How to become faster

Buy a cr500

I raced for years with only a few practice track days at the start of each season to get used to riding again. Now I am mainly practicing instead of racing and can eventually start to notice the gains. For me, I get 2-3x as much riding at the practice track as I do on a race day. It's no good if you're the fastest guy in the group every weekend though, as you still need someone to chase every now and then as it brings you along. This weekend for example I was out with local A riders who are way faster than me, but I learnt a lot...I could see how early and how hard they were getting on the gas out of the corners...so I started copying them and before you know it I was riding faster and it felt like something had 'clicked'. That's where racing helps, it drags you along...but you need to move up to the C class now...it's ok winning in the D class for a few weeks but honestly you will probably get so much more out of the C class.

As for what to focus on - it's the whole puzzle...body position, reading the track/changing lines, throttle/clutch control, what gear you should be in, committing to jumps etc. Above all, get your suspension set up correctly. Spend a day at the roughest practice track you know of and play around until the bike is working for you not holding you back. Again, having someone film you or a pro coach you is invaluable. You may think you are in the correct position on the bike, until someone shows you a video of yourself!

It never stops.

I just got moved up to the E class..

"E" ticket rides were always the best.

Take a few lessons to learn techniques and go practice a bunch ... BUT ... when you're practicing try to get behind A class riders and mimic(to your ability) what they do. Then, if allowed, go out on the track to various corners and watch up close their cornering and especially where they start braking. Move a stick or a rock to the side of the track to use as a reference point as to when to brake or apply the throttle.

There are good days and bad ones, don't get frustrated on the off days. Hell you're still out ridin your dirt scooter!

Just let off the throttle a second later than you are used to and you’ll be at least 10 seconds faster a lap

In the simplest way possible to explain this, your brakes are WAY BETTER than you think. I mean, crazy amazingly better than you think.

Learn to freak your mind out by going wide open on flat ground towards a can/rock/cone and just use both the front and rear brakes to stop as short as possible.

Just keep doing that until you can't stop any shorter, then take all that work to the track, braking as late as possible into the turns.

It trains your mind to understand you can brake later. It's overcoming that same fear to jump a new blind triple.

Go wide open until your mind is screaming "we're going to die!!," then wait a second, then brake.
You have to scare yourself

Focus on your form and technique. I used to read and re-read my copies of MXA, back when they would publish articles on proper technique. I practiced things like how to keep my elbows up, looking ahead, where to sit, when to stand, proper starting technique, late braking, pre-jumping, etc. Once you get those fundamentals hard-wired into your brain, you can go faster without worrying about getting into as much trouble. Just applying the right body positioning will make you go faster in itself.
Our own Vital poster, Gary Semics, is an absolute expert on the subject. I bet he has lots of resources for you.

Also, like mentioned above, there is no substitute for racing. Go do it as often as you can.

A lot of this is getting comfortable and confident at faster speeds. So as recommended above ride with faster riders and work on technique and fitness. Biggest difference as you move up will be riding full pace race speed for longer times. Keep in mind B class will be at least twice as long. When I moved to B, that was the first thing that got me was the length of the race and not able to push the entire race. Then once your tired, this is when racing gets dangerous and you make mistakes and get hurt.

Get those ears tucked into your hat bro!


In all seriousness, ride, ride, ride. No replacement for seat time. And move classes now. Riding with faster guys will make you faster...

Have fun with it.

Myself, when I solely focus on results and speed I pressure myself and make more mistakes, and in turn am furious with myself for not riding or performing how I think I should. When the fun goes, so do results. This story isn’t unique to me - you hear pro riders saying the same thing all the time.

Easier said than done tho, I’m still working on this.

You said you won your motos and I hear a lot of guys saying step up... it may work for some but unless you’re completely sand bagging in D I’d finish the series in that class then step up. It’s disheartening to step up too soon then repeatedly get waxed and once you make the jump if you’re in over your head it’s too late, you’ll catch hell for dropping back down.

I see you're from Lynchburg, that means you have easy access to Lake Sugartree, which is a great resource for riding schools to improve your skills quickly. Put in the seat time and work on technique and the speed will usually come with that!
I grew up in Gretna!

Change your name to Paul and tuck your ears up in your cap.