How old is TOO OLD to go somewhere in motorcross?

[Kurupt]

At what age is it too old to be noticed in motocross, or become pro

In another post a 15 year old said hes too old to go pro, that must be bogus?

I know theres no exact age, but what age is too old for sponsor's interest

?

[motosrsick99]

You could start at any age and go pro just depends on how good you are.

[WileE1]

Tim Ferry is 34? How about John Dowd...

Killed it at Southwich!!! Dude is in his 40's Placed 6th overall???

JD didnt turn pro till he was 21??

http://www.johndowd.com/index.asp

[Terry Schiavo]

Ive seen guys in their 30s go pro.

The younger you start the more chance at success. But its

not guaranteed!

[MotoXRyne]

Tim Ferry is 34? How about John Dowd...

Killed it at Southwich!!! Dude is in his 40's Placed 6th overall???

JD didnt turn pro till he was 21??

http://www.johndowd.com/index.asp

Yes but most of those guys were already National caliber riders at a young age.

Its going to be EXTREMELY tough to hop on a bike at 14 years old and start as a beginner and turn pro relatively soon. You would be at a HUGE disadvantage to the kids who were winning amateur nationals from the time they were 8 until they go pro when they turn 16.

When I was 14 and fast on an 85, I thought there was a chance I could make it. I wasnt motivated enough to train everyday that I wasnt on the bike, and I got burnt out trying to hard. And that was the end of that. Went from beginner in 2001 to AZ state champ in the 85cc 14-16 class in 2003. Hurt myself really badly in 2004 and just wasnt having fun.

[todthebod]

What happens is when you get around 18 or older and start having to support yourself, you will not be as eager to ride on the edge of crashing since if you break something you won't be able to pay your bills. If your parents are supporting you then you can ride balls out.

[Honda_Racer19]

unless you have just unlikely super god given talent, you need to have been winning Loretta's since you were like 7. These are the kids that make it somewhere. The ones that are 14 and 15 just waiting for there 16 b-day so they can go pro.

Do a yahoo search on Jason Anderson. He has a Full Factory KTM ride. he is only like 14 years old.

I have seen this kid jump stuff on an 85 that I could barely jump on my Crf450 and I am a top 7 B rider. That kid is amazing to watch.

So I would say if you are not EXTREMELY FAST and been riding virtually your whole life your chances are very slim to none

If you are not on some sort of support package by the time you are 15-16 then you pretty much not gonna make it

[KYLE220]

It all depends on how bad u want it. In my opinion it is best to start out aroud 10 or 12 because you really dont need to have been riding since you were 2 years old to be a pro or fast. A rider that is 18 and has been riding since he was 4 has most likely had more injuries than a 18 year old rider whos been riding since he was 10-13. my point is that if youve been riding a long time since you were young and have been injured, at some point you become discouraged about being a pro. Ive been riding since i was 10 and now im 18 and a 450B racer. thats only 8 years and ive moved up quite a bit. its really never too late to become a pro because there are so many age groups at lorretta lynes qualifiers 30+ 40+ and vet classes. At this point you may not be racing with chad reed or ryan villopotto but you can still get a pro license and technically be a "pro".

[jbusa8]

I believe gary semics started at 14. I could be pulling this out of thin air, but I thought I read that.

[soxfan24]

Tim Ferry is 34? How about John Dowd...

Killed it at Southwich!!! Dude is in his 40's Placed 6th overall???

JD didnt turn pro till he was 21??

http://www.johndowd.com/index.asp

Timmy has been around a looong time.

[londonbkokblockin]

there is a class for any age,

[WileE1]

Tim Ferry is 34? How about John Dowd...

Killed it at Southwich!!! Dude is in his 40's Placed 6th overall???

JD didnt turn pro till he was 21??

http://www.johndowd.com/index.asp

Dont mean to mislead......

These guys are above the average age of most pro level riders. Yes most ride/rode their whole lives to get to the level they are at thus combined with maximum exposer the possibilities have become endless . There are lot's of pros at all age levels. Reality is just how much luck, desire and determination you have, not to mention the amount of backing($$) to support your desire.... The older you get the tougher it becomes and the bigger the sacrifice. All depends on how bad you want it and what you are willing to give up to get it. Obviously a guy in his 30 has a greatly reduced chance of picking up a ride that will fully support. Age is a killer alone. But you never know till you try!

You can get sponsored even at Beginner or Novice level. It varies as a discounted % of goods to actual payouts via goods or cash support. It just depends...

"What ever the mind can perceive and believe it will achieve"

[volumeone]

Don't let burned out negative people tell your future.... If becoming a professional is your dream then follow it. Don't look back and stay focused. Never stop having fun and do it because you love it. Don't use drugs stay in school. Build your self up from the inside out, stay healthy eat right and workout. Practice, practice, practice! If you don't already have someone older than you that is as stoked or more stoked than you are about becoming a professional then find that person, you are going to need lots of positive feed back and encouragement. This person should also be willing to keep you dedicated, determined and focused on getting you to the door you want to walk out of. Just remember when you walk into a room lift your head up and know nobody is better than you because nobody is better than me not even him or her, because nobodies better than YOU! Now, go get what your after:thumbsup:

[Tha Breeze]

The younger you start the better, in general. But if you get a podium finish at Loretta's you will be noticed if it's B, A, or Pro.

[onhitch]

if you have it then you have it. if you can go from novice to expert in a couple months then you have natural talent. rc would have been dominent if he started at 18 becouse he has IT.

[Maddog10]

While talent, desire, and hard work are the most important, there is a certain amount of luck in it. injuries will kill you. I was on my way to becoming a pro, i was doing well at loretta, beating the factory guys at some of the other big races, and was workin my way into the amateur magazines. I had even talked to some of the factory teams about testing and riding for them. This was when i was about 14 and on an 85. Then i got hurt. I collapsed a lung, tore my liver, and broke some bones. i was out for about 6 months and it was like the motocross world forgot all about me. after recovering i started back to racing but got discouraged cuz i felt like all my hard work had gone to waste. i took a break for a couple years and now id say that my chances are pretty much zero. im 17 and consider myself a fast B rider in the lites class, but the fact that i no longer have factory ride waiting on me makes me think my chances are pretty slim. now im just hoping to be a dominant amateur someday and hopefully win alot of titles.

[rydersdad]

I'd say depends on what you mean by "going pro". If you mean local pro, its never really too late. If you mean "factory rider" making a great living racing..... if you havent been noticed by about 15 years old that route is going to be way harder. Nothing is impossible, and the pursuit of things that seem impossible is still worth it.... just have a backup plan. ?