Looking for a long tame motocross track

halffast? custimguitarman?

MY 47yo bones have been pretty tough, the problem has been the ligaments and a rogue disc that just got fused 12 weeks ago. I love riding motocross tracks on my 250 and occasionally on the Bertha Sisters but I never enjoyed racing Motocross due to 5 minute practices and 10 minute motos combined with 30 classes of mostly 5-10 riders. I never understood the +25 and extra classes and why the SR 1 & 2 had to be run separate. The C class should have a better points out system. The last race I went to had 2 full gates of C riders and the rest of the A & B classes were pretty slim. I wish guys would quit spending tons of cash on hop ups to race beginners. I think a riding school and a stock bike are much faster.

I'd love to do vintage but I have too much tied up in other bikes and such to start up something else. What is the age limit on bikes at something like AHRMA?

Wish I still had this beast, '79 KTM420

420-malvern.jpg
 
Vintage classes go to about 1974 with suspension travel limited to 4in. rear and 7in. in the front . Post Vintage goes to about 1984 with no disc brakes allowed ( there are various exceptions to this that are spelled out in the rule book ) . There is also a new class on a trial basis this season which takes in more modern bikes with a front disc only and I'm not sure if it is a points paying/championship deal or not . The great thing is that these bikes are cheaper to buy and maintain than today's 4-strokes . You can usually find a project for under a grand and have a competitive race bike for around $3,000 or so . If it scatters you have it bored and slap in a piston for a few hundred .

Bones are strong until they aren't . I have two buddies your age . One broke his back last year and is thankfully recovering from it . Another has broken the same leg in two consecutive years . Both were very healthy , active individuals and were amazed that tests after their accidents revealed that their bone density was low . Both can't wait to ride again . I broke my ankle after coming back to racing after a 20+ year " retirement " but didn't have a bone density test . All my rides are now vintage or PV bikes . Two more buddies ( PitRacer members ) are having back issues due to non-riding incidents but their riding is being affected . In our minds , all us vet racers are in our twenties . I hate it when these kind of things happen to convince us that we are not . We all know this can be a dangerous sport but accidents only happen to the other guy , right ? I'm getting older but apparently not wiser , or else I wouldn't still be doing this . Could take up some disgustingly boring old man's sport like... golf...bowling.... . Screw it! You only go around once , might as well go round broke , busted up , and smilin' ! Long live MX !
 
I feel the same way. I try to keep some running in my life so I can continue with good bone health. Most swimmers and dedicated bicyclist are very prone to brittle bones as the pass 30. So far I have been luck that the only 2 bones I broke were menatarsal bones in my hand and foot, the hand cycling crash and the foot caught betweena tree and a frame rail in a sideswipe.

I raced from '82 until '03 and occasionally still do a scramble or 2

The vintage interests me, more on the Trials side than moto-x but you never know, just saw an old Honda XR500 on Ebay!!


You aren't the Advrider.com user custimguitarman are you? I see you are both from East Sparta. I think he also ride a Guzzi
 
mgorman, GP races are the way to go now days. You have the bike with your 250. Short race day if you arrive before your hour long session and go home. Or if you are up to more, ride more than one class and still only spend part of the day. I've had a good time doing Dist. 11 GP races for years now. 50+ class too for me and something to look forward to for a young 40+ like you.
 
Nope , not me . Never been on a Guzzi . AHRMA also runs Cross Country events which are 1 hour long and seem to be gaining in popularity . The AHRMA vintage trials has a following too . Browse their website when you get a chance .
 
I'll have to check in the GP thing and see what exectly they are doing. I know at one time down at Salem we were thinking about doing a 1 hour scramble with half the classes then do the rest of the classes together, then do it all again but run the course backwards and score like a motocross.

I always liked the old T-Garden and Amherst course because they included jumping.
 
Mike - your idea of a tame track and my idea of a tame track are quite different. I think you would be hooked on the vintage racing if you tried it but not sure it would be adventurous enough.

Randy - I could bring him to the "secret vintage training facility" and let him ride my 490 (it might like a rider that will let her breath and I like to see if it really has a 5th gear).

Brad
 
Mike - your idea of a tame track and my idea of a tame track are quite different. I think you would be hooked on the vintage racing if you tried it but not sure it would be adventurous enough.

Sweeping turns, natural terrain, no sx jumps, feet up standing slides and letting the big 950 breath! Jumps are for my 250


Randy - I could bring him to the "secret vintage training facility" and let him ride my 490 (it might like a rider that will let her breath and I like to see if it really has a 5th gear).

For years I raced my 250 Can-Am ASE and never knew it had a 6th gear until I split the cases. The next ride I wound out 5th through the field and was flying then placed it in 6th and scared myself!
 
I need to get down there on the 250 and check it out. Ridden past a few times on the 950 but the gates were locked
 
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