What is your favorite memory / experience from racing / riding ?

xnationalwrench 12/29/2016 11:55am
12/29/2016 11:55am
Probably the coolest moment was after the 1st moto at Hangtown National when Gary Ogden rode past Emler and some Suzuki brass stopped and shook my hand then gave me a ride back to the pits, oh yeah he finished 3rd in the moto.
MX114
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MX114 12/29/2016 6:33pm
12/29/2016 6:33pm Edited Date/Time 12/30/2016 11:23am
Some rad stories! Very cool. So besides actual racing accomplishments the best memories are of my old man and my brother rolling to the track as a kid. But here's some really cool off the track memories and crazy times along the way.

-as a kid rode allot with Chris Coleman. He was a legit pro in late 80's early 90's and taught me a ton
-a job in the industry at 18 moved to Cali from NY and lived on the ocean starting in 2001. Got there the day of 9/11 so for a New Yorker that was some pretty crazy times to be far away from home and just a kid still.
-watching Paul Carpenter a childhood friend podium at Lorettas in 95 with zero support 80cc 9-13 class
-watching another childhood friend Mitch Dougherty win Lorettas in 1995 50cc class
-Going to Lorettas with Andy Bristol and watching him podium pro sport class in 2013. A local kid without a dollar to his name and no help
-hanging out at KW14's house in Cali 2005 and seeing his championship bike hanging from ceiling
-partying and riding with the red bull full tilt freestyle guys in my hometown Syracuse,NY 2007
-Anaheim 1 2005 in the rain
-Anaheim 1 2008 strip clubs night before the race. Was a who's who of 90's Moto lol
-Riding with Fro, Ryno, and a young RV for a private ride day at Cahilla Creek 2005
-Getting MC's goggles in 1996 at Broome Tioga
-Getting Doug Henry's Jersey Unadilla 1994
-Riding and staying with Casey Johnson, Brock Sellards, and Jiri Dostal in 1998 at 15yrs old
-Winning both moto's at a State Championship race 2011 in front of my dad right before he was diagnosed with terminal cancer. Neither of us knew he was sick at the time. It was the last race he ever went too and an epic day I'll never forget.







Turbojez
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Turbojez 12/30/2016 2:09am
12/30/2016 2:09am
Some really cool stories in this thread!

My first race ever, april this year and a holeshot in moto 1. It was wonderful, terrifying and unexpected at the same time. The first two laps, all I did was keep saying to myself "Don't get carried away and kill yourself" over and over again.
Sidecar
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Sidecar 12/30/2016 7:28am
12/30/2016 7:28am
1. My brother and I getting a brand new Honda Z50R on Christmas morning.
2. Any day I get to go riding/racing with my Dad, brother, wife and son (and my mum only she doesn't ride)
3. Mine and my brothers first British sidecar Championship point.... Never thought we would get that far.
4. The start of the 2007 Weston Beach Race, to be on a start line with 1200 other bikes was awesome.
5. Spectating at a 500cc GP at Namur, what a track, would love to have turned a couple of laps. The sound of the factory 500 2 strokes and true open class 4 strokes echoing through the trees and buildings was like nothing else.

Good thread, very good read.

The Shop

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Fourth_Floor
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Fourth_Floor 12/30/2016 7:36am
12/30/2016 7:36am
Dumont dunes 04 or 05. My brother, myself and some friends went out west for a month long riding trip and got to the parking area at night time so you couldn't see any of the dunes (I've never seen a desert in person before) When we woke up in the morning and seen all those white mountains in the distance we were mind blown and couldn't get our gear on fast enough. I will never forget that experience and hopefully one day once my kids are grown I can revisit. Never seen anything more beautiful than the scenery I woke up to that morning.
RandyS
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RandyS 12/30/2016 8:15am
12/30/2016 8:15am Edited Date/Time 12/30/2016 8:47am
Three things.

3: Holeshot and leading start to finish at Mammoth, it was the first Motocross/Bordercross in the mid 90 so it wasn't an actual Mammoth Motocross. I've raced off and on for 45+ years but never serious, or on a weekly basis. Wide open up that hill with a couple of dozen screaming 2 strokes behind me was the coolest thing. It was Mammoth after all.

2: McGrath passed Stanton right in front of me at Anaheim in 93, it was the shot that signaled modern Supercross.

1: Putting my 6 year old on the tank of a friends DRZ125 a few months ago and riding him around on on a motorcycle for the first time. He got a CRF50 when he was 5 but wasn't ready so we didn't push him. He asked to get on the DRZ, he's since started riding the CRF.

Bonus that I just thought of.

It was weird, and now sad, but sitting on Magoos couch watching the video of his crash with Danny giving play by play. Not really sure why we watched it, I was only there a handful of times but for some reason he put it on one time. RIP
RCB33
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RCB33 12/30/2016 8:37am
12/30/2016 8:37am
Holeshot my first ever hare scramble after not racing for 2-3 years on a KX100 when I was 12 or 13...I still have the GoPro footage but never watch it because I got a tree limb stuff in my bark busters and lost 3-4 minutes and never could make it up. Never will forget getting that holeshot though, never have done it again.
omalley
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omalley 12/30/2016 8:53am
12/30/2016 8:53am
All the racing and riding with my dad. For 20+ years, we rode and raced together. When he decided he was done (63 years old), I decided I'd hang it up too. It was an emotional moment watching our bikes leave in someone else's trucks. I had seen it many times before, but this was the first time I knew there wasn't another bike coming to replace it.
omalley
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omalley 12/30/2016 9:02am
12/30/2016 9:02am
Other two memories:

Winning a series after a really hard-fought 8 races with a really close competitor/friend. 8 races of close, aggressive but clean racing. Neither one of us was going to take the other out to win, but we weren't going to give an inch either. My dad isn't an emotional guy but I barely got my bike on the stand before he gave me a huge hug and told me how proud he was.

Years later (after not racing for several years, just riding) I raced the Western States Police and Fire Games. Had no idea how I'd do. Got a second place start, passed the leader and checked out. I think dad was more excited than I was. Did the same in the second moto, but washed the front end late in the moto, got passed and got beat for the overall...oh well.
ttugrad1793
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ttugrad1793 12/30/2016 9:15am
12/30/2016 9:15am
I have a lot.

One that always gives me a chuckle: My younger brother and I tearing around on '60s on some trash track near Corpus Christi, Texas. It was literally just a trail type track out in a field and I came flying around a corner, and he came the opposite direction. SMASH. Head on. Bent the forks, wheels, everything. I sat up, looked at him in the cloud of dust lying 30 yards away and we just busted out laughing. My dad came sprinting up and probably wanted to strangle us both.

My brother died in '13. Miss that guy.
Graybeard 12/30/2016 9:19am
12/30/2016 9:19am
My first overall win, Indian Dunes, International Track 1979, Open Beginner on a Sunday afternoon, had never won a moto and went 1-1, was so scared being out front I just kept it pegged riding so wild it's a miracle I didn't wad up!

Close second is lining up in the 25+ Class at Barona Oaks last year with my two oldest sons on each side of me! So damn cool, after the races we went to the harbor in Oceanside, sipping mimosas looking out over the ocean for lunch.

I gotta be the luckiest man alive!
NV825
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NV825 12/30/2016 9:27am
12/30/2016 9:27am
The first time I rode my friends XR80 on a dirt service road behind his house and got instantly hooked to dirt bikes. The entire experience since that day has been one giant memory filled with incredible people, trips, and tracks. I sold my only remaining bike 3 weeks ago, but I'm hoping to have a new steed in the not so distant future to keep building more.
Tim507
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Tim507 12/30/2016 9:37am
12/30/2016 9:37am
1975, Germany, 10 events, 20 motos, getting over 15 holes shots - ended up 2nd OA in the German North ADAC 250 Class. Got beat for the OA by the rider who rode Kramer Maico's. He rode both the open class and the 250 class, had a full-time mechanic at each event (I was a privateer - in one class) and he was a damn good rider.....
Dtat720
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Dtat720 12/30/2016 9:37am
12/30/2016 9:37am
There really are some truly great stories in this thread. The biggest thing connecting most of these, family. Its so cool how family oriented this sport really is. My son doesnt race but he rides. He races bmx hardcore, my daughter is starting to get the race bug after riding for a year. But, this past spring my son decided he wanted to race for the first time. He sucked lol, made sure nobody stayed behind him haha! But he didnt stall at the gate and never tipped it over. Cant ask for more than that when hes never done it before
MX114
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MX114 12/30/2016 9:41am
12/30/2016 9:41am
Dtat720 wrote:
There really are some truly great stories in this thread. The biggest thing connecting most of these, family. Its so cool how family oriented this sport...
There really are some truly great stories in this thread. The biggest thing connecting most of these, family. Its so cool how family oriented this sport really is. My son doesnt race but he rides. He races bmx hardcore, my daughter is starting to get the race bug after riding for a year. But, this past spring my son decided he wanted to race for the first time. He sucked lol, made sure nobody stayed behind him haha! But he didnt stall at the gate and never tipped it over. Cant ask for more than that when hes never done it before
Best family sport there is!
MelonFan123
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MelonFan123 12/30/2016 10:16am
12/30/2016 10:16am
Epic day of riding in the hills after a rain with the offroad goat, Kurt Caselli. This was the winter before he passed. Unforgettable experience.




OR Racer46
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OR Racer46 12/30/2016 10:58am
12/30/2016 10:58am








littlegiant
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littlegiant 12/30/2016 3:12pm
12/30/2016 3:12pm
noob here.long time lurker,had to post in this.i was friends with George Ellis RIP,and Jimmy.lived about an hour away.so the week before the first Broome -Tioga national,jimmy calls me and invites me to come down and ride with him that week.so i show up the wednesday before the race at george's house,where the shop is,and there are 3 RC Hondas sitting there.the 250 supercross bike,and two different 450's.different frames swingarms,4 speed and 5speed .and serial #like RC0000000006,RCO0000000008.just stunning.i open my van doors to roll out my 1979 rm 250,and they both start yelling at me for not listening.george says look,we have 3 bikes,and 3 riders,why did you bring that thing.never thought i was spending the afternoon riding 3 bikes the magazines hadnt even ridden.so off we go riding down the road to the abandoned rail beds.jimmy yells over at me,you better keep up.then he and his regular riding pal spend the next half hour racing each other through the woods.never been there,riding this one off bike thats twice as fast as my rm,will never forget it.we rode to this big empty gravel bank towards middletown on rt 66.spend the next couple hours realizing why the public cant buy these things.if youve never ridden one,hard to describe how much faster they are than production.my rm 250 ran real good,when i got on the rc 250,my god.you could believe it was another 450.at one point jimmy says hes going to a local place to get some food.i said im ok.so now im sitting in this huge place,completely alone,on an rc 450 honda.still dont believe it.i then found the longest straightaway to really go wfo on this thing.did startsfor awhile.overrevved the hell out of it.but you couldnt overrev it for long,because it would just loop out.i tried this at least a dozen times.mr newman has one of these,he should rent it out for rides.hanging over the bars,didnt matter.im 6',215 lbs,was like i wasnt even on it.dont have any pics,never thought of it until it was too late.these were friends i talked to all the time.the whole time im riding,im hearing george in my head,dont wreck these things,we have to race them on sunday.theres more,but too long winded already.the fact that jimmy was winning the first moto by almost a minute,then the engine broke,has always stuck with me.new engine for moto 2,he won that one by over a minute.two of the coolest,down to earth people youd ever meet.love this thread.

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Phantom 661
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Phantom 661 12/30/2016 6:13pm
12/30/2016 6:13pm
motoman617 wrote:
Has to be my first moto win and a trophy. 3-1 for second overall. Indian Dunes Friday night racing on my Maico AW400. Came home that...
Has to be my first moto win and a trophy. 3-1 for second overall. Indian Dunes Friday night racing on my Maico AW400. Came home that night so excited. Left the trophy on the kitchen table and the next morning was a note on it from my Dad telling me "nice trophy". He left it on there before leaving for work. Still have the note taped to the bottom of the trophy. Best memory ever..
I'll take your 3-1 over my DQ-DNF racing the 125 class at Indian Dunes. Helmet flew off/ knocked unconscious and fractured jaw. Congrats on that trophy! Tongue
yak651
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yak651 12/30/2016 6:59pm
12/30/2016 6:59pm
A couple. In '89 I picked up an '89 RM125 from a local pro that raced it in the fall but was first time having a current year bike for me. I had raced a couple of times the previous year with terrible results. This was when local races would have full gates. 125C and got my first hole shot on that bike, it was erie going into the back section of the track only hearing my bike. Really cool feeling! 1990 on the same bike end up winning both motos for my first 1-1 overall. I was pretty skinny, probably 120lbs, back then. Loading up my bike by myself without a shirt on I hear the girl next to us giving her boyfriend crap about the skrawny kid being able to load his bike into the truck and he couldn't. I said I also just beat him today, he wasn't happy but she smiled at me....I quit riding/racing for about 10 years, picked up a KTM150sx and started riding weekly. Talked my brother into going to a local pro/am that always get a good turn out for all classes. It rained all the way there, track was sand but a mess. Rain stops and they work on draining the track and get it raceable. Running about 4-5 hours behind schedule, first moto I go into first corner in Vet class with a good start and someone nails me from behind, crash and my throttle is jammed wide open. Push my bike off the track and tell my brother lets just pack up and call it a day, bike is broke and day is already way behind schedule. He finds someone with a throttle cable, replaces it and says we didn't come here just to watch everyone else race. 2nd moto grabbed the hole shot and led every lap to win the moto against all other 250 2 strokes and 450 4 strokes. Didn't win a trophy but felt pretty good to do that, especially since I had no idea how I would fare after not racing for so long.
bents 12/30/2016 10:16pm
12/30/2016 10:16pm
Great thread. My best memories are getting up before my dad and loading up the trailer so that when he got up he saw everything was ready to go. I mean I could not wait to get to the races. Then my dad would give it the once over, nod approvingly, and in the car we went to go racing. Those early mornings were the best and I think of that much more than the race wins or the holeshots. The whole family would go to the races.

When I grew up and became a vet, I made new memories with some of my best friends going to watch the Pro National at Millville and racing amateur day and just having a good time.

Now I am just happy spinning laps on practice days with some buddies.

Still love moto.

lostboy819 12/30/2016 10:42pm
12/30/2016 10:42pm Edited Date/Time 12/30/2016 10:43pm
Being 14 riding my bike to the track in Ponca, not knowing a damn thing not even that you get to race TWO motos and having the time of my life and then riding my bike back home.
mikec265
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mikec265 12/30/2016 11:40pm
12/30/2016 11:40pm
Cutting the leash of my son's 50 and riding on my pit Bike with him the 1st time. Sometimes my pedal Bike for a better workout.

I had an eBay carb on it that ran like crap. Got the original carb cleaned up. He helped me work on his Bike by banging wrenches on the muffler and trying to run off with the bolts. When it was done it was like he felt like he fixed it and was all excited to test it out.

Before that was coming home and beat from trucking. Just barely 2 years old he pulls the kicker out and says "start it". Can't say no to that. Off running with the pw50 on a leash we went. Talk about exercise.

Before the dirt bike, and as soon as he could walk for 2 or 3 months strait, he wanted to ride around the field on our utility atv as soon as he woke up every day.

Before that I would put him to sleep on the 4wheeler when he was cranky.

I had 20 years of mx/woods before he came along and it's more fun every time on flat boring ground with him in our yard and field. Just had a little girl on the 7th and I'll try starting her out on the four wheeler when she's though enough to handle a slow ride on flat ground.

I got the holeshot in my first ever moto when I was15, didn't expect to, scared the shit out of me before I finished dead last. Idk but I guess lining up close to the release point of the rubber band starting gate helped. Maybe bleeding the air pressure off of my shock Gave me better traction...
Or maybe it was the shit engine shop that sleeved that 1990 cr125 and said it didn't need the power valves put back in to run right. As clueless as I was with no moto help or guidance, it was so much fun! Ignorance sure was bliss.
mx510
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mx510 12/30/2016 11:53pm
12/30/2016 11:53pm
Good topic, I love reading these stories, very cool. I have a couple, I don't think I could possibly narrow it down to 1. First that comes to mind is my sons first race last year in the 50cc novice class as a 4 year old. It was so cool to see him out there riding and loving it. Second that comes to mind is when my goal that I set out to accomplish as a young teenager happening. My goal was to qualify for the Sunday program at the Washougal national, I accomplished that in 2007. Third would be all the memories I made with my dad that passed away a couple years ago. The funniest one, was him literally throwing my 1991 KX 80 in the bushes at Washougal after another break down. Dad bought me my first brand new bike the next week.
Crush
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Crush 12/31/2016 3:29am
12/31/2016 3:29am
Easy for me.

My second "race", such that it was, a club enduro round, riding my MX100, chasing Ben Grabham on a CR80.

I came 2nd.

One of the other Dads was yelling about "that kid" needing a good bike and he'd be away. My Dad didn't say anything or let on it was his kid, just smiled and told me about it on the way home...

Will never forget him telling me. Dad, like so many boys, was and is my hero.
Mungusman
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Mungusman 12/31/2016 3:40am
12/31/2016 3:40am Edited Date/Time 12/31/2016 3:43am
Any memory of teaching my son to ride, and being out doing something, instead of sitting in front of video games. But the best was in April 2015, my boy was always top 5 in the 65 class at our local tracks, but just couldn't seal the deal. Then the one day he was in 2nd, and hounding the leader, who was the points leader at that track. I told him if he wants this, to turn it on, well on the last lap about 2 turns and a straightaway from the finish, he cranked on it and won. Proudest moment of my life. I had tears in my eyes. Never forget that moment. Now he's running 85s, and getting better and better. First 85 race, he got 8th overall against 23 kids in the class, I was very pleased with his results, for his first 85 race ever, because he was scared to death riding the 85 class for the first time. I'm a very proud dad!!!! Excellent thread, thanks for letting me share.
sgrimmxdad 12/31/2016 5:17am
12/31/2016 5:17am
For me it would be getting lapped at a huge sand track by Damon Bradshaw on 80's in the early 80's! I will never forget the blur lol! When you are in the middle of now where NC and a big white Yamaha box van rolled in you knew it was on, the beast had arrived!!

That plus the days my son won his first race and then his first local championship!!! Meant way more than any ride I took!
part-timer 12/31/2016 11:46am
12/31/2016 11:46am
littlegiant wrote:
noob here.long time lurker,had to post in this.i was friends with George Ellis RIP,and Jimmy.lived about an hour away.so the week before the first Broome -Tioga...
noob here.long time lurker,had to post in this.i was friends with George Ellis RIP,and Jimmy.lived about an hour away.so the week before the first Broome -Tioga national,jimmy calls me and invites me to come down and ride with him that week.so i show up the wednesday before the race at george's house,where the shop is,and there are 3 RC Hondas sitting there.the 250 supercross bike,and two different 450's.different frames swingarms,4 speed and 5speed .and serial #like RC0000000006,RCO0000000008.just stunning.i open my van doors to roll out my 1979 rm 250,and they both start yelling at me for not listening.george says look,we have 3 bikes,and 3 riders,why did you bring that thing.never thought i was spending the afternoon riding 3 bikes the magazines hadnt even ridden.so off we go riding down the road to the abandoned rail beds.jimmy yells over at me,you better keep up.then he and his regular riding pal spend the next half hour racing each other through the woods.never been there,riding this one off bike thats twice as fast as my rm,will never forget it.we rode to this big empty gravel bank towards middletown on rt 66.spend the next couple hours realizing why the public cant buy these things.if youve never ridden one,hard to describe how much faster they are than production.my rm 250 ran real good,when i got on the rc 250,my god.you could believe it was another 450.at one point jimmy says hes going to a local place to get some food.i said im ok.so now im sitting in this huge place,completely alone,on an rc 450 honda.still dont believe it.i then found the longest straightaway to really go wfo on this thing.did startsfor awhile.overrevved the hell out of it.but you couldnt overrev it for long,because it would just loop out.i tried this at least a dozen times.mr newman has one of these,he should rent it out for rides.hanging over the bars,didnt matter.im 6',215 lbs,was like i wasnt even on it.dont have any pics,never thought of it until it was too late.these were friends i talked to all the time.the whole time im riding,im hearing george in my head,dont wreck these things,we have to race them on sunday.theres more,but too long winded already.the fact that jimmy was winning the first moto by almost a minute,then the engine broke,has always stuck with me.new engine for moto 2,he won that one by over a minute.two of the coolest,down to earth people youd ever meet.love this thread.
Awesome story!! I think I have been to that place off of rt 66 years ago. There used to be lots of trails in that area but there's mostly houses there now.
Jamal#440
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Jamal#440 1/1/2017 2:29pm
1/1/2017 2:29pm
Racing the incredible 87 CR's (80&125) Getting alot of holeshots..that is until Brian Swink would pass me in the 1st turn and check-out. I usually finished mid-pack but one moto I actually finished 2nd because the track wasnt too tough lol.

Another was when I started on my 84 YZ80 went to a track and Kieth "Bones" Bowen was there on his new factory YZ250 he was exploding this deep nasty rut turn filled with sand. My 2nd or 3rd lap I had it pinned thinking I was on a straight but I was going right into that
nasty rut I had been avoiding but I kept it pinned and went thru there like Bones. My guess is it felt like catching your first wave but I still avoided that rut after that!
oshow
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oshow 1/28/2017 5:23pm
1/28/2017 5:23pm
davistld01 wrote:
Although I ended up crashing out of the main...my big claim to fame is being in the 125 support class main at the 1976 Houston Astrodome...
Although I ended up crashing out of the main...my big claim to fame is being in the 125 support class main at the 1976 Houston Astrodome supercross event. I had never ridden in front of that many people in my life, and I was nervous as hell but it was by far the most exciting thing I had ever done...or have ever done to this point. I had a great bike and great people helping me. Awesome memory...even though the day ended painfully. Oh well...

Got to meet some of my heroes too...like Bob Hannah, who was great to talk to. I hear how cocky and arrogant some claim that he was, but he was really nice to a nobody like me and generous with his time.
I've had similar experiences everyone I've been around Hannah.

He used to have some good times at the FL winter series in 89

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