I want to ride MX. How do I convince my parents to let me, and where do I start? Any advice?

Tell them you want to take it as far as you can, or atleast try it. If you like it, you can keep the bike and gear and have fun. If you don't, bikes, especially two strokes, can be sold for relatively the same price you bought them for if they are older.

Injuries rarely happen in MX. You may get scratched and bruises from falling, but that happens in any sport. I can guarantee you can get hurt worse in soccer than in MX if you are calm and know what you're doing. I've only gotten hurt a few times riding a dirtbike. The worst was when I was 5 and riding a PW50 and my mom took a picture with the flash on and I blacked out and crashed into a chainlink fence. I wasn't wearing a regular helmet, I was wearing a brain bucket sort of Evel Knievel helmet, minus the tassles. If I had a regular full face helmet, it might not have happened, but who cares? I love MX and that didn't deter me what so ever.
I ride a 450 now and it's a handful, but if you're calm and take a brave approach to the bike and don't act like you'll fall all the time, you won't get hurt. I haven't gotten really hurt in years. Minor cuts, gashes, and wipeouts, but I've managed to stay injury free.

The point is, injuries happen in ANYTHING you do. I'd rather by riding a dirtbike down the trails going 40 and have a better chance of living than being in the car with a drunk person. You can get hurt doing anything.

With the bike, I'd look for a four stroke maybe if you like to take a tame approach, but a two stroke definitely holds it's monetary value much better and can be sold for the same price. Four strokes may be able to, but they seem to diminish in value as the years go by, such as with new bikes where you pay 7 grand and it loses 1 grand of it's value as soon as you go for your first ride. Two strokes aren't like that, but they are a lot more "violent" and are harder to keep in it's powerband, where it makes the most power. You can read other threads about them, but I won't describe the differences between the two here.

Good luck!

First off motocross is a great family sport. Get them involved. Even if your dad isn't mechanically inclined, he will love holding your bike at the gate and watching you take off. And your mom will love cheating for you. Tell them it's something that you all can do together. Go to a few local tracks and camp out for the weekend as a family. You will bond more than anything. Let's be honest, when was the last time you camped out at a soccer field as a family?

Bike selection. A 125 2 stroke could be a great starter bike but it still has a lot of power. For your first bike it may be a little much. Look into a crf150 or ttr125. These bikes will be very low maintenance a and easy beginner bikes. Craigslist or a local paper should have some listed.

Convincing your parents may take a lot of work. Before you even get a bike try to get them to watch some races on tv or go to a few local tracks together. Motocross can be a dangerous sport but make them realize that you are wearing a full gear when you ride. Helmet, boots, goggles, gloves, pants, and long sleeves. Most tracks won't let you ride unless you have all of these items on.

I hope they allow this to happen for you. I wouldn't know where I'd be or who did be without this sport in my life. It has taught me responsibilities, sportsmanship, endurance, and just a all around healthy lifestyle. You go to any track and you will make friends right away. Everyone in this sport is willing to help others. Don't be afraid to ask anyone questions.

Sorry for the spelling errors lol

Have you ever rode a dirtbike before? A 125cc two stroke would be too much for someone who has never ride a dirtbike. Go with something that's a trail bike, it's a lot safer and less intimidating and your parents will appreciate that!

Hey girl,
I was totally in the same boat as you a few months ago. I also have background of BMX racing and basketball and longboarding. I love actions sports and the adrenaline it gives you. For about 2-3 years I've wanted to buy a dirt bike and my parents never gave in until about a month ago. I wanted it more than anything in the whole world. The big thing with my parents was $$$, injuries, and being a girl in the sport. The $$$ issue was no problem, I got a job and saved up as much as I could. I started working out to get as fit as I could. The "being a girl issue" and the "danger" aspect was not so easy to over come. I actually emailed a female rider who I look up to greatly and respect and she replied and that helped to expose my parents to women in the sport. Next was injuries. Of course my parents don't want me getting hurt but I've already broken multiple bones skating and longboarding and in my opinion longboarding is much more dangerous than mx. All you have to protect you in skating is a helmet and slide gloves and your riding on busy streets with maniac drivers. My parents gave in and I bought a 125cc pit bike, but hey it's still fun and maybe one day I can progress to a bigger bike!

The biggest advice I can give you is take it slow and slowly expose them to the sport, maybe watch supercross with them or prove that you are committed and explain to them that with all the proper equipment and riding in your limits it's not that dangerous. Don't get frusturated and give it time. If you want to ride bad enough you will find a way to ride, and if you have passion for the sport your parents will see that passion and hopefully let you fulfill your dream. Hope they give in girl, riding is alot of fun and I love it and would change a thing! Having to struggle to earn to ride and earning your bike by saving for months makes riding all that more special. Good Luck!

Find and take an MSF Dirt Bike School class. (Did you see the feature they did on the last supercross broadcast with Jenny Taft taking the class?).

That class will give you the basics of bike control and it has a strong safety emphasis. It also gives your parents a chance to do some one-on-one with an experienced rider, the coach, who will be an advocate for the sport.

Start slow, and wear as much safety gear as you can afford. Preventing injuries keeps parents happy.

Finally, don't ever say or write "motorcross" again. There's no "r". It's MOTOcross.

Hi! I'm a parent who has "given" in and my sons just had their first ride yesterday. They are younger than you, but maybe you would like to hear from a reluctant parent. I don't really know much about the sport at all, this is just "parent input" not expert input.

Injuries: Do some research. I'm sure you can find some. High School soccer is pretty intense (my daughter is a freshman player) and you can probably find some data on injuries, surgeries, etc. I would think parents would be receptive to some real information of this sort. You've already experienced some and it gets a lot rougher in high school.

Your concussions are concerning. I know some parents who pulled their kids from sports after three because of risks that are now coming to light from multiple concussions. I wonder if you can find info on rate of concussions in motocross, it seems like it would be a lot lower due to the helmet! If concussions are their main concern, try to find out more.

Persistence: My son showed me that it was his dream by continuing to want it over a period of years. he is much younger, but he got library books, watched videos, etc. all in his own that showed me that it wasn't just a fling and that he really seemed to have a passion for it, sustained over time.

To parents that don't have any familiarity with it (like me, but my husband rode motorcycles as a teen and young adult), it is super overwhelming. You can't really just "try it out" like soccer or archery or whatever, by taking a class or joining a league. It seems as if you have to buy a bike, gear, how to transport it, etc. to get started your very first time so there isn't much room for experimenting. This is overwhelming to parents. You are doing your part by offering to pay which is great, that shows responsibility and diligence and true interest. And now your starting to research on getting started which is great too and will take some of that burden off of them. You've received a lot of great advice here too. Good luck.

The MSF school is a good suggestion...for the first class, you use their bikes (at least here in Ohio), so that could be something you could do now to (maybe) see if you like it (although it's probably pretty contained and not like true riding) but it would show your parents your commitment and that you have some safety training. My sons are taking that as soon as it warms up enough.

Lastly, I find it interesting that they won't let you ride a skateboard but let you play soccer...does this point to the heart of their reluctance? Are they hoping that you will get a scholarship to college? Or perhaps they feel like they have invested a lot in your soccer career so far and don't want you to abandon it if you fall in love with motocross. Trying to understand your parents' reasons and feelings might help you with your case.

Whoever said injuries aren't common is either slow as heck or doesn't ride MX. You will crash....a lot. Some will be worse than others. I have had worse injuries doing other sports, but to say you aren't going to get injured racing bikes while jumping bar to bar is insane. I will lay it down a couple times every time I go to the track. Now granted a lot of crashes are small low speed stuff that you just brush the dirt off and keep going. There will be times where the bike will take you for a ride and you will get hurt.......welcome to the life of motorcycle racing. We are a different kind of people. Good luck to you and I hope you get the chance to try our awesome sport. There is nothing like the feeling of being on 2 wheels.