Posts
9
Joined
7/23/2019
Location
Williston, ND
US
Hey all, first time poster here but I have been embedded into motocross for 28 years. I got my first bike, an 89 Z 50 when I was 3, rode that and countless other bikes as I grew, started racing 80's in ND in 98, took a state championship in 2000, moved up to a RM 125, then onto 250 thumpers, won quite a few races in the mondak and ndma circuit, took 13th in 250 intermediate on a full gate at spring creek in 2005, then hung the sport up for a year when I went to college. After college, I bought a 2006 cr 250r and got into freestyle motocross, had a ramp made from fmx ramps, did that for a few years and did a few small town shows, got back into racing again and then got burnt out. My reason for telling you all this is not to come off as boastful or arrogant, but rather to lay some frame work for the question I am about to ask to help you better understand the position I am in. I did some searches and have not been able to find anything along the lines of what I am looking for.
Yesterday i got home from the recent races as spring creek, boy did that bring back some great memories. On that 13 hour drive I found myself wondering what it would be like if I tried getting back into racing. I am now 32 and did have a back surgery about 6 years ago. I have been at my job for 13 years and I have a comfortable career there. I am a sales manager so my job does not require physical labor. I have 2 kids, a wife, mortgage, etc.
I am curious if anyone has any input on the feaseability of me getting back into this sport at this point in my life. I have no desire to ride a dirt bike if it's just going to be a joy ride, my goals would be to get fast and put in some fast laps, potentially race spring creek of next year in intermediate class. Am I crazy? I know there are a lot of vets out there who ride and love it, but many appear to just go out there and have a good time. That is the reason we all do it but for this sport to be fulfilling and enjoyable for me, I need to be going fast and pushing myself. My questions are:
How fast does the feel of cornering and jumping come back after a 9 year hiatus? I know it will be different for everyone so I am hoping for real life experiences with this. When I used to ride, I felt like the bike was an extension of my body, and watching others ride this past weekend I still feel like I could lay down a nasty scrub, am I kidding myself?
How much harder is it in your body when you get back into the sport? I am sure this will be the hardest part. I have been a power lifter for the past 24 months with a few breaks in there, I feel as if I am in decent shape but not "motocross shape."
What bike should i get? Should i ease in with a 250 or go straight to 450 or do I go 2 stroke? I can ride both styles of bike, meaning I can be a lazy shifter on a 4 stroke and use engine brake into corners, very little clutch, or the exact opposite on a 2 stroke (my preferred style but do I really wanna work that much harder at this age and point in my life?) Also I am into snowmobiling so the 450 could handle the timbersled, etc. And then there is the need 350 which I would seriously consider.
All this said, I am going to the track tomorrow to "feel out" my buddy's new kxf 450. This seems to be the logical first step into seeing if the flame is ignited again or if I should stay away. All I have for gear at this point is a helmet so I wont be able to get too crazy, nor do I expect to do so until I have proper gear and conditioning.
I hate to sound crass in this post, that is not my intention so I apologize if that is how I have come off. I am mainly looking for opinions, reassurance, or a reality check, I think that's what I need at this point. The wife thinks so. Thanks.
Yesterday i got home from the recent races as spring creek, boy did that bring back some great memories. On that 13 hour drive I found myself wondering what it would be like if I tried getting back into racing. I am now 32 and did have a back surgery about 6 years ago. I have been at my job for 13 years and I have a comfortable career there. I am a sales manager so my job does not require physical labor. I have 2 kids, a wife, mortgage, etc.
I am curious if anyone has any input on the feaseability of me getting back into this sport at this point in my life. I have no desire to ride a dirt bike if it's just going to be a joy ride, my goals would be to get fast and put in some fast laps, potentially race spring creek of next year in intermediate class. Am I crazy? I know there are a lot of vets out there who ride and love it, but many appear to just go out there and have a good time. That is the reason we all do it but for this sport to be fulfilling and enjoyable for me, I need to be going fast and pushing myself. My questions are:
How fast does the feel of cornering and jumping come back after a 9 year hiatus? I know it will be different for everyone so I am hoping for real life experiences with this. When I used to ride, I felt like the bike was an extension of my body, and watching others ride this past weekend I still feel like I could lay down a nasty scrub, am I kidding myself?
How much harder is it in your body when you get back into the sport? I am sure this will be the hardest part. I have been a power lifter for the past 24 months with a few breaks in there, I feel as if I am in decent shape but not "motocross shape."
What bike should i get? Should i ease in with a 250 or go straight to 450 or do I go 2 stroke? I can ride both styles of bike, meaning I can be a lazy shifter on a 4 stroke and use engine brake into corners, very little clutch, or the exact opposite on a 2 stroke (my preferred style but do I really wanna work that much harder at this age and point in my life?) Also I am into snowmobiling so the 450 could handle the timbersled, etc. And then there is the need 350 which I would seriously consider.
All this said, I am going to the track tomorrow to "feel out" my buddy's new kxf 450. This seems to be the logical first step into seeing if the flame is ignited again or if I should stay away. All I have for gear at this point is a helmet so I wont be able to get too crazy, nor do I expect to do so until I have proper gear and conditioning.
I hate to sound crass in this post, that is not my intention so I apologize if that is how I have come off. I am mainly looking for opinions, reassurance, or a reality check, I think that's what I need at this point. The wife thinks so. Thanks.
The Shop
Have fun and good luck
Like above, your fitness will be a struggle fest. I would assume your first day will be fun and terrible. You'll hold your breath so much you will think a small infant baby child could beat you up. Once those feelings come back, things will stop coming at you so fast.
The lack of fitness drove me to get it back on and off the bike. I became a student of the sport and ride better at 41 than I did at 22.
I started on a 450 and made the mistake of riding it like a 2 stroke. I got a 2 stroke and felt at home because that is what I rode last. I've since gone had a few of both. Right now i've been enjoying the shit out my 17 KTM 450. But i'm the type that loves anything two wheels. They all have advantages and disadvantages, but I would get what you rode last just to help the come back.
Keep it safe. I have so many friends way better than me that still tried to ride
like they did when they were 20 and would get hurt.
"my goals would be to get fast and put in some fast laps,"
One thing I've noticed as I've gotten older is that I don't have to be
going that fast to think- "Holy shit! I'm hauling ass!"
The way I look at it as that I'm 55 and still riding and racing and having a blast so that is a WIN.
Rode and raced from age 5 to 13, and won a couple D16 championships. Life happened and parents sold everything.
Got back into the sport at 20 years old (7 years later) with my own money. I'm now 24 and finish mid-pack A class. That's after 200+ hours of riding.
Would there be any interest if I were to post videos and updates about my progress from day 1? If all goes well, the thread could serve as inspiration for others who are entertaining doing the same thing I am. Thanks again everyone, it is appreciated!
Arm pump was one of the hard things for me to get over. I NEVER got arm pump when I raced before. However during my hiatus I got into lifting pretty hard. One thing I will tell you, if you’re a power lifter you’re really going to struggle with arm pump. It’s best for you to back down on the weight and increase your reps significantly. That’s what ultimately ended up curing my major arm pump issues.
Anyways, you’re not gonna be competitive right away. No one likes losing but the reality of it is you will lose for a while. Eventually you can get yourself where you want but it’ll take some time. Oh, and jumping is easy. It’s the turns, bumps, ruts, focus and fitness that take time to get back.
Paw Paw
Hopefully I'll still be riding when I'm your age! lol. I plan on riding until I physically can't. I keep myself very fit so that helps.
Keep it up Paw Paw and enjoy the ride.
I went back to the basics. I work on technique more than speed. And suspension set up more than bling. I can’t believe the corner speed I’m carrying and the jumps I’m hitting. With that said I do feel out of sorts in the air. Used to whip everything and feel I had a sense of style in the air. Working on that coming back. Never got into the scrub game.
I originally got the bike for fun to play around on the property. But soon found myself at the local GP races. (Harescramble) never thought I would get into that over motocross but damn are they fun. And push you to physical limits you didn’t know you could achieve. Just finishing them can be rewarding in itself first or last. Started in C class as I have never done GP’s before or even raced in a big bike class for that matter. Hoping to work my way Up! So far I went 6 out of 7, 15 out of 16, and last race took 1st out of 3.
For me personally. I hit the mx track over 4th of July and realized that wasn’t the place for me. Lots of commitment with all the jumps with a lot on the line career/family/mortgage. I found myself more nervous than having fun. Although I was doing most the jumps there. Woods riding I can ride my pace whatever that may mean that day and still be safe (as safe as possible that is). MX is go for it or go home. but yes after my experience you can still be fast. Hell maybe like some of us faster than you have ever been. I got my ass handed to me by some 50+ guys last race. They were flying!
Pit Row
I had to take a 4 year break from riding and racing from age 23 to 27 and also a pair of two year breaks for overseas work and recently school. After two years off, I came back this January and have been riding consistently... Even had a few good starts and decent moto results in 30+ recently.
How much harder is it in your body when you get back into the sport? I am sure this will be the hardest part. I have been a power lifter for the past 24 months with a few breaks in there, I feel as if I am in decent shape but not "motocross shape."
That all depends on your condition as you seem to understand. I mentioned above coming back from a break 2 years off this January for school. I spent last year running and doing a bunch of fitness stuff so that I could jump right back on the bike when I decided the time was right. It was a good plan, I have had zero injuries and feel much safer or more confident than I would have by trying to ride myself into shape. I'm typing this after I just finished an 8 mile run.
In spite of what a lot of motocross people will tell you, look into some cross-fit type workouts where you do a lot of body weight stuff and stay in motion to keep your heart-rate up. I don't do cross-fit, but my stuff is similar. Get your cardio up to par so you can ride more than three laps at a fast pace safely. Running and Rowing machine are the best and a bicycle is good if you have terrible joints.
I'm coming right up on 39 here and I feel like I'm the fit guy at the track and on the gate.
Take your passion for power lifting and apply it to moto style fitness, however that works out for you and your body-type needs.
Most important, have fun and ease back into riding without going over your head. Welcome back.
Always have a bike in my garage even if it's not one that I personally own. I'm very fortunate to have a father that got me into the sport and usually has multiple bikes, so when I don't have a bike he usually gives me one to ride for a while.
Having a wife, 2 kids and mortgage has kept me away from the track and bike a lot over the last 2 years. I finally got to ride 3 weeks ago at a local track for the first time since July 4, 2018 and dude let me tell you, it was not great. It felt amazing to ride, but I felt like I had just started riding. It had been a long time since I felt that bad on a bike. I felt weak, slow and nothing felt natural. But I can guarantee the next time won't be nearly as bad and neither will the time after that.
I won't lie, I struggle with not being as fast as I once was and seeing all my friends being faster than I am now, but I sit back and realize most of them ride throughout the entire year at least 2 times a month while I'm lucky to ride 3 or 4 times a year. It's hard for many of us to get passed our ego's and be okay with not being where we once were, but we have to sit back and realize that we are basically starting from scratch. Just get out and enjoy riding man! Who cares how fast you are as long as you are having fun riding your bike.
However, there was a hole in my life where Moto had been such a vital part of my existence since I was 4 years old. Long story short, last September I pulled the trigger and got a '19 KTM 150 and have been obsessed with riding since. Usually hit the track twice a week and race when I feel like it.
There was definitely a learning curve to the bike and getting my skills dusted off and refined to the point where I felt like I was finally comfortable and able to ride how I wanted to. Granted, I'm 38 now and don't quite have that 'edge' that I did when I was 28. I have 2 kids now, a wife and a great job so the risks I take are much more calculated now (risk vs. reward). I still push myself hard and can hit all the jumps on a track but I eased back into being able to do that. There were some big frustrations while getting back into the swing of things like my riding fitness and sacking up to ride like I know I'm capable (or was capable of), but I just took my time and kept progressing week by week. I'm finally feeling fit on the bike and can push harder outside of my comfort zone, but again, I always keep myself in check. If I'm not feeling it that day, I respect it and don't try and do anything stupid. Even on those days where I'm frustrated, I always have fun and big smile on my face. So glad I got back into it because there was a void that mountain biking and snowboarding just couldn't fill.
Hope you jump back into it and take it slow and steady as you get back up to speed. No need to jump back on a bike and expect yourself to be ripping right away like you once did. Like you, I have a responsibility to my family so that's always in the back of my head. The frustrations will come, but don't let them get you down or make you do something stupid to try and impress yourself. You'll be back on the ground real fast and hitting the deck hurts a lot more in your 30's than it did in your teens and 20's, that's for sure. Best of luck dude!
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