JS 7's influence, where are the young black guys in mx/sx?

mark293 wrote:

I loved motocross growing up and even raced Davey Coombs back in the late 70’s at the High Point Mini Bike Nats. Afterwards, my dad said...

I loved motocross growing up and even raced Davey Coombs back in the late 70’s at the High Point Mini Bike Nats. Afterwards, my dad said, do you want a car or two 125’s? You can’t have both. I caved to peer pressure as my neighborhood friends never understood the attraction.






My kid was better than I ever was, but he couldn’t be pushed or he would fold. It was very frustrating for someone with my competitive nature. Motocross is hard whether you are black, white, purple or from Mars. Not sure I’ll buy the grandchild a PW when that time comes. In fact, I think MX will be extinct in 15 years, Millennials are just too damn lazy. On a side note, I could have paid for an undergraduate degree from Rice University for him for what I spent in Motorhomes and over 30 bikes in our ten year stretch.

Bnagazina wrote:

Mark, So how did you get into mx? Was it through an family influence (family) or outside influence (school buddies, js7, mx mags). Personally, my parents...

Mark,

So how did you get into mx? Was it through an family influence (family) or outside influence (school buddies, js7, mx mags). Personally, my parents hated motorcycles, but my brother bought one and I got hooked on the mx mags he bought. I am always interested in how anyone gets involved.

Unfortunately, I agree about mx disappearing in the future. Culture has changed too much, Too few ‘informal riding areas’ (sand pits, gravel pits, grazing land) and too much enforcement. Don’t think I could even get my son on a bike, due to a fear of injury and helicopter mom. It’s is too bad as it is a great sport with great people.

Goon126 wrote:

I think most of us are into moto because it has been passed down to us by our fathers. I don't think most black men were...

I think most of us are into moto because it has been passed down to us by our fathers. I don't think most black men were into moto back in the day. I think its that simple.

mark293 wrote:

And for me....CHIPS. SoCal had it going on in the 70's. BMX, MX, skateboarding.....et al.

mark293 wrote:

And for me....CHIPS. SoCal had it going on in the 70's. BMX, MX, skateboarding.....et al.

mark293 wrote:

And for me....CHIPS. SoCal had it going on in the 70's. BMX, MX, skateboarding.....et al.

Alex.434 wrote:

hah! I remember my childhood neighborhood buddy and I would rip around on our BMX bikes pretending we were Ponch and Jon. That show was awesome.

mark293 wrote:

[b]Mark, So how did you get into mx? Was it through an family influence (family) or outside influence (school buddies, js7, mx mags). Personally, my parents...

Mark,

So how did you get into mx? Was it through an family influence (family) or outside influence (school buddies, js7, mx mags). Personally, my parents hated motorcycles, but my brother bought one and I got hooked on the mx mags he bought. I am always interested in how anyone gets involved.

Unfortunately, I agree about mx disappearing in the future. Culture has changed too much, Too few ‘informal riding areas’ (sand pits, gravel pits, grazing land) and too much enforcement. Don’t think I could even get my son on a bike, due to a fear of injury and helicopter mom. It’s is too bad as it is a great sport with great people.

I got a Sears B&S minibike for Christmas and rode the wheels off of that thing. My dad had a Cushman and we walked into a Kawasaki dealer and bought a KDX80 (or equivalent, God it was SLOW). I never got time to practice, because Pops was too busy working. Tried a couple of races and got roasted by Scooter Stafford, Bryan Abernathy and Ben Theriot. I told the old man if I had a real bike, I would be competitive. He called my bluff, drove me to Ennis Yamaha and there was a brand new YZ80D with my name on it along with a "sold" sign. That is still my greatest father/son moment. Was I faster? Yes, by a long shot. Someone told the old man about a national that was being hosted in Pennsylvania. I guess he thought since I started collecting a few trophies, that I was ready for the big time. My entire family piled in our Coupe de Ville that pulled a homemade trailer and headed for Morgantown, WV.

Remember the scene in from Talladega Nights?
https://youtu.be/10BediUjeiY

That was me pretty much at High Point.

I've been a police officer now for almost 30 years, and I will continue to say, "If the world was like the people at a motocross track, it would be a much better place to live in".

jeffro503 wrote:

I think it's pretty damn awesome see all colors of people , men and women alike in our sport! I truly wish every breed of person...

I think it's pretty damn awesome see all colors of people , men and women alike in our sport! I truly wish every breed of person out there to experience this sport. You can meet awesome people and it can be super family oriented. I have met and rode with quite a few black dudes that ride over the years , and it's always been a cool experience for myself , because I love seeing it. I don't see many Latino's or Asian's out there , but hope one day we will. Anything to help this sport grow , is all good with me.

Btw....Andy Jefferson was a badass!! One of my hero's as a kid!

BobbyM wrote:

I don't know how many black kids got into moto because of James but I do know one white kid that got out of moto.

mark293 wrote:

I pushed my YZ 80D almost half a mile to ride it in a field at the end of our street. When I was done riding...

I pushed my YZ 80D almost half a mile to ride it in a field at the end of our street. When I was done riding, I had to push it back home. My dad said if the police caught me riding on a public street, the Yamaha would be sold. You think today’s 10 year old is gonna push a bike a mile in full gear? Me thinks not, and I’m not exaggerating the distance.

BobbyM wrote:

I don't know how many black kids got into moto because of James but I do know one white kid that got out of moto.

Boomslang wrote:

This is the guy who paved the way. Andy would come and do some racing in South Africa in the early 1980's [img]https://p.vitalmx.com/photos/forums/2019/10/13/379283/s1200_Screenshot_20191013_190147_Samsung_Internet.jpg[/img]

This is the guy who paved the way. Andy would come and do some racing in South Africa in the early 1980's

Jeremy Macbeth wrote:

James got into motocross because his dad was into motocross, which is probably how most of us got into motocross. Nearly 70% of black children are...

James got into motocross because his dad was into motocross, which is probably how most of us got into motocross.

Nearly 70% of black children are born to single mothers. Not a lot of opportunities out there for young black kids to be introduced to motocross. James was lucky to have a devoted dad, and mom.

Motocross really isn’t a sport you get into because you saw some other kid doing it. Usually a parent is involved. Almost always dad.

The sport was better with him in it. He was amazingly talented. We were lucky to have James.

dickjackson170 wrote:

Yeah, that's a reach. He had a target age of retirement that he stuck to and had just had twins. James didn't retire anyone.

mark293 wrote:

I pushed my YZ 80D almost half a mile to ride it in a field at the end of our street. When I was done riding...

I pushed my YZ 80D almost half a mile to ride it in a field at the end of our street. When I was done riding, I had to push it back home. My dad said if the police caught me riding on a public street, the Yamaha would be sold. You think today’s 10 year old is gonna push a bike a mile in full gear? Me thinks not, and I’m not exaggerating the distance.