End of week discussion: Are you living your childhood dream? (moto related)

I would say absolutely yes. I grew up in a family that was always at the beach. We surfed and the last thing my dad wanted was a garage smelling like gas and spending his weekends in the desert and or at the track. That left me getting my fix through building mini tracks in the garden and ripping em with the toy dirtbike. Occasionally I’d get to ride on friends bikes but that was rare. After college got my first bike and was basically brought to tears. So happy. 31 now with a couple smokers and a 250f and can’t get enough. Throttle is wide as is my smile. 

I think about this often as we frequently change our goals once the previous has been completed!

I was fortunate enough to represent Canada at the ISDE in 2021. I earned a silver medal. I also won a AA off-road title in 2021, with a bit of an asterisk, it was shortened due to covid. Both of these were huge goals of mine growing up. 

I would love to qualify for a real pro moto race. I raced Canada's version of the 125 dream race at Gopher Dunes in 2020 (I got smoked). It's tough as I generally don't have a dedicated motocross bike. 

I have a heavy collection of 30+ bikes, 60s,70s,80s,90s,00s. Always makes me smile thinking about each and every one. 

I am also extremely fortunate to be able to work for a company that is involved directly with a supercross team. I am the production manager at Heartbeat Hot Sauce, and we are the title sponsor for Team Solitaire. I've had the opportunity to work several SX races, and made some connections through that as well. I was Dominique Thury's mechanic for Denver SX outside of the team. (If anyone needs a wrench, PM me!)

Yes. Just bought my dream bike and bought my first ever four stroke exhaust (major dream checked off - thanks @walent215 ). Now I’ve got a few other goodies on the Suzuki and I’ve never been happier. When that 450 hits the rev limiter I literally smile in my helmet. 

Childhood dream? No. 
Teenage Dream? Yes. 

Personally for me, my biggest regret is that I didn’t race or ride moto sooner. Now granted, I’ve been riding dirtbikes since I was 6 and my dad always bought me a bigger used one every time I outgrew it. But he never took me to the track, I would just ride at our property, make my own jumps with wheelbarrows of dirt I would get from the forest it sucked so bad now that I look back 😂 but that’s all I had, besides riding in the woods on hills. I rode all the time up until I was 16 sold my 150cc Honda and got a car, and was introduced to girls 😭. 

For whatever reason, I never was introduced to the racing world ( besides one time my dad took me to redbud on an open ride day on my 65cc). But when covid hit, my buddy bought a new 250 and took me riding. We went to a track. From that day in 2020 I was got hooked and addicted  like I was 13 again. At the time in 2020 I was 18 and knew instantly racing is always what I wanted to do. I told myself I wanted to qualify for lorrettas. But of course I wasn’t fast at all and could barely clear jumps. But once I started watching motocross and supercross I became somewhat obsessed, and still am…. 

By the time I was 21 I was finally an “average” C class rider, which to me, SUCKED. Because everyone else I knew that rode dirtbikes since they were little like me, were already fast and sometimes B class or A. Because they grew up riding tracks and racing. 

Currently fast forward 5 years later from being 18, now I’m married, still pursuing that dream of qualifying for lorrettas , but now I’m serious about it, on a training program and riding 2x a week. After all my friends and family said I couldn’t ride as much , it’s the opposite lol. Now all my friends are salty because when they got married they don’t have time, sold the bike, or wife doesn’t like them riding. So jokes on them 😂. 

To answer your question though, although it may not have been my childhood dream, my teenage dream I’m still doing and pursuing… Having a wife and still riding and racing a lot, with her full support 🙌🏽.

Living the Dream = YES

No longer ride moto (67 years old)..... However I'm retired and ride a Mountain Bike three time a week (little safer, close to the house, and cheaper). I have quite a bit of rise on the handlebars (about 110mm), and ride with my elbows out and up, hunched over the bars with fingers on the brakes.  LOL   It feels fantastic, and many times while riding I feel myself dreaming that I'm actually on a Dirt Bike.

BTW..... I don't ride a $10,000+ bicycle.

YES! As a Kid I just wanted a dirt bike. Then discovered Motocross and MXA. As a teen all I wanted to do was get to race. Now 40+ years of racing under my belt, 25 bikes in my house and getting to be a small part of pro Motocross. Oh and the memories and friendships. Exceeded  my wildest dreams!!! Looking forward to more once I retire! 

I would say yes I have and then some. I started riding dirt bikes in the mid 60s. I was 10 and my dad had a 1958 BSA Goldstar 500. I couldn't even touch the ground. But I was hooked from that first day back in North Highlands California (outside of Sacramento). Just rode in the fields until we moved to Ayden North Carolina the spring of 1971. My dad bought some land for his airplane. I had an old 50s Triumph Tiger Cub 200cc at the time. I made a small track on the property and rode almost everyday. In 1972 my dad said I should try a race. I didn't have a real MX bike so I rode his 58 BSA. I rode the open class at a small track in a farmers field. There were only four riders in my class and one of them broke but I got second. Won my first trophy (I still have it). A few months after that race I had done 4 or 5 local races on the BSA. By early 73 my dad and I were driving to town for something and he swung by the local Suzuki shop. It was really small. My dad had already been there as he knew the parts guy. The parts guy said "come in the back I want to show you something". We went in the back and there sat a new 73 Suzuki TM250. I just stared at it. My dad asked if that was what I wanted? I said are you kidding. Joel Roberts and Rodger DeCoster were everything to me at that time. He said ok but you have to pay for it. We went to the bank and my dad co-signed for me. The bike had a few hours on it so I got it for good deal ($700). I had a job at a grocery store after school. I paid my $50 each month and finally had a real MX bike.

I raced that bike throughout Eastern NC from 1973 - 1976. At the time MX was just getting started around there. They didn't have skill level classes so if you rode a 250 you were in the 250 class. I was good enough to win on occasion but got top three most days. They also gave you a choice, either a trophy or money. I did trophies the first couple races then I thought the money would be better to get me to the next race. It wasn't a lot like $20 for 1st, $15 for 2nd and $10 for 3rd) but gas was 49 cent a gallon so it went pretty far and the entry fee was only $3.50. I did that and made a little money it was the best time of my life.

I joined the Air Force in the spring of 1976. I moved to Gilbert Arizona. Stayed there for four years. Got married and had two girls. I didn't race much anymore as I didn't make much back then and family was first but I always had a MX bike. I had several tracks I made around that area and had some great times. Most of that was spent riding a 76 Suzuki RM250. I raced at Canyon Raceway a few times from 76 - 80.

I then got stationed up above Sacramento. It was funny I got to go back to where I started riding dirt bikes. From 80 - 83 I rode on a track I had on base as well as at E street and Riverfront Park in Marysville/Yuba City area. Had a great time riding during this period.  Met some great riders there (The great Danny "Magoo" Chandler, Dave Coupe, Donnie Cantalopi, Rodney Smith, the Vohlands and my hero from the 60s flat track Dick Mann). I blew out my left knee (ACL, PCL, MCL) riding one day in 82. Took me out of riding for four years. Surgery technics were not so good back then or the therapy. 

It wasn't until 1987 that I was in good enough shape with my knee to ride again. Now I was stationed in the So Cal at Edwards AFB. They actually had a track on base and held a local race there in the fall and spring. I bought a brand new 87 Kawasaki KX500. It was a beast. I got out of the Air Force and moved to Washington state in 88. I stayed there from 1988 - 2004. I hated the weather but the riding was really good when we could. Rode all over and raced a few times. My favorites places to ride were Washougal, Mt. View OR and Wardcreek. Did some trail riding also. The best was at Cle Elum in the mountains east of Snohomish. Up to this time period I had only read about professional stuff in magazines. I did go to the Washougal National a few times though. I was working for the Air National Guard as a full time employee. So in 2004 I retired from the Air Force. By now I had three daughters and they were all on their own. So I told my wife that I wanted to try and get a job in SoCal. I did and got a job working for Boeing in Huntington Beach, California.

So the summer of 2004 we moved to Huntington Beach. At the time I had a 2001 Yamaha YZ426F.  Full circle and back on a big bike four stroke like the old BSA (but much better). That summer I went to Glen Helen for the first time. This is when my dreams became a reality. I was riding and Sebastian Tortelli rode past me on a Factory Suzuki. I couldn't believe it. And so it started. I went to Cahiulla Creek, Perris, Lake Elsinore, Racetown 395 and I would always see some factory or high level privateers riding. I Actually kept a list of professional riders that passed me on these tracks for the first couple years and then after the list reached 100 I stopped. I had a few different bikes during this time period. One really memorable time was at Cahiulla Creek. I was actually riding the vet track that day. This was probably around 2005. The track back then had a section that was really sandy. I was coming down a straight and could hear a bike that sounded a lot faster than me coming from behind. So when I went into the corner I went wide to the berm. On the inside a rider swooped under me and came out flying down the next straight which was really whooped out. I looked up and it was Jeremy McGrath. I couldn't believe it. There were many others from 2004 - 2021. So many I couldn't begin to list them. You name somebody and I got to ride on the same track as them on the same day. Something I never thought I would have a chance to do in my life.  I was already 48 when I moved there in 2004. During my SoCal days I got to go to a lot of special MX related events like movies (remember SX The Movie) I got to be one of the riders on the red carpet for the premier of that. What a memory. Got to finally meet my American hero Brad Lackey at the first open house at Tom White's MX Museum. Got to go to the Carlsbad movie premier in Newport Beach and meet a lot of the people that were there on that 1980 day. I was there also in that hot sun waving my little American flag for Marty Moats. There were so many events and I'm so thankful I got the opportunity to do such great things related to the MX industry.

Then in 2021 I retired for the final time. I ended up in middle Georgia in a small town called Perry. Now that I'm retired I have a hot rod and four dirt bikes to keep me busy. I just bought a few acres of land so I can have a house built and also make a track for just me to ride. At 68 I don't have the want to go as fast and jump these big jumps on tracks now. But I still love my MX bikes (current and vintage) and always will. I can't wait to have a safe track set up for my level. My dream has always been to be able to ride straight from my garage onto my track and looks like it will finally happen although much later in my life than I expected. 

I have seen a lot in my 68 years. I rode on the tank of my dad's Indian a few months after I was born. Started riding his four stroke BSA Goldstar in the sixties. Started riding the early 2 strokes and up to the return of 4 strokes in the 2000s. I'm still riding and I'm thankful every day that I still can. Motocross has been my life and given me more than I can imagine.

Keep riding.....

I didn't achieve my youthful dreams of being a Suzuki factory rider, but if I could go back and tell myself what I DID achieve, I'd have been happy. 

I won the 125 season Championship at my local track as well as several other regional titles later. I raced internationally once as a Pro. I worked for Yamaha and Suzuki, as well as several aftermarket brands and dealerships. In "real world" accomplishments, I am married, have two kids who have ridden and raced (one still does,) and a brand-new house that will likely be my forever home. Sweet YZ250 and MTB in a sweet garage, cool dog, and enough income that I don't worry about living into my later years. I'm not rich & famous, but I really don't want that anymore. 

Great topic as I’ve been really reflecting on this as of late, I’m beyond what I ever could have dreamed of. 

It wasn’t always like this for me either so now that I have it, it’s even more rewarding. I unfortunately married someone that hated me and dirtbikes, being young and immature I just didnt know better I guess. Around 33 I finally figured out that was no way to live and I divorced her.

 I found an ex pro downhill MTB girl, married her and the dream started! Now I have a wife and son that love moto as much as I do, I have a full moto track, pit bikes track and Mtb jump line at my house. I actually even have each size of big bike, 25 crf250, 22 TC125, 24 yz450f, 25 yz250 and then my old high school bike, a cherry 1996 cr125.  Only problem is I struggle with what bikes to ride because I want to ride them all always!

My parents knew nothing about motocross and didn't have a lot of money. I was born obsessed with dirt bikes. Didnt have the money to buy one until I was 13. Started racing in 1989 on a 83 CR80. I was so poor I had to make the rear chain guide out of wood. Had one set of gear for the whole day. Other racers who's parents paid their way would give me shit about my old bike and dirty gear.  

My parents were as supportive as they could be (always drove me to the races).

Because of that, today I have multiple bikes, 20+ sets of gear, 20 helmets, 30-40 pairs of gloves, 25+ goggles, etc..etc..Everythng I couldnt afford as a kid, but can now. 

Still racing and obsessed with moto as much as ever...

I don't know if I'd say it turned out exactly like I wanted it to but I can't complain.  My wife and I just finally got our house built on our 20 acres about 10 miles outside of town.  We have a track of sorts in on our property and another one that spans over the neighbors 40 acres as well although neither of them are at the have the care and/or level that we want.  Time and money is always the problem.  But we have a 4300 sq ft beautiful house with 270 degrees of mountain views and a 3 1/2 car garage 16 ft tall ceilings with a door tall enough to put the wake boat in without lowering the tower.  We have 6 dirt bikes, 5 stand up jet skis, and 2 utility ATVs in the garage as well as all the other fun stuff we recreate with.  Both my wife and I work our tails off to pay for the entire thing which makes enjoying it difficult at times but its been a life dream to have a track in my yard.  At 49 years old it took a little longer to build our lifestyle the way we wanted but better late than never!  No handouts here.  We just worked and worked to make steps to what we have now.  

8/10 living/have lived my moto dreams. Short of winning the lotto or having 1Kx the talent I was given.

Rode mini bikes as a kid at Grandpa’s house, in 7th grade bought an XR100, then on to a real 80 and eventually a 125. 
Sold my 125 when I went to college, got a degree in Video Production/Photography/Graphic Design.

2nd job out of college was as a designer at DeCal Works, got to fly private to races. Got to be an insider and meet others in the sport for 2 years. 

For a variety of reasons, after 2 years I moved back home, but began to focus on taking pictures at the races.  Eventually I made my way to the floor of SX and infield for Mx races, in addition to this, my best friend of 20 years also accomplished this with me. Got to go to Loretta’s(as photog) as well.

When I had kids it became a lot to edit pics after a weekend a way at the races, even if it was only 3-5 times a year. Might take a camera to the outdoors but no longer trying to make a name so just for myself now. 

The part of the dream now, is owning a camper to now camp in comfort at the races, building a Windham RM250 and getting to usually 1 SX and 1 MX each year w my buddy.

Owning my own bit of land w a track/trails to ride is really the only “dream” moto wise I have yet to accomplish.

I witnessed Ricky’s 07 season, last wins, MXdN

Witnessed JS7s 50th and final win from the floor as a photog.

Had drinks w old JGR team, they were the best!

Had sodas w Tomac after his 18 outdoor title

Got in trouble w GL and a golf cart one year too, just to name a few of the memorable moments I can share.

I can't say right now that I am, but I had a pretty good run in the industry. Got to race around the country and mx was my living for a few years. I met many of my childhood mx heroes and raced a national champion amateur SX in Sam Boyd stadium. 

When I was a kid I wanted to be a pro racer but I realize now I didn't have the faintest idea of the dedication it takes!

"It wasn’t always like this for me either so now that I have it, it’s even more rewarding."

Heck yeah on the gratitude. It's like that for me, too. 

No.  Tragically, I won’t make it to Top Gun school in San Diego in this lifetime.  I have had a successful career in the industry and still race now in my 50s, so it ain’t all bad, I suppose.

Something I’ll add that I also found super cool. At Steel City 09, I rode around w Tim Cotter while he told ppl to put their fires out for the night. Later that weekend the Coombs family(Timmy)invited me into their camper and fed me, treated me like one of their own.

As far as dirt bike life, eight year old me could never have imagined how fortunate I have become. As far as life in general, it has surpassed all my wildest dreams.e

I've been reflecting on this lately so this thread definitely spoke to me. Especially reading stories from all the "OGs" that are in their later years and still sending it.

I absolutely am living my dream life, moto or otherwise but especially on two wheels. I was born into dirt bikes and have bordered on the obsessive of all things racing since I came home from the hospital in Mike Larocco branded pajamas. I didn't get to ride or race as much as I would have liked growing up, and wasn't always on competitive equipment due to budget(although a buddy of mine and I made a lot of mini parents of 65 riders mad on modded PW80s at local hare scrambles, we still laugh about this!)

Truth be told, as I started to get to upper elementary I think my parents were scared I wouldn't be well rounded if they went into racing as hard as I wanted, plus realistically they knew I wasn't likely to go pro and couldn't afford to race every weekend if it wasn't making money. Therefore I was somewhat limited in my riding time for a few years.

However, I cut my teeth riding with my dad and Grandpa, flagging and running equipment by the time I was 12 at my local track (created some awesome memories, got to meet some cool people, and truly was a highlight of my life), and starting at around 16, raced my first full woods championship on a KDX200. My friends and I started training together and I moved to better equipment, ending up making it to B my senior year, right when COVID hit. 

I was relatively high performing on paper for the lack of effort I put into high school. I had said that I didn't want to give up racing to go to school and I'd find a way to do both. Ended up with a full academic scholarship to a community college and actually made money going to school my first year in college. Also made a little KTM contingency and things were pretty awesome honestly. I had been into marketing for awhile and something had been eating at me to start a vlog if for no other reason to have the memories someday. I had started dating my current partner and she was down to film so I started a vlog with limited video knowledge and just went for it.

In the years since I have taken a few different paths career wise, been in and out of school, but a few things have remained consistent, mostly related to racing. My partner and I have attended at least 50, probably closer to 70 races in almost every style of two wheel racing on dirt there is, either as a competitor and filmer or spectators. I tried my hand at moto and a few arenacrosses but have decided that woods and GP racing, plus maybe someday a bit of vintage is my lane. I still spectate local moto when I can, especially Arenacross in the winter.

 My same friends are still traveling to the races with us, and I've never hung the boots up for more than a couple months to get my money right or pass a hard class. My parents make it to a couple races a year, my dad volunteers to help at an event or two as a sweep rider on occasion, and my mom goes to the practice track with me regularly. 

I am graduating next week with a bachelor's degree, have a solid job that I am able to work from home on Fridays at so I can leave earlier to go race if needed, and I get to document it all with my favorite people. I am so excited for this next chapter in my life, moto and otherwise!

I have posted before about my grandpa but he made to 72 as a racer and was still riding dual sports almost daily when he passed at 78. I hope to make it at least 73 as a racer before I hang it up and although I still have a lot I'd like to accomplish on a dirt bike and off of it, the lessons I've learned up until this point and the people I've met because of dirt bikes are invaluable and in truly living the dream in my mind.

I have dealt with a lot of mental health issues and didn't necessarily believe I'd make it out of my teens. I have been in a much better place in recent times and am so thankful for the life I am able to live, I don't know if I'd be here without racing and training to go race. 

Growing up it was always something that brought me joy and now represents something to focus my energies outside of work into to be healthy and compete. I'm glad to be a part of the racing and enthusiast community that vital brings together, although I don't post as much as I used to. This board gets a bad reputation but I've been a daily visitor since I was like 12 and have always looked forward to the solid topics that come up from time to time. This was one of them and I'm proud to say that I am living my moto-related dream

P.S. shameless plug but this is my YouTube link if anyone wants to see what the 4 States (MO, KS, OK, and AR) woods scene is like through our lens: https://youtube.com/@bclassballin?si=37qls9clNxlVU8pm

Glad to help ! 

Yep. Had this convo with my daughter a few weeks back.  I wasn’t allowed to have a bike as a kid even though it was all I ever wanted for birthdays, Christmas, good report cards, everything that would pose the question “what do you want?” Me: DIRT BIKE. NO for 20 years. Followed the sport religiously, and ate, drank, slept, dirt bikes and was able to tag along with my uncle through his riding and racing.  I firmly believe that my love for it comes from being told no for 20 ish years and now at 56 years old and 36 years of riding I am still trying to play catch up and love it now more than ever. Cliff note version but you get the point.  Ride on moto bros! See you at Pala tomorrow. 

cool story bro, never give up the dream 🤘🏽

Thank you!!

Didn’t understand at the time nor in my 20’s and 30’s but later on I understood.  My dad was a young man still when I was born so when I wanted a dirt bike he was still fully into the things he enjoyed. However, knowing how it affected me I made an ode to myself to never put my fun over my child’s.  Did what they wanted first and when there was a window for me to ride, I rode. Turned out there were windows nearly every weekend.  Still kicking and my kids love that I still ride. 

As far as moto goes on the riding side of things, no not really for a few reasons. My goal was to be much like my dad and make sure no matter what I at least got to be a fast intermediate or decent local pro. There was a time where I was a top 3-7 C/Novice rider her in So Cal and I’ll probably never reach anything more than that. Fortunately, but also unfortunately, I have a huge mental block that keeps me from twisting the throttle that extra bit, jumping everything or even holding it on a little bit longer. I always thought about things before doing them and the risk always far outweighed the reward. There are a lot a decent guys locally and because I’d decided to X jump wasn’t worth doing I’d get ragged on pretty hard for it. On one hand it bothers the absolute sh*t out of me that I had/have that mental block, but on the other it’s probably kept me from a lot of crashes and injuries. Another thing being that when I had every opportunity to progress because of the support and equipment I had from my parents, I wasted all of it by not putting in the effort or training like I should have and when I finally did I got hurt and never got back into the groove of training. 
 

On the flip side of that, I’ve met some of my heroes and got to spend time with them and a lot of other amazing people in the sport. Like when I was 10 hanging out with Pastrana while he was testing at Budds Creek in 2001, then him remembering us years later when we ran into him at a dealer show. Hanging out with MC at Gorman in 97. A lot of this because of my dad and his friends because of the relationships that they have from this amazing sport. Being at Washougal in 97 and walking up to the Suzuki tent and watching my dad call out to MC and MC turning around to walk over and talk to us for no reason other than he knew and raced with my dad when they were both intermediates. Another is being around Goose for years and being able to walk up to him at Chad’s rig at Monster Cup in 2019 and talk to him like just another one of my dads friend. 

As far as life in general, that I’ve been living the dream for the last 13 years as a husband and father. That was always what I wanted to be more than anything and I have an awesome wife and two amazing kids. Bikes honestly don’t mean a damn thing compared to the three of them and that’s why I don’t have a problem being in a season of not really riding for who knows how long. Watching my kids grow as people and baseball players and doing things as a family is better than I could have ever imagined. I know as they continue to get older I’ll have time to ride again and really enjoy it, but the time with the family goes fast and the kids are going to reach a point where they have their own lives and start their own families so I love and enjoy every second we get together. 

     Before I was 8, I didn't even know what a dirt bike was. Until one day I was going through the woods looking for a shortcut to get to my fishing spot on the Union River and I stumbled upon a track. I never made it to the river. I stayed in the woods and watched Jason Raines ride. After a minute of no bike sounds I walked out on his track to see if my Huffy could handle it. The track looked gnarly! From that moment on moto consumed my brain. I grew up low income and was constantly reminded we didn't have money for a bike. When I was 11 I started doing odd jobs, cutting grass, and saving all the birthday and Christmas cash I could. Just after Christmas that year my buddy was selling his clapped out 97' YZ80. I had the money but Mom wouldn't let me buy it. She thought I was too fearless and after my Dad left she couldn't afford medical. I was the 9yo that had to go to the fire department to get fixed up when I put my Huffy handlebars through my skin under my ribs because I wanted to try a "Truck Driver" (360 with a barspin)I just saw on X-games. The "NO" crushed my spirit a good bit. I followed the sport and lived vicariously through MX Madness and the THQ series.

    Once I became an adult I went into the electrical trade. I watched every SX and MX race. I got married and started my family. That was my real dream come true. With kids and all my self doubt told me it was too much time away to load bikes and go somewhere. My wife always urged me to get a bike, but I lied to myself that I didn't have time or I would make an excuse about storage or hauling. 

     My wife and I worked hard and saved hard. After 12 years together we saved enough to start our next dream of building a house on property. Once we moved in, I saved enough to buy a 2015 Husqvarna FE350 with a Rekluse and FMF blue titanium pipe for $3,500. I built a 1 mile turn track in my 10 acre field and added wood trails. Then I bought my kids a little 110 to share. Now we ride together anytime we want to as long as there isn't lightning.

TLDR: Yes and with some extra dreams added on. 

Yes, absolutely. I frequently think to myself “15 year old me would think I’m awesome”

As a kid I dreamed of being the next MC, owning my own track, living in a huge mansion, being a millionaire, and living like a rock star. I am currently living the dream, just not that one 😅