Posts
383
Joined
9/7/2014
Location
Lock Haven, PA
US
Edited Date/Time
9/14/2014 12:48pm
A little about my self... I'm 16, I work about 30 hours a week as a food runner at a local country club to support my racing. My dad got me into the sport when I was 4 when him and my mom divorced. He wanted me to stick around so he bought me a Brand new Pw-50 in 2002. We raced hard on 50's and 65's just about every weekend out of the year I had the local speed. We made it out of LL Area Qualifiers but never past regionals. We have also gone to the ArenaCross world finals in Las Vegas. All was good until 2009 when I bumped up to 85's I Had 2 friends pass due to injuries sustained while Racing Almost Back to Back. I practically got out of the sport. We rode but it was on and off. Money was tight (when I was on 125's I had a clapped out 02 yz125). So here is where the job comes into play, I started August 1st of last year I saved till about october and bought brand new 2011 kx 250f with 5 laps on it from a friend of my dad's who barely rode it. The bike scarred him. So much that I picked it up for $3500. I got my dad back into the sport with me. He took me down to florida for a week for ride in january. As well as a trip to JWTF in North Carolina. That trip changed my Dad. Two days later he picked up a leftover 2013 kx 250f from Cernics for $5700 OTD. We raced about 25 weekends this year I haven't been this bonded with my dad for about 5 years.
The Shop
I raced motocross for many years and then started Road Racing in 1988 and AMA RR Nationals in 1990. Throughout all of my racing over 30+ years I think my brother has missed less than 10 of my races. Even through many injuries over the years I have always been very grateful for my brother getting me into racing.
mx_563 is hooked and the rest, as they say...is sweet moto history.
(it would be another 6 years before I would get a bike, and roughly four more after that before I ever lined up behind a gate)
In 73 he bought a Suzuki ts 185 ,i was 10, and I learned on it in the feild and woods here at the farm. It had Preston petty plastic and a hooker pipe,cool old bike.
Next year he bought a 73 Yamaha mx 360 that I still have. We went racing,I was so short that he would hold the fender while waiting on the rubberband to snap. After a few holeshots onthat 360 the men complained so i started by standing beside it and hopping on the seat when the tiretool was yanked.
Still have the leathers and full bore boots I wore.
I started riding at 4 which was pretty early back then. It was so much fun because Mom, Dad, my sister and I all rode. Hanging around with older kids, I would ride anything in the neighborhood from street bikes to XR's. Many bikes where I couldn't touch the ground. I remember one of my Dad's friends had an 83' CR 125 that he said I couldn't ride unless I could start it and take off myself. I was a pro at starting that thing with my left leg, running around to the clutch side, putting it in gear, jumping up and taking off without falling over.
I got my KX 60, started racing at 7 and was 80 expert when I was 13 with some sweet RM 80's. At 15 I started riding big bikes. At 16 I had a KX 125 and a KX 250 and was spending all my weekends riding out of the bike shops team van. I raced 1 local race in C class, went to the district, signed up for C and the gate was way full. They asked if anybody wanted to race B and me and a 4 others stepped up. I was stuck in B from there on. I raced a lot of arena cross and then was in A at 17. Those days, people were proud to get moved up.
I had a big crash when I was 18 and it left me on crutches for 9 months. After that work, school and life took over but I never stopped riding.
Pit Row
Funny I found this thread. about a year ago I started telling my story - more so I wouldn't forget it. I never finished it but here is what I had so far. Click here to read entire story
I very first remember riding what must have been a Taco Minibike at the Pomona Fair right about the time I learned to ride a two wheeler. They would let a few of us go in circles at the same time, all I remember is lapping everybody and completely loving it!...
.......It took 3 or 4 years of constant nagging to finally get a Honda MR50
I had never actually ridden a motorcycle; other than the one time I crashed a rich neighborhood kids CT70 almost completely through his wooden fence........
........I watched Marty Tripes win the very first Superbowl of Motocross, then I saw him do it again, then I saw Jaroslav Falta do it. The MX bug was really starting to take hold, and I really wanted an XR75!
I remember having Jeff Wards dad Jack at J.W.R.P. and Harry from Harrys Cycle Sales walk me through my first piston and valve job over the phone........
......Little did I know that the NMA Western Region was the fastest region in the country and I was on my way and didn't even know it!
I think it skips generations and one parent that has it can cancel out the other and vice versa when passing on the gene. Something about wheels, gravity, balance, getting back up after falling and I think someone letting go of a stroller at one point.
I also think those Strider things can actually induce and enhance the moto gene in little guys and gals that would otherwise be perfectly happy playing with mud pies or dolls. One neighbors kid has it. The other doesn't. My friends daughter has it, his son not so much.
I can totally see your point about maybe not wanting to have your kid race. It's a shame to deprive a kid of the chance to ride a motorcycle through the dirt without him wanting to race or ride on the street. It's a tough one. BTW you do know that BMX is a gateway drug right? Although, the fact that he's tried it and it hasn't taken hold may be a good sign. Good on ya for not riding without insurance with a family and a biz.
When I was 12 my parents went to a party at my Dad's boss's house. The boss's son had a Kawasaki 90 or something like that, and they lived at the beginning of some trails. Not knowing how to use a clutch I was left alone with a bike, a helmet and miles and miles of trails... After a few failed attempts at letting out the clutch, I moved the bike onto the dirt, gave it a lot of gas, then popped the clutch and let the rear wheel spin. I manage to power slide around the first corner (nothing spectacular) and I felt the adrenalin right then.
I was hooked at that moment!
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