Any other mid 30s folks getting back into it?

[xerces]

My dad got back into riding after about 15 years or so, but he was in his mid 40s when he got back into it. He bought himself a WR250F and went over some small jumps a couple times with it. He crashed and broke his collar bone once, and another time he cracked two ribs. Well good luck racing the 30+ class oldtimers!!!

So, what's up with the thumbs down on your post above? You saying you don't like us older guys getting back into the sport? Man, I sure hope not... for some of us, bikes of any sort are the only thing keeping us going.

[gettr]

I'm 39 and after taking over 20 years off from the dirt, I'm starting to get back into it. Streetbikes have been my obsession for the last 10+ years, (and still are somewhat) but I'm loving getting back to dirt bikes. Funny part is I don't remember anything about riding in the dirt. Ever see a guy try to take a traditional roadracing line into a corner on a mx track?

[xerces]

Ever see a guy try to take a traditional roadracing line into a corner on a mx track?

Nope, never really seen it but a lot of people watched me do it too! ? Not only did I take a traditional line but wanted to hang off the inside of the bike too! Man, sure glad there is no video of that first time out! Don't feel bad man, those street riding skills are so ingrained in you that its going to take a bit to "forget". Just have fun with it and stay safe. Trust me, go easy on the throttle. I thought my K5 Gixxer 1K had the ability to easily get away from me (thankfully it hasn't, its a wonderful bike to ride). It aint nothing like getting a handfull of '06 KX450F throttle in second on a very bumpy surface.

[gettr]

Is that why my motocross pants don't have knee sliders? ?

[xerces]

Is that why my motocross pants don't have knee sliders? ?

Yeah, just didn't make any sense to me either. I figured they didn't put them on cause the dirt is soft enough, you don't need them when dragging knees! ?

[YZ450t]

Just when I got used to my Sportbike,and quit doin stupid mx style riding,I get back in the nuthouse with the son and get a 450YZ. So,now its lean and turn(feet up knee out),during the week,weekends are weight the outside peg,foot out at the front axle. My wife does the photoshop thing and puts me leaning my YZ like a road racer,and going across whoops on my Repsol...Think I will go ride the quads to practice both styles at once,lol. Charlie

[hampeggotty]

41 and brand new. bike is too fast, jumps look like buildings with a "mavericks" -sized face on the front, whoops look like the end of my day but it is soooo much fun! now if only Gary Semics would take an old, way-too-tall (6'5") goon like me I'd be happy ??

[xerces]

41 and brand new. bike is too fast, jumps look like buildings with a "mavericks" -sized face on the front, whoops look like the end of my day but it is soooo much fun! now if only Gary Semics would take an old, way-too-tall (6'5") goon like me I'd be happy ?

Welcome aboard hampeggotty! Keep at it and the bike won't seem so fast, the jumps will start looking like small garages, and whoops will be whooped. And if not, just have fun, cause that's what its all about! ?

[hampeggotty]

This is not a sport for the faint of heart and injuries seem to come with the deal as, if not an entree, at least a side dish! The best 20 year-olds in the world get hurt ( see the difficult news this last week of E F and to a lesser extent w/Chad R's separated shoulder) so while it is tough that your dad got hurt, it doesn't mean people should not pursue the sport if they are in decent shape and want to learn how to do it. I say thumbs way up bro to everyone who gets out there! ?

[bajatractor]

Hey Hampeggotty,,,,,,,,

Yeah just come back from along ride .................its in ya blood !!!!!

Sure age {46} has some bearing factor whether you do ? or whether you don't ?

I mean com.n, you ain't gonna do the crazy shit BUT if your logical and just 'blip' the throttle occasional and watch the power curve dose not attack with to much venom, you'll be 'sweet as' !!!!

Yeah lotsa people say.......give it up !!! {bust collar bone last year} yeah right and play a kick arse game like golf

Take it easy all you aged dirt bikers

Baja T. ?

[Red Abstract]

I will be 34 this Spring and I bought a 02 XR250 in January and a 05 CRF150F last month for my wife. Both of us grew up on small dirt bikes as kids but havent had one since. I have had a Sportster and a Vulcan and a few quads in my adulthood but no dirt bikes. My daughter was interested in mini-bikes last summer so I got her one for her b-day and I found a 76 Yamaha champ to follow her around on. Needless to say, we all decided that the only way for us to spend more time togethor as a family was that it had to be something to do here at home and not involve WORK, (I farm part time and work else where 6 days a week). Dirt bikes were the perfect fit!!! A xr70 came under the tree for my daughter, the mini-bike got passed to my 4yo son and then came mine and my wifes bikes! We have been busy as beavers making trails on our 160 (70 of which is father -in-laws) acres and we would LOVE to visit a track some time soon. Do any of yall race in the 30+ beginner class? If so, whats it like? Maybe that will be a goal for next year. Meanwhile, we tear it up right here at the house. I am going to use my father-in-laws dozer to try a small track below the house as well.

Your never to old! Besides, I absolutly love watching my kids ride!

[UberTard]

"The biggest regret I had was letting motorcycling needlessly slide out of my life for a while."

AMEN to THAT! I rode since I was 8 years old and then somehow got disgusted with my lack of funds at about 19 and quit for almost 10 years.

I then got right back on and though a little more conservative (I was a lunatic as a teen), I still managed to have a lot of fun.

To bikes an bikers alike...I'm sorry , and I'll never leave you again. I promise.

[Doctor]

You want to know a great feeling. I'm almost 40 and I've been riding for years. I'm no mike laracco, but I can hold my own. Still beat most of the local fast kids even on the supercross track. Well when I pass them and then stay on the track for another 20 laps and then pull off after 45 minutes and ride up next to them, take off my helmet and show off my bald head. They all LOOK at me like "what the hell" then I say what's going on guys. Dude you were hauling. Thanks. Pretty fun and great for my old ego.

[YZ450t]

Ohh yea!! Thats one of the great parts. Before I hung up the racing,was one time at at L.A.C.R.(SoCal) Had a good race in the 500 int class,after wards..I went back to starting area for my next race in the Vet class..(back to back). While staging...this guy comes up to me..."your old? You passed me ! Your old? Was the youngster from the 500 class. Ohhh what fun!! Now Im back playin with bikes again... Charlie

[The Buzzard]

I started out on the dirt at age 17, rode everything, mx, enduro, hare scrambles and then one day just stopped (because of a girl) at 23...

... At 39 I bought a brand new R1 and life started for me again... After a while (at 42) the dirt bug bit again so I bought a new YZ250F and headed out to the local mx track.

That was a life changing experience, my first few laps were most intense. The track was congested with really fast guys (and girls) but the sweet handling of the Yammy saved my arse time and 'front wheel landing' time. The only side effect was that I was reduced to walking like cripple for the first few weeks...

Now (4 months on) it just gets better with every outing. I can't reccommend it enough. I'd forgotten how cool the mx crowd were, no pressure and lots of help. I even have a 16 year old 'personal trainer'...

[obxnc]

Awesome thread.... I just started riding at 35. I had an old honda 125 (4 stroke) in the mid 80s. This Christmas was my turning point. I have 3 boys and they have an 04 TRX350, 03 Raptor 80, and 04 CRF150. Now dad had to get something.. So I went out and picked up a decent 01 YZ426. I have been to a couple of riding areas around here and boy do I look like an idiot out there....putting around, not leaning in the corners, feet flailing, hitting those trees that mysteriously jump in front of me. But I can really haul on a straight away. ? I have yet to go to a true MX track (with jumps, doubles and tabletops and such). That day is coming because my kids all want to go hit the jumps.

We do have about 4 acres in our subdivision that all the kids turned into a small track (we call it the "ramps"). There is a small tabletop, some really steep but small jumps, a really good berm and tons of mud (for the quads). Got some 14yo kids out here that give some good pointers, but they wreck alot. ?

I expect this summer, I will get pretty good at riding. Hell, my 12yo who got his 04 CRF150 this Christmas. It was the first dirtbike he has ever ridden. He couldn't even start it for the first week. Took him 2 weeks to learn how to use the clutch. And now he is clearing the table top at the "ramps" and is screaming for more. So, by the end of the summer, I should have gained as much as he has in the 2 months he has been riding and finally clear our tabletop

I know I am rambling, I am just so excited about riding with my boys.

[surquhar]

I'm 35 with maybe one year exp on a CR 125 when I was 13. I bought an 02 CR 250 about a month ago. The first thing I did is take it through some trails in the Brandon area. WOW! Probably added a few grey's with that one ride! Been out there several times since, and I can't get enough!

[xerces]

I'm 35 with maybe one year exp on a CR 125 when I was 13. I bought an 02 CR 250 about a month ago. The first thing I did is take it through some trails in the Brandon area. WOW! Probably added a few grey's with that one ride! Been out there several times since, and I can't get enough!

Hey surquhar, Welcome to the "Old Geezers" club! ?

Where abouts in the Brandon area? Is it private? I'm over in Clearwater and am on the look out for a few other close places to ride.

[Climber]

I turn 40 next month. Call it mid life or what, but the bug bit me again. Picked up an old 85 yz250 three months ago, and loved it. Then a yz400f fell into my lap and wow, things have changed since I was a kid. Jumps (tracks in general) seem to have evolved with the bikes/riders to provide adequate challnge. After all these years climbing, moutain biking, hunting, generally living in Colorado, I never thought about MX, but here I am, starting over. On my 2nd time out and I'm hitting my doubles good so I'm syked, but the whoops seem like they will never come. Looking forward to getting out more and hope for minimal injuries. Climbing has given me enough of those. But...

And I thought climbing hard gave me a good forearm pump...

Great Site and thread.

[stknrdr]

OK you talked me into it.I really feel like the old timer here.I started riding dirt @33yrs.My son and I raced MX and played in the dirt for about 9 years. We both took a 20 year break from dirt bikes.three months ago my son, now 37, bought a yzf450.He let me ride it and right away I was hooked(again).I followed suit by getting ayzf250.I took it to the local track and rode for 2 hrs. straight.I think I'm pretty fast. I'm actually pretty slow.I go ok in the straights and turns but jumps scare me to death.I'm now finding aches in places I did'nt know existed.I hope I can find a vets class for geezers.If you did the math you figured out I'm 60.I'm so glad to hear of so many older guys getting back into dirt riding.Wish I had done it sooner. ride good FLYGUY

You know what this means?!!!! It means if I stay healthy (and my chances of doing that are a LOT better if I ride) that i have at least 23 more years to go and I can still ride! I figured id have to quit in another 10 years or so. Woo hoo! ?