Many kids who ride expensive, highly modfied mini quads are also very talented riders. When we were racing minis, you could have taken any one of those highly talented kids, and put them on a 50cc stocker, and they would have been lapped by most of the other racers in the entry level (Jr Mini) mini quad class. Same was pretty much true in Sr Mini. I doubt much has changed. Does buying your kid a 70cc big bore constitute "buying a win"? No, but not buying it guarentees he has no chance to win, and that is the problem. Money makes a much greater competitive impact on smaller machines than large ones. This isn't to rag on those who want to fork out serious cash to be competitive against everybody else who is doing the same thing. The point is, this need to spend thousands just to get started in an entry level class keeps lots of potential MX addicts from entering into the sport, or else they show up with their stock quad, race one time and get so discouraged, and their parents figure out what its going to cost, that they never run again, and retain the experience as a bitter memory. I am a firm believer that the entry level class in any group machine should be defined to be relatively stock so beginners can get involved with minimal expense, and have a positive competitive experience, hone their basic skills, and fall in love with the sport. The mini quad class structure worked in the 90's when they never imagined the machines that would be run today. It needs to be constantly tweaked with changing technology to keep entry level classes entry level, and those who wish to spend the money to build serious race machines should adavnce up to race against others who do the same. You'll see a lot more kids in advanced classes when little Johnny builds his confidence racing other entry stockers, he is a lot more likely to love the sport, and when he does is for a time and shows serious interest, Dad is lot more likley to start plunking serious cash for a serious racer.
