Avoiding Motocross Burnout

aaronhansel wrote:

Warning, this post is longer than most As I write this, I am sitting on the couch with my braced leg elevated by several pillows. A...

Warning, this post is longer than most

As I write this, I am sitting on the couch with my braced leg elevated by several pillows. A knee injury has kept me off the bike for nearly a year, and two weeks ago I finally had the necessary reconstructive surgery done. The time off the bike has really reminded me how much I love riding, and I can’t believe that there was ever a time that I didn’t want to ride, but there was.

A while back I was thinking of stopping riding altogether. I couldn’t remember the last time I had ridden my KX. It had been at least four months but I didn’t miss it. All the mundane tasks and outside influences associated with riding had ruined it for me. I was tired of the constant washing and polishing, the incessant maintenance, and paying $20-$30 to ride at crowded local tracks that haven’t been changed in years. I was tired of being frustrated with myself when I wasn’t riding well. I was sick of motocross socialites that would rather sit in the pits trying to look cool than ride. I was sick of putting expensive gas in my truck and driving two hours to go ride. I was tired of my gear wearing out. I was sick motorcycles, period.

Of course, it was bound to happen sooner or later. When you surround yourself with one thing and one thing only, you start losing touch with what really drew you there to begin with. For me, this was definitely the case. Every t-shirt I own is moto-related, and dirt bike posters cover the walls of my garage. I read nothing but motorcycle publications and I have even spent the last ten years (until recently) working in motorcycle shops. I was burnt out. So I quit. No more riding every weekend or watching every single race on TV. No more reading every dirt bike magazine from cover to cover. For while, I didn‘t miss any of it.

Then one day a friend invited me over to his house to ride minis on his backyard track. I don’t know why, but I reluctantly accepted the invitation. I threw my mini in my truck and drove over. By the time I got there the mini-session was in full swing. Several of my other riding my buddies were there and they were laughing inside their helmets, having a great time block-passing and t-boning one another. I tossed on my gear and joined the fray.

After a few slow laps around the track I started feeling the flow once again. Gas, brake, lay it down in a berm, clutch it on the way out, seat bounce the double. I wasn’t thinking about having to clean my air filter or about making the mortgage for the month. I wasn’t thinking about anything at all. I was to busy laughing and having a great time with my friends. I was having fun, and as I chased my buddies around the track that day, something happened. I remembered why I love motorcycles so much.

Whether it’s the excitement you get from finally clearing a big double, or the satisfaction that comes from shredding a berm, there is nothing like the feeling you get after a day of riding with your friends. It is the best escape imaginable. On the bike, you have no choice but to concentrate solely on riding. It gives you a chance to clear your head of any stress or worries. Riding minis that day made me feel like a little kid again, charging a Z50 up and down the driveway without a care in the world.

If you can‘t remember the last time you had real fun on a motorcycle, maybe you should examine why before it‘s to late. For me, I was just taking everything to seriously and forgetting to have fun. Maybe you are tired of riding with guys who make fun of you because your bike is a couple years old and you only have one set of gear. Don’t stop riding, find new riding buddies. If you are tired of the constant maintenance today’s machines require, don’t stop riding. Just don’t wash your bike if you don’t want to, and change your oil every 5 rides instead of every other ride. You might end up paying a little extra money in repairs, but that is a small price to pay to avoid burnout. Motorcycling is a gift that millions of people in this world don’t get to enjoy. Don’t let something that can be fixed stand in the way of your passion. I’m glad I didn’t.

www.vision-mx.com