curious how many 40 yr olds vs 50 yr olds still ride or race

ak23
Profile picture for user ak23
Posts
300
Joined
12/18/2009
Location
All Over, MI, USA
ak23
Edited Date/Time 1/27/2012 1:57pm
curious-------at a cross roads?????? - 49 and not sure if i want to quite doin the track thing and thinking maybe i should quit the track thing ?????? gettn old, got kids, can't ride that good anyways - is it still fun goin to the track railing berms and not doing the doubles?? hell ya!!!! , do i look like a chode ball ??? hell yaaa! does it bother me- yeah! I just had a 24 yr friend get paralyzed on a practice day 4 weeks ago , another 35 yr old buddy w kids died on a jet ski in the surf last week??? curious how many 35+ yr olds don't ride - vs- trail ride - vs- track or curious why u quite. it sure is fun!!!!!!

i myself sorta said no more racing and just track ride on practice days?? i think? maybe???? trail riding is ok just not the same?
|
rbm33
Profile picture for user rbm33
Posts
472
Joined
4/1/2008
Location
Duncan, OK, USA
Fantasy
741st
rbm33 10/25/2011 11:18am
10/25/2011 11:18am Edited Date/Time 10/26/2011 10:47am
im 45 and, down here in texas and oklahoma the 40 and 50 crowd is getting pretty thin in the motocross scene, but in the cross country side of the sport its booming. one thing about the corss country racing is a lot of the older guys are still really fast, there are many many 50 and 60 year olds that can flat haul on a cross country track.

so maybe instead of hanging up the helmet you should check into a little different venue.
4
motodog621
Profile picture for user motodog621
Posts
91
Joined
12/5/2007
Location
Irvine, CA, USA
motodog621 10/25/2011 11:26am
10/25/2011 11:26am
52 years old, ride tracks 2-3 times a week, and race 10 or so times a year. I try to prove that you don't have to haul ass to have fun- I just enjoy the hell out of going to the track & banging bars with my friends. I also enjoy the history of our sport- I was at the very first "Superbowl of Motocross" in 1972, and had a blast at the MEC. It's all good- that jump can be a triple or 3 singles- it's all in your mind Cool
2
downandup
Profile picture for user downandup
Posts
1241
Joined
5/24/2010
Location
In A Cave, CA, USA
downandup 10/25/2011 11:26am
10/25/2011 11:26am
Here, the 50 class is usually the biggest!

Keep riding pussy!

btw, who "quites"? wth?
1
vetmotoxer34
Profile picture for user vetmotoxer34
Posts
157
Joined
10/24/2008
Location
Summerdale, AL, USA
vetmotoxer34 10/25/2011 11:30am
10/25/2011 11:30am Edited Date/Time 10/25/2011 11:30am
Right in the middle there at 45, and enjoy it now more than ever. I guess because I've reached a point were its not a financial strain and I have more time with kids grown and stuff. The race pace is not what it used to be but the fun factor is still there. Vet classes have been down in number here in bama but the competition is still strong.
1

The Shop

See All »
Highsider
Profile picture for user Highsider
Posts
7679
Joined
8/15/2006
Location
Way Toasty, IA, USA
Highsider 10/25/2011 11:36am
10/25/2011 11:36am Edited Date/Time 10/25/2011 11:38am
In 11-months, I will be eligible for the 60+ Class....kick them old farts to-the-curb!
Woohoo

As it is, I race 40B and 30B, as there is not enough participation in Iowa for more divisions.
2
FreshTopEnd
Profile picture for user FreshTopEnd
Posts
13361
Joined
8/16/2006
Location
Sacramento, CA, USA
FreshTopEnd 10/25/2011 11:49am
10/25/2011 11:49am
My ability to ride is getting more limited, and I'll be 54 in a couple weeks, but my situation is a bit different. No track riding, I have done a Reno to Vegas three day/500 mile ride off road twice, once in my late 40's and once more after 50 a couple years ago, and hope to be able to get in good enough shape the next time my friends put it together (they just ran it again a week ago).
Rocket Launcher 10/25/2011 11:50am
10/25/2011 11:50am
The 40+ gates are still about half to three quarters full on race day. The 50+ gates are usually around half full. However, on non race days, there are usually just as many dads in their 40's and 50's riding as there are younger kids riding.

I think the fact that we have a lot of tracks to ride on and we can ride 12 months out of the year keeps people in the sport longer. I am 49 and have no intention of giving the sport up any time soon. I do ride slower, safer, longer moto's these days and don't clear much, but I am at the track at least three times a month with friends that are my age that ride as often as I do.
mikem
Profile picture for user mikem
Posts
218
Joined
4/1/2008
Location
London, CA
mikem 10/25/2011 11:51am
10/25/2011 11:51am
I'm 46, almost 47. I'm #935 in the photo. Managed to holeshot the B class this past weekend and hung on to beat quite a few of the young fellas! Still love racing although I prefer the +40 class.

1
bearded clam
Profile picture for user bearded clam
Posts
225
Joined
12/16/2010
Location
Phelan, CA, USA
bearded clam 10/25/2011 11:51am
10/25/2011 11:51am
ak23 wrote:
curious-------at a cross roads?????? - 49 and not sure if i want to quite doin the track thing and thinking maybe i should quit the track...
curious-------at a cross roads?????? - 49 and not sure if i want to quite doin the track thing and thinking maybe i should quit the track thing ?????? gettn old, got kids, can't ride that good anyways - is it still fun goin to the track railing berms and not doing the doubles?? hell ya!!!! , do i look like a chode ball ??? hell yaaa! does it bother me- yeah! I just had a 24 yr friend get paralyzed on a practice day 4 weeks ago , another 35 yr old buddy w kids died on a jet ski in the surf last week??? curious how many 35+ yr olds don't ride - vs- trail ride - vs- track or curious why u quite. it sure is fun!!!!!!

i myself sorta said no more racing and just track ride on practice days?? i think? maybe???? trail riding is ok just not the same?
My Dad still races at 61.
yota
Profile picture for user yota
Posts
1421
Joined
6/23/2008
Location
Crystal River, FL, USA
yota 10/25/2011 11:51am
10/25/2011 11:51am
58 yrs old, no MX anymore but do a lot of off road. Still bounce ok for my age.
rg4
Profile picture for user rg4
Posts
163
Joined
1/9/2011
Location
Eastern, WA, USA
rg4 10/25/2011 11:55am
10/25/2011 11:55am
Cool thread. My old man is 54 years old. He races when his calendar allows. Unfortunately that is not very often. From a son's perspective, I can say that it is very special when my dad and I have the opportunity to race on the same day.
Sandberm
Profile picture for user Sandberm
Posts
5845
Joined
3/27/2009
Location
Pasco, WA, USA
Sandberm 10/25/2011 11:59am
10/25/2011 11:59am
Im 41 and kinda burnt out. I am VERY sore for DAYS after I go rideing. My hips and lower back are kinda shot. I can ride for about an hour but then I am pushing my luck after that.

Also, I cant justify going out and buying a new fourstroke bike for what they cost new. I can afford it, but its just not enough enjoyment for the buck. So I just keep rideing my trusty 250 two-stroke which leads to the next problem....

Rideing a 2 stroke on a track where the corners are developed by 4 strokes is frustrating. The corners are all pushed out with a different apex point then what seems right on my 250t.

The most fun I have now is going out in the desert and makeing my own track by looping together some natural terrain obstacles, pound out some laps for about an hour and go home.
vetmxr
Profile picture for user vetmxr
Posts
1113
Joined
1/10/2009
Location
USA
vetmxr 10/25/2011 12:01pm
10/25/2011 12:01pm Edited Date/Time 10/25/2011 12:06pm
ak23 wrote:
curious-------at a cross roads?????? - 49 and not sure if i want to quite doin the track thing and thinking maybe i should quit the track...
curious-------at a cross roads?????? - 49 and not sure if i want to quite doin the track thing and thinking maybe i should quit the track thing ?????? gettn old, got kids, can't ride that good anyways - is it still fun goin to the track railing berms and not doing the doubles?? hell ya!!!! , do i look like a chode ball ??? hell yaaa! does it bother me- yeah! I just had a 24 yr friend get paralyzed on a practice day 4 weeks ago , another 35 yr old buddy w kids died on a jet ski in the surf last week??? curious how many 35+ yr olds don't ride - vs- trail ride - vs- track or curious why u quite. it sure is fun!!!!!!

i myself sorta said no more racing and just track ride on practice days?? i think? maybe???? trail riding is ok just not the same?
43 years old and still line up a few times a year in the vet expert class....still ride once a week, weather permiting, and can still give the young guns something to worry about.......but only for about 3 to 4 laps....funny thing is, the guys that used to line up with me 20 years ago still are on the line for the most part....and everyone still finishes the same as we used to....fast guys are always fast....just not as gung ho as in the past...I love Motocross, i cant quit it.... mostly practice days now though...not enough time to devote to a full weekend of racing...

sean
hellion
Profile picture for user hellion
Posts
1092
Joined
12/19/2009
Location
Westfield, MA, USA
hellion 10/25/2011 12:08pm
10/25/2011 12:08pm
I'm old enough now and have raced enough that I only really get the desire to race a couple of times a year. But, I still love to train just like I did when I raced all the time and ride at least once a week. Some moto, mostly off-road, and every other year we have a group that goes west to Colorado, Idaho or the like for a week of solid 100+ mile days. I find that my body hurts when I don't ride, so going forward I plan to stay the course.

I have had friends pass on both from riding and from other things like heart failure, ALS, and drug addiction. Sure riding is dangerous, but death seems like it will come regardless of what people do. Might as well have fun and use this body up while I can.
sozo
Profile picture for user sozo
Posts
1169
Joined
4/1/2008
Location
Palm Coast, FL, USA
sozo 10/25/2011 12:12pm
10/25/2011 12:12pm Edited Date/Time 10/25/2011 12:14pm
42 , ride 2x a week.. I keep it in control(althought I fall every week it seems) but plan to keep it up for good health as long as possible! I recover in 1 day because I eat very well and take good vitamins. I can do a 30 min moto at 75+% speed of the fastest riders on the track.


John
motokawi818
Profile picture for user motokawi818
Posts
836
Joined
4/7/2008
Location
Kennewick, WA, USA
motokawi818 10/25/2011 12:17pm
10/25/2011 12:17pm
My opinion on why the vet classes have gone down is most vets would come and race with the kids. The sport has gotten so expensive that a dad cant buy himself a decent bike and his child a decent bike and support racing. I know my dad took some time off from riding because of how expensive it got. I finally got a 250 2stroke and hes been able to get back into riding with one of my 250fs.
sharkey
Profile picture for user sharkey
Posts
2446
Joined
7/28/2008
Location
Marysville, WA, USA
sharkey 10/25/2011 12:24pm
10/25/2011 12:24pm
41,quit racing when my kid started on 50s was just too busy to have fun anymore at that point. now hes racing 65s and just getting on 85s. now that hes not so dependent on me im finally getting back to riding again but now im way out of shape which really sucks. then to top if off i rode a buddys bike and loved it. its so much fun riding with the kids now besides my friends. if i could get in shape and get a new bike i think i would race again for fun but until then ill just enjoy practice days at the the mx track
lapper
Profile picture for user lapper
Posts
134
Joined
4/1/2008
Location
Huntingtown, MD, USA
lapper 10/25/2011 12:26pm
10/25/2011 12:26pm
The Mid-Atlantic area has the Masters MX series. The classes start at 30+ and go up to 65. They do run an open class for the "kids" under 30. I think it's going on it's 5th year and has been growing steadily. At 52, I'm happy to do practice days at whatever speed I feel comfortable at on that particular day. I push when I'm feeling it and cruise when I'm not. It's to easy to get sucked into a pace over your head in a race. The bones don't heal like they used to.
I trail ride occasionally, but I ride with some pretty fast guys. Most race Hare Scrambles. At their pace, it's like MX through the woods. Immovable objects are closer and medical help is farther away. I feel safer on the practice track.

Pit Row

See All »
motomental1
Profile picture for user motomental1
Posts
134
Joined
3/14/2010
Location
Liberty, MO, USA
motomental1 10/25/2011 12:31pm
10/25/2011 12:31pm Edited Date/Time 10/25/2011 12:33pm
52 been ridin since i was 10 .compression fractured my L1 in august been off since. dont race anymore but my whole family loves to go to the tracks and ride. still consider myself an expert just a slower expert, but since i broke my back ive had mixed feelings about riding. ive been injured before but this one really made me think. anyway cant wait untill spring hope my back heels up ok. i just wanna ride!!!!
mxman
Profile picture for user mxman
Posts
169
Joined
8/21/2006
Location
Armpit, TX, USA
mxman 10/25/2011 12:34pm
10/25/2011 12:34pm
47 and ride every week..... Not sure how long I can keep it up but hoping for another 10 years at least.
DanDunes818 10/25/2011 12:38pm
10/25/2011 12:38pm Edited Date/Time 10/25/2011 12:38pm
I'm blown away by how many guys much older than me still race..I see results for 60+ & 70+ age groups and think how the hell..

I just turned 40 and I have degenerative disc disease in my spine, arthritis in my knees, hands, wrist, ankles and chronic carpal tunnel in wrists, and a tore up ligaments in my left knee. I sleep with heating pad on my knee and writs braces on both wrists, cause if I don't my hands and arms go completely numb. I sold my last bike a couple years ago, because I just couldn't take it.. Felt great while on the track, but recovery from just a practice day was a bitch. I'm sure a lot of my issues were because I took 9 years off and was on the couch for most of them. Didn't help that I went straight to the races when I got the bike. Heck my last back surgery was brought on simply by trying to blitz the whoops in Albany. I didn't even go down. Woohoo Blink There's no way I can stop myself from going to the track and signing up when I own a bike so I opted for not owning one. Of course every day I think I'm going to get a new one, but then I hurt just walking to the kitchen and re-think it.

I have the utmost respect for anyone that still races and wish every day that I could one of them, but I think my body just wasn't made for it. The weirdest part is I'm one of the lucky guys that raced from 4 years old until about 30 on a regular basis and never wore a cast or had a serious injury. Other then a knee surgery, broken collar bone, ribs, nose finger and a few concussions I was injury free.
884
Profile picture for user 884
Posts
24
Joined
7/16/2011
Location
Fullerton, CA, USA
884 10/25/2011 12:49pm
10/25/2011 12:49pm
42 and still racing and riding the practice tracks, haven't ridden as much this year due to the economy.
nickm
Profile picture for user nickm
Posts
702
Joined
9/15/2011
Location
CA
nickm 10/25/2011 12:50pm
10/25/2011 12:50pm
Just turned 40 and my commitments only let me get out 3 or 4 times a year. the 40+ crew all "gets it" and I don't think I've ever had a situation where another racer puts me in a dangerous situation.

I don't care much about the race pace regardless if I am out front or following the pack...I just like being out there. its a healthy, physical sport. It makes the time on the treadmill or in the gym worthwhile.

Just like everything else being healthy is a lifetime commitment, the last thing I'll do is give up something I enjoy as long as I'm able to do it.

Just remember your age, remember you have commitments (ie: wife and kids) and remember that nobody is looking to hand out the next factory ride to any of us...
DrSweden
Profile picture for user DrSweden
Posts
6761
Joined
8/30/2008
Location
Stockholm, SE
DrSweden 10/25/2011 1:05pm
10/25/2011 1:05pm Edited Date/Time 10/25/2011 1:10pm
Wasn't racing much at all before I turned 40 (this May), then a few days after my birthday I signed up and one could say I got a taste for it!Whistling

I think you guys in the US are lucky because you can actually find a class that suits you, as in age & speed. That's no the case in Sweden. So my "career" will most likely take a dump from now on, and I haven't heard from JGR... Sad

gharmon
Profile picture for user gharmon
Posts
2769
Joined
4/1/2008
Location
Valley, AL, USA
gharmon 10/25/2011 1:34pm
10/25/2011 1:34pm
40 here. I try to race once a month or so. I love to ride the track. My boys and I still have a lot of fun doing. I'm not to fast though. All those years they were racing when they were younger was just too hard to race and take care of two boys and two bikes. Something would always go wrong when I tried to race with them. So I just footed the bill and focused on the boys racing. All that time off the bike helping them get faster resulting in both of them passing me by speed wise and it sucks. Like someone else mentioned I still bounce ok for a 40 year old guy. LOL
1
bultokid
Profile picture for user bultokid
Posts
2144
Joined
8/13/2007
Location
Houston, TX, USA
bultokid 10/25/2011 1:55pm
10/25/2011 1:55pm
48 and can't ride as much as I'd like but still love it. No more modern for me though, sold the 4t last year as it was only matter of time till it put a serious hurt or worse on me. Tried the shifter kart thing, just not the same. Got bit by the vintage bug in '95 and have been hooked on it every since, currently have Bultaco, Montesa and Yamaha vintage/evo bike. Just got a '85 Yamaha TY350 trials bike last week...if you've never rode one, man they're a trip. Speed come sand goes but fun never stops.
Highsider
Profile picture for user Highsider
Posts
7679
Joined
8/15/2006
Location
Way Toasty, IA, USA
Highsider 10/25/2011 1:59pm
10/25/2011 1:59pm
I liked the start photo of mikem, so here is mine from this Sept. I am #952 for September 1952, so I am 59.
I got the holeshot in this 30A/B start in spite of my wheelie, then worked my way to the back and struggled to not get lapped!
lumpy790
Profile picture for user lumpy790
Posts
11800
Joined
9/18/2007
Location
York, SC, USA
lumpy790 10/25/2011 1:59pm
10/25/2011 1:59pm Edited Date/Time 10/25/2011 2:01pm
50+ and riding more now than when I was 40-49......still only do a few races a year........headed for Budds Creek this weekend.

Did a night race in NC and they had us go off the line with 250B....I holeshot....got passed by 2 and passed them back & led 1.5 laps....felt really good!

LL qualifier



1
OldGuy
Profile picture for user OldGuy
Posts
80
Joined
3/27/2009
Location
Red Neck, MO, USA
OldGuy 10/25/2011 2:04pm
10/25/2011 2:04pm
I'm 61 and still ride and race MX. I still race in the 50 & 55 + classes. Got drilled at RacerX Senior series at Red Bud on practice day. 3rd gear tapped and over the bars. Got a torn rotater cuff and pinched nerve. I don't no of any bone that I haven't broken. Can't sleep over two hours at a time for the aches an pains. Just can't give it up. ( I just want to ride)
5
englishman
Profile picture for user englishman
Posts
2832
Joined
3/7/2008
Location
England, GB
englishman 10/25/2011 2:06pm
10/25/2011 2:06pm Edited Date/Time 10/25/2011 2:06pm
About to turn 44 and ride or race every week. First raced March 1980, after racing for 15 years and doing the nationals etc back home I quit for a while but am damn glad I started again.

Life's too short not to do what you love...and I've had too many people I know younger than me drop dead of strokes, heart failures etc to not realize just being alive is a dangerous business.
1

Post a reply to: curious how many 40 yr olds vs 50 yr olds still ride or race