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Only $10 for all 2026 SX, MX, and SMX series.
So I can see how the interest to get started in our sport is shrinking or just going elsewhere. Somthing needs to be done so the average joe can continue to raise there kids in the sport they love without worrying about going broke because of it.
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IMO, The hot 50's are a big problem . A 3 grand buy in for a bike and then another 500 for gear is way to steep for mom and dad to see if little Jimmy or little Sally might like this sport.
We got rid of that bike after a couple months and I moved him to a Kawasaki KLX110 that I had as a pitbike. He rode that for a year without any issues. Now at 8 he is riding a 1987 Kawasaki KDX80 that we got from his Great Uncle. I restored it and it too is pretty much bullet proof.
Racing is pretty much done for us now, $100+ entry a day to race for us is too much. We still like to ride when we can, but have found other things to do. He is playing baseball now and I run and just started racing mountain bikes.
I have a KX250 that I picked up last year. MX racing is too rich for my blood anymore, it sucks.
Cheap 125s that teenagers and dads can fix affordably on their own is what this sport needs IMHO.
I do know that we can purchase a 250 or 450 for less out the door then we are paying for 125's. When we can find them.....I was told there there is a dealer on the east coast who has tried to buy up as many 125's as possible so he can control the prices when a rider needs one....NOT COOL.
And riders are needing them, as parts are just not available for the 125 easily if at all......
So here we sit, paying a premium for 125's and having major issues getting parts, but we just felt moving from the 85 to a 4 stroke was not the right move for our racer.
Bring on the Cobra 125! I would love to work with Sean and Phil again. At least you would have a choice.....crossing my fingers this will be an option in the next 3 yrs before my son is out of the 125 classes.
I had a paper route (remember those?) and was actually able to save the money I needed myself.
Now, if a kid wants to earn enough to buy a new bike, they have to save $5-6K for a 250F and there aren't a lot of summer jobs that pay that much. Or, you can save and buy a used 250F, but you run the risk of getting a bike that will grenade on you and then you're out $2K to be able to ride again.
I agree that we still need a reasonably priced 125 smoker that people can more easily buy and maintain. For me, if I wanted a bike, I had to pay for it myself - so I busted hump and made it happen. It seems that all we have done is, for the most part, eliminate the possibility of a kid "earning" their new bike and forcing Mom and Dad to subsidize the cost or racing. A new $4K 125 from the Big 5 may not be the answer, but it seems to be a step in the right direction.
Wish dc would take note!
I think the ultimate best point made here was this sport has NO payoff for 99.99 percent who attempt.
15th week in and week out in the outdoors might be enough to pay your bills week to week to go racing IF your lucky and on a team who "thinks" you have potential...
But we all know there are riders within the top 15 loosing money to go racing...
And considering what type of money they put INTO the sport to get there....
It's just sad. MX promoters are lucky MX is so addicting and fun...because there is NO incentive for riders otherwise.
With the shitty economy..and tight promotors...etc...what used to be decent regional series with decent contingencies is now nothing, literally...and for it the series have died, surprise surprise.
And yes, I think its clearly evident that valve munchers have not helped us (can anyone make the argument they have actually helped the sport - screw trying to prove they have hurt it....we all know that's a loosing battle with powers in charge?)
Pit Row
Maybe freestyle has accelerate the notion that motocross bikes are something that only a select few people ride.
Bikes and medical care are expensive, tracks are distant and expensive to ride, etc.
And when someone shows up to a race and see a Fun Mover, six bikes, and pit setups that pros had 20 years ago, I think there is an intimidation factor.
Still, our local race series (MDRA) is thriving and the gates are packed.
We moved up to ktm 50s and cobras. I spent a fortune and never stopped wrenching all weekend. One mud moto and a clutch was toast. We broke ktm and cobra frames, fried stators, and on and on. The bikes were loud and the neghbors were pissed within ten minutes. I think I have tinnitus from those things.
We then moved up to ktm 65s and they were pricey but all in all pretty good bikes. My older boy even notched out a Lorettas win on one, so that was cool.
The 85s are still reliable, reasonably priced and competitive out of the box with some suspension work. A fresh stock ktm or suzuki 85 would run with most of the mod bikes. Superminis are just stupid and when you turn them into 112s you may as well be back on cobras.
I moved my older boy to yz125s and they are wonderful. I am not looking forward to the 4 stroke.
ten years ago in IL you had one place to practice. but we had 175 racing events a season.
if you wanted to ride, you raced there was no place to ride, or practice.
today we have every motocross track having practice, and small riding parks all over the state.
what is going on.
the district has lost 1200 racers since 2008. riding parks have many riders riding old two strokes. kids and parents in this state are racing Hare Scrambles. Why?
you show up and race a HS race, then you go home. you don't sit all day.
many things need to be adjusted to keep riders trying to race, we need to make the sport safer, we need to make it affordable while still be able as a promoter to earn a living.
Mainly we have to offer quality events to make sure riders feel that they are getting value for thier dollar.
the sport will change a bunch in the next 5 years, and hopefully we can get back to numbers we seen in the early part of this decade.
now. anyone that has been in the sport any lenght of time knows this goes in cycles. every decade there are lean times. i feel we are just going through this like other times.
Kids hucking triples is one of our sports big problems.
back in the 70's I was a oil change, car wash dude at 17, at the local car dealership. I barely made enough to race on, but it was done. work 6 days a week to race on sunday.
today that simply isn't possible. price of bikes is really high, and it's not the dealers fault but rather non forward thinking oem's who rather raise prices and block sales of cheaper product then to increase numbers.
this is a 10 pager.....
I ran a GP recently for the first time and loved it, because you race for an hour and you're done. It ran the entire MX track then a loop through the woods, about 7 min laps. I liked it because it was still 85% motocross, with a breather through the woods and I didn't have to wait for hours in between motos.
Some promoters tried to run split programs for a while but I don't think it worked because the dad who raced along with junior had to be there all day anyway...And to be honest I really haven't seen gate fees increase here much, still 20-25 bucks a class. I think there a little less track prep maybe and short motos and practice so they don't have to spend so much on fuel etc... to prep it.
And in 1982-83 I mowed yeards and had more disposable income than I do now...lol I bought all the right stuff for my bitchin 1982 YZ 125. Euro plates, Hi Point Boots and JT gear, all bought by a 13 year old....My parents did not fund my racing at all...And I won the State Championship funding myself along the way. Man things were so different and thinking about that now, I pulled off a great couple years down there in Texas back in the day.
So pay your AMA registration, your local organization registration (we have 2 competing ones in Colorado), your track entrance fee, your class fee, then basically waste all day for 8 laps (plus the few practice laps)
I make it sound a bit worse than it is because for people racing the entire series the AMA and organization is a one time deal. But for the guy who just wants to give it a try at the local track it might as well be an event fee.
For the local HS, you pay the track fee, class fee, ride for 2 hours or until you are sick of it (whichever comes first) and go home, or keep riding after the event since you've already paid the entrance fee. Pretty easy choice really.
250 beg, Nov into pro
450 beg, nov, int, pro
+ 25 beg,nov,int,exp
+30 beg,nov,int,exp
+35 beg,nov, int, exp
+40 beg, nov, int, exp
250 school boy through 16
250 x class
450 x class
85 x class
85 11-14
85 14-16
And all the 150 classes’ man those 50s are taking up the whole day
I’m a Cobra dealer I see the 50 and 65 world day in and day out. I really enjoy the work and watching the kids have fun living the dream. Now sometimes the 50 parents can make things interesting.
I’d like to offer a few observations from years of racing and being around the 50s and 65s
1. Cost has quadrupled no doubt, the price of a Cobra and KTM just price tons of riders out of the class.
2. The Lead ban saw a serious drop in riders, parents had fear of buying a bike that will be illegal to own and ride.
3. Competition! In the early 90’s everyone rode a PW or trail bike, it leveled the field. Little RiderX didn’t get lapped by the whole field every gate. Once the Cobra bike took the track even average riders against the PW or XR could destroy the class. Leaving little RiderX feeling crappy and parents looking for a more warm and fuzzy sport for their rider. I still see it today, these bikes are so good, riders develop faster if they have the skill, but those that races for fun are left with nowhere to get that feeling of victory.
4. Speeds, with so many riding top quality race bike the speeds have increased. This leaves the parents wondering if little riderX should race. They have true fear seeing a 50 hit a step up double pinned.
As the bikes got better, the cost went up and the risk was amplified into the public eye. Now we are nearly dare devils to Joe Public. Our industry has backed itself into a corner, not allowing class structures that develop riders, not handling but allowing bikes to be modified to the point they bring fear to the outside observer. Instead of finding a way to monitor and control mod bikes we see whole classes for even 4-6 riders and the complete dilution of the PW and XR bikes.
I’d like to see a wide spread restructure of the classes, resulting in the development of our youth riders. I’m mainly talking of the 50 class.
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