Smooth track vs rough track

Paul Mac

Paul Mac

PR Addict
Background: I DO NOT RACE! I ride open practices for fun. Don't care if you are faster than me, or I am faster than you. If I had to rate myself honestly I'm a fast C rider or a slow B rider.

Debate: Do you like a smooth track or a rough track.

Reason for topic: went to COCR saturday for the first time to check out all the hype. The track layout looked fairly easy and fun. They ripped the track deep and it rutted up everywhere. Corners, jump approaches, jump landings, straights, everywhere. It was very difficult (for me) to jump obstacles that normally would have been no problem. Also most of the jumps had someone stuck in a rut on the landing anyway. Occasionally people get on here and talk about how rough a track gets, has multiple lines, really seperates the riders - but whats the point? I would rather ride a track smooth as a babys butt. Check out the track in the KX500 video. Classes seperate riders. Multiple lines are fun in corners, but on jump faces or landings? What does everyone really want? Smooth, rough, or something in between?

Qaulifier (for the flamers): Before you reply make sure you read the first part of the post again. I'm not interested in your "motocross is a rough sport" speech. I've probably ridden more than most of you have been alive. I still try to improve everytime I ride, but I still have to go home to a wife and kids in one piece. Some day I'll hang up my boots, but for now I'm still having fun - just not last Saturday at COCR
 
Depends. If im hungover i like smooth tracks, if not, i like 'em rough!!

Seriousley though, i love rough tracks. Braking bumps, rutted corners, etc. is the cup of tea i prefer. Im not a big fan of ruts in jump faces/ landings though. Too dangerous for all skill levels.
 
Don’t freak, I’ll bet the jump faces (actually the whole track for this discussion) were still “newly built” soft over this past weekend……Over time, things will firm up.

My answer to your question = Rough
 
Not too rough, not too smooth! I think it needs to be rougher than smooth, because that tends to control speed. Rougher tracks tend to have more moisture which keeps speed in check too. Most people ride to the limits of their abilitys on rough tracks instead of over their head. Now rutted jumps faces, no thanks. Those just lead to cupped out kicker faces.
 
I'd prefer to practice rough and race smooth. If that makes any sense. Lol But I'll be the guy to complain (to myself and friends not the promoter) about tracks being too smooth.

Practice in the worst conditions and pray you have smooth conditions at a qualifier or regional. I know you don't race, but neither do I anymore. Final answer: rough.
 
I'll take a rough track any day over smooth. Rough typically means more moisture in the ground, which tends to have better traction too, which is safer IMO. And like BC said, a rougher track is typically slower. If there are ruts in slower jump faces/landings, I like that. But I don't care for ruts in the faces of fast/big jumps.
 
I like a rough track, smooth gets almost boring. And I can't lay it down in the turns on a smooth track. I am no big fan of ruts in jump faces or landings either. Sunday after the race we looked at the jump faces and they looked pretty good. A couple of shallow ruts in the big table top face. That I don't mind but when they get a little deep, I'm chicken. One of our members stayed after the race and tracked everything back in so hopefully the sun and rain will concrete the jumps in. Besides when I crash on a smooth track its generally hard and hurts worse. Rough track is a little softer in those mild get off's I tend to have.
 
Medium, As in a few ruts in corners but still loamy on top outside corners if someone wants to blast it. Some brake and Acceleration chop and a few (very few in low lying areas) shallow (6" MAX) short straight rutted lines (as per say through a bottom area say 10- 20 ft not 100 ft / allows for recovery of less skilled riders and rut riding practice at the same time). NO RUTS ON A JUMP FACE OR LANDING (NO MATTER IF ITS FAST OR SLOW JUMP).
I think this would make everyone happy. NOT everyone has mad skills, and on the flip side not everyone wants to be bored or unchallenged riding mx on a supermoto track.
My argument for the riders who are so skilled that the track is not challenging or rough enough is. If you are that good its time to build your own private track or hook up with the big dogs. and for the others that want to ride a track that is paved or packed in with a steam roller, keep practicing and ride the hard pack tracks (you can find them) that aren't prepped until you develop or improve your basic skills, or ride more trails you'll get better.
 
Medium, I guess would be Rough for some. Depends on a persons perspective. JUST saying, HINCE the BIO on the matter in my earlier post.
 
The rougher the better. I absolutely hate dry tracks. They become hard pack and loose in the turns. No traction, the rocks all come out, and they chew up your tires.

Rough/muddy tracks are the best. Besides having the jumps to hit, you have amazing ruts in every turn. I know this is not true, but i feel like you can go faster and attack the turns much harder on a rougher track. When the track is rough, the whole the whole track becomes fun, instead of just the jumps.
 
After riding in different parts of the country I have developed a taste for super hard pack and smooth tracks like Kahuku Motocross Park on the North Shore of Oahu. My number 2 was North Pole Raceway in Alaska, that track was silt and it was soft and smooth and they were able to pack the jumps down enough they didn't get rutted. I hate ruts in corners, any knuckle head can rail a good rut but when you get the hard pack like Kahuku you get to learn some throttle control.
 
Is the track in Hawaii the one that John DeSoto helped to start up?

I don't race either. When I DID race-- I was between 5th and 10th in 125 C (No... I wasn't any good at racing. haha!). When I raced-- I preferred a fast, rutted, and bumpy track. It seemed like that would cause the other C riders the most trouble, and I was able to finish better than when the track was smooth.

Now that I don't race, and I too ride just for fun-- I'm like anybody else... I like smooth, loamy, moist, tacky, types of tracks. I like good flow where you can just ride, and ride. Easy but inventive rythm sections... step up dubs (like the uphill at Amherst), options in turns, a tunnel, a staircase, and fast/flowing whoops (like the ones at TV Land). Also-- a laid back party like atmosphere helps out too.

What's funny is that I had that exact conversation about how tough MX is with Pit the other night... I don't know why people always say that. I don't want it to be particularly tough-- I want it to be fun! Motocross means that you race, I don't consider myself an MX-er. Just a guy who loves to ride dirt bikes on a groomed track, and having a good time with my friends. Racing seems so official. --L*64
 
Kahuku is the track that John DeSoto helped to get going, his father was the driving force in giving everyone a great and legal place to ride.
 
TCracing said:
Medium, As in a few ruts in corners but still loamy on top outside corners if someone wants to blast it. Some brake and Acceleration chop and a few (very few in low lying areas) shallow (6" MAX) short straight rutted lines (as per say through a bottom area say 10- 20 ft not 100 ft / allows for recovery of less skilled riders and rut riding practice at the same time). NO RUTS ON A JUMP FACE OR LANDING (NO MATTER IF ITS FAST OR SLOW JUMP).
I think this would make everyone happy. NOT everyone has mad skills, and on the flip side not everyone wants to be bored or unchallenged riding mx on a supermoto track.
My argument for the riders who are so skilled that the track is not challenging or rough enough is. If you are that good its time to build your own private track or hook up with the big dogs. and for the others that want to ride a track that is paved or packed in with a steam roller, keep practicing and ride the hard pack tracks (you can find them) that aren't prepped until you develop or improve your basic skills, or ride more trails you'll get better.
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i pretty much agree with this desecription.. I prefer not to have the living crap beat out of me when i go to a track i dont find that fun or enjoyable and neither does my tail bone. I forsure dont want any rut on a take off or landing and perfer not to have deep ruts on straights.
 
I love ruts in corners, but hate them on straights and jumps. Other than that, rougher the better. I love trying to find a smooth line and dialing in my suspension on any given day to make me the most comfortable.
 
im gonna guess that most of the people out there that dont like a rougher track are sitting way to much.
 
My biggest problem with a rough track is suspension. No matter who you send it too it does not work for everything. Since I am still in college I don't have the money for multiple bikes for Woods, MX, Flat Track and AX so there are certain situations my bike does not perform well at.
 
It's a difficult thing to design a track that people will like, and what they like depends on their skill and experience. But as many people have said on here over and over........ people like to have Ruts / Berms in the turns but hate having ruts on the faces / landings of the jumps. Also, people mostly hate perfectly dry smooth dusty tracks as well.........

So you have to keep jumps smooth, but turns rutted.......... the perfect track!
 
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