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7/30/2017
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Im your typical "I used to race as a kid" guy that took 20 years off to enjoy the pleasures of adulthood. But now that I have little kids in the sport, its dragged me back in. Both because of necessity and because I wanted to ride again. Anyone knows that trying to keep up with a 50cc bike, on foot, is impossible. I lost my son for 30 minutes at our local riding place when he didnt listen to me to not go past a certain point.
But back on topic. Now that Im back into everything, I find myself wanting to push it. And to possibly race again. Im 37 and around 200lbs now. Not in optimal shape by any means. And as much as I want to do all the doubles and triples again, Im scared shitless. Not about riding, but crashing. As any vet rider, I have a family to support. A job to work m-f, and personally I havent broken a bone since I was 20. I dont want to relive that glory.
But when I go out, I find myself pushing it. I cant help it. I got this new bike, and all this new gear. And here I am putting around getting passed by kids on 85s. I know its the right thing to do just to get out there and enjoy myself, but I cant help to push it.
Any other vet riders going through this?? How are you fairing now later in life trying to race mx? Any injuries, or regrets? My knees are starting to bother me more, and so is my ass from that board that KTM calls a seat. Shit man getting old sucks. Lets hear other opinions.
But back on topic. Now that Im back into everything, I find myself wanting to push it. And to possibly race again. Im 37 and around 200lbs now. Not in optimal shape by any means. And as much as I want to do all the doubles and triples again, Im scared shitless. Not about riding, but crashing. As any vet rider, I have a family to support. A job to work m-f, and personally I havent broken a bone since I was 20. I dont want to relive that glory.
But when I go out, I find myself pushing it. I cant help it. I got this new bike, and all this new gear. And here I am putting around getting passed by kids on 85s. I know its the right thing to do just to get out there and enjoy myself, but I cant help to push it.
Any other vet riders going through this?? How are you fairing now later in life trying to race mx? Any injuries, or regrets? My knees are starting to bother me more, and so is my ass from that board that KTM calls a seat. Shit man getting old sucks. Lets hear other opinions.
The Shop
1st and foremost, I'd work on riding the bike correctly. This helps beat you up less and can even make you less sore, afterwards.
Are you on the balls of your feet?
Are you standing when you should? (Get off that seat and you get beat up a helluva lot less!)
Is that leg WAY OUT THERE IN FRONT of you in the turns?
Then there's your bike: You can get a different seat...Guts Racing makes different densities and heights. Are your bars/levers/grips right?
Taking Lessons: It's us older guys that should invest in a riding clinic...from a solid and KNOWN coach. Look int USMCA for starters. United States Motorcycle Coaching Association = USMCA.ORG
As for what shape you're in: Over at Racer-X, they have their Virtual Trainer. Look int it, heck..it's FREE!
The most important point: you ARE in total control. Enjoy that aspect of it and slowly ramp up your speed when you are out riding...build on your skill set carefully. In all reality, yes! You are older now...but, guess what?
It sounds to me like you're smarter, too!
Also a regular work out routine will help a ton, if you’re wanting to race you want to be able to give it your all for the entire moto! I am just starting to get back on my routine and am kicking myself for ever going off it
Thanks to all that replied. Its funny because yes Im ultimately in control of what I do. But the urges to "send it" are hard to ignore. But yeah I know I would be traumatized if I crashed hard and did damage.
I only got to ride it twice last summer when I got it. I got a left over 17 at the end of the season. My son got an 18 CRF50 much earlier, and hes doing great on his. His confidence is building.
Yeah I need more seat time though. The KTM 250SXf is an awesome machine. More than enough power for me to have fun with, and it feels very flickable and small. Not the feeling I got from the KTM 450 and the 17 Honda 450. I knew it would be work to have fun on. I was not willing to spend that much more money and have less fun. And its working out.
But this coming season I should get to ride just about every other weekend. The track/ racing is calling me though. I need to compete.
We got nothing to prove at our age and the most important thing is to enjoy the ride itself. Get yourself in shape and everything else will start to fall into place.
The best advice I can offer: Take the pressure off of yourself. Take your ego and drop-kick that shit as far as you can. You've got to be comfortable going to the track and being the slowest guy there. Own it. When I'm riding a lot, and I'm getting faster, I almost think there's this sub-conscious survival impulse that kicks in and tells me to slow the hell down. That's when the anxiety kicks in, and I go back into moto-hiatus.
Find a way to make it fun while making it less risky. I know a lot of guys who weren't capable of doing that, and they're out of the sport now.
Pit Row
Rely on your skills and your fitness level to gauge what jumps you should be doing, and if you have any doubt don't pull the trigger. If you wear all the right safety gear, MX is a pretty safe endeavor. Everything has risk and Motocross is riskier than most, but if you mitigate the risks in every way you can, odds are good you'll be OK.
Sometimes I go out and if I'm not feeling it I'll roll every damn jump on the track. At the end of the day you just have to keep your expectations low, and remember to have fun with it.
Once every couple of months when a we hear a fellow rider getting killed I always stop and think "is this really worth it." Its almost like I have this internal battle with myself on my identity. Like motocross has been my life since I was 11. I didn't have super heros. I had Jeremy McGrath and Steve Lamson. So I'm not going to give it up because I'm afraid.
Just ride well within your ability to help hedge against crashing and getting hurt. Build on your skills and technique if you want to go faster relatively safely.
Austin Powers: There are only two things in this world that scare me and one is nuclear war.
Basil: What’s the other?
Austin Powers: Huh?
Basil: What’s the other thing that scares you?
Austin Powers: Carnies. Circus folk. Nomads, you know. Smell like cabbage. Small hands.
Just ride, quit thinking to much!
That's my base and every time I hit comfort, then push it and ride the edge from there. Of course this won't eliminate possible get-off's but at-least you'll be riding at your ability and somewhat comfortable/relaxed if you need to react to a get-off.
Oh yah, to do this well - Ego needs to stay in the truck
1. have fun
2. Forget about being cool or impressing anybody
3. No pressure- if someone says "you suck." Just say "at least I'm out here."
Once I hit my vet years I had 3 straight years with the worst injuries yet, but I decided to step it down a notch and focus on the fun... Funny thing is, I had better results and I was in more control of the bike.
Get in to some offroad. The environment is way more laid back, you'll work on techniques you didn't know you never had which help you on the moto track, and you get much more seat time. I was burning out on moto, but I got in to offroad and I loved it so much I just bought a brand new bike specifically for that.
Fitness. Cardio, balance, flexibility is huge for injury prevention.
The biggest thing is to have fun and trust your instincts, but push yourself... You'll know what you can and can't do.
Post a reply to: Afraid of getting hurt... #vertriderproblems