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1/30/2012
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Swansea, MA
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Edited Date/Time
7/31/2015 11:18am
I am just writing this to see what others think, or if others agree. (Sorry if there is slight grammar problems for you grammar nazis)
As a kid growing up most of us starting out in motocross did it simply because it was fun and we though it was cool. As years pass bikes got bigger, skills were acquired and things became a bit more serious. At one point for anyone who takes it serious realities sink in. Amount of injuries become a factor, along with finances, or the lack of the fun factor. Typically this is the cause of riders fading away. For the average rider chasing the dream to make it pro of anylevel its life consuming.
As an expert in this sport I know the struggle I didn't see when mom and dad were paying for most of it. If I want to take it serious traveling is a must. To get my SX pro card I have to travel each week to far away states. (Ex. I am from MA and must travel to Pa, Md, Nc, Al, or even FL). All this travel requires time off from work possibly costing me my job. The employers simply don't care as a worker is simply replaceable. I feel the AMA "favors" the rich. Lorettas itself is costly along with chasing pro-ams.
Most people think it's stupid to chase down the dream that aren't affiliated with the sport. The lack of support from industry companies is also an issue. Help to get to these races seems to be low to none. Maybe it's just me but it seems for the average joe 9-5 worker trying to chase the dream is a 50/50 gamble. What do you think?
As a kid growing up most of us starting out in motocross did it simply because it was fun and we though it was cool. As years pass bikes got bigger, skills were acquired and things became a bit more serious. At one point for anyone who takes it serious realities sink in. Amount of injuries become a factor, along with finances, or the lack of the fun factor. Typically this is the cause of riders fading away. For the average rider chasing the dream to make it pro of anylevel its life consuming.
As an expert in this sport I know the struggle I didn't see when mom and dad were paying for most of it. If I want to take it serious traveling is a must. To get my SX pro card I have to travel each week to far away states. (Ex. I am from MA and must travel to Pa, Md, Nc, Al, or even FL). All this travel requires time off from work possibly costing me my job. The employers simply don't care as a worker is simply replaceable. I feel the AMA "favors" the rich. Lorettas itself is costly along with chasing pro-ams.
Most people think it's stupid to chase down the dream that aren't affiliated with the sport. The lack of support from industry companies is also an issue. Help to get to these races seems to be low to none. Maybe it's just me but it seems for the average joe 9-5 worker trying to chase the dream is a 50/50 gamble. What do you think?
The kids who work hard, give themselves a good image on and off the track and have parents that hold them accountable do pretty good. Parents that work on getting their child's face in front of the industry's main companies and individuals before they are 15 years old are brilliant. It does often come down to who you know!
The Shop
I think it's just you.
The gamble is more like 999999999/1
In the 70's local pros raced about 5 days a week in Southern Cal. I'm talking about guys like Dave "DG" Taylor...
Just from what I read...
At one point my old man and I when I was a kid had a sweet box van that we had built, several bikes, new gear, etc. I remember when my dad went through a professional transition on his career though our family finances got tight. That was the first time as a kid I realized how expensive motocross was because even though it is cheap compared to other motorsports, it is still a heck of a lot more expensive than playing football, baseball, etc. So later on we found ourselves just out there with one bike (old man stopped racing), in my beater pickup truck sleeping in a tent or maybe a motel 6 the night before if it was a big race and we could sneak the bike in the room. My old man spent most of his energy telling me how a stock bike was the best in an effort to not spend any more money. I'm only talking about the amateur level here but where theres a will theres a way.
I never chased the dream. I went to college and stopped riding which was more or less a decision that was made for me (and rightfully so). I got back into riding though along with spending time at the track with my old man with the edition of my wife and son. Motocross is the best thing on earth, even if you're just a slow, out of shape, amateur has been or never was rider. That is my deep thought at the truth of motocross.
1. The guys who unrealistically "chase the dream" end up changing oil at a Firestone car care center (nothing wrong with bending wrenches for a living folks) but end up in a profession that can't really support the hobby financially. Then, they knock up some track snack, have a boy, and the cycle continues.
2. The guys who put the dream on the shelf at 18-19, get an education, and a revenue producing career, are able to afford all kinds of cool, trick shit, take time off work, and ride whenever and wherever they want.
Decide who you want to be.
Give these little kids a clue how hard they need to be riding, and then how hard they need to be praying they don't die or get hurt too many times to possibly make $10-50K a year.
Pit Row
I "turned pro" in 2005, riding the A class. I rode the 250A Pro Sport at Loretta's that year, and got my AMA pro license in 2006. Raced the Freestone National in 2007 and missed out making the show by 2 spots. My parents split in 2007 and I started college that year and moved out. I decided to take my education seriously and graduated in 2012, got a job and still continued to ride my 2006 KX450F a couple times a year. That was the last bike my parents bought me. I bought myself a brand new KX450 a few months ago and I have a ton of crap sitting in my living room waiting to go on the bike once I get it back from my suspension guy. Riding is fun for me instead of a chore, and I got to have all the life experiences most people "chasing the dream" missed out on.
Sure I often look at the young rippers fly by my at the track and think at times racing more when I was young would have been a blast and I'd be a lot faster now. However mainly riding for fun while growing up, almost none at all while all my finances went to school really makes me love the sport even more now that I am back in it.
I in no way would tell a kid or family not to pursue the dream to become pro, but I would for sure offer the advice they think about the commitment long and hard and always have a plan on how/when to back out with the idea of a second career in mind.
The other side is being talented above the amount of money you have to get that talent somewhere, and throwing everything you have at it , to maybe make a few bucks as a local pro that might cover your gas money.
I was lucky enough to be reasonably fast for a short period of time, and managed to make that last for a few years, doing a few Nationals here in the process, and getting close to points , which was enough of a carrot to keep going, with a goal i could afford to chase, but it wasnt like i was expecting to have anything other than a good day at the races.
While im doing that , guys i grew up with racing all drifted away, to drink , holidays, and all the other things that take people away from the sport, and although we had a few years off when we had kids , we have kept at it ever since, because we love the sport, and the good times it brings, and never got too wrapped up in the whole 'having to be good to make it worthwhile' thing that a lot a folk get drawn into.
The guys closer to the top aren't immune to this "post moto" quandary either but they get a double whammy if they don't have an education base PLUS are dealing with just being a regular Joe after having gotten accustomed to being a big fish in a little pond. From what I've been told this going from being somebody to be one of the crowd is not an easy adjustment either which can lead to depression and substance abuse.
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For you quad bashers it was amazing the difference between the 2 and 4 wheel crowd. The quad guys were happy to see a support person at the track, didn't expect anything for free and didn't nickel and time me on stuff I had little margin on to begin with. They also followed up and paid me for product they promised to unlike some plumber named Joe I think it was that ripped me off at GH Vet World one year for a pair of Rental bars and Nuetech APE kits.
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