Any other mid 30s folks getting back into it?

[Billion81]

Just getting back into riding after 20 years and am having a blast but....

I wonder how long it will take before I feel like I can truly handle a Vet track much less a main track.

Much of the old feel is coming back but damn the riders are so good I feel like a total goon when I watch the guys out on the main track.

Like to hear from any other riders just getting back into riding (or just starting) MX and hear some of your thoughts, experiences, apprehensions.

Everyone at the few tracks that I have gone to are super cool so its not like there is pressure but I want to know how much time I should plan to spend on getting this deal sorted out.

My son is starting to ride so I want to be able to push it a bit.

Anyway- just curious to hear from others in this situation.

And to your more serious riders out there, thanks for giving kooks like me some help rather than telling us to scram.

[hondoman]

Got back into it at the rip ol age of 45. That's going on 6 years ago and still plugging away. I will admit it is sometimes hard to get moving Monday mornings but what a rush on the track. I am kind of back offish on some things on the track but for the most part try to do everything for sure. I stopped in 85 and wish I would of just kept it up. I started back up racing against kids that I was older than their dads but ya have to start some where. It's not so much the age thing just as long as your having fun that is what it's all about for me. It does take alittle longer to heal when you mis calculate a obstacle but what the heck it is better than sitting around wondering what it would have been like to do it. Have fun ride safe.. ?

[YZ450t]

Yea,another victim here!! I tried to avoid it honestly.. Went out and hadto have a CBR1000 Repsol street bike last year..Ok..this is a blast...2 months ago..the wife proclaimed" whatya think about bikes and quads?" Bingo!! New YZ,quads,etc,etc...and now Im trying to catch up with all the changes... CR500 back then,now wha? valves? No more open class mx? 4 strokes? Now my YZ is a 4 stroke? laughing...I been away too long,lol...Charlie

[Billion81]

Yea,another victim here!! I tried to avoid it honestly.. Went out and hadto have a CBR1000 Repsol street bike last year..Ok..this is a blast...2 months ago..the wife proclaimed" whatya think about bikes and quads?" Bingo!! New YZ,quads,etc,etc...and now Im trying to catch up with all the changes... CR500 back then,now wha? valves? No more open class mx? 4 strokes? Now my YZ is a 4 stroke? laughing...I been away too long,lol...Charlie

Very funny....CBR1000 repsol Honda eh? I too see myself as Nicky Hayden at catalunya so I sympathize. I started off with a little CRF150F that I modded up and took to the track only to realize that it was A. Fun as hell and B. Not enough bike to really allow me to push any kind of "next level" riding.

No kidding on the technology. My last bike was a hand-me-down YZ125 (I think) that we rode around the farms of Maryland. The closest thing we had to a track was the construction sites (that ate up all the farms).

God Bless us all for not sitting around waiting for spring to clean out our garages and just play the occasional round of golf.

[slow]

Being a never-ever MXer I started at the age of 39. It was definately a life changing experiance. I separated my shoulder from a crash but healed up and still ride. Because of MX I workout more, I eat better, no more pop and I'm much stronger. Got my son into it also. There's nothing cooler than going over a jump with your son and looking at each other in the air. Maybe if we both pulled off nac-nacs that could be cooler.

[berkeman]

Got my son into it also. There's nothing cooler than going over a jump with your son and looking at each other in the air. Maybe if we both pulled off nac-nacs that could be cooler.

I agree. One of my best days riding was a day that I rode Club Moto with my son (who was maybe 10 at the time, on a KX-65), and he was starting to get more comfortable getting bigger air. I was following him off to the side on the jumps, and it was like watching a SX helmet cam or something. We were both way up in the air together, flowing over jumps, and that was my son in front of me. Totally cool. ?

[YZ450t]

Its pretty funny really. After I came up just a "tad" short on some jumps back then(1994), I got pretty involved in other hobbies.Tried RC trucks,and cars..a blast,but to tedious for me,they are sittin on the shelf,freakin things run great,till race day!! Became a gym rat for the "abuse" and got hooked literly in tourniment bass fishing,good competive cut throat timeconsuming,but atleast it pays for it self. Always kept one open at mx and the such. Now,Im seeing a few of the kids of the guys I used to bang bars with.....The wife mentioned "quads and bikes....damn garage looks like a bike shop ..just like old times!! I go up to Palmdale where I grew up,condos where there was this great track layed out...wonder if I could do a practice start in that golf course green?? Hehe...Charlie

[scottiesei]

29, just started riding late last year. When I go to tracks I usually spectate until most of the fast riders are off. Then when I ride, I just stay my lines and be aware of my surroundings, who's coming up behind me, etc. Also, I ask when the practices are slow and try to go then when there are not so many people. Usually later in the night, at the end of the day or the first practice after a race has the tracks pretty vacant. After about 3 or 4 trips to the same track I can usually keep a medium pace and not get in anyones way too bad. I still tend to take breaks when the really fast guys are out there. Have fun!

[LowSlide]

The biggest regret I had was letting motorcycling needlessly slide out of my life for a while. The biggest thrill is that it still there better than ever with more info out there to learn and improve, and way better bikes.

[speedrox]

Started at 31, been doing the MX track thing for about a year and a half.

Spent the previous 15 years riding quads and buggys at the sand dunes 6-8 times a year. Got sick of the expense (toyhauler, 1 ton truck, sand rail, 3 quads) and the week of trip preperation and the following week of cleanup. Now it's just load the bikes in the truck and head to the track, stop and wash them off on the way home and change the oil once a week. ?

I started on a whim, none of my family or friends rode. Now my son rides with me, started on an xr50 now on a 65 & moving to an 85 soon. It took me about a 8 months to a year before I became confident enough to skip the vet tracks and head straight to the mains. But, that was with no MX experience. Since you've done it before you'll probably have a pretty fast learing curve..

We ride at least once a week & did our first race last weekend. My son took 4th both motos (out of 9) I had a bad start & crashed out of Moto 2 but it was still the MOST FUN I've ever had on the track. ?

Good Luck & welcome back to the addiction

[mfranzdorf]

GREAT THREAD!!

I'm 34 now and started racing motocross when I was 31. I always had dirt bikes as a kid, but it was just trail riding type of stuff. After I got married, I got completely out of riding until buying a Honda CBR600 in 1998 and then moving on to a Yamaha R1 after a messy divorce. Tons of fun, but too many close calls on the street. I met some new friends and got absolutely hooked on Motocross. Now I am hopelessly addicted. As for the age thing, I really don't think about it as a bad thing, riding and racing keep me feeling young.

I do get a little skittish on some of the bigger jumps and the pace that some of the other( younger and older alike) riders are running, so I know where you are coming from.

My son is 12 and my daughter is 10, and they are both really into wanting a bike. Can't wait to be on the track with both of them ?

Keep riding, and welcome back!

[moto_stevo]

I moved to Colorado in '02. I just didn't have the funds to ride, let alone race anymore. In '02 I broke my wrist and that was it...... until last year. A new yzf250, and I was back at the track. I won the state championship race and finished 2nd vet nov for the state series. WOO HOO. It did take me a while to get my timing back. Oh, and I don't remeber it taking so long to get back into shape. The muscles are definitely sore for longer. The gym and I are at least on talking terms ( I try to get there once a week at least... never had to do that in my 20's). I'll be moving into the vet B class this year, and hopefully the vet A's (yes even on a relatively stock yzf250).

I am sooooo happy to have the addiction back!

[Billion81]

Started at 31, been doing the MX track thing for about a year and a half.

Spent the previous 15 years riding quads and buggys at the sand dunes 6-8 times a year. Got sick of the expense (toyhauler, 1 ton truck, sand rail, 3 quads) and the week of trip preperation and the following week of cleanup. Now it's just load the bikes in the truck and head to the track, stop and wash them off on the way home and change the oil once a week. ?

I started on a whim, none of my family or friends rode. Now my son rides with me, started on an xr50 now on a 65 & moving to an 85 soon. It took me about a 8 months to a year before I became confident enough to skip the vet tracks and head straight to the mains. But, that was with no MX experience. Since you've done it before you'll probably have a pretty fast learing curve..

We ride at least once a week & did our first race last weekend. My son took 4th both motos (out of 9) I had a bad start & crashed out of Moto 2 but it was still the MOST FUN I've ever had on the track. ?

Good Luck & welcome back to the addiction

Reading all of the replies has been inspiring. Especially the one above. If I get to the main track within a 8 months (confidently) I would pretty stoked. I would argue that your time spent on the quads, sand rails, etc.. would qualify you as someone who at least "gets" outdoor motorsports and as such puts you in a good position with pushing yourself on a track.

To me the desert stuff seems way more scary than any MX track simply becuase all of the wild machinery blasting around out there.

I am researching some instruction but want to get my skills up so I can make the most of the lesson.

Anybody been to Marty Smith or any of the other MX schools? I am fa

[speedrox]

I am researching some instruction but want to get my skills up so I can make the most of the lesson.

Anybody been to Marty Smith or any of the other MX schools? I am fa

Your on the right track, before putting out money for a trainer, put in some serious seat time. Once you get used to the bike & riding the tracks the skills will come.

Nothing against trainers, I was going to get a trainer when I first started but I'm glad I waited. Most of the guys at the track will give you all the pointers you need to get going again. Get a trainer when your ready to hone your skills.(if you feel you still need one)

[nick.222]

Congrats for getting back into the sport! ?

Yep, it takes awhile, especially if you've been away so long.

The bikes have become so freakin' good that average riding speeds seem insane, compared with even the early 90's.

20 years ago, I doubt any of us worried much about tabletops, triples, or worse yet...rhythm sections.

Ride smooth, don't ride over your head...you'll just lose valuable riding and learning time while healing. Speed will come eventually, usually one section of the track at a time. Keep riding, keep sweatin' the small stuff, you'll pick up the pace without even knowing it...and eventually you'll get to my age group, 45+, still healthy and fast.

Over 45 means one thing... more golfers = less riders, I'm sure we have all slowed down a notch or two, and you can come in and kick our butts!

But don't forget, always enjoy having your kids be a part of the challenge..!

[batoutahell]

Well, I am a newbie at all of this. I rode dirt bikes many moons ago, mostly friends or cousins that had motorized toys. And mostly just trail riding.

I got out of things for a bit, but then found the dunes and quads, have had a blast with it and decided I wanted a dirt bike. I am 35 now. My kids and wife both ride, but not nearly enough. I am thinking that getting my 8 year old involved would be a great confidence builder and something else that we can do together. My 2 year old wants one bad now as well.

I have already met some people that have offered to help me out with pointers and things at the track. If it would warm up a bit I will get out and try the track.

There are some decent desert tracks that people have groomed a bit, and I will probably start with some of those to get the feel for the bike better.

Great topic, and I am glad to see others in similar situations.

?

[Raven1911]

I am another late bloomer at 31. Never had any motorcycles growing up and threw my leg over one about 1 year ago and never looked back. My buddy let me ride his for the first season and I just bought a used bike at the beginning of this season. Its nice to see others just starting at my age too as I see all these teenagers out on the tracks flying and it does get intimidating when you are passed by a 10 year old kid on an 80 ? Anyway, I don't race but just play and love to ride. Had a bad crash in November and am waiting to get back on but have to get health insurance first.

I have a son who is 1 and can't wait to get him involved, as well as my wife. ?

[CLL375]

Wow, I thought I was the only one that stated late in life (31yrs old). I never rode any kind of a motorcycle before I bought mine in late November 05. My girlfriend was talking about marriage and I some how flipped the whole conversation into "We should buy some dirt bikes and start trail riding!" Within the week I bought an 05 CRF230 for her and an 06 CRF250 for me. The sales person asked if I wanted to ride it before I bought it. He was shocked when I said I didn't know how to ride a motorcycle. The day I took it home, I got on it and tried my luck. I looked at the gear pattern in the manual and started it. Once I got going it was real easy and fun.

When it was my girlfriends turn it was a different story. I had to push her around on the bike for a long time until she was comfortable with the weight and steering it. I was exhausted after that because I pushed that thing for about 30 min. She finally got the hang of it and now we have fun just riding the trails. I try to do a little more each time I go out. We went to an MX track that was empty the other day to ride around and had a blast. After we were done a young boy entered the tack and started to ride. We were both amazed by his riding..We didn't know you could jump all those hills on the track. HAHAHAH! JK.

I'm just glad to see I'm not the only one that started so late.

[CRFan1]

Awesome thread!!

I just got a 99 CR125 last month after a 15 year layoff from the dirt (I am 41!)......my last bike was a 79 RM125

I am realistically looking at riding once or twice a month but it is an all day event and my intention is strictly to ride recreationally whether it be trails or track. Last week I went to an all sand track and did pretty well....rode at my own pace, only fell once and got some "air", hehe.

I plan on doing this for a long time, getting a bike for my 10 year old son soon and maybe buying a left over 06 CR250 next March ?

[sparkplug1972]

? to all of you. I am 33 and just started riding again last fall. Prior to that, I was about 16 on a '84 RM125. Not quite 20 yrs but feels close enough. I know I looked like the biggest goon my first day at the main track - 1st and 2nd gear all day long ? . It has been coming back to me fairly quickly. I think being in decent shape has helped. I am probably still a slower c-class rider. And yes, I too was extremely embarrassed to be on a 450 and think I was going along okay, when a young kid on a ktm85 passed me like I was standing still ( at Valparaiso, IN. ) . Be persistent, the speed will come in due time .