Suppose your kid wanted to race motocross

[xr-nut]

Originally Posted by MossMan

Good advice. I hadn't thought about the hand guards on the track. You're right though, they're a cinch to take on and off. I just put them on earlier as a matter of fact. I did get him a good helmet but I might have to trade it for a bigger size. I looked at the neck rolls and started to get o e but I held off. You'd recommend one though?

neck roll? no, get a neck brace. you dont have to spend 500 bux on a leatt. find a youth sized evs. ive heard and read a plain neck roll can create more problems than they prevent. think about that 2'' roll around his collar area and the movement his helmet does when it hits it, almost like a teeter-totter. I found evs's for my boys at rmatv iirc about 125 bux on sale. they work very well, same principle as leatt. they move the roll up and out, closer to the bottom back edge of his helmet, preventing it from going back or sideways.

i wouldnt put a lot of stock in what everyone else is telling you about cost either. your maintenance on the 2-stroke is minimal, trans oil and air filter oil. he'll go at least a season or two on brakes, chain/sprockets, clutches, rings, etc.(probably 2-3 seasons) another benefit of the 2-stroke is they are easier on their wear items. racing 4-strokes eat parts, and they eat themselves.

on a typical race weekend we spend: 5-10 bux to get in the gate(each x 4), 30 bux per bike for the race(x3), 100 bux in diesel to get there(i have a limit to how far ill travel) 30 bux in race gas(with premix), and guessing 30-40 bux for packed food/snacks/water. all said $270ish on race day. when you get home its a quart of trans oil and clean/oil the air filter and lube chain.


oh-one more thing....to size his lid, put the helmet on-stand in front of him and hold onto the helmet. have him try to turn his head from side to side inside the lid while you hold it still. he shouldnt be able to move very much, if at all. you should see his cheeks have lines/marks/etc from the check pads when the lid is off, but not to the point it hurts him. sizing is a fine line between comfort and protection.

[MossMan]

Thanks for thy info xrnut.

After a long wait we're heading to the local MX track this afternoon. At first I thought we'd go practice but then I told Noah while we're there you may as well race. So he's just going to hit the track and roll around to get the feel of it. No worrying about the "race" aspect of it. Just seeing what it's like to be on the track, and then out there with other riders too. We'll see how it goes!

[TURK]

My son started racing when he was about 7. He's 26 now. We went through lots of bikes, trucks , and saw a lot of the country doing it. He has a lot of friends, that he met at the track
Oh yea, he's broken I don't know how many bones along the way, mostly legs. Compound spiral fractures, just above and just below his knee braces that he has to wear, cause he blew both of em out, are not pretty, especially on your own kid.
When he was a kid it was bad enough. Now he's grown, a self employed fluid engineer in the energy field. He's also casted up for broken tibia and fibula, has had to miss a couple months of work, no insurance, it'll be a couple of months before he can work. The cost of his medical care is out the roof! Ask me how I know. He's probably going to lose everything he has, before this is over. I told him the day before he got hurt, that he needed to keep his ass off of the bikes, until he has insurance.
He's competitive all right.
Woods riding is lots easier on wallets and bodies.good luck.
I don't think you should let him on the track to race, until he learns to deal with the speed and traffic. There are kids who will not hesitate to try to jump the triple, with him rolling the double. He needs to be able to run close to the speed of everybody else, or he will get run over.

[MossMan]

Well his first ever MX race is in the books. He got third in his class. Not bad even if there were only three.

He's racing the 9-10 yo 65s so nobody is clearing doubles or triples yet.

[TURK]

They will be hitting doubles and triples. Soon. Not trying to tell you what to do, just didn't want to see him get hurt.
Hey, third is a podium finish ! Hang in there.

[modestmike19]

Great job and glad he's okay. My first race was scary. I started in the open beginners and raced against 65's-450 four strokes. I got lapped by a kid on a 65 and I'm just now keeping up with him. The little bikes may not have it in the jumps, but some kids rip it in the corners. Keep at it and please don't pressure the kid. He either has it or he doesn't. I hate seeing parents at the track pushing their kids to hard.

[MossMan]

Originally Posted by TURK

They will be hitting doubles and triples. Soon. Not trying to tell you what to do, just didn't want to see him get hurt.
Hey, third is a podium finish ! Hang in there.

Oh I know. No worries. One of the kids in his class was sailing over a table top pretty impressively. He ran the second moto the same as the first so we've got some consistency.

[MossMan]

We're at a different, and better IMO, track this evening getting some practice in. He's ridden one round and seen the track and now I want him to work on picking up the pace a bit.

I know the basics of riding (stay up on the seat, keep your elbows up, etc) but I've never ridden competitively. What else should I be telling him? And what else should he be working on?

Also, we did about 50 miles of trail riding earlier this week in the Indian Ridge section of the Hatfield & McCoy trails. He's already three times the rider he was this time last week.

[MT4Runner]

Most importantly--is he having fun? Are you having fun? Are you guys having fun together?

That's all that matters--everything else is gravy.

[modestmike19]

Originally Posted by MT4Runner

Most importantly--is he having fun? Are you having fun? Are you guys having fun together?

That's all that matters--everything else is gravy.

x2
I have an 11yr old cousin who can ride but refuses to race because he's afraid of not placing. Some kids are way too competitive and forget all about just having fun.

[MossMan]

Very true. I'm here with all my kids and as far as I can tell we're all having fun.

[one_lost_one]

Originally Posted by MossMan

We're at a different, and better IMO, track this evening getting some practice in. He's ridden one round and seen the track and now I want him to work on picking up the pace a bit.

I know the basics of riding (stay up on the seat, keep your elbows up, etc) but I've never ridden competitively. What else should I be telling him? And what else should he be working on?

Tell him to practice relaxing during the race. I think I waist more energy getting amped up right before the race and within the first half a lap I'm already winded. When he can learn to start relaxing he will ride smoother and with more flow. Smoother is faster and safer. And maybe teach him when he should be standing and when he should be sitting. The more he rides the track the faster and safer he will be on the trails.

[rockota]

Originally Posted by MossMan

I know the basics of riding (stay up on the seat, keep your elbows up, etc) but I've never ridden competitively.

what?

[one_lost_one]

Originally Posted by rockota

what?

It means to sit as far forward as possible, almost on the gas tank. This weights the front end and the bike steers like it should.

And I can't tell in the first pic, but is he wearing any goggles?

[rockota]

Originally Posted by one_lost_one

It means to sit as far forward as possible, almost on the gas tank. This weights the front end and the bike steers like it should.

In the turns... maybe.
Anywhere else.... NO.

[one_lost_one]

Originally Posted by rockota

In the turns... maybe.
Anywhere else.... NO.

Not going to argue there, and that's why the kid needs to learn when to sit and when to stand.

[rockota]

Originally Posted by one_lost_one

Not going to argue there, and that's why the kid needs to learn when to sit and when to stand.

yup...

damn... i miss riding. I feel old.

[MossMan]

Originally Posted by one_lost_one

Tell him to practice relaxing during the race. I think I waist more energy getting amped up right before the race and within the first half a lap I'm already winded. When he can learn to start relaxing he will ride smoother and with more flow. Smoother is faster and safer. And maybe teach him when he should be standing and when he should be sitting. The more he rides the track the faster and safer he will be on the trails.

Good advice. I have to concentrate on the same thing when I race but I hadn't thought to tell him that.

Originally Posted by one_lost_one

It means to sit as far forward as possible, almost on the gas tank. This weights the front end and the bike steers like it should.

And I can't tell in the first pic, but is he wearing any goggles?

Yep. And yes he's wearing goggles.

Originally Posted by rockota

In the turns... maybe.
Anywhere else.... NO.

Yep

Originally Posted by one_lost_one

Not going to argue there, and that's why the kid needs to learn when to sit and when to stand.

And yep. That's what I told him this evening. He did great and rode a little faster each lap. Says he likes this track a lot better too.

[YZEATER]

good luck with the racing. i'll follow along and try to help ya out some.