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It’s no surprise that our sport consists mostly of middle and upper middle class folks. Motocross is not cheap. So when I see people say things like “Is it worth paying for that issue of the magazine”. Or “I don’t want to pay to ______”. Or even “My local parts guy doesn’t give me enough of a discount” etc it makes me take a step back.
I’m an artist by trade. I make a living doing and selling art, and in return for being lucky enough to do so, I buy art every chance I get. Paying it forward in some regard. This is very common in my line of work. Taking the money you made and putting it back into the culture.
Buying magazines, paying full price for a pair of grips, and not trying to undercut people who make a living running a local track is a great place to start. I think the mentality of bartering is common among motor sports because it’s a lifestyle where there is a lot of buying and selling. The ability to tell your friends you didn’t pay full price for a used bike or an exhaust or new tires etc starts to outweigh the fact that taking care of people in the sport you love helps it grow and survive.
SUMMARY: Pay full price for things in the sport you love. It’s very likely your bartering/discount wanting mentality is detrimental to its existence and many people’s livelihood. Buy more magazines. Support motocross.