If you love bikes, you probably also have the itch to do some racing, and as one of the most accessible forms of motorbike racing, motocross has a lot to offer. But if you’ve tried riding a dirt bike with friends and want to get more serious, what options do you have?
Motocross racing can look daunting from the outside, but from kids to parents, there is racing you can get involved with. Here is your best route to the fun, challenge and excitement that motocross racing brings.
Starting out with Dirt Bikes
The most important thing you need to race motocross is a bike, and there are a number of ways to approach this. Most modern bikes use 4-stroke engines, which are proven to be reliable and easier to look after, while the latest options also feature lots of electronics, including traction control that can really help in poor conditions. But with all that technology comes a big price tag too, but there are other options.
For new bikes, you can still find 2-stroke engine equipped, less complex bikes from major manufacturers like KTM and Yamaha, they rely more on the rider to get them around the course, but they are cheaper and lighter. There is always the used market too, and you can find bargains even in the modern 4-stroke bikes if you take your time.
Go to an MX riding school
If you are a true beginner, and haven’t ridden much off-road, let alone been in a race, this might be the best way to start. This is especially true if you have kids that want to try motocross riding and racing. It’s a controlled environment with experienced riders to guide you every step of the way.
They usually provide bikes to ride too, and will often have a wide choice of manufacturers and models to try. Not only do you learn the skills you need to compete in racing, but you get to try a few different bikes to find the style that suits you best.
Remember though, whether you buy a new or used bike, or go to a motocross riding school to learn, you’ll need a helmet, boots, gloves, chest/neck protector and riding gear to keep you safe in the event of a fall. Never take a chance with your safety, and if you are a parent, make putting on the helmet and other protective gear a habit before going near the bike, it will keep your child safe for life.
Build confidence and skills
To get into motocross racing, you need to be comfortable on the bike in difficult conditions and terrain. If you don’t go down the riding school route, then you need to get used to how obstacles, jumps and right terrain affect the bike, and how to deal with them all. Because in a race you could be surrounded by a couple of dozen other riders, you really need to get the bike handling dialed in so you can compete safely.
If you have been riding for years and are just transitioning to racing, this shouldn’t be an issue. In case you are just starting out, then focus on getting off-road time to build your skills quickly. If you don’t have an MX bike yet, use a mountain bike, most pros train with mountain bikes for fitness, but its also a great way to develop your two-wheel riding skills in challenging terrain.
Find your nearest motocross club
With a bike sorted and gaining some skills, you are ready for your next step in conquering motocross racing, and for that you need a track, somewhere to race. Unless you have the means to build your own practice track, that means finding a club near to you. The good news is that there are motocross clubs everywhere, so you probably live reasonably close to one. They vary in size and facilities, some are very busy and have multiple tracks, others just a single course, but thats enough for a beginning.
Not only is a club a great way to find somewhere to race, clubs will usually have multiple races to suit different ages and abilities over weekends. These events are usually full of people who live and breathe motocross. If you have questions, need some guidance, even if you are looking for a used bike, you will usually find someone who can help you out.
Way to winning your first motocross race
So, you have some bike skills, a bike and the gear you need, and now you also have a motocross club and people to race against. For the first few times, its probably enough to just be in a race, it can seem like there is a lot to think about with the track, other racers and so on. But pretty soon, you’ll go from loving just being there, to thinking about being at the front, and there is a lot to do to start competing and winning Motocross races.
The more races you ride, the better you will get, experience will teach you a lot about lines, managing the race and even things to avoid when you see other riders getting it wrong. But there are some tricks that can make a big impact on where you finish, here are just a few.
Getting the best start
The start sets up everything that follows, so it pays to get it right. As the gate drops you want to have the revs quite high, but feed in the power slowly through the clutch to get the best balance with traction and speed. Like everything, practice makes perfect when it comes to racing starts.
Know the track
Sand, dirt, mud, depending on the club and race, you may experience them all as you progress in your racing career. Learning how each surface affects your bike handling and power delivery is part of being able to compete and win in a variety of races.
On the day of your race, always walk the track beforehand, as this will give a good idea of the state of the surface and help you spot potential issues you might want to avoid.
Have fun out there!
Racing is a lot of fun, and while your progression will have you focusing on lines, the best strategy for you and your bike and learning new techniques to help you go faster over the obstacles, never forget that. Make sure you enjoy the experience every time, because if you win and are not having fun, are you really winning at all?
Stay safe, enjoy yourself and learn something from every race. You’ll soon be at the front of the pack.
You might be interested to rad our article about – How to train like a pro MX Racer.