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My parents had gone away with friends for a few days holiday, a brief escape from running our 7 days a week garage and filling station. I was racing at Hutton Conyers Nr. Ripon Yorkshire and had a great day, winning the feature race and placing top 3 in a couple of more finals. At the end of the day my parents and friends came over to say well done! They had been there the whole day but didn't want to make themselves known, in case I got nervous. Afterwards they invited me back to their nearby hotel and we...

My first race day. I crashed in practice, got discouraged, wanted to go home. My dad gently but firmly encouraged me to continue. "Let's race the first moto, and if you feel like going home after that, we will." Needless to say, I raced, loved it, and kept racing ever since. That was 1985. Love you, dad.

to respond to my own question - I have one more: We were driving in the dark of morning on our way to Rio Bravo. Pre-cell phone days of course I had no choice but to watch the road drone by and rattle on with dad about goodness what while listening to his perpetual tape of John Conlee that I swear was stuck in his tape deck. (I can still sing every single word by heart). Anyway, for some reason we went by some cows in a pasture and he started talking about growing up with cattle and he said...

My Dad was actually the moto dad nobody wanted. Shouting, throwing with shit and sometimes very aggressive (never hurt me) and this was after finishing third place. However, I really don't want to know what my life would have been like without Moto, my youth sucked pretty bad and it was the only thing that made me happy at certain ages. My dad was a single parent, with two sons riding at a high level working two jobs to fund it. I am not saying what he did was right, not at all, but get the frustration sometimes now I...

I’m so sorry for your loss I had no idea he passed.

My dad didn't know anything about dirt bikes, and even when I was 12, I never trusted him to do anything but wash my bike. But him and my mom were always there, and we all agree some of our best memories were going to some local races and camping for the weekend. Pretty rare for a teenager to spend the entire weekend with their parents and not hate it. I have a 2 year old now. I don't want him to get hurt riding, but, at the same time, I really want to ride with him and have that...

My Dad never saw me race or asked how I did. Mom took me to 2 races before I had a driver's license, but that's the extent of my parent's involvement in racing. I think my Dad regrets the day he purchased a shiny new 1971 Honda SL70 for my brother and I one Christmas. He never could bring himself to say the word "motocross", instead using the phrase "dirt motorbike racing" to convey his disdain. Both of my parents have passed away and I'm thankful that they provided me the opportunity for me to get into motorcycles - I...

I didn’t even think about it like this, but you are so right. By all means, if you are out there doing it right now, please take time to really enjoy ALL of it; the travel, camping, practice, and working on bikes as well as the gate drops. It’s easy to get caught up in the competitive stuff, and that’s part of the fun, but don’t let that take over. If you’re the kid, please drink in what your Dad is doing with you now now so you can really savor it later. If you’re the Dad, know that one...

My son and I Bodie,CA 3 day dual sport ride

My dad only saw me race one time when I was in my twenties. As a kid my parents forbid me to have a dirt bike, but I grew up next door to an uncle that never went ride or race without taking me along. Although I had some great family time with my dad doing and learning other things I owe all of moto to my uncle with the many hours we spent on the road going from track to track all across the South. We hit the Gainesville National in 1989 and shortly after I got my first...

My dad owns a business and is generally an extremely fast paced and scatter brained man. He means well, and is an amazing dad/grandpa, but he’s not much for small talk. Never has been. But. Like clock work, every few months, he will send me a random race result of mine from over a decade ago, and he will describe the race with perfect clarity and recollection. And when I say random, I mean “Saturday night local race in the middle of august” random. As thankful as I am for the years he took me racing, I truly believe it...

On the flipside of this, I was the moto dad and my son passed 6 days before his 19th birthday. I'm incredibly grateful for all the time we spent riding, at the track, in practice, at races, training and traveling. One of the things I can say I do not have as a regret is that I didn't spend enough time with my son. All because of moto. Wouldn't change that for the world.

Oh man, what a great thread!!! My turn. My Dad was amazing!!! My parents also split when I was younger. A man that worked as a Mechanic for the Ford dealer, paid child support on 2 kids that lived with my Mom, and I lived with him. As an adult, paying my own bills now, I have no clue how he did it. My bikes were always in the best shape. We made it to practice on most Wednesday nights and rode/raced Saturdays and Sundays from 5 years old to 16 years. He was my biggest support and always was...

Dad here, some of the best memories riding with my son. That pretty much does it. TM

Me and Dad sometime in ‘86, maybe ‘87. Lots of great memories from that time.

My parents only went to one of my races, so didn’t have the moto connections to them like many of you do. But my mom always left a twenty of the table for gas the morning of a race. My parents are both gone, but like you spent many days with my mom visiting while she was in hospice care. She didn’t say much but when I asked questions about her youth or growing up she got talkative and the time went by. Great suggestion for those going through what you are, talk about the good times. Best wishes to...