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Is it "possible" to do it on 1 bike. Yes, of course. If we're talking an adult, in a Vet class, etc. That makes it a lot easier. What happens to your buddy if he cracks a cylinder or a rock hits his cases in practice 1 week before LL? He isn't getting parts or repairs in time on his single bike and now his thousands in entry fees and hotels goes *poof*. So, yeah, it's possible, but it's a lot of risk for all the money and commitment involved. Also, there's a difference between an adult going a whole season and putting 100 hrs on a 450 or a kid going a whole season and putting 100 hours on a 65 or 85.
You should start with reading comprehension. I wrote regionals for a reason, not LL.
well yeah. A vending machine could tip over on him too. But likelihood of either of those is small. If you or your kid were fast enough to make it, you wouldnt have a problem with it. It doesnt take 3 bikes, it doesnt take owning a 80k motorhome.
Many do it with 1 bike and if you want a motorhome, there are plenty of bumper pulls for 10K and you put the bike in the back of the truck.
Many decide to make it more expensive than this, but saying it HAS to be is just ridiculous lol
If you have a 100k motorhome ,dont ever complain about $
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Yeah... good job misstating what I said, even though I tried to be reasonable. Good luck to everyone rolling with 1 bike strapped to the roof of their Pinto. I'm sure it will all be fine. Because you said it absolutely will be fine and there's literally zero chance anything will go wrong. It's crazy for anyone to have more than 1 bike for 5 years. See, how that works when people try to take what you said to the dumb extreme?
dont go getting your panties in a bunch because my logic makes sense lol
No bunches at all. Thank you for the logic, Ripper69.
One thing I have seen is that when people are not fast enough and fail to qualify for LLs they always go to excuse thats Its too expensive and we cant keep up because we don't have a motorhome or trainer or enough bikes etc. or its just for the rich people
Bottom line is racing of any kind is not a poor mans sport.
Correct, mx. Sx is cheap compared to other motorsports. To be competitive.
Even if you stay at a hotel you still have to pay for your pit spot. Years ago it was $500 for 1 pit spot. Those who have made it how much is 1 pit spot now? Think the last time I looked a couple years ago it was $650
When I paid the $5000 vending spot I still had to pay for the additional $500 pit fee. I used to spend $8000-$9000 just to go to Lorettas by the time I paid for fuel from Charlotte and back with food. To get a decent pit spot in the woods you must come in 2 or 3 days early and pay the LL camping fee for the days before the move in date.
I always enjoyed coming with a trailer and getting a spot in the woods so I could spectate for a week without the $5000 vending spot. I know they have run out of room for camping so I have wondered if the cost of a pit spot skyrocketing so high was to detour those coming just to attend the race as a vacation.
To go now my guesstimate is $10,000-$15,000 including the local qualifier and regional expenses ….. but depending on where you are driving in from fuel costs and what you are driving add up too. I know for me to drive east coast to west coast and back is over $5000 just in fuel.
Good to see you back in the forum, Davey!
Although I agree it can be expensive, I have seen riders over the years race one qualifier & regional on an older bike and enjoy their time camping in a tent at LL.
Regionals - MX Sports fee + transponder fee + gate fee + race entry x 2 = $285
Nationals - Race entry x 2 + facility permit + hook-up (for lottery winners) + extra car pass (optional but nice) + pit vehicle permit (optional but nice) = $1,525
Motor home rental (pick up in Memphis, for us) - $200-$300/night x 7 = $1,400 - $2,100
So we're at $3,200 - $3,900 before gas and food for the week. And that is for a motor home with hookup, extra vehicle to go to town, and our golf cart to get around the ranch. It can be done for half that expense, but that setup makes for a very comfortable and enjoyable week. It is hard to take a family of 4 on a week long vacation for less.
I would even include the other amateur 'nationals' in this. My son was at a camp a few days before Spring a Ding with a bunch of kids getting ready for the race. One parent asked me if we were going and I said, "no, we're not National level yet.' They kind of drooped down and admitted that there son wasn't either, but then piped up that it's fun to be there.
I don't understand why kids who can't win their local championship or their district championship are taking a week off of work/school and going to these big races just to get 28th place. And, it is obvious to me why so many amateur stars get to the top level and then have so much trouble. It's because they never race full championships. They race single races - LL, Freestone, Spring A Ding, Mammoth - where there is no value to consistency and learning how to manage the points. You go all out at each individual race because that is the only race that matters. The results don't roll over.
I will never understand why the AMA District Championships aren't used to qualify for a Regional or Area then a National Championship. If you can't win the District you are in over a series of races, then why are you going to nationals? Right now my son is probably the 6th best kid in his class locally, but he's running first in the local series because the 5 faster kids only show up to a few local races. Only 2 of them can win or get top 5 at a national.
If you have the money or your kid truly is special (I've seen one of those) then I get it, but that is so rare.
exactly. and no offense to the guy who made this thread but hes all mad about regionals and the cost when he went to the regional with his kid as an alternate in 250c jr.
let me tell you about easy monthly payments and a 3rd mortgage. hahahahaha
It’s all worth it when you get to show everyone your hard earned 2$ piece of cardboard on facebook & Instagram😂
Hahaaa
Pit Row
Likelihood of bike issues is low?
Plenty of guys with no motorhome and 1 bike at LL??? Dude tell me you haven’t gone since 1995 without telling me you haven’t gone since 1995.
Probably 80% of the C class has 2-3 bikes, motorhome, etc. B, A??? Easily 90%
i'm not mad didn't say that we started racing on 85s when we were 12 stepped up on a 250 at 14 qualified in one class went as a alternate on another first year trying so he's not doing bad for a kid that doesn't train and ride all the time like i said were new to this so i see the writing on the wall it takes time money etc if i threw a lot of money at it yes without a doubt we would have a good chance of making it maybe, nothings 100% I talk with a lot of parents that have been to the ranch and 90% say what i spoke i just simply can't afford to buy 3 new bikes a year training facility and all the other wish i could, just happy racing at our level having fun seen a lot of fast kids turn 16 and don't even care about LL.
This guy made it on a 1985 and talent
Amazing what you can do with determination and heart, plus he is killing it on the 450 so far at the nationals.
Lorettas is fairly centered in the USA so that does help some.
Spot on, in Australia I couldn’t afford to attend a lot of junior nationals so I would see who won then race them at there club track to see where we sat, it’s only junior sport, I did the same with the Lawrence boys.
Very few get a lottery hook up spot so you better have a generator.
A little tip on the hotel thing. Don't book through 3rd party sites/apps. Call the hotel directly and ask for rates. No don't call their national number, call the exact hotel you plan on staying in.
It's not a guarantee you'll get a better rate, but there's definitely a chance. It seems like most people don't realize that a lot of hotels will negotiate on price. Most hotels would rather book you directly rather than have a 3rd party involved.
I worked for 3 different hotels over 10 years and the employees could literally type in whatever rate they wanted, so just be cool with the employee (don't beg) and you knock decent amounts off your rate.
For example when I was working, if you were wearing anything moto related you were getting a discount...unless you booked 3rd party because those were unadjustable.
He had a motorhome, Chad Watts wrenching for him and an amateur spec Geico bike along for the trip lol. But yes, he did do his area and regional on that bike and raced a class at LL on it.
I don't know how some of you come up with these numbers. We go to the ranch every year and it's not as bad as some make it sound. No, it's not cheap but it can definitely be done for far less than some are claiming. Some people have more money to spend, and that's blatantly obvious when you pull through the gates. Do it within your means and you'll be fine.
I've done the hotel route and the camper route. The hotel route was definitely cheaper, but it's more enjoyable in a camper. For me, it's worth hauling my camper up there because I can bring my own golf cart and not have to spend $700 to rent one. But in order to do that, I'm now spending $1000 in diesel where as with a hotel I can drive my company vehicle and spend $0 on gas. I justify this by the fact that it's more enjoyable staying at the ranch and I save money from being able to cook at my camp site rather than eating out every meal.
We are doing it on one bike as well. We have raced 2 areas and will race 2 regionals. We ran Freestone and still have Ponca to go. After Ponca, the bike will get framed and fully rebuilt. My kid will be at a training facility for the month of July on his 250 while I rebuild his 125. But again, these are things that don't absolutely have to be done. His bike is solid enough that I would have no issues throwing a new piston in it and showing up to the ranch, but I'm a maintenance freak so that's on me. I know several other's that we raced against that will be going with just 1 bike.
And let's be honest, my kid isn't going to make it this year. While he's made huge strides, he's just not there yet. Next year should be his year if all goes well. Even though he won't make it, we will still be there for the week and enjoying the racing.
I raced the 1st LL’s in ‘82. I dislocated my shoulder racing at Hangtown a few weeks before LL’s…went anyways.
Drove out with my dad in a Toyota pick up. One KX 125 raced in STK (thought I’d raced Mod, too; but, remembered I withdrew due to the shoulder…raced just one class). Camped out in a tent.
I had won my Mod class race against Todd Campbell & took second to him in STK. I qualified on a worn out YZ 125 that Todd’s Team Green mechanic, Dan Betley, worked on A LOT…that day…at Saddleback…adjusted my dbl-leading shoe brakes…jetted it…the dude was awesome…and he actually gave me a bike that made me confident enough to push that little bit extra. After that weekend, all of a sudden…I get an offer to get a KX for a smoking deal and some parts support; but, again…I’ll repeat this…ONE BIKE. And I made that “1 bike” work. Things were different back then.
All things considered, I had a decent LL’s for a guy that couldn’t feel his left hand.
Got 27th O/A.
Todd Campbell won the Mod class…I think? I was stoked just to finish my races.
Back in the mid to late 80's everyone wanted to go to Ponca. We travelled to qualifiers in our pickup truck or our car on a trailer that my dad made and didn't feel out of place. It is just amazing how everyone "needs" a quarter million in stuff to race these days.
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