racing has gotten safer

Grizz
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3/19/2015 6:16pm
I'm okay with the sport as it is. Not sure how you could make it more safe?
hiflyer88
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Dallas, TX, USA
3/19/2015 6:18pm
This won't be popular, but for discussions sake...what about a MotoGp/F1/Nascar staggered-start? Can we agree that our style start is more dangerous than theirs?
731chopper
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3/19/2015 6:24pm
hiflyer88 wrote:
This won't be popular, but for discussions sake...what about a MotoGp/F1/Nascar staggered-start? Can we agree that our style start is more dangerous than theirs?
The starts aren't really a cause of serious injury or death are they? I would hate to see the start structure changed personally. I think a safer track could be achieved by changing the angles and sizes of the jumps along with the amount of them. Again, I'm only talking about the amateur level here.
hvaughn88
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3/19/2015 6:26pm
hvaughn88 wrote:
I know this won't be a popular opinion in here, but I can tell you that my two boys will never touch a track. And I...
I know this won't be a popular opinion in here, but I can tell you that my two boys will never touch a track. And I wouldn't be disappointed if they never wanted to touch a motorcycle again so we could avoid the urge all together. It sucks to say that because I know how much I enjoyed racing as a kid and how awesome the long trips in the truck were with just me and my dad. But I just feel like it's gotten to the point that it's just not worth the risk. I know I sound like a hypocrite for saying that since I raced, have a couple bikes and my son has a pw50. But it's just not happening. They aren't racing.
Bultaco wrote:
Exactly the same here. I taught my kids to ride dirt bikes in the the pasture. My son races DH mountain bikes, which is not the...
Exactly the same here. I taught my kids to ride dirt bikes in the the pasture. My son races DH mountain bikes, which is not the same as moto, but still great fun. But no Motocross.
I've come very close to just getting rid of all my bikes. My oldest enjoys it, but he could take it or leave it. My youngest, though, completely different story. He is almost 2 years old and he constantly is begging to go out in the shop and sit on the motorcycles (or me-cycles as he says, haha). I can't tell you how many hours we have spent just pushing him around the yard on his brothers pw. He's plays with toy motorcycles constantly too and rides his strider non stop all over the house, the yard, the back deck, everywhere. I just know the longer I have them around, the harder it's gonna be to tell him no.

The Shop

moscrop940
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Temecula, CA, USA
3/19/2015 6:29pm
hvaughn88 wrote:
I know this won't be a popular opinion in here, but I can tell you that my two boys will never touch a track. And I...
I know this won't be a popular opinion in here, but I can tell you that my two boys will never touch a track. And I wouldn't be disappointed if they never wanted to touch a motorcycle again so we could avoid the urge all together. It sucks to say that because I know how much I enjoyed racing as a kid and how awesome the long trips in the truck were with just me and my dad. But I just feel like it's gotten to the point that it's just not worth the risk. I know I sound like a hypocrite for saying that since I raced, have a couple bikes and my son has a pw50. But it's just not happening. They aren't racing.
Bultaco wrote:
Exactly the same here. I taught my kids to ride dirt bikes in the the pasture. My son races DH mountain bikes, which is not the...
Exactly the same here. I taught my kids to ride dirt bikes in the the pasture. My son races DH mountain bikes, which is not the same as moto, but still great fun. But no Motocross.
I couldn't agree more.

And don't worry about sounding like a hypocrite....that's part of being a part I am finding out.

I will say I am 24 and walk like I am 90. I walk with a massive limp and have to ice my feet/ankles nightly. I broke my back at 13 which still gives me a good amount of pain, and have had more concussions than I remember ( see what I did there ).

Anyways I already have a Crf waiting for my daughter when she becomes of age, because I will teach her to ride. I want to go on camping trips with the family just like I did as a kid, but as far as racing, it will never fucking happen.

Personally I am putting a golf club in my kids hand and hopefully they like it, because that is the only sport that I have a somewhat God-given ability in and can teach.

I have this conversation with my dad a whole lot, and he always take a little offense. I just tell him I can make the same memories with my kids in a different sport, it doesn't HAVE to be moto.
3/19/2015 6:36pm
hiflyer88 wrote:
This won't be popular, but for discussions sake...what about a MotoGp/F1/Nascar staggered-start? Can we agree that our style start is more dangerous than theirs?
Starts do not seem to be the cause of most serious injuries.
Mx286
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3/19/2015 6:39pm Edited Date/Time 3/19/2015 6:46pm
I don't think its exactly the tracks getting more dangerous as much as the bikes. I mean stock 450s pushing nearly 60hp, suspension constantly getting better, riders pushing it more and more. The race pace today is much faster than even 5 years ago. The bikes today are allowing riders to push it to their limits even more.

I don't see where jumps are getting any bigger. The regional area where I ride the jumps having changed that much over the years. Most people are hitting all of them. If you want something tamed down, you should take up flat track and tt.

Every time we step on the bike we know the risk we are taking anything could happen. I have family members, friends, and coworkers tell me how crazy I am for still doing it. All I tell them is they just don't understand.
hvaughn88
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3/19/2015 6:42pm
Mx286 wrote:
I don't think its exactly the tracks getting more dangerous as much as the bikes. I mean stock 450s pushing nearly 60hp, suspension constantly getting better...
I don't think its exactly the tracks getting more dangerous as much as the bikes. I mean stock 450s pushing nearly 60hp, suspension constantly getting better, riders pushing it more and more. The race pace today is much faster than even 5 years ago. The bikes today are allowing riders to push it to their limits even more.

I don't see where jumps are getting any bigger. The regional area where I ride the jumps having changed that much over the years. Most people are hitting all of them. If you want something tamed down, you should take up flat track and tt.

Every time we step on the bike we know the risk we are taking anything could happen. I have family members, friends, and coworkers tell me how crazy I am for still doing it. All I tell them is they just don't understand.
I would love to do flat track. Looks fun as hell
Hut
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3/19/2015 6:46pm Edited Date/Time 3/19/2015 6:47pm
Tracks are all high speed freeways for high revving high horsepower thumpers and flow is a big word. Those videos of everyone launching at mach 2 at Pala practice a while back make me queasy.
Toste
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Fantasy
3/19/2015 6:48pm
Mx286 wrote:
I don't think its exactly the tracks getting more dangerous as much as the bikes. I mean stock 450s pushing nearly 60hp, suspension constantly getting better...
I don't think its exactly the tracks getting more dangerous as much as the bikes. I mean stock 450s pushing nearly 60hp, suspension constantly getting better, riders pushing it more and more. The race pace today is much faster than even 5 years ago. The bikes today are allowing riders to push it to their limits even more.

I don't see where jumps are getting any bigger. The regional area where I ride the jumps having changed that much over the years. Most people are hitting all of them. If you want something tamed down, you should take up flat track and tt.

Every time we step on the bike we know the risk we are taking anything could happen. I have family members, friends, and coworkers tell me how crazy I am for still doing it. All I tell them is they just don't understand.
hvaughn88 wrote:
I would love to do flat track. Looks fun as hell
On the bigger tracks, flat track is a lot more dangerous than MX.
hvaughn88
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3/19/2015 6:50pm
Mx286 wrote:
I don't think its exactly the tracks getting more dangerous as much as the bikes. I mean stock 450s pushing nearly 60hp, suspension constantly getting better...
I don't think its exactly the tracks getting more dangerous as much as the bikes. I mean stock 450s pushing nearly 60hp, suspension constantly getting better, riders pushing it more and more. The race pace today is much faster than even 5 years ago. The bikes today are allowing riders to push it to their limits even more.

I don't see where jumps are getting any bigger. The regional area where I ride the jumps having changed that much over the years. Most people are hitting all of them. If you want something tamed down, you should take up flat track and tt.

Every time we step on the bike we know the risk we are taking anything could happen. I have family members, friends, and coworkers tell me how crazy I am for still doing it. All I tell them is they just don't understand.
hvaughn88 wrote:
I would love to do flat track. Looks fun as hell
Toste wrote:
On the bigger tracks, flat track is a lot more dangerous than MX.
I could see that
Mx286
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3/19/2015 6:50pm
Mx286 wrote:
I don't think its exactly the tracks getting more dangerous as much as the bikes. I mean stock 450s pushing nearly 60hp, suspension constantly getting better...
I don't think its exactly the tracks getting more dangerous as much as the bikes. I mean stock 450s pushing nearly 60hp, suspension constantly getting better, riders pushing it more and more. The race pace today is much faster than even 5 years ago. The bikes today are allowing riders to push it to their limits even more.

I don't see where jumps are getting any bigger. The regional area where I ride the jumps having changed that much over the years. Most people are hitting all of them. If you want something tamed down, you should take up flat track and tt.

Every time we step on the bike we know the risk we are taking anything could happen. I have family members, friends, and coworkers tell me how crazy I am for still doing it. All I tell them is they just don't understand.
hvaughn88 wrote:
I would love to do flat track. Looks fun as hell
First few races I ever did was flat track. Fun but not as exciting as jumping. Now guys who flat track doing the miles their insane. No way in hell I would ever do that!
GuyB
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3/19/2015 6:53pm
Berm wrote:
Maybe someone a bit more knowledgeable can chime in, but I didn't think F1 has gotten faster. I thought they slowed it down.
They've slowed a lot of other motorsports (though speeds always creep back up).

NHRA went to spec fuel years ago (mostly to try and reduce engine explosions and oil downs), but also mandated specific rear end gears to slow them.

They also did the biggest thing, going shorter than the sacred quarter mile length for the fuel classes.

NAACAR reduced horsepower this year, and also reduced rear wing size.
hvaughn88
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3/19/2015 6:54pm
Mx286 wrote:
I don't think its exactly the tracks getting more dangerous as much as the bikes. I mean stock 450s pushing nearly 60hp, suspension constantly getting better...
I don't think its exactly the tracks getting more dangerous as much as the bikes. I mean stock 450s pushing nearly 60hp, suspension constantly getting better, riders pushing it more and more. The race pace today is much faster than even 5 years ago. The bikes today are allowing riders to push it to their limits even more.

I don't see where jumps are getting any bigger. The regional area where I ride the jumps having changed that much over the years. Most people are hitting all of them. If you want something tamed down, you should take up flat track and tt.

Every time we step on the bike we know the risk we are taking anything could happen. I have family members, friends, and coworkers tell me how crazy I am for still doing it. All I tell them is they just don't understand.
hvaughn88 wrote:
I would love to do flat track. Looks fun as hell
Mx286 wrote:
First few races I ever did was flat track. Fun but not as exciting as jumping. Now guys who flat track doing the miles their insane...
First few races I ever did was flat track. Fun but not as exciting as jumping. Now guys who flat track doing the miles their insane. No way in hell I would ever do that!
I bet so. By the way, Kentucky has a few ol' flat trackers that have done pretty well for themselves don't theyWink
Mx286
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Owensboro, KY, USA
3/19/2015 7:13pm
hvaughn88 wrote:
I would love to do flat track. Looks fun as hell
Mx286 wrote:
First few races I ever did was flat track. Fun but not as exciting as jumping. Now guys who flat track doing the miles their insane...
First few races I ever did was flat track. Fun but not as exciting as jumping. Now guys who flat track doing the miles their insane. No way in hell I would ever do that!
hvaughn88 wrote:
I bet so. By the way, Kentucky has a few ol' flat trackers that have done pretty well for themselves don't theyWink
Yea they all live in the same town as I do. The Hayden brothers, my dad ran around with their dad Earl racing when he was younger. Good group of people.
brimx153
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IE
3/19/2015 7:42pm
731chopper wrote:
At the amateur level I think the tracks could and should be made a lot safer by reducing the size of the jumps.
this big time . we race the same tracks same jumps as the pro s. I don't think any amateur track should have any jumps as big as pro track .most bad and big injury s come from a jump gone wrong .not big high speed
zehn
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3/19/2015 7:56pm
Bultaco wrote:
Exactly the same here. I taught my kids to ride dirt bikes in the the pasture. My son races DH mountain bikes, which is not the...
Exactly the same here. I taught my kids to ride dirt bikes in the the pasture. My son races DH mountain bikes, which is not the same as moto, but still great fun. But no Motocross.
To be fair, DH racing can be very dangerous as well, and this is coming from an avid mtb rider.
PEPE001
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3/19/2015 8:09pm Edited Date/Time 3/19/2015 8:14pm
TX24 wrote:
It's the big jumps and then the speed of the new bikes. Young men now want big jumps.
But big jumps can be made save!

I did Amateur racing in Europe (Germany and Netherlands)
I raced for 15 years and we had large jumps but there where save.

Moved to Atlanta about 2 Years ago and what I see is anything than secure.
Its all about the track it has to be spectacular, but what is the price.

I see tracks where you cant even roll a jump the edge is a drop of 5-7 feet that doesn't make any sense to me.
When I ride a new track I like to roll it to see how the lines are, how the jumps are made and so on.
But you cant just roll the track for the 1st 1 or 2 laps.

When we did racing the rules were pretty simple:

The jump could be as long as we want to.
But doubles or triples were not allowed and I think that's correct.

In 15 Years of racing we had just minor injuries broken Arm, Leg, Collar Bone I would saw the regular stuff.
But I never heard that somebody broke his ankle.
When I first talked to some riders here maybe 5 out of 10 told me they had a broken ankle.
I couldn't believe it, however when I saw the 1st track here I knew immediately why.

If you don't hit the jump right you are in danger!
Remove the high doubles and triples and do a large table. The smaller once might be ok they should be designed in a way that if you mishit the jump that you could survive.
It could be still spectacular and the jumps are big, but if you don't hit it right you don't get injured.

You might think what is that old Guy talking about, yes I am turning 50 and I still like to jump like crazy.
But I have the desire to walk tomorrow and not spending weeks in hospital.

The 1st track I rode here in Georgia was that bad I decided never ride that track again.
Guess what 1 year later the track is closed! A lot of people got injured there.

Making our sport more secure starts with us the riders, we can decide where to ride.
I know what I am talking about had in my career a broken arm, shoulder, elbow and collar bone plus 1 concussion with a 30 minute blackout. I crashed at the beginning of the moto had a hole shot went down and about 5 riders hit me their bikes.

It is not the equipment its not that the bikes are faster it is the tracks!
I rode a 250cc 2 stroke modified at my last races and this beast was incredibly fast, my 250F is not faster the technology is better and more reliable but not faster. At least not for 90% of the riders except the Pro's.

I am teaching my son to ride right now he just started and I only select the tracks where I think they are secure.
And yes the tracks in Europe are different to the tracks here! I would not say better they are different.
Due to the Amateur regulations they have to design it in a certain way.


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