Posts
189
Joined
6/8/2010
Location
Cambridge City, IN
US
Ryno784
6/29/2010 12:38pm
6/29/2010 12:38pm
Edited Date/Time
1/25/2012 2:55pm
OK, so I was away from racing in the District for a few years, 5 or 6 to be more precise. Coming back and racing the past several weeks in the region one thing stands out.... the lack of youth riders....
What used to be our largest classes, the 50cc and 65cc, are now the smallest. There was once a time when we had to split the 65 class and the 50's were always full gates. Now they race for 3rd out of 3! And the +40 class was the biggest on the day!
Making it worse is Yamaha not producing the PW50, TTR50 or the Raptor 50 for 2011....Are the manufacturers throwing up their hands on moto? Who's coming in to become the next MC or Carmichael? Will there be less competition in the ranks thus making for less competitive riders....I don't have the answers, but I can say there's a storm on the horizon and those of us who hold this sport close to our heart may be in for some unfortunate changes.
I can understand the argument against the 4 strokes and the expenses of the bikes possibly pricing people out of the sport, but these are small 2 strokes that haven't increased in operating costs in years. So what happened and what's happening now? Will the market open up to Chinese products, will there be a rebound with the economy or is the sport ultimately doomed?
Comments, rants, sarcasm....all welcome.
What used to be our largest classes, the 50cc and 65cc, are now the smallest. There was once a time when we had to split the 65 class and the 50's were always full gates. Now they race for 3rd out of 3! And the +40 class was the biggest on the day!
Making it worse is Yamaha not producing the PW50, TTR50 or the Raptor 50 for 2011....Are the manufacturers throwing up their hands on moto? Who's coming in to become the next MC or Carmichael? Will there be less competition in the ranks thus making for less competitive riders....I don't have the answers, but I can say there's a storm on the horizon and those of us who hold this sport close to our heart may be in for some unfortunate changes.
I can understand the argument against the 4 strokes and the expenses of the bikes possibly pricing people out of the sport, but these are small 2 strokes that haven't increased in operating costs in years. So what happened and what's happening now? Will the market open up to Chinese products, will there be a rebound with the economy or is the sport ultimately doomed?
Comments, rants, sarcasm....all welcome.
The Economy has put a real hurt on Racing Families, too.
The Shop
An enormous growing population of lazy people. I am a parent of 3, my oldest is 6 and I work hard at my job and in play to lead my kids by example. There is a massive shortage of this in our society. It is far easier to buy your kid a skateboard or a BMX bike and set them free on the neighborhood.. Or sign them up for those pesky stick and ball sports. (which I also do and coach because it is what they want to do). It is what they see on TV. When we have freestyle skate, BMX, and all the other x-game type options (there are 3 skate parks in my city) that is what the kids want to do. The bottom line is that actual racing while it is in my blood is not what kids are after these days. I can only take my son to the BMX track once a week and soon also to the moto track once a week if I am lucky, that leaves em 5 to 6 other days a week to do other things. There are just so many options that are far more mainstream today that the kids would rather do. We keep harping on tour promoters to get a pro payout in line with what it costs to race and that's a start but it is just a start. There are far more sponsored amateur BMX riders on a $800 bike and skaters on a $300 board making a better living in their sport than our MX racers that make the day program at the nationals. I believe that without major change our sport will continue to lose popularity and participation to freestyle MX and the other x-games options.
DC has a big hill to climb.
I have a group of friends, they love to call themselves racers, they don't race, they practice, they are practicers not racers plain and simple =)
S
On a side note is the risk reward worth it to race at todays speeds for a $5 trophy?
Even the riders racing for local money and or contingency are finding it hard to justify. I just spent almost $400 on a top end and then another $500 for chain, sprockets and clutch. Bikes and parts are through the roof.
-50cc Jr Stock 4-6
-50cc Oil Injected 4-8
-50cc Sr Stock 7-8
-65cc 7-11
-85cc 12-15
-Jr Mini 9-11
-Open Mini 10-16
I'm not in favor of doing away with the 50's or minis, but how about having one 50cc class and one mini (65-85, and 150F) class? There, we just went from 14 motos to 4. Now we're looking at four hours earlier I can leave the track and get home.
Some 50's might not cost much, but go price a new Cobra. Several years back now, until my son got on a 1-2-5, the little "snake" was the most expensive bike we ever bought.
Roc, I know what you're talking about. We've both been there, but I'm not sure I totally agree that it's the promoters. D15 is in bad shape right now, I guess I'm wondering if it's consistent elsewhere.
Dirtnut129 nailed it. Not only do those snakes cost too much they are too fast for the kids and for the most part the parents are way over the top.
BMX makes much more sense for the little kids.
Pit Row
I think that is a main cause there..as we all know a ktm 50 or cobra 50 are extremely pricey...
And constantly in need of up keep!
MX in general is down in turn outs...and while the cream of the crop are still out there...the masses are not as they used to be.
I bet you this years LL turn outs, if accurately reported...will show a huge decline from last year...at least in my region is seems
I hope I'm wrong, I love this stuff.
And as for racing for a $5 trophy, heck Roc we used to do it all the time...I was never concerned about the trophy I was just wanting to beat everyone else on the track that day.
There has definitely been a shifting demographic to motocross in the last few years.
I went to a Northern Ohio local mx last year, didn't watch the kids, but there was a full
gate of 40+ and twelve (12) in my 50 + class !
* The new KTM 350 has an MSRP of $8439.00.
Put that in your $900.00 titanium exhaust pipe and smoke it.
This isn't the same sport as it was even 10 years ago.
1990 YZ250
1992 KX125
1994 KX60
1996 RM80
1998 KX80
1999 KX125
2001 KTM SX50
2001 RM125
2001 YZ250F four stroke
2004 CRF250 four stroke
2007 CR85
These are most of the new bikes I've purchased since 1989 when I started buying bikes for my kids and myself to get back into riding. Other than the CR85, does anyone else see where my new bike buying stopped??? I doubt I'm the only one that quit at that point. I've been through probably 75 or more other dirtbikes since 1990 with all the vintage stuff that I buy, sale, trade, restore and race as well as a lot of fairly current used MX'rs. But they have all been two strokes. Those two four strokes derailed me. You can say what you want about my hate of the overweight pigs, but the point is that I along with many others no longer buy into the 4 stroke fad.
S
As the dad of two mini racers in the Houston area..One 11 yr old( 65 and 85) and one 8 yr old(50 and 65 )....I can tell you the same is happening in our area.Lots of races ,but the future is dropping....The majority is the cost...
For a competitive 50 ,,you're gonna pay $3500 for a Cobra or KTM....Good used ones can be had for alot less,but they are heavy on maint...Ktm and Cobra are the only game right now...In the 65's ,the only people still making them is Kawi and KTM....I just bought my 11 yr old a new 65KTM for his last season on 65's....A whopping $4100 out the door.
Our 09 KTM 50 was $3400.
Then as said ,,$35-40 per class and 10-12 gate fee on top of that and for a day of racing ,,I'm out $200 before gas food parts ,etc.for our family of 4........
Then there is riding a couple days a week to practice ,and maintaing the other 65 and 85,because they gotta get decent on those because they have to move up.=HUGE $$$$$.
The cost of trying to just qualify for Ponca or Lorrettas is ridiculous,,and if you make it,,you're looking at 3K for a week.
Plus the injury factor and how fast word travels these days about people getting seriously hurt......Really can put mom off the sport in a hurry..
Something needs to be done to get the sport back in line,,but i sure don't know what it is..
But i agree with the origanal poster,,if something doesn't happen ,,the future of the sport will disappear.
My .02
There's a million other things
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