Update “Big bikes on track same time as small bikes ? Pala incident Saturday

That's awful to hear and must have been terrible to see. I sure hope the kid will be ok. I sure as shit wouldn't be putting my kid on a 50 out there with fast guys on big bikes, nor do I think the track should allow it. I can't imagine the guilt the parent will experience if the kid doesn't fully recover. I'm sure the guy who landed on the kid feels awful too, despite doing nothing wrong. Terrible all around but it's the kid I'm really worried about. 

That’s sad to hear. I hope the little guy has a full recovery and is back at it ASAP. 

With that said, I would love to see split practices.  We ride Pala frequently , 3 times last week. I’ve got 4 young kids that are not fast but love to ride. They like riding the VET tracks. I only allow them to ride the VET tracks at the end of the day when the crowds clear out. Then I ride behind them to “run block” so to speak.  For us that’s the safest way for them to enjoy the big tracks without being a danger to themselves or others. 

On the other hand I’ve seen kids on 50’s throwing big old turndown whips over the big camelback on the Pala VET.  It’s all relative to skill level i guess. 

 

Unfortunately been going on for as long as Ive been riding, 30 years.  I never let my kids ride on vet track or pro track at pala until the last 30 minutes of the day when no one is there and even then I ride right behind them.  And I didnt ever let them do that on a 50. started on 65.  Even if they are fast and good rider its just too much of a risk for me.  

I think you are referring to the main track that Pala uses for the National race?  Please correct me if I am wrong.

IF that is the track, then a young rider on a tiny bike should have never been allowed by his parent to enter or ride that track with full size motorcycles and advanced riders.

I'm not going to rush to judgement, but on its face value it looks  pretty ugly for the adult in charge of that child allowing him on that pro style track.

I hope the young rider is doing okay and gets through this ordeal, But that parent will have some issues with CPS I imagine...

That is horrible to hear. Back home growing up in Illinois every track had practice split at least Big Bike and Minis. Or certain tracks just didn't allow 85cc and under on the main track. Not safe for the kid rider, the adult rider, and the parents/track owners shouldn't allow them out at the same time. Period.

I pray that kid ends up okay!

For some strange reason, no Southern California track I know of has split practices.

 I almost hit a little guy on a 65 on the downhill at GH last Thursday morning when he decided to suddenly turn left halfway down -  I needed a new pair of shorts after that. 

It's just insane that small children are on the same tracks with professionals like Jason Anderson or Broc Tickle.

  Even if tracks here don't split practices, there is a partial solution to lessen risk  -  I've ridden some tracks outside So Cal that actually have split lanes - Triple jump or advanced obstacle on the left side for advanced guys, table on the right for others. track owners can do this with just a bit of extra dozer work.

 It's not perfect, but it's better than an expert racer hitting a kid that falls at the downside of a blind jump...

Shake my head every time I see this stuff. There is never a reason minis should be out with big bikes. Every time we were at a track that allowed this my son rode a youth track separately or we bailed. So dumb. Thankfully those days are over. 

When I was riding the tracks, LACR use to split practice all the time. Both main track and vet track would get separate mini bike practice. 

Its crazy to think California doesn’t split. I can’t think of one track in the south that doesn’t have some sort of breakup of skill level when it’s crowded. 

I think it's just SoCal. I'm in NorCal, and all of the local tracks split practices. Usually 40/20 and sometimes even 20/20/20, depending on the day's turnout.

At Pala specifically there should be a full sized prepped track for minis.  I rarely go on the main as I often feel I’m in the way and consider myself a decent rider, not sure how a responsible parent can send their 50 or 65 kid out there with fast bikes running around.  It doesn’t take an Anderson or Mcadoo type as there are droves of no name guys/gals that absolutely haul the mail there and just whizz by these kids. Stay safe people and think twice parents…

From someone who lives in the UK, this is crazy to read.

Practice tracks over here its always 125's and up, then the kids are split into 50/65's and then 85's. 

Quite often 50cc parents will have issues with their kids being out with 65s. The speed difference between a newer 50 rider and an experienced 65cc rider is pretty huge as it is.

I wish the best for the little guy and hope he makes a full recovery.

How , with all the space you guys have, there arent tracks purely for the small bikes, is beyond me. 

Every east coast track I've ever been to does split practice. Why does cali not do it? Still get plenty of ride time with split practices. 

Same in Sweden. On a regular week night the first 1-2 hours are for 50/65cc bikes and then in 30 minute intervalls the rest of the night it’s 85 and then big bikes.

If the track don’t follow those rules the club will lose it’s insurance. 

We are not allowed to mix even 85’s with big bikes and it always felt a bit scary when we were in Belgium and Holland and rode and they mixed every bike possible on the track with both quads and sidecars.

As a parent i would never let my kid be on the track under those conditions.

yeah this is wild to me. NJ is the same commi state as Cali and we never have 50/65/85 on the track with big bikes unless its a big wheel/supermini then they will let them out with the C group. This is something that needs to change, senseless injury. Hopefully the rider makes a full recovery

I guess I always assumed that everyone split practices, as it’s been that way up here since before I started in 92. 
 

At a minimum, most places will split minis from full-size, and typically fast/slow full-size. 

Some tracks are better than others about enforcing the fast vs slow, but at least they are getting the kids their own practice away from full-size bikes and vice versa.

Of course, back in the 90s, Washougal split by bike color, which was really fun as a 125 beginner on a CR, with 500s still being popular. If I had the misfortune to get out front in practice, the first trip up horsepower hill was a new experience in pain, lol.

Not every track in Texas runs a split practice. I wish they did. Most of the bigger tracks do, but even one of the most visited tracks in Texas lets small bikes and bike practice together. 

LACR only does it if they have a certain amount of minis. If it’s under that specific amount, they will not split.

Little bikes and big bikes on any track at the same time is asking for someone to get hurt.

Why is it still allowed?

LACR was splitting them but I have not been there in a long while.

As Matty mentioned, LACR will split up practices if there is over a certain amount of riders on the day. 

I went to Cahuilla on Sunday and it was fairly crowded with lot's of minis. It was almost scary at times on the vet track bobbing and weaving around kids that should have had their own practice session.