Swapmoto Live with Johnny O'Mara 

I would have liked to have heard about his rivalries with Barnett and Ward, 125's, his years of being teammates with Hannah, Chandler, and Lechien at Factory Honda, his thoughts after Bailey and Hansen were injured, running out of gas at the '85 Unadilla 250 USGP, his '86 des Nations 125 ride, the Suzuki years, the '89 Anaheim SX win he had in the bag, his one year at Factory Kawasaki and being teammates with his old rival Jeff Ward, coming out of retirement in 1992 to race the 125 Nationals for Honda of Troy, going back to Maggiora in Italy where he made history on his 125 at the '86 mxdn. You can jot those down Donn and ask him when he comes back next time. Seriously, I know you only have so much time, but still a good interview and I learned a few things I didn't know about the O'Show. Thanks Johnny for taking the time to take a picture with me and my old moto friend at the Nashville SX. You rocked in your racing days, and still do now.

THE O SHOW.. MISS THOSE DAYS. THESE GUYS WERE ALL A GREAT INFLUENCE IN LIFE.... GOOD LIFE!

One of my all time favorites - O’Show

Coolest cat in the sport. He was the game changer, and absolutely helped mold the success of the greatest riders in the sport! I wish this interview was an hour or longer!

Yes, that Mugen was, IS, the coolest thing ever! And so is Johnny O’!

Interesting Show we gotta get an episode 2 with Johnny Omara

He’s a great interview!

Another example of a great person in the sport of dirt bike racing... Our sport is filled with great humans as compared with most other sports...

These interviews have come long way. Great job!

A legendy rider and dude! Amazed that he had to beg his way to the races like so many others. Sweet interview.

Wow! My first SML video and it was a great one! Johnny O part II- I would like to hear about his days on team Honda and the vibe between himself, Bailey and Johnson. I also would like to hear a little about working with RC and some of the other riders he has worked with.

Hey Johnny...(I knew you before you were O'show or even Johny'O.) We and some other "kids" had some good battles on our Suzuki RM 100's at the Dunes on the International track on Friday nights and on Sundays on the Shadow Glen. Then we moved on to 125's and had more competition and more guy's in the mix...I wish I could go back and have continued on racing., but by the late 1978 I turned 18 and had to get a full time job to support myself (in construction which I liked) sold my bike the rest is history. In hind site I would have liked to have to have been a AMA Pro rider and seen were it would have gone... I'm guessing you won't see this comment. But when this virus thing is over, maybe I will run in to you at a National or Supercross. Best wishes. J.K. are my initials.

Love Johnny definitely one of my top hero when i raced New England along with JoJo Keller ,Jim Meanan and soo many more. He definitely has a high opinion ifhis self but Rightfully so he us a machine and he worked so hard back when I was racing in the early eighties I didn't realize the time these guys put in. Hats off to the. JOHNNY O-SHOW

O' Show....so many battles that he just fell short of. ALWAYS a crowd favorite. Damn the stadiums came alive when he was on the charge!!!! Such a great talent!

great!!! congrats ..... O'Show

When he SMOKED the fastest 125/250/500 riders in the entire world on that 125 at the Des Nations with the dual class 3 moto format in 86? 87? ... nobody can claim that. GOAT. Im still pissed at HRC to this day for cutting him.

I always had mad respect for the O show, but was never a huge fan back in the day. After watching this im now a fan of Jonny.

I remember taking my son's xr 75 and putting Yamaha 100 forked and shocks on it. He wanted everything painted white...with a giant cutaway rising sun flag sticker so big it met on the top of the gas tank. 0- show was his man!! Went thru a thousand white t shirts getting that kid to 16!

Hi Don. Man l have been pretty much spending all my Covid lockdown time watching Swap Moto and MX Vault. Thank goodness for you guys. Can l give a recommendation. Get your guests back for part 2 (I have watched McGrath) and get into more of there seasons (mental, physical, machinery and tracks) more than mainly the look & gear. Awesome. Si Sproull, Aircraft Engineer, 40yrs old, Christchurch, New Zealand

I was SUCH a Johnny O fan. I raced indian dunes back in the day, mid 70's thru the 80's and I watched every race Johnny did. He always had such a great style. He always won! I had a major crush on him! love to see he is a great mtn biker too. Johnny O will always be my favorite rider.

1 of a kind!

Friday nights and Sundays at Indian Dunes was the best place to grow up, and Jonny O , was definitely the king of the Dunes. & Erik Kehoe was king of the Mini class back then.

Awesome! Could listen to him for Hrs and Hrs.....!

Always been an O'Show fan. Massive style. Killer interview, Swap. When I was 11 I got to meet Johnny at Mid Ohio 81.. I'm kickin' myself for not trying to get a signed gator. Loved them. I remember getting my first Oakleys and feeling like I was O'showin'.. still run some. Same reason.

One of my faves from that era. Johnny O even had a young Stefan Everts as a fan....thats how stylish he was!

I was racing back in those days and did Indian Dunes sometimes. Lived closer to Irwindale. Would have went over and picked up O-Show and given him rides to OC, had I known! 😎

I LOVED Johnny O's helmet with Chester Cheetohs....!

You know what’s really cool? Sitting on the starting line of a mountain bike race and having Johnny’O on your left and Jeff Ward on your right. Pretty surreal moment for me that I’ll never forget.

such an awesome interview nice work

O show

Marty smith was that way to in the 70s&80s too...

Johnny won the first SX I ever went to......Anaheim SX January 1984.

I used to watch Jonny ride at Indian Dunes Raceway. Him and Jeff Ward

I remember the mugun Honda on the cover of motocross action or dirt bike Looked through the pages and front page for weeks the idea behinds the the bike All these years Help make a champ Amazing. Damm good job

Hi, Would be great to get Johnny on again to talk more about his coaching. In particular, insight to his thoughts and words on Jett Lawrence. Cheers from Australia

I still have my 1984 CR250 bought new in 84

legend johnny

Fricking Wow.

Awesome rider lived the 80s moto life track was a mile from my house cycle acres salina ks

I always had a feeling about Johnnie that he seem to be a down to earth quite let the racing do the talking,I was lucky enuf to meet him and he even used my seat at englishtown for the Kawasaki race of champions,and I got him to sign his autograph on both sides and he about had a heart attack when I joke with him that he spelled it wrong,because I was expecting johnny O,not Johnny Omara,hah hah,u should have seen his face he was like are u serious,it was all in fun,he was there with out a bike and my boss loaned him a bike and the seat had to look stock because he was factory rider,so of course I said yes,it all was good he was pretty happy with the bike that was more what I was interested in,it a built KX 125....and my friend,boss really put the time in he did great suspension work and the motors were pretty good too,I ended up buying to of them,a 90 built and the 91 built after Tim Ferry came on board and the 1992 was released,Tim was all for the 92,and the 91 was brand new so I grab it,the 90 was my favorite it was dial at Gainsville and I could slam it into whoops the size of a house and not spill my coffee,it was probably the closest I ever got to factory bike and suspension,and the power was great to I always tell everyone I did my Johnnie O ,when I raced it in 500cc class and ran all the way up to 12 place against amateurs in open class in my first race in both motors only to get disqulifyed for being on a 125,they said they thought it was a 250cc that's how good it sounded and ran,wimps that was so lame.I got disqualified for being on a 4 times smaller engine ,what da heck,piece were flying off my bike on the start the 500s were killing the front of my bike,so I put my head down and started riding hard,I could not believe the roost it took my fork guard off in the second turn it went past me like I thru it out a window of a car going 55.John is one of the best Thanks for the autograph john,I really was kidding.piece out.

Badass! ✌🏻🇺🇸

Like Johnny mentioned in the beginning of this interview, he doesn’t do a lot of interviews, when we have a chance to rear from the guy, I would love to hear more about his thoughts on the teams that raced for, the transition from team to team, differences on the motorcycles, European races, teammates, etc. I love the channel but to waste great portion of the interview asking about gators...

💪💪💪❤️👊🏻

The gators where a great idea to keep that extra weight and dirt off the tops if your boots,probably did a nice job of saving ur boots too.

I snow ski and I think they still use them in deep powder snow to this day...

So this is the Real Rick Melon?

Cool

Mugen Factory ride > HRC. but you had to wear the funky bell bottoms.

These Videos document history and are very entertaining. Subscribe & Like to keep them going!!!

I would like to see ward and Omaha sit down and talk?

i like how he dont wear his hat over his ears like whoever the idiot was who started that....old school respect!!!!! 🧢

I used to smoke johnny at indian dunes....he didn't even mention me.

Van Nuys LocaL Boy !

I just realized I am a very bad clone version of Johnny O my 2 hobby's are Moto and MTB

Awesome interview........except for “like”every third word. Call me petty, it’s maddening how that word is used as a filler. It was as if my 20 year old daughter was speaking. Next million dollar idea....here ya go,for free. Invent a filter that takes the word out of the conversation and tightens it up. Carry on. C442 FAHQ Racing