Posts
1783
Joined
11/8/2006
Location
Clarkesville, GA, USA
Edited Date/Time
1/27/2012 1:47pm
Our sport now seems like it is becoming the "POLO" of mx riding. The cost of the four strokes and the cost of building even just one for an AMA event are just becoming unruly! Nowadays, the cost of a motor build for a National event will cost nearly as much as a new bike it's self. And then for a top B level rider or above, they need several bikes to be competitive. What does a kid with all the talent in the world and none of the money do these days? I personally know one such rider who just can’t catch a break because it’s so hard for him to keep the two bikes he has together all year long and certainly cannot afford to buy new ones. Actually, the ones he has are a couple years old and were bought as near new condition so he could get a price break on them in order to buy two for the price of one.
Makes me wonder, if there was another GOAT out there but did not have the money to keep his equipment together when he needed it, would our sport suffer from what could have been or just the kid?
Makes me wonder, if there was another GOAT out there but did not have the money to keep his equipment together when he needed it, would our sport suffer from what could have been or just the kid?
I don't think you need to be rich to just compete.
The Shop
Luxon 4-Post Bar Mounts
$189.95 - $239.95
DeCal Works Huge Plastic Inventory of UFO and Polisport kits.
Everything is getting more expensive, yet the annual incomes don't grow equally. That's the real problem. Wanna know what a new bike costs over here? The average 450 costs about 8000€, which is about 10,200$!!! Don't even start on gas prices. 1.45€ per litre, which is 7$ per gallon!
A new 450 MX bike in Australia costs around $11,000 - $12,000. $AUD/$US = 0.88, therefore the bike cost in US$ = $9680 - $10560. For offroad versions you can add another $1500 or so.
Fuel in Australia is about $US5/gal.
Wanna finance your bike? Even if you're using equity in your home mortgage you're still paying around 7% interest. Unsecured loan - you're looking at at 12-13%.
We are there now.
It's always been a sport for people with spare cash. Of course, there are exceptions, like in everything.
It has gotten progressively worse but it has always cost a lot of money, and yes there are thousands of kids that are super fast and will never get to a Mini O, Loretta's, Whitney, etc, etc... I was one of them!
Im fortunate that I have the means to do it now, I love having nice bikes and the ability to get a new one every year. Hell I wish that my parents could have helped me out and had the money when I was a kid.... I am sure the reason we see so much money in the sport now is from dads just like me that want to give their kids the things we did not have. I hope that if my 5 year old starts to really start ripping, that I will be able to support him... But I will not take him away from being a kid and having fun.... No home school and no Motorhome pulling a trailer full of Mini's... He'll be just fine with 1 really well prepped bike.....
AMA714 wrote: Dude, its been a rich mans sport for years..... Have you ever been to the practice track and looked at the bikes and trucks.... Race day is motor coaches and 5th wheels!!!
Yeah, but its a shame it has gone to that.
This is what it looked like in the pits when I started going to Rio in the 70s.
Pit Row
and accessory costs aren't helping either. what a joke.
All the illegals are doing the landscaping.
McDonalds? Hell they have so many illegals that ICE raids them constantly and area McD's are closed for days.
I remember when 2 Brand new KX80s were 1200 bucks in the crate.
Even Marc Pellagrino touched on that back when 80s were cheap.. Not happening today.
the 450 was a little more than that.
You did not need to be rich or have huge amounts of disposable income at all.
You could buy a 125 that was a couple years old for cheap, and rebuild it for next to nothing. Take it to the races in dad's pickup truck. 8-10 years ago that's what EVERYONE did.
The race fees and vehicle expenses have never really been that far out of whack. It's the four-strokes man. They cost a fortune and are worth next to nothing a year later. Pipes for the fucking things can cost grand...every part is expensive. People will go on and on how the four strokes aren't to blame, but it is far and away the #1 reason why the sport is dwindling.
I think the only way for a kid to make it from an average family bank account is by racing 50s or smaller bikes and getting noticed early while its still affordable, pick up support and keep it going from there. Without the support its just to hard.
Am I wrong? Is there any organization, company, association, any entity creating a Think Tank on this subject? ... besides RupertX and The Advanced ... Congratulations Rupert!
People have gone crazy and put themselves in so much debt to keep up with the Jones' its just plan silly. In a way, I fall into this catagory as well except, I cant even keep up with the Smith's let alone the Jones'.
Here is a phot from 1995 of Gatorback during the Gold Cup Series.... enjoy.
He had fun racing last weekend at Lusk's track in Bainbridge Ga., had some of those MTF kids asking who he was.
But hey what I can't give him as far as new bikes he gets 2 fold in good Dad and kid time.
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