I'm currently 31 yrs old and I started riding at 14. I was never really that good. Never got out of the C class. Early 20s I started showing some B class speed. (Local B, not amatuer B ) I stopped riding at 24 and picked it back up in Oct 2022. 7 yrs off the bike and been back on it for 6 months. I'm trying to get that old speed back and I wanna start racing again this year. My goals is to be competitive in 450 30+ class and 450B.
Is it worth taking moto serious your my 30s? Like get more seat time, start cycling and get better fitness for moto? I'm just a family man with a full time job, and I know I'll never be anybody in this sport but I'd really like the satisfaction in achieving goals and winning races if I can at the local level and even do some State races again and line up with 40 riders. I just don't wanna suck like I use to when I was a teenager. I'd like to be one of the fast guys when people show up for a 30+ class race and eventually try my luck in the 30+ A/B races just to see if i can not get dead last haha. Or should I just stop dreaming and just keep doing the weekend warrior thing?
It’s all just riding dirtbikes my guy. It’s supposed to be fun. If getting faster and in shape sounds fun, then hammer down. Give er a shot
Hey brother, no one else can decide if its worth it or not but you. You get to decide what you value and if getting quick and going racing is what you want go do it. Its often the pursuits where we believe in ourselves the least and are the most unsure of ourselves that we most need to pursue. 🤘🏻🤘🏻🤘🏻
Ride on. To me it is 100% worth it to take it serious and do some training to complement your riding, if you’re fit and in shape your chances for injury drastically go down IMO.
I’m in my early 20s but have talked to some older friends that ride and a lot have recommended starting some light yoga, especially at their age. It never hurts to be pliable.
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your answer is in the thread. You said you're content with being a nobody. If you can keep a healthy grip on reality and not let it get in between what really matters, press on. We had another thread like this and the dude was talking about divorcing his wife and leaving his kids to chase his pro dreams in his thirties...
Driven and motivated men are far better for a family than a sit around yes-man who mows on the weekend and watches the game while drinking. Your children will get to see what drive, follow through, and hard work looks like in real time. Strike the balance well and be receptive to your wife if she starts telling you you're gone too much or too 'distant' at home.
Get in shape and go racing! If you feel your fitness is good, then you can focus on speed. If your fitness sucks, it makes pushing the envelope a little more risky. Get in shape, hang it out, and go have a fun day at the races with your family! As a father of 3, it makes for a fun time. Both my wife and I still race, not many moms of 3 racing these days.
Holy shit..haha ya honestly man the ultimate goal would be to win a local 450B moto. For some that seems silly and setting the bar low but to me B riders are pretty quick. A riders are cut from a different cloth. I'll never be able to get that fast no matter how hard I try. But if I can be competitive in B class I'd be so pumped. I just wanna be able to look back one day and be proud of my performance. A close friend growing up has dozens of 1st place trophies and I had 1 first place trophy all the rest were 3rds, 4ths, 5ths...I went 1-1 one night because the fast guys weren't there that night. I just want to see what I'm capable of and if I can get to the speed of what I consider to be "fast"
Also, if this is the "thing" that drives you to be in shape, then that's good too. In such an unhealthy country it makes me sad to see people in their 50's who are slow on their feet or even slightly disabled with overweight children/grandchildren in tow. Ask any sick person, health = freedom.
For sure do it . I started riding motorcycles at 1987 and I was 27 , but that was just trail riding. In 1989 I started going to the local track , CRC . I started racing and in late 1991 I turned Vet expert and I was winning local races on my 1992 CR250R . I still ride pretty good today and I am 62. So is newer to late.
Whaat?? That's awesome!!
I took most of my 30’s off, and when I picked back up, I still had the speed, but for a fraction of the time. Fitness is key the older you get. I have to spend an hour a day during the week just to be able to do a handful of 20 minute moto’s at a pace I’m happy/comfortable with. As far as taking it serious, the older I get, the more I value in and out track time vs spending a bunch of money sitting around to race a few times for 15 minutes.
I’m fine doing a couple vet nationals a year when I have the itch to get on a gate.
Thank you for the inspiration!
Sounds totally realistic. nothing better than comparing yourself to guys your own age a bit faster and slowly check them off your list as you get their number. Next thing you know you move up a class. The key is training and cardio. Get in shape and you will pass lots of guys in later laps and pretty soon you’ll just be flat out faster than guys who used to smoke you. At 60 yo I’ve turned what I described into a lifestyle and art form after every injury. The competition and measuring yourself is what I love about moto. You can’t fake motocross
I'm noticing this also with the fitness. When I was 24 I was ripping my 250 and not getting tired. Now I can't do more than a couple laps before having to pull off to take a rest. But that's me not training at all for riding.
And I have a goal of racing the Redbud vet fest someday. The goal is not get my ass handed to me hahaha
Only you can really answer those questions, but it’s a great start to actually consciously think about them.
What was the difference between teenager you sucking and your 20’s improvement? Is that factor still there? Are you going to be able to meet your goals and still happily fulfil other life commitments?
And most importantly in my mind; can you achieve and maintain the speed required while calculating and minimising risks? If not, just ride for fun and enjoy every aspect life has to offer.
Love this! Got me all motivated now haha I think if I start putting the effort into getting in good rising shape I'd have more fun at the track and not leave so discouraged because riding tired = riding sloppy and creating bad habits. Step 1, get in shape.
My teen years I just rode and raced for fun. Never took it serious and never trained for it to be in shape. Was never taught proper technique or anything. Just rode all the time. In my early 20s one day I was riding and honestly something just clicked and all the sudden I was on rails. Railing deep ruts like never before. I was actually going fast for once. Then for some reason I gave up riding a few months later and now back in it.
I'm currently having flashes of that old speed back depending on the track I'm most comfortable on. But lack of fitness has always been my Achilles heal. I think once I start getting more seat time, start logging laps on my turn track and get in good shape the speed will come. Overall I feel I have unfinished business with my moto racing and I wanna look back and say I won some races instead of looking back and knowing all I ever did was get wooped in the C class
As long as you don’t ride over your head, and you just focus on technique and fitness, go for it. I am 35. I cycle, run, lift, and ride when I can. I skip the races and just try to do two solid thirty minute motos. As long as I slam a few berms as hard as I’ve ever been able to, I’m happy. My goal is to do that for as long as I can.
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Well I think you just answered your question; enjoy the training! 😂
I'm 37 and can't really stop. Truth be told, I only look forward to a few big races a year and I work hard off the bike before those races. I did well at one in March. Satisfied my goal. Now I'm in a funk, haven't trained, put half the weight back on I lost from dec-mar, and ive got all my crap for sale. Being self employed is the double edged sword here for me. So much stress because the current work force isn't as deep. Hardly any time to ride makes it tricky. What I'm saying is, don't get hung up on results. I think I can say I had more, stress free fun, the year I got 10th at a big race than winning it years later.
Screw 450B because those kids will go for the throat for 6th place at a local race. Race +25 and +30 if you want two classes. Some of those guys are dumb enough to risk it all for a plaque too tho lol..
My advice, do the sweet ass bucket list races for fun and if you're bored n have the extra money then ride local stuff. At our age, results don't really mean anything.
I had a similar thought pattern in my head when I was around 30 and took up moto after not riding for a decade. I honestly think part of it is because we watch the pros and constantly hear how 30 years old is "over the hill". I think pro's at 30 are just burned out, it's not that the body is no longer capable.
That said, there are plenty of guys in their 50's that are still ripping at the local track or at LL's, so don't feel like you're wasting your time trying to get better from here on out. I'm 39 now, and I'm significantly faster, stronger and fitter than I was when I was 30.
I hope you get out of that funk man. That's what caused me to go 7 years of no riding. I just didn't love it anymore. I've also been self employed so I understand your stress there! And I do have some bucket list races. Mainly Vet fest at redbud. But I think I'll take your advice and just stick to the age group races instead of racing Fiesty teenagers haha
I too was a slow teenager lol. Didn't ride at all in my 20s. Started riding again at 34 . Racing moto again at 38. Continued to get better. Gave me a reason to stay in shape. Im 54 now and race a good pace in moto and haresrambles. Im faster now then when I was 18. Which isn't saying a whole lot. But it seriously makes me feel good. Thats why I spend my retirement money on moto. True story.
This right here! That's what I'm saying man. Why not get faster? Why just go ride on the weekends with my other out of shape buddies and half ass it? Maybe it's my competitive nature but just on Thursday practice day a guy was faster than me and I pulled up to him and asked if I could chase him and see how long I could keep up. He also followed me and gave me pointers. Turns out he's 37 and was absolutely ripping! That's what inspires me
Ride and pursue the skills you’re hoping for. Trying to excel at something you love…? Shit…I call that…
WINNING!
Get Some
Hahaha love it! Do what makes you happy!
As an almost 50+ rider, definitely get in shape and ride. I pretty much feel like I only exercise regularly so riding is safer and more fun. I don't race because I don't want to spend $50-100 to sit around all day, but being able to ride 30 minute motos, even at my old slow pace is enjoyable on practice days.....and one thing to remember, many of the guys you used to race kept racing and are still the same age as you and faster. But the vet class should be much safer than local B. A 16 year old kid is more likely to t bone you for a plastic trophy than a guy who has a mortgage to pay.
I got my ama pro card at 37, can you be competitive at age 32, 33, 34 .. etc? Seems to be the case now days. It’s a late start but not impossible. Relentless determination, will power, desire , go a long way! You can do it, it can be done.
Wow! Very impressive! I just wanna max out my potential
I've ridden vet fest the last two years.
Do it.
Do Daytona too.. I've ridden at most of the big ones and the fun factor at Daytona is above all.
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