The Harley Davidson Baja 100 was actually made by the Italian company, Aermacchi for the American market. This little dirt bike was raced in scrambles, motocross, and in desert events. The California desert is where the Baja really shined. For one thing, unlike motocross, desert racing had a class for 100cc machines. The Baja’s abundant ground clearance, and good suspension – they used Baby Ceriani forks, was a real factor in the desert events.

Rider like Bruce Ogilvie, Mitch Payton, and Mitch Mayes all got their starts racing Bajas in the District 37 Desert trailbike class. Unfortunately, Harley Davidson gave up on this fun motorcycle to concentrate on the heavy iron which they were known for.

One thing I’ve discovered since jumping into the vintage dirt bike market, is the enthusiast that have come to the rescue of a certain marque. In this case, the Baja expert is a gentleman named Rudy Pock. He has gathered a warehouse full of bikes and parts, done a lot of research, and has restored many Bajas to factory original. This example was restored by Rudy.