Bring our sport out of the stone age

Indy mxer wrote:

This is more to the point. There's plenty of places to ride around here, we live in a rural area. Kids just aren't into dirt bikes...

This is more to the point. There's plenty of places to ride around here, we live in a rural area. Kids just aren't into dirt bikes like they used to be. Many kids are soft and don't really even play outdoors much. It's amazing to me how many kids aren't outside riding bikes, playing ball or riding a dirt bike when the weather is nice.

My brother is a longtime Kaw/Polaris dealer here.
He will tell you he doesn't sell near as many playbikes as he used to.
And it's not because of cost. He sells the hell out of $20K plus SxS's.
I think too many kids just don't want to do things that are physically demanding and a challenge to learn. They want easy.

tcannon521 wrote:

Maybe they aren’t “soft” and just more aware of the risks involved with our sport. When I was a kid, we rarely heard of devastating injuries...

Maybe they aren’t “soft” and just more aware of the risks involved with our sport. When I was a kid, we rarely heard of devastating injuries (outside of broken bones) but now with the internet it is a lot easier to assess risk for a particular sport. Between ridiculous medical costs, concussion concerns and life changing injuries you have to really love motocross to do it or allow your children to participate in it.

BillHones wrote:

Hello all! First post here. After reading all the posts so far, and most of another thread that questions how growth effects the sport, I can...

Hello all! First post here.

After reading all the posts so far, and most of another thread that questions how growth effects the sport, I can only conclude that all riders need to work together, be more respectful, and should all push for the growth of the sport. growth would not be harmful. sure you can ride for your lifetime as long as you can, but growth assures others after you can too. stop worrying about lines at the track. supply and demand will solve that. (and the iphone 17s and fortnite classic) stop worrying the man gonna take your sport, force liability to fall where it belongs. You all post on the internet and know what a vocal minority is. There is always a win button to combat them, money, respect, and community. (we can also substitute "power" for money or wealth. ie: with the respect of the non riding community and the commerce it brings to everyone gives the riding community power if not wealth directly)

I am 33, and I have have never ridden a dirt bike. I can tell you why I never did:
1) no legal local riding.
2) no information on how to go about getting into the sport legally. sure we can blame the naivety of a child here regardless of parent education on the sport. mind you, i had class mates who rode, and old guys at the motorcycle shops who rode. All illegally, so trying to be a good kid and trying to make your parents proud makes taking their advice seem questionable.
3) i couldn't get into it when my interest was peaked. once my time was taken up with other things i lost touch with it. the trials i used to see guys riding while on my mtb are all over grown and unused now.

thats it. thats why i never rode and instead i got into mtn bikes, saved up built this and that, rode parks, downhill, xc, raced road in college. now with college debt and a growing family, i want seat time. i soon will have the means to do so. (second or third hand bike are expensive out here. plus a truck van or trailer. looking at mx bikes specifically not trail bikes. i understand and appreciate the performance gains in technology. at this stage in the game, i want to get to a park, and ride with guys on all the tracks and trails. if i had local trails i would not mind an inexpensive 125 or 200cc 4st trail bike. not to mention supply and demand. im sure with more popularity there would be more bikes for sale at competitive prices.) i could have been riding already if we had local trails i could dual sport to. i could have been doing that for over a decade now. i hope for growth so what riding parks that are local in PA, NY, and field of dreams in nj, stay open by the time i can.

to closer get back to the OP theme. and aside from suggesting "bumper dumpers," i can only point out two things that are the most helpful. we need to look at how other facilities are able to get state and federal funding. there are dozens of parks, and athletic fields/parks near me, all with 1st world amenities. (taxes and fees for sports teams help) i also like the EU mx club volunteer model mentioned. funding for a niche market would be slim and volunteering to satisfy the influx of funding would help. as popularity and community approval increases, more money comes in.

And always be aware that we all come from a point of bias. i tried to shine some light through mine. try to be empathetic to all. we would all never get anywhere if we needed to post in lawyer legal lingo...

Gate drop tonight baby! see you there!

Tarz483 wrote:

Welcome and Thanks for sharing. There are a lot more lurkers than sharers. I'm not sure why the thumbs down? It seems like an honest response...

Welcome and Thanks for sharing. There are a lot more lurkers than sharers. I'm not sure why the thumbs down? It seems like an honest response from a different angle and one im not surprised by at all. I have kids in school and Nieces and nephews. And they know absolutely nothing about the sport. You just don't know what you don't know and it's been declining for so long know in some areas that people only now what they see on TV and Social media.
It is a lot of Fun and there can be a Side to it were you can ride have fun and not have to be an Expert. But people rarely see that.

BillHones wrote:

Hello all! First post here. After reading all the posts so far, and most of another thread that questions how growth effects the sport, I can...

Hello all! First post here.

After reading all the posts so far, and most of another thread that questions how growth effects the sport, I can only conclude that all riders need to work together, be more respectful, and should all push for the growth of the sport. growth would not be harmful. sure you can ride for your lifetime as long as you can, but growth assures others after you can too. stop worrying about lines at the track. supply and demand will solve that. (and the iphone 17s and fortnite classic) stop worrying the man gonna take your sport, force liability to fall where it belongs. You all post on the internet and know what a vocal minority is. There is always a win button to combat them, money, respect, and community. (we can also substitute "power" for money or wealth. ie: with the respect of the non riding community and the commerce it brings to everyone gives the riding community power if not wealth directly)

I am 33, and I have have never ridden a dirt bike. I can tell you why I never did:
1) no legal local riding.
2) no information on how to go about getting into the sport legally. sure we can blame the naivety of a child here regardless of parent education on the sport. mind you, i had class mates who rode, and old guys at the motorcycle shops who rode. All illegally, so trying to be a good kid and trying to make your parents proud makes taking their advice seem questionable.
3) i couldn't get into it when my interest was peaked. once my time was taken up with other things i lost touch with it. the trials i used to see guys riding while on my mtb are all over grown and unused now.

thats it. thats why i never rode and instead i got into mtn bikes, saved up built this and that, rode parks, downhill, xc, raced road in college. now with college debt and a growing family, i want seat time. i soon will have the means to do so. (second or third hand bike are expensive out here. plus a truck van or trailer. looking at mx bikes specifically not trail bikes. i understand and appreciate the performance gains in technology. at this stage in the game, i want to get to a park, and ride with guys on all the tracks and trails. if i had local trails i would not mind an inexpensive 125 or 200cc 4st trail bike. not to mention supply and demand. im sure with more popularity there would be more bikes for sale at competitive prices.) i could have been riding already if we had local trails i could dual sport to. i could have been doing that for over a decade now. i hope for growth so what riding parks that are local in PA, NY, and field of dreams in nj, stay open by the time i can.

to closer get back to the OP theme. and aside from suggesting "bumper dumpers," i can only point out two things that are the most helpful. we need to look at how other facilities are able to get state and federal funding. there are dozens of parks, and athletic fields/parks near me, all with 1st world amenities. (taxes and fees for sports teams help) i also like the EU mx club volunteer model mentioned. funding for a niche market would be slim and volunteering to satisfy the influx of funding would help. as popularity and community approval increases, more money comes in.

And always be aware that we all come from a point of bias. i tried to shine some light through mine. try to be empathetic to all. we would all never get anywhere if we needed to post in lawyer legal lingo...

Gate drop tonight baby! see you there!

Tarz483 wrote:

Welcome and Thanks for sharing. There are a lot more lurkers than sharers. I'm not sure why the thumbs down? It seems like an honest response...

Welcome and Thanks for sharing. There are a lot more lurkers than sharers. I'm not sure why the thumbs down? It seems like an honest response from a different angle and one im not surprised by at all. I have kids in school and Nieces and nephews. And they know absolutely nothing about the sport. You just don't know what you don't know and it's been declining for so long know in some areas that people only now what they see on TV and Social media.
It is a lot of Fun and there can be a Side to it were you can ride have fun and not have to be an Expert. But people rarely see that.

Chance1216 wrote:

I gave him a thumbs down . Not to be an A-hole but, because imo looking for funding at a state or federal level for track...

I gave him a thumbs down . Not to be an A-hole but, because imo looking for funding at a state or federal level for track isn’t something I see happening. Once again it’s my opinion that there’s a huge difference in state, federal and even city funding of parks, soccer fields, baseball diamonds, tennis courts verses funding of a MX track. A quiet playground in a residential neighborhood or in their eyes a loud track that doesn’t meet the recreational needs of most citizens looking for outdoor recreation regardless of where it is. A thumbs down from my stand point isn’t a personal attack. It’s more of a wait a minute, I disagree.

BillHones wrote:

replies are better than up/down votes, so i thank you for the context :) i have so many thoughts i want to write out, but ill...

replies are better than up/down votes, so i thank you for the context i have so many thoughts i want to write out, but ill leave the "walls" for the carpenters this time and stick to a few points. this topic and similar ones could literally have its own section for threads.

sticking to the theme of OP again, facilities/amenities.
its as simple as it gets. the facility needs more money. they cant go belly up for one rider and their family. they would need to figure it out though, if all riders demanded that, or go belly up. this threads small sample shows the full spectrum of needs and wants of riders. supply and demand dictate what the tracks have, and where the riders go. unless population densities change, only more riders(money) can bring change to the tracks. other ways to bring in more money can come from donations, promoting(local, newspaper, radio, fliers, social media, etc), state/feds, more riders of course, volunteers. the golden bullet? idk. maybe its simply be happy you can ride and support who you can.

BillHones wrote:

replies are better than up/down votes, so i thank you for the context :) i have so many thoughts i want to write out, but ill...

replies are better than up/down votes, so i thank you for the context i have so many thoughts i want to write out, but ill leave the "walls" for the carpenters this time and stick to a few points. this topic and similar ones could literally have its own section for threads.

sticking to the theme of OP again, facilities/amenities.
its as simple as it gets. the facility needs more money. they cant go belly up for one rider and their family. they would need to figure it out though, if all riders demanded that, or go belly up. this threads small sample shows the full spectrum of needs and wants of riders. supply and demand dictate what the tracks have, and where the riders go. unless population densities change, only more riders(money) can bring change to the tracks. other ways to bring in more money can come from donations, promoting(local, newspaper, radio, fliers, social media, etc), state/feds, more riders of course, volunteers. the golden bullet? idk. maybe its simply be happy you can ride and support who you can.

Tarz483 wrote:

What is the golden bullet? I haven't heard that one