Riding/racing again at retirement age

I’d get a 250f and ride until the body forces me

to stop 

Get into pitbikes too, lots of fun. 

I’d get more of a woods bike and do some serious trail riding. 
 

Vista CA, represent.

Grab a 350 with a kickstand, cruise ocotillo wells trails or up the 15 to High desert. 

Enjoy. 

66 years old, still riding every weekend, if I'm not rained out here in So Cal which is usually not too often. Race occasionally because I don't enjoy sitting to wait for a moto but OTHG and OTMX do a good job with their programs. Rode a YZ250f recently and had a great time on it. 2006 was the last 250f ride for me. 2stroke 250 and 450 are the regular bikes. Riding keeps me sane, well sort of, and after a day at track gives a feeling of unique enjoyment. JMO

My dad will be 63 in August and still rides every weekend with me. I say, send it.

I’ll be 67 tomorrow.  Retired a little over a year ago.  I took a 30 plus year vacation from dirt bikes.  Longer than than from my race days.  Back issues forced me to find other hobbies at the time.  

I’d get a Yamaha YZ250F, easy to ride in my opinion.   You’ve only been away from racing for 10 years, you may pick it right back up and hope you do.  A 350F may be a good fit too.  But keep in mind a modern 250F is 40 HP, 350 is quite a bit more.

In my case I did ok trail riding and logging roads.  Even did ok my first few times at the track until I had two hard get offs in one day.   I’d really like to race again, but realize I probably never will.  Which is my age plus many guys my age didn’t quit as I did and they are still fast.  

I bought a Honda CRF250F trail bike in 2019 to get my feet wet again.  Later in 2019 I bought a used YZ250F to get back on the track.  Which didn’t work out very well.  Working all the time, Covid, broke foot and knee surgery neither riding related all but shut down my riding for almost three years.   Early Sept. last year knee was healed up enough to get back on the track.  Also back in the fall bought a 2023 CRF250R.  Will be headed to the track in the morning.  In my case again, getting back on the track was harder then I figured.  I get around ok, but still not as fast as I thought I’d be.  Even though it’s been a little more difficult getting back on the track.  I still have fun with my dirt bikes.  I have three in the garage.  May not ever race again but already looking at what my 2024 ride will be.

On a side note, I see a guy I see at the track I talk too.  He is 69 and can flat get around a MX track.  He also stays out on the track longer than most guys half his age.  I’d guess he rides 30 min or more at a time  and does that at least 3 if not 4 times every time he’s at the track.  No way I can even come close to hanging with him.  Conditioning is a big factor.  

Like the other guy, OTHG and OTMX. They get it. I'm forced to ride 40+ Expert and Int at other races, and I'm 60. It sucks. But racing 40+ Novice is scary as fuck and besides, I kick their asses and look like an old sandbagger. OTHG and OTMX are for guys like us. I race guys my own age, and it's as safe as it can get being that it is motocross. Get a slow 250f and go have fun. No one is gonna sign you to a contract.

The Pala vet track would probably be ok , just not on a weekend. Very crowded and the jumps get beat along with square holes in the straights. Cahuilla has a good vet track as well as the Arroyo track at GH. If you can get out to GH on a Tuesday, it is almost a  vet day. On a race day the main track at Perris is fine if you're with age, speed level riders. As long as you can not let peer pressure get to you till you're ready.. Can be intimidating on other days with the faster Perris locals. I'm still able to ride the main tracks but haven't really quit since a kid. My biggest piece of advice would be to get whatever bike you buy, have the suspension set up for you. In my opinion, suspension set up properly is the biggest safety item you can do.

Do it! I'm only 54 so maybe I dont qualify here. My hero is Pete Degraff.Hes 65 ish and hauls ass. Here in Alberta we have a bunch of fast 60 plus guys. And a bunch of slow ones who have more fun then the pw 50 kids.

Kenny, you'd have a blast at Pala or Barona. Pala has a vet track and Barona is very vet friendly. You for sure are more talented than me and I have a great time at both. Pala takes a bit less time to get there but Barona's not much further. Perris is also fun weekday evenings when it's not so crowded. Buy a 350 and be done. You might also need a Switch Hauler lol

TM

OTMX was out at Perris today. OTHG was racing at LACR.

Both are great clubs for old guys, with some subtle differences in our programs. Shoot me a message if you have any questions about OTHG.

Oh hell yes, get that bike and ride. I'm almost 59 and still have fun. Admittedly, I don't get to ride as often as I would like due to budget and time, but I still have a blast. It's all about having fun safely. The way I look at it is that it doesn't matter where you finish, just getting out there and having a good time (safely) at our age is a WIN!

I recommend a 250F.  Pick your favorite brand.  250F safest bike on track for vets with the exception of possibly a 125.  

I'm 60 and race a Yz125.  In the 60+ novice class, bike size is not all that important.  No one in this class is limited by their bike.

I'm off the bike for a bit because of a non-moto injury, but I'll be healed up and back to racing later this year or early next.

Most important is to not let your ego make you do things your body isn't ready for.

Working out with weights and cardio during the week will pay off.  Vitamins help a lot too.  If you'd like some advice about supplements let me know.

I'm in San Diego, in Sabre Springs (near Poway), and usually ride Fox or Barona.  Once I'm back to riding, it'll be cool to meet at the track.

Go for it Kenny, while we're young buddy fuck it why not   It was the So Cal OTMX club at Perris today. As you saw most of the club members are more concerned about hanging out with friends and having a good time than race results. Not to say they don't want to win, when the gate drops it's game on, but "Most" of the members aren't willing to ride over their heads for a stupid trophy and have just as much fun talking crap after the race than the actual race itself. It's also a fun club to be in because once you're in and racing more you'll get to know the guys in your class, I've known a lot of those guys for 20 plus years now.  I started racing with the over the hill gang in my 30's, joined the otmx when I turned 40 and rode with them on and off until a little over 2 years ago. I was pretty enthused and was racing a lot the last few years, I was the club secretary in 2020 so was going to every race. I'll start racing with them again at some point in time, I turned 64 in January so I have a couple months on you but we're pretty much the same age. It seems old until you join the club, then you're one of the "Younger guys out there racing"   Bike wise I'd say get a 250. 2 or 4 stroke whichever you like riding more. I liked racing 2 strokes and rode a YZ250 for years. But when I go back to racing I'll probably get a YZ 250f. They're easy to ride and don't wear you out.  Their club meeting is this Tuesday in Yorba Linda. I was going to go just to bs with old friends. You're welcome to tag along if you want, I leave San Clemente around 5:30 ish. 

You know you’re getting old when you have 22 year old sweat shirts from a club you have to be 40 years old to join 😂. Go for it 👍

 

How was that crf 250f ? Did you like it on the trails ?

My dad bought his first moto bike at 72 and entered his first race at ADITD less than a year later.  He’s gone now, and I’m restoring his bike to keep forever.  All of our clocks are ticking.  Live every day to the fullest!

I’m only 52 so can’t totally speak for you but I would get a 250f if I was you. Ride within your limits and have fun. I also recently picked up a KTM 500EXCF so plan on doing a little more off road stuff instead of moto in “my old age”, good luck with whatever you decide!

My dad was in a similar situation, he’s 68 now. Not had a bike since around 05-06.  He got the itch again and bought a Yz 450, same as the last bike he had back then.  Found it to be too much and traded it in for a Husky Te300.  Does some enduros with me and comes to the track when it’s nice weather.  Has no interest in racing but loves getting out on the bike.  You only get one life might as well live it doing what you love,whether you’re an older ripper or just there to have a ride a bit and talk some Moto with friends old and new.  I’d say get the bike and have fun! 

Im 50 and still ride and race . I worry about hitting the ground we dont get up as fast anymore and the ground hurts. Just try a 250f trail ride and you can ride moto . Just have fun when you start racing competition if you do just have fun.It works for me i was always a top 5 B rider. Now in a top 10 Vet rider i still love it. You only live once.Good Luck

58 yrs old, put in 250 hours a year trail riding. I don't race, competing doesn't appeal to me, I spent my whole life competing. Don't waste anymore time, get a bike and ride.

I just went through this, and am still going through this, but 48, have not road or raced in 25 yrs.  I bought a 350, spent the money to make it comfortable, was once an A rider, now just struggling to get my brain to realize my body is not 21 anymore.  The skills are still there, but the stamina is not  So after a few laps, you feel it!  I wanted to have a "thing to do" when the kids are having a bday party or I burn a week day while they are in school.  I am in good shape, but not great.  My plan is to get back to being comfortable.  I sent an 80 ft table top yesterday, no issues, a few times, but by lap 3, there was no fuel in the tank left. lol  So just having fun riding again is worth it.  Plus you can do it alone, always people at the track to make friends with.  I road raced from late 90's to mid 2000's and then got really into cars, kinda forgot about the dirt bike thing, but really glad i decided to start riding again.

At your age, money is prob not an issue, so get what you want, spend the money to set the bike up!  I did my suspension for weight, pegs, seat, bars, I am tall, and wanted the bike to fit better.  Slow or not, if you cant hold on, it becomes moot!  

Also did not realize 4 strokes are not 2 strokes and they did not make 4 strokes like this back in the day.  They are amazing, but also different, been struggling with timing, speed, and throttle control.  They can also bite you!  when they get away from you, they really get away.  I prob should have bought a 250 2 stoke, something with no engine breaking.  I feel like I OJ or come up short a lot and finding that perfect throttle vs, clutching it and cranking over a jump, you kings need to be smooth and roll it on.  

Lots of respect for you guys. I’m 35, I don’t have some goal to race LL vets, I just want to still get that feeling of nailing a rut or sand berm perfectly when I’m collecting social security. 

Just do it. There will never be a better time to get back into riding than now.

Your brain is not part of your body.lol  It still thinks you are stronger than you are, look better than you do, and fit in when you really dont.lol  so while we can dream about "the old days"  We can still enjoy a part of it. and getting out, riding, meeting others who still love to ride and being apart of something is special.  My kids are 24 and 9, so Its not about me anymore, and over the years, I have lost myself, not mad about it, love the fam, but we started over with our 9 yr old. she's the best thing in the world, could not care less to ride.lol  My wife would love to get another SXS, but I wanted something for me.  Even on a friday, by myself, go to the track, always a few people there, ride for 3 hours or so, I leave feeling great about the time i just spent.  Getting that back is worth a few lumps, and a sore body!  If i can just get some of my stamina back, it will make for a great escape.

Kenny, 

 If it was me I would get a versatile bike that you could trail ride, off road on and still moto.

This is the perfect answer I rode one and couldn't believe how awesome the power was.

I have the 16 350XCFW, which comes with lights and a Wide Ratio transmission which I need for my purposes.

https://dirtbikemagazine.com/2016-ktm-350xcf-full-test/

Edit: Another bonus is these bikes have a lighting coil and plug ins for lights.

So EASY to make Dualsport legal and now you have opened up a whole other world of ADVENTURE!