How to get your group of cats to start riding again?

Alex the great
Edited Date/Time 7/20/2020 2:50pm
Title says it.
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WheelieNelson 7/19/2020 2:46pm
7/19/2020 2:46pm
Get one friend to go with you on a fun trip, post lots of pics on Facebook lol

Group of friends from my hometown randomly all got bikes again and we had a super fun trip to Washington yesterday


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seven10
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seven10 7/19/2020 2:47pm
7/19/2020 2:47pm
It’s tough to get a cat to ride.
They have short legs and no thumbs.
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SEE ARE125
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SEE ARE125 7/19/2020 3:02pm
7/19/2020 3:02pm
^^

“Here comes Puss’n Boots in the black and white furry gear. Says when he’s not riding his motorcycle he likes chasing mice in his spare time.”

*chuckles*

“Yeah Ralf, check out the focus on his face. Now I dunno if there’s a mouse on the other side, but you can definitely tell by his face that getting through this intersection cleanly is a must situation for him.”
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VetMX.com
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VetMX.com 7/19/2020 3:09pm
7/19/2020 3:09pm
Throw in some grilling and beer for after riding. That usually gets them motivated to do a ride.
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Brent
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Brent 7/19/2020 6:18pm
7/19/2020 6:18pm Edited Date/Time 7/19/2020 6:28pm
...HA! All the friends I used to ride with are either Fat, Old, married, broke, or scared of "all those big jumps at the tracks now".

Funny story, Connected with a lost friend after almost 20 years that used to beat me and everyone else like a drum at Carlsbad and Saddleback in the CMC pro class (some of you old So Cal guys may may know his name but i'm not revealing it so he can keep his reputation).

He has all of his Moto trophies all over his Facebook page and all the old Cycle News race photos from back in the day, like the old quarterback that peaked in high school.

So he hits me up on Facebook during the lockdown out of the blue and finds out I'm still riding and racing, and he wants to come out and try a four stroke for the first time - the guy quit riding back in 1996 or something, and he has never actually ridden a modern four stroke dirt bike. Also note that the guy is like 6 years younger than I am.

So I say OK, Ive got a spare KTM 350 SXF and some gear, let's meet up at the track and we can turn some laps.

SO, we agree to meet at Fox Raceway on a Monday just after they open in the morning. I load the van with all the extra bike and gear, extra chair, etc and get there early to set up.

Well dude never shows up, I have his fresh bike for the day all set up with his gear, and he finally texts me at around 3 in the afternoon when I'm all done with my motos, and says he came early in the morning , paid his 30.00, pulled in and sat in his truck on the edge of the track watching.

Apparently, he got so scared of the HUGE jumps (on the Vet track Blink ) and the speed that the locals were running that he drove out after an hour without showing his face in my pit.

I guess my point to all this is that once you leave this sport for awhile it's really difficult to get back in and catch up unless you really want it, no matter how talented you are.

I hope you read this you schmuck, thanks for nothing but wasting my time...Angry
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centralcalmx 7/19/2020 6:39pm
7/19/2020 6:39pm
A couple of my buddies are coming back it it.
Heading down to Glen Helen Thursday for an OTHG Race.
Been awhile since we have road tripped down there .
Going to be a blast.
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racerx217
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racerx217 7/19/2020 7:03pm
7/19/2020 7:03pm
Start hanging out at the track riding. Find a new group of cats. See more than a few riding buddies go the older we get. Life gets in the way i dont blame them. Maybe less committed to the hobby than I who knows.
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mikec265
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mikec265 7/19/2020 7:06pm
7/19/2020 7:06pm
Build a track at your house. If you build it, they will come.
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brocster
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brocster 7/19/2020 7:07pm
7/19/2020 7:07pm
Brent wrote:
...HA! All the friends I used to ride with are either Fat, Old, married, broke, or scared of "all those big jumps at the tracks now"...
...HA! All the friends I used to ride with are either Fat, Old, married, broke, or scared of "all those big jumps at the tracks now".

Funny story, Connected with a lost friend after almost 20 years that used to beat me and everyone else like a drum at Carlsbad and Saddleback in the CMC pro class (some of you old So Cal guys may may know his name but i'm not revealing it so he can keep his reputation).

He has all of his Moto trophies all over his Facebook page and all the old Cycle News race photos from back in the day, like the old quarterback that peaked in high school.

So he hits me up on Facebook during the lockdown out of the blue and finds out I'm still riding and racing, and he wants to come out and try a four stroke for the first time - the guy quit riding back in 1996 or something, and he has never actually ridden a modern four stroke dirt bike. Also note that the guy is like 6 years younger than I am.

So I say OK, Ive got a spare KTM 350 SXF and some gear, let's meet up at the track and we can turn some laps.

SO, we agree to meet at Fox Raceway on a Monday just after they open in the morning. I load the van with all the extra bike and gear, extra chair, etc and get there early to set up.

Well dude never shows up, I have his fresh bike for the day all set up with his gear, and he finally texts me at around 3 in the afternoon when I'm all done with my motos, and says he came early in the morning , paid his 30.00, pulled in and sat in his truck on the edge of the track watching.

Apparently, he got so scared of the HUGE jumps (on the Vet track Blink ) and the speed that the locals were running that he drove out after an hour without showing his face in my pit.

I guess my point to all this is that once you leave this sport for awhile it's really difficult to get back in and catch up unless you really want it, no matter how talented you are.

I hope you read this you schmuck, thanks for nothing but wasting my time...Angry
That sucks to hear that he stood you up and that he didn’t even give it a chance. There is no real way to judge a track until you are behind the bars.

Brent, not sure of your work schedule, but we’ll be at Fox tomorrow and back at Perris on Friday if you want/need someone to ride with.
Ryguy125
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Ryguy125 7/19/2020 9:09pm
7/19/2020 9:09pm
Unless they trully wanna ride, i havent found a cure to getting an old riding buddy to come out again. It hurts tbh, but I've been lucky to have new guys step up to really become great friends. Hell, I'm in my buddy's wedding next month and i only met him through riding. I guess what I'm trying to say is, if you've given an honest effort and they show no desire to keep coming, it might be time to give up and just find new guys to hang/ride with.
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spimx
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spimx 7/19/2020 10:16pm
7/19/2020 10:16pm
Who cares, go riding by yourself. Anyone parked next to you can be your riding buddy.

If two guys see each other with bikes in their trucks anywhere in the world and especially 2 strokes it is perfectly acceptable and heterosexual to exchange numbers. I call this "it's not gay if it's 2 strokes"



If you seem my ass at the track come on over, whatever you need to borrow you got it. Broke your leg? no problem Ill take your bike back and load it up, whatever another motocrosser needs you got it
17
Lightning78
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Lightning78 7/19/2020 11:54pm
7/19/2020 11:54pm
VetRider97
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VetRider97 7/20/2020 5:36am
7/20/2020 5:36am
Alex the great wrote:
Title says it.
Wish you good luck but it's tough to get people back in the sport.

Guessing most people come into the sport in teens and fade out by 25 . Injuries, family responsibilities and the realization you have to commit considerable time and money to ride takes it's toll. People in group start dropping off and it affects everyone attitude towards riding..I see guys that don't commit the time to sport and when you don't ride enough you lack confidence and lose the drive to keep pushing yourself.

At 61 trips around the sun I still ride moto and woods with my son and his kids and a few vet guys like me, lots of practice and few vet only races....."don't let the old man in"
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Forty
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Forty 7/20/2020 5:48am
7/20/2020 5:48am
Brent wrote:
...HA! All the friends I used to ride with are either Fat, Old, married, broke, or scared of "all those big jumps at the tracks now"...
...HA! All the friends I used to ride with are either Fat, Old, married, broke, or scared of "all those big jumps at the tracks now".

Funny story, Connected with a lost friend after almost 20 years that used to beat me and everyone else like a drum at Carlsbad and Saddleback in the CMC pro class (some of you old So Cal guys may may know his name but i'm not revealing it so he can keep his reputation).

He has all of his Moto trophies all over his Facebook page and all the old Cycle News race photos from back in the day, like the old quarterback that peaked in high school.

So he hits me up on Facebook during the lockdown out of the blue and finds out I'm still riding and racing, and he wants to come out and try a four stroke for the first time - the guy quit riding back in 1996 or something, and he has never actually ridden a modern four stroke dirt bike. Also note that the guy is like 6 years younger than I am.

So I say OK, Ive got a spare KTM 350 SXF and some gear, let's meet up at the track and we can turn some laps.

SO, we agree to meet at Fox Raceway on a Monday just after they open in the morning. I load the van with all the extra bike and gear, extra chair, etc and get there early to set up.

Well dude never shows up, I have his fresh bike for the day all set up with his gear, and he finally texts me at around 3 in the afternoon when I'm all done with my motos, and says he came early in the morning , paid his 30.00, pulled in and sat in his truck on the edge of the track watching.

Apparently, he got so scared of the HUGE jumps (on the Vet track Blink ) and the speed that the locals were running that he drove out after an hour without showing his face in my pit.

I guess my point to all this is that once you leave this sport for awhile it's really difficult to get back in and catch up unless you really want it, no matter how talented you are.

I hope you read this you schmuck, thanks for nothing but wasting my time...Angry
Or he could have gone ahead after no seat time for years and wadded up your “spare 350” and spent time in a hospital with tubes in and out of him.

Yeah man, what a schmuck.
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EngIceDave
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EngIceDave 7/20/2020 5:59am
7/20/2020 5:59am
My cat is pretty fat now days.



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omalley
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omalley 7/20/2020 6:10am
7/20/2020 6:10am
racerx217 wrote:
Start hanging out at the track riding. Find a new group of cats. See more than a few riding buddies go the older we get. Life...
Start hanging out at the track riding. Find a new group of cats. See more than a few riding buddies go the older we get. Life gets in the way i dont blame them. Maybe less committed to the hobby than I who knows.
This. I started in 90 and over the years, the only constant I’ve seen is that your group of riding buddies constantly changes. Guys come in, fade out, some return, some don’t. I’ve stopped riding a couple times as well. Life happens.

There’s also the dynamic of the group itself. Seems like there’s always 1-2 hardcore folks who are always down to ride and never flake. Then there’s a couple who are good about showing up when they say they will but have several other hobbies. Then finally, there’s the 1-2 that are always huge talkers coming into riding season, new bike, new gear, then never show up all year-but each week they ask you to “save a spot.”

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Hammer
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Hammer 7/20/2020 6:15am
7/20/2020 6:15am Edited Date/Time 7/20/2020 6:16am
EngIceDave wrote:
My cat is pretty fat now days. [img]https://p.vitalmx.com/photos/forums/2020/07/20/439373/s1200_ca_times.brightspotcdn.jpg[/img]
My cat is pretty fat now days.



Your cat probably weighs more that you, ya skinny bastard!

Hammer!
Falcon
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Falcon 7/20/2020 11:03am
7/20/2020 11:03am
I have a few cats who still ride, and a few more who are thinking about it.

Rawly
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Rawly 7/20/2020 12:20pm
7/20/2020 12:20pm
Another thing that I think keeps people from getting back “ into it “ is all of the prep that we do to get out on the track or trails. When riding isn’t the loudest voice in your head , the maintenance , loading and unloading , and driving to your spot start to become work. When you have the riding bug , all of that stuff is just something that you do. I’ve been bit by the bug again , so it’s my waterski , not my dirt bike that is missing me this summer. As said , if your buddies don’t get back into it , there are plenty of cool people out at the track. I’m one of those almost 60 guys who got back “ into it “ last year. The only old school friend I see at the track is an industry guy who used to be a riding partner 40 years ago. He hasn’t gotten out of mx in all of those years. You guys that have done that are a rare breed.
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#76
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#76 7/20/2020 12:28pm
7/20/2020 12:28pm
"It's not gay if it's 2 strokes"

Post of the month! Laughing
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imoto34
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imoto34 7/20/2020 1:39pm
7/20/2020 1:39pm
mikec265 wrote:
Build a track at your house. If you build it, they will come.
Why cant it be the ghosts? I hear they make less noise and no dust.
imoto34
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imoto34 7/20/2020 1:42pm
7/20/2020 1:42pm
Brent wrote:
...HA! All the friends I used to ride with are either Fat, Old, married, broke, or scared of "all those big jumps at the tracks now"...
...HA! All the friends I used to ride with are either Fat, Old, married, broke, or scared of "all those big jumps at the tracks now".

Funny story, Connected with a lost friend after almost 20 years that used to beat me and everyone else like a drum at Carlsbad and Saddleback in the CMC pro class (some of you old So Cal guys may may know his name but i'm not revealing it so he can keep his reputation).

He has all of his Moto trophies all over his Facebook page and all the old Cycle News race photos from back in the day, like the old quarterback that peaked in high school.

So he hits me up on Facebook during the lockdown out of the blue and finds out I'm still riding and racing, and he wants to come out and try a four stroke for the first time - the guy quit riding back in 1996 or something, and he has never actually ridden a modern four stroke dirt bike. Also note that the guy is like 6 years younger than I am.

So I say OK, Ive got a spare KTM 350 SXF and some gear, let's meet up at the track and we can turn some laps.

SO, we agree to meet at Fox Raceway on a Monday just after they open in the morning. I load the van with all the extra bike and gear, extra chair, etc and get there early to set up.

Well dude never shows up, I have his fresh bike for the day all set up with his gear, and he finally texts me at around 3 in the afternoon when I'm all done with my motos, and says he came early in the morning , paid his 30.00, pulled in and sat in his truck on the edge of the track watching.

Apparently, he got so scared of the HUGE jumps (on the Vet track Blink ) and the speed that the locals were running that he drove out after an hour without showing his face in my pit.

I guess my point to all this is that once you leave this sport for awhile it's really difficult to get back in and catch up unless you really want it, no matter how talented you are.

I hope you read this you schmuck, thanks for nothing but wasting my time...Angry
brocster wrote:
That sucks to hear that he stood you up and that he didn’t even give it a chance. There is no real way to judge a...
That sucks to hear that he stood you up and that he didn’t even give it a chance. There is no real way to judge a track until you are behind the bars.

Brent, not sure of your work schedule, but we’ll be at Fox tomorrow and back at Perris on Friday if you want/need someone to ride with.
Yeah, would be perfectly fine to come to your pit and be honest. He could have kicked back a cold been and still had a good time.
OldPro277
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OldPro277 7/20/2020 2:39pm
7/20/2020 2:39pm
Disclaimer--- NOT a recommended way to get back into it, but this is what motivated my group of old racing buddies to get back at it. a few summers back we all got a call that one of our "group" died while mountain biking with his son locally. 59 yo. At his funeral, a bunch of us decided to get back onto "reasonable" shape buy some bikes and start riding and racing again . Some of us (me,lol) hadn't swung a leg over a race bike in 35+ years. A year later we start hitting some Vintage MX events, and some Masters of MX events (thats old guys on modern bikes,lol) . Last year i raced 15 times and most of our group did the same. We are all in our early to mid 60's ,and its one of the best decisions we've made. Just don't wait for a buddies passing to remind you that time is not on any of our sides and riding is the most fun,exhilarating thing you can do (almost) . RIP 857
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Spooner
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Spooner 7/20/2020 2:49pm
7/20/2020 2:49pm
Heckle them. Constantly. They give in eventually.
EngIceDave
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EngIceDave 7/20/2020 2:49pm
7/20/2020 2:49pm Edited Date/Time 7/20/2020 2:50pm
EngIceDave wrote:
My cat is pretty fat now days. [img]https://p.vitalmx.com/photos/forums/2020/07/20/439373/s1200_ca_times.brightspotcdn.jpg[/img]
My cat is pretty fat now days.



Hammer wrote:
Your cat probably weighs more that you, ya skinny bastard!

Hammer!
Dude, I'm a cow now
I'm like 165#

I need to go on a diet, bro
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rongi#401
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rongi#401 7/20/2020 3:55pm
7/20/2020 3:55pm
Get new friends
mister2dt
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mister2dt 7/20/2020 4:06pm
7/20/2020 4:06pm
I found starting off with a few nice mountain bike sessions really gets the back in the groove
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