Better get in line now....

[NQ1965]

If you'll bear with me, I'd like to share a little feel-good story that happened over the weekend relating to the track.
My sister Kim, and nephew Dakota are in town visiting family. They live in upstate New York, right on Lake Ontario. Dakota grew up play riding on a little learner bike and quads. A couple years back while here on a visit, we took Dakota with us for open ride day at Briarcliff. We taught him how to ride a bike with a clutch, on our Yamaha RT100. Later that winter Kim bought him a TTR125. He put it to good use.

Dakota is 17 now, has been riding bigger quads, and even rides a buddies SX125 a little.
On Saturday, Nancy and I went out and rode, but then it occurred to me to call and see if I could get him out with us on Sunday. It worked!

Once Kim and Dakota got to Honda Hills, they checked out the track. He said he was willing to try it. We had brought extra riding gear, sent him out on the RT100 in the mini-class. I followed on our KLX110. Within two laps, I immediately recognized that he was gonna do just fine.
Long story short, he rode several sessions. He had rode in heavy traffic, handled all of the obstacles, turns, ruts, and elevation variations very well, and never crashed once. Fortunately he had an awesome track to ride for basically his first time out. To me, that says a lot.

Much of the photo credits to my wife Nancy:

The Honda Hills crew was very organized and done an amazing job.
The riders meeting/opening ceremony and Parade Lap(s) was awesome and a thrill to be part of !

Dakota putting in laps............

 

[Vet261]

That's what it's all about!

 

[Scoob]

Too cool...

 

[NQ1965]

When Nancy, Anthony and I arrived to the track, we all walked (with Dakota and Kim) up to the sign up trailer. After sign up I offered to buy him and Kim HH T-shirts for the occasion. Oddly, Dakota declined my offer. ( tshirt not cool enough for a 17yr old teenager me thinking,, haha).
When we got back to the pits, I briefed Kim and Dakota on the history and significance of Honda Hills.

4 hours later, Dakota looked at his Mom and declared: Mom, I want that Honda Hills T-shirt now !

 

[MarctheSharc]

A big water tank on the top of the hill.

Elevated Water Cannons mounted on the hillside.
Remote function or by person.

Think ski slope

Edit: I'm not an engineer or a track owner ...Just remembering the feel of the place.

 

[MarctheSharc]

A centrally controlled safety system may work as well.
A nice crows nest and you'd be able to see the entire track.

 

[Vet261]

NQ what is the steel framed YZ there in the pic? Year, model, etc

 

[Scoob]

4 hours later, Dakota looked at his Mom and declared: Mom, I want that Honda Hills T-shirt now !

Yeah...I need to get one of those as well. I'm a cheap bastard at times and was just trying to get through the day since I wasn't feeling 100%. So glad, at least for that day, my son is spoiled rotten and knows he'll get what he wants if he doesn't give up...lol.

 

[NQ1965]

NQ what is the steel framed YZ there in the pic? Year, model, etc

My 2003 YZ250.
I bought the bike in early 2005 from an add listing in Bike Trader Magazine, remember those?
I would have to dig out my paperwork of the shop we bought it from exactly, but it came from up your way part of Ohio.
Some rider bought it, had FCR do shock and fork work on it, rode it some, then traded it back in. The dealer took it in, in 04, and sat on it for a while. The bike was like brand new, I got it for $3200.

Ironically the first place I got to ride it was Honda Hills. Still have the photographs in a box at home.
I still tease Brian Freeh for selling his 2003, told him one day he would regret it.

 

[John250]

When they gonna start putting the saw dust and Manure down? Then it will have that Honda Hills slick topping on it.

 

[Mcaupp22]

It would be intimidating to go practice at some of the local tracks as a brand new rider. There are plenty of tracks with huge jumps and ruts up every face and corner to ride in Ohio for the more advanced riders. MX life is good in Ohio! We are spoiled!

I gotta disagree with you on the local tracks are intimidating to new riders. Eastfork for example and has jumps that are completely safe and any fast 65 can jump everything easily. Theres a lot of other tracks like that also. There needs to be jumps on tracks for all skill levels and you can make it safe for everyone while having bigger obstacles

 

[hershey]

I gotta disagree with you on the local tracks are intimidating to new riders. Eastfork for example and has jumps that are completely safe and any fast 65 can jump everything easily. Theres a lot of other tracks like that also. There needs to be jumps on tracks for all skill levels and you can make it safe for everyone while having bigger obstacles

I think you've forgotten what it's like to be a new rider. Many tracks are very intimidating to them around here. Eastfirk would definitely be one. Easier tracks like Amherst are not.

 

[Scoob]

Ironically the first place I got to ride it was Honda Hills. Still have the photographs in a box at home.

Classic! Who does that anymore?...umm, we do I guess I have to admit. Actually still have rolls of film undeveloped...lol.

I think you've forgotten what it's like to be a new rider. Many tracks are very intimidating to them around here. Eastfirk would definitely be one. Easier tracks like Amherst are not.

Or worse, like me, in forgotten how to ride... That KX feels awful tall and fast than I remember...lol. I like jumps though. Give me a track without much air time and I will get bored. Give me a track with fast corners and I'll get smoked...

 

[Mcaupp22]

I think you've forgotten what it's like to be a new rider. Many tracks are very intimidating to them around here. Eastfirk would definitely be one. Easier tracks like Amherst are not.

Amherst is probably intimidating. Like a sketchy backyard track

 

[Stevo683]

Amherst is probably intimidating. Like a sketchy backyard track

I gotta disagree with you on the local tracks are intimidating to new riders. Eastfork for example and has jumps that are completely safe and any fast 65 can jump everything easily. Theres a lot of other tracks like that also. There needs to be jumps on tracks for all skill levels and you can make it safe for everyone while having bigger obstacles

Our first time at East Fork in the spring, we walked the track before practice started and my son said no thanks.. track was a rut all away around that day..didnt go back. He has since gotten more comfortable in the ruts this summer. The nice thing about tracks like BC and 62 they have a C track so he can hit those if the main track was too sketchy that day.. Definitely plenty of tracks to make you a better rider if you keep at it. Like I said we are spoiled! Back in the day we would ride someones back yard, dusty, hard pack track to get ready for the weekend racing.

 

[Scoob]

Like I said we are spoiled! Back in the day we would ride someones back yard, dusty, hard pack track to get ready for the weekend racing.

Yup. Demands for a track owner these days are to have enough cake so we all can eat it too...

 

[NQ1965]

Been a few years since we've had this discussion, and many may find this surprising but a major turn off to some riders is a track that is dug up, cultivated, disc' d, or tilled. They don't particularly care for heavily deep rutted straight's or turns and don't mind hard pack at all.

A close friend of mine is that way. He is a very good, natural and fast vet-class rider. But he prefers some hard pack, hates sketchy jumps, and heavy bike traffic. All outside of his comfort zone.

I'll never forget the lashing that Smith Rd track received from one prominent racer after their AHRMA event back in 2013. And it was all over the track being tilled/cultivated and ruts every where. He vowed AHRMA would never return.

 

[Scoob]

Been a few years since we've had this discussion, and many may find this surprising but a major turn off to some riders is a track that is dug up, cultivated, disc' d, or tilled. They don't particularly care for heavily deep rutted straight's or turns and don't mind hard pack at all.

A close friend of mine is that way. He is a very good, natural and fast vet-class rider. But he prefers some hard pack, hates sketchy jumps, and heavy bike traffic. All outside of his comfort zone.

I'll never forget the lashing that Smith Rd track received from one prominent racer after their AHRMA event back in 2013. And it was all over the track being tilled/cultivated and ruts every where. He vowed AHRMA would never return.

Not sure any of us "like" sketchy jumps.

The term "hard pack" leaves a lot to be desired. Honda Hills over the weekend, although nice to be back, would not be acceptable to MOST if not all with the dust, blue grove, etc. I told Spence to just enjoy himself and not push it as going down on stuff that hard is worst of all... Hoping that is not what you mean by hard pack.

Heavy Bike traffic? You talking practice or race? A track should be OK with a 40 rider gate per class. Sure, not thinking any track would be fun with 100 riders on the track at one time...

I think I feel you, although undoubtedly disagree in some cases, but just wanting to clarify. Many ways to take things and different strokes for different folks...as you are aware...

Demands for a track owner these days are to have enough cake so we all can eat it too...

 

[MarctheSharc]

 

[hershey]

Amherst is probably intimidating. Like a sketchy backyard track

Not to slow riders. Fast riders yes. Your looking from a seasoned riders view. Someone who is completely inexperienced would rather have hard pack easier hills (jumps) and smooth corners.

I've known plenty of first timers that have gone to a track and turned around after seeing what its like. My best friend who used to ride brought his kids to a race...when they saw the C class, they left and have never been to a race since. Lol