...hence why I started this thread in this section.

I often like a post/thread with some substance and story instead of the more typical quick question and answer/opinion. I have put many one sentence posts out there in the year or so since I've been on TT. Got TONS of advice and ideas and answers. This forum is great for that. I check in and read stuff most every day.

This eve I was just looking at some of my first posts. They were mostly questions as I was (still am) a noob. I have been on TT enough now that I can contribute a story.

The goal when I bought the KX250 (and kid's KX65) last summer was to enter a race. It is still there, as a much lower hanging fruit now. I'm close and can't wait. This spring for sure.

Messed with dirt bikes, ATVs, sleds, RC trucks and planes, muscle cars all my life (48 in a couple weeks). Total gear head as sell Mazak CNC machines for a living. Got the bug last summer and looked on Craig's list and that weekend picked up the 2004 65 and 1991 KX250 for $1600. They are in great shape and run fine...I think I got lucky. Thought I would have to piece something together before I could even tear up the yard. They were a pair from a family and started right up and ran that weekend.

TT has been a great help in my learing and maintnence and repair of them. Weld the case and brake pedal, clutch inspection, top end...typical stuff, but not a big deal for me (my bro doesn't own a screw driver).

There is an AMA race track 40 minutes from us, Byron Motorsports Park. One of the oldest in the country I have read. We have gone and watched races and "I know I can do that. I am going to!". I'm surfing Byron's web site and see mention of a school. Call the instructor and find out he has a practice track.....3 miles from my house!

This is meant to be.

There's a video of me ripping around the yard somewhere on TT. It was from the first weeks I had the bike (before I ever took a lesson). Everybody that posted advised "stand up on the jump! Stand up more. Elbows up." So yea, I could use a lesson or two to at least get the basics.

Find Club57 and attend my first private lesson. So nervous. The guy is great. His track has real berms and ruts and table tops and it's wide and flat and dirt. That first lesson we just ride around in circles and hit no obsticals. I learn a lot. I'm hooked.
I tell Brad that my goal is to enter a race at Byron by the end of the summer. He is pleased that I have a real, attainable goal to work towards. I end up going to a lesson 10 times over the next 14-15 weeks. I've learned a ton now. So much better and more confident. Even attend lessons with other riders instead of the more common private lesson.

Damn season gets cut short in October as I crashed and smashed my colar bone and broke some ribs (might even be a pic of the x-ray and surgery scar here on TT somewhere). It was the Sunday before we were to go to Byron on Tuesday for a private lesson at the track (he has access). Was so jacked to get to ride the track with him. Nope Put the bike away for the winter and baby the shoulder for 6+ weeks.

So. Winter sets in and read TT all the time. I realize that these 4+ months are the right time to address the weakest part of my hobby/sport=my physical condition. I am the weak link. Push ups and pull ups and sit ups have shown great results. Bought weight set and have even been lifting. Ride my pedal bike around the neighborhood. First/most working out I have ever done in my 47 years. Noticable results. Wife is pleased with results too.

SO. Not to go on to long here...if anybody has read this far into it. I had a track ho come and make a cut to drain my swamp (used to be a pond) $400. Have a forestry mower coming to clear some of our woods $400. Have access to a BobCat. Live on five acres and going to make a proper track when the weather breaks. I know it's all about seat time and stanima.

I WILL post here on TT when I do get that first day on the track and when I enter my first race. Can't wait.

I was tempted to buy a buddies 07 CR450 for $2700. Sweat deal. But smarter thing to do is spend that $2700 on better gear, track and lessons this summer...oh....and gate fees and AMA card!

That is all.

CooHead

Out here in the home of motocross, we have a few series designed specifically for "older" people wanting to race. One of them is called "Over the hill gang" and the other is a more local single track series called REM. I'm fairly sure, there is a club/org in your vicinity with the right classes that you could start racing tomorrow. You don't need a silly AMA card, nor do you want one in reality.

Spending every dime you have on education is super important. I have always done the hard thing and figured out how to ride on my own with limited help. Its a LONG road to do that and you've gotta be dedicated/ride a lot. When I mean a lot, I mean 3 - 4 times a week and I mean 4 hours a day at least. Most people can't do that, heck I stopped doing that once I ran out of money! LOL So yes, education is important and I suggest you try again and get some on-track help. Though it wouldn't hurt to have a more modern bike as well, old bikes kinda suck to learn on.

hey coohead, how did your son take to the 65? i used to ride my sons 65 around the neighborhood from time to time... WHAT A HOOT!

i'm 44 on an '03 cr125.

cheers!

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man, its a shame you have to join the AMA to race out there, that blows. I can't see one thing the AMA does to benefit the local joe blow racer anymore, beyond increase racing fees.

If its your first race, try and ride the track in question as much as possible, disecting all the parts that give you trouble and noting the parts you have an edge at, (comparatively).

Remember a race is just a practice run with a start at the beginning. Try not to pressure yourself to get a great start. If need be, tell yourself its totally ok to get a terrible start. Less pressure, better start.

Find out how many laps each moto will be and ride for that amount at a good clip, (without a breakdown in technique due to exhaustion) That is how fast you want to go during the race. Try to have as many "knowns" as possible going in. Like know how to get through each corner, not on your best line, where you can break and still make the corner, know which jumps you can make and which to roll, etc...

Watch each goon in front of you, set them up and make a pass if you can. And if you're on a guys tail and the laps are winding down, don't give up, he may screw up and let you by, don't follow him into that screw up! Don't override and take too many risks. You may not be able to win so concentrate on "right" now, faster later.

Good luck.

Did the collarbone/rib thing in 2010, so I felt your pain. I am learning at 43, and my 9yo boy is racing his 2003 RM (KX) 65 and loves it. My 5yo is riding a pw. We are all super excited for the next race series to get going. And I agree, riding time is more important than the latest equipment at the beginner level. That being said, I get bored riding around the house, so we go off to a friend's house to ride as much as possible. The track is kind of far and costs money for every ride. We raced at the last round at the end of last year, and we definitly needed more practice time on the track. We also race a woods series, and there is no pre-running for the adults. But it is excellent practice for the kids.

I am trying to get started on my fitness, but it is 20 degrees with snow on the ground. I got kind of burned out training last year in May. It showed at the end of the year. I was dying in the last mud race. I may try (don't laugh) zoomba for the aerobic workout for the long woods races. It's the only thing available in our little town. Looking at the pro riders bodies, I think weight training should be minimal with just some arm toning. No use adding heavy muscle mass up high if it is not needed.

Best advice ever given to me for your first races:

Stay relaxed and just try to finish - you'll be amazed at how much arm pump will kill your moto.
Be safe.

tye1138, on 08 February 2012 - 08:04 PM, said:

AMA card is needed to race at Byron...no biggie...another $35-40 bucks.

I know the merit of getting instructions. I taught myself to fly RC planes. I'm pretty dang good at that now, but it took years and thousdands of dollars. I could have saved a lot of time and money if I got some instructions on that years ago. But crashing an RC plane there is no injury (except to the wallet). Instructions are good to not crash the MX bike as often as the RC plane.

Practice is why I'm building a good enough track around our fiev acres. Seat time.

Byron does have a vet (30+) and super vet (45+) class. So I will be with other old guys.

tibbcat, on 09 February 2012 - 05:46 AM, said:

He got the hang of it and the clutch and gears pretty good. He is a meat-head gear-head type tho. He has had some lessons too. But he is in wrestling all winter and football all summer so cannot go with me as often as he and I would like.

That little KX65 rips. My 47 year old buddy rides his son's TTR110 i think it is. Pretty even match we are on those little bikes. Kills my tail bone after a couple laps tho.

KSchwantz, on 09 February 2012 - 06:18 AM, said:

Yea. The track is open to public on Wed and Sat for practice, closed any other time. My instructor has access to it the other five days. even holds classes there sometimes. I will have my first laps around that Byron track with him as a private lesson. He has a big open event there once a year. He rode a YZ125 and finished 1:1 against a bunch of good guys on 450 bikes. he knows what he is doing. Nice to have the guy available. Private practice track. Access to AMA track...and money to buy $50 lessons.

Yea...I've been dreaming about that first race and gate drop. Thinking I'll just let everybody take off and leave and then I will tap it into gear and go. Start 10-15 seconds behind everybody. If I catch up the the last guy (guess he would be second to last as I would be the back marker) great. It will be fin to race behind, next to, around somebody. If not...maybe I'll start with the group on the second race. Or not.

gsa102, on 09 February 2012 - 09:41 AM, said:

Yea the collar bone wasn't bad. I mean: I was knocked out cold. Three broken ribs, not cracked, broken. The clavical has a plate over it and six screws holding it together. But I drove home from it. Changed out of my gear and drove myself to the doc. Got chewed out pretty bad for that.

There are a couple private tracks around here that we can go to. There are hair scrmables with in an hour. But I really want to race a MX race. I don't care if I'm board ripping around my own track. Seat time.

I'm 48 in a couple weeks. Have always been right under 200 pounds. 6' NEVER worked out. But always active. Have never sat and watched a full Bears game as can't and don't want to sit still that long. But I know I need more stanima on this MX bike. I noticed I was often over 200pounds. 36x32 pants all my adult life.
Started thinking thiss would be a good time to try to work out...and really liking it. Look forward to it. Anything I do will help. Not looking to get huge and ripped...but some more definition and tone would help make me feel better with my shirt off in the summer.
Right now my work out is:

Pull downs 50#s 15front/15back
Over head tricepts 25#s 20 times
Curls 55#s 10reps
Sit ups 25 reps
Leg curl sitting 35#s 40 reps
laying 35#s 20 reps
Bench 55#s 20 reps
Butterfly 15#s each dumbell 20 reps.

I do that whole thing four times.
It takes about an hour.
Two days in a row and third day off. On the third/off day I just jump rope, ride stationalry bike and do the 100 sit ups.
Ride the stationary bike a bit before, durring after to keep the blodd pumping.

So, it's not like I am doing heavy wieghts, low reps. I'm doing moderate weight hi reps. The wieghts were all lighter for the first two weeks. Figured give my muscles and idea of what I'm trying to do. The bit of soreness the next day feels kind of good. I am going to get more into the cardio thing.

Good for you Coo! My now 10 son got his first bike at 6, and that opened the door for me to move from the street superbike scene to dirt. We started riding MX three years ago.
I entered and raced first ever at 45 two years ago. Problem with my local track is the guys are fast. I raced the 30+c class, and well, there were a few sandbaggers.....
My first time at the gate was excrutiating. I was just worried about that first corner. It was all about survival! All I wanted to do was finish, and I had a blast doing it.
The time my son and I spend together either practicing, racing, washing, maintaining, or shopping for parts is nothing short of golden.
I have been running and lifting since I was in my 20's. I used to power lift, but then got into more cardio, and now just mix it all up for stamina. Warming up and s-t-r-e-t-c-h-i-n-g is very important at our age.
It will be great having a practice track in your back yard. Seat time is very important, even if you are doing figure 8's.
Have a great time!

Believe it or not, the best exercise for motocross is, riding motocross.

I have a bowflex, all the "tools" you could ever want and the desire to exercise non-stop, but just exercising, doesn't do jack for me at all. I have to ride a lot and when I do ride a lot, I see instant results, literally, ride every other day for 2 weeks straight, ride a few hours a day and you will feel like a million bux, far better then what you feel like having lifted weights. Stamina is the killer when it comes to anyone over 20 years old, so building cardio is the first key. That means 20 - 40 mile bicycle rides every other day, that means jumping jacks, jump rope, jogging, rowing, get your heart rate up there and buy a monitor. Usually I do the "heavy lifting" stuff twice a week, just enough to keep that department in check.

Just as an example, My new training schedule is this;

- Monday (30 mile bicycle ride)
- Tuesday (weight-training)
- Wednesday (power MX 2 hours)
- Thursday (weight-training)
- Friday (30 mile bicycle ride)
- Saturday (long MX)
- Sunday (power MX 2 hours)

The "power MX" ride is a new thing I'm gonna start in a few weeks. I have a track near me and I have a few hours in the mornings when I can ride, sadly they are only open wednesdays. So I'm gonna hit the track before work for 2 hours. Basically, fill the tank twice and never get off the track otherwise. This is a stamina building trick and I've done it before with much success. You come off the track beat, but the more you do it, the more you build stamina. The goal is to ride for the entire tank straight. If you can do 15 - 30 laps straight, you'll be in good shape for an 8 lap moto.

I'm 5"10' 148lb, skinny as all ghetto and 33 years old. I also don't do anything else but work and moto. But if you've you got a track in the back yard, holy shit, I'd be on that thing every day for hours!

Thanks for the vote of confidence guys.
I'm feeling good about my working out..."should have started this years ago".
First time riding last year was first time in 20+ years. Couldn't hang onto it for more than a couple minutes at a time.
Even durring the summer with limited working out (but plenty of riding) my legs would give out. He'd alway tell me "stand up more. Stand up the whole time"
"I can't!" I'd cry. That's when it hit me. Why pay all this money ($50 a lesson and I had to have had ten of them) and nrisk life&limb if I don't even do what is FREE and work out condition myself?!

This year will be leaps&bounds better. My instrutor will notice it first day.

People point out that I will have had a dozen or more lessons from a pro and have worked out for months before before my first race. It has been said that I will do better than I think. After watching local races at Byron and seeing some of the 30+ guys ride...I think maybe I will.
But don't care how I do, just get to ride on a real MX track and have some trafic around me. Looking forward to getting properly roosted for my first time

Both the ten year old and I watch all the SX and MX and now even areana cross. We went to the local arena cross. It'll be a great summer. Can't wait.

Coo

grabbed this pic from the "Lets see your backyard tracks" thread.

From last year. Bunch of kids got together at one of the local farms to ride around.

I will be more fit next summer than I was in this pic.

....I'm the bald kid in the back

That (above) was a fun day.
Super hot out.

Was good for all the boys as it's like hundreds of acres of that same straight grass we are standing on. It's a sod farm and the grass was in transition and they have no probelm with us running around on it. The fact that there is so much room, we are not single tracking all in a line, we don't tear it up to much. The kids bikes don't anyhow.

There are some gravel paths for the tractors we jump acoss. There is a pond and river to swim in. We built a couple jumps around the parimiter.
We had a couple kids bikes in the pick up truck already and I didn't want to bother with my carrier so I just road the road&ditches there. About two miles from our house. KX250 feels wierd on farm roads. Like didn't want to wind it out to bad.

I think it was nine kids out there that day and each one had his own bike.....AND NOT ONE 4-WHEELER!
Only a couple wipe outs.

Fun day that was.

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The first race I had back in 99, I had done quite a few laps around the target track, and felt pretty good, but never started against anyone. From being a competitive shooter I learned over the years, if there's a question, answer it, if not, then minimize the unkonwn aspect of it.

So I just didn't start very aggressively. Made sure I watched the gate hit the ground before I took off, and that's all it took - almost last into the first corner. You probly won't have to let everyone go to achieve a backend start either.

Good news is, its likely everyone in your age group has a job to get back to, and so will probably allow some room in the turns.

Just avoid unnecessary risks, and stick to your game plan. Break, turn gas, repeat. That's it.

The results will take care of themselves.

Yea. I also noticed that at the local AMA track, the winner of the C/over 45 year old class does not get a new F150 for winning. Or one of those big checks for thousdands of dollars. Or a date night with the trophy girl. I'll let them all go and just be happy to run some laps with others out there.

Thanks guys

Coo

CooHead, on 10 February 2012 - 10:08 AM, said:

Yeah huh Coo? I've seen some of your posts in the other thread(it was inadverent, honest)..... you're already dating her!

That was nice to say.
After seeing that "Chics on Bikes" thread...and watching SX and MX...I want to get her a trophy girl outfit. All tight and spandex-like.

Dating...been married to her for over 20 years now.