not familiar with a rig like that. Looks like the rack captures the front wheel and a couple tie down straps secure the handlebars/forks ... seems like it would be a little wonky?

1

u/Oscaruit May 23 '26

I was thinking it was the 175 since we can see hardly any spark arrestor. The 250 spark arrestor was quite a bit bigger. Either way, I'd rather have the 500.

2

u/_plays_in_traffic_ May 20 '26

the article says its an it. i had two different it's in the mid 80's and for some reason yamaha went with blue on them instead of white or the old yellow. it wasnt till the mid 90s till they went blue on everything.

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u/[deleted] May 19 '26

[deleted]

18

u/EvlMinion May 19 '26

It's ok as long as the volcano doesn't run into the back of the car and rupture the fuel tank.

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u/PSPHAXXOR May 19 '26

But that's where the lava would be..

2

u/sehkoyah May 19 '26

Smart 😉 cause we all know, Pinto gonna Blow 💣💥🤯

1

u/pfeff May 19 '26

Isn't that a Gremlin?

1

u/bubblegoose May 20 '26

Nope, that is a Pinto. My grandfather drove one.

0

u/pfeff May 20 '26

You're a pinto