I feel like a beginner on a MX Track

[eprovenzano]

I've been riding off-road motorcycles for over 38 years.  Over the past 15 years 99% of the time I've been a woods rider.  I consider myself an above average (B-) woods rider.  But when I get on a MX track, I feel like such a noob... as my technique is so bad...  It?s not that I'm bad; it?s just that I rarely get on a track, so my track skills are really rusty.  Back in the day, (way back in the day) I was a decent MX'er.  I won a few and lost a few races.  But it?s been quite a long time since I've been on a track.

Last week, I had the opportunity to go to track during mid-week.  The track was empty except for the 3 riders in my group.  No the track wasn't groomed, but without anyone out there to land on me I really didn't care.  I was laughing at myself for the lack of MX skills. My cornering tech. was beyond terrible.  I kept coming into turns too hot, having to slam on the brakes to keep from over shooting the turns.  I looked and felt like such a noob. The whole time I was laughing at myself for my lack of skill...  Oh well, I guess I'm better dodging trees then busting woops.   

As always when on the bike, I had a good time, especially laughing at my lack of MX skill...  Give me a slick, muddy, rock and root infested trail, and I'm a much happier and better rider.  Oh well I guess I?ll never turn into a Pro MX?er.   

[cnrcpla]

That's how I felt after getting back on the track with a one year break due to an injury last season... I went to the track and I actually started on the pee wee track for a  half an hour just to get back in the swing of things.  " title="Roll Eyes" class="smiley"> But, after that I got on the big track and felt fairly comfortable with it, I did have that fear of someone landing on me at some points though too  Try a hare scramble, best of both worlds, track and trails. They are pretty fun and what ever time you lose in the track you can up in the trails, or vise versa.

[beaner]

5 years ago I returned to motocross after a 30 year break. My club is trying something new this year and running what they call an "offroad endurance series". 3 moto events, a 1 hour motocross, a hare scramble, and a 6 hour hare scramble as the season finale. I'm 3rd in points after 2 motos and the 1 hour. This weekend will be my first hare scramble, and I am a total beginner in the woods.

Wish me luck. I might need it 

[citabjockey]

I have been out of MX for over 30 years too. Would love to get back to it but the jumps just scare the wee wee out of me. So I either have to man up and do the sky shots or just forget it. I suspect it will be the latter but will practice on the track at my riding area from time to time. And I do feel like a total noob out there. Doesn't help that I never was very good at it even when I was in my 20's.

[beaner]

That's why I ride natural terrain tracks almost exclusively. You could always race vintage MX, then nobody expects you to do those jumps. Works for me 

[citabjockey]

Problem with vintage is that its few and far between. The local riding area is pseudo natural terrain but that have bladed up some pretty good size table tops.

That's why I ride natural terrain tracks almost exclusively. You could always race vintage MX, then nobody expects you to do those jumps. Works for me 

[eprovenzano]

I guess it comes down to I'm more comfortable banging off the trees than on a MX track.  I prefer cross country races, as I know I can run my race...  Although I should spend some more time on a track just to regain the skills I haven't used in a (long) while.  Plus, I did have a good time MX'ing it again.

[_X_]

its like any discipline, you have to "practice" it in order to be good at it. Moto is also an agressive attitude and you need some sort of fitness to execute these agressive riding skills. think of it as a bunch of drag races to a direction change. i imagine you can turn your bike, so even if you don't do the massive jump, gass the hell out of it down the back side to the next obstacle or direction change. pretty simple in theory really. just be brave and use the throttle and brakes correctly. now go back there and drag race the shit out of that track! Ha!

[VintageBlueSmoke]

I was decent A/ poor AA woods rider (Enduro, HS, GNCC) but turned Vintage MX a few years ago. My woods skills helped me because even though I can't jump the old bikes like the kids, I can still corner with the best of them (although I give up alot in the braking zones). This year, I have a modern bike (KTM144) to run the regional MX's and come to find out...I was faster on the Vintage bikes! That's not really true but since 40 years of abuse leaves me to scared to jump it, the open class 2-stroke is faster than the 144 so where I gain in braking, I lose in the straights.

This weekend I went to practice with a past Regional MX Champion and some other friends and still couldn't bring myself to clear all the table tops. However, at the end of the day, we decided to ride home through the woods (rather than hauling the bikes in the trucks). There are some road sections to my friends house but we decided to chance it since I had not done any trail riding in more than 3 years - and then it was either on a CRF or a vintage bike. WHAT A BLAST!

They took me down trails I didn't know and through virgin terrain (no trails at all!) but what struck me was...I'm still very damn fast. I just have to be off-road, in the trees, with the rocks and logs. I wish we still had an enduro series. I might have to rejuvinate my Harescrambles series next year.

Maybe I'll travel to one of the other islands for one of there XC races.

[Coop]

I consider myself an above average (B-) woods rider. 

That's pretty fast, I have been riding 32 years and still consider myself a C class rider because I ride with some B class guys and they can lose me at will if they want to. Or maybe they are just sandbaggers 

[beaner]

I started practicing in the woods in anticipation of this event. People tell me I'm fast, but I always ride by myself, so I have no idea really. I don't know if I'll run at the front, midpack, or bring up the rear.
I guess I'll find out Sunday.

[_X_]

The really cool thing about racing is there is always someone to race with no matter your pace. if your alone in the race the track. Have fun beaner.

[beaner]

I don't know if I'll run at the front, midpack, or bring up the rear.
I guess I'll find out Sunday.

Well, I found out.
I was leading my class until I found a drainage pipe in the middle of a turn that was under the dirt. Got back up, and worked my way through the pack, including the +30 group that started before us, and finished second. Me an the first place guy were running exactly the same lap time, so there was no way I could catch him. The good thing was, that when I saw the checkered flag, I was disappointed. I could have gone for another hour 

[_X_]

good on ya beaner... and I love the simpsons.

[TotalNZ]

I don't know if I'll run at the front, midpack, or bring up the rear.
I guess I'll find out Sunday.

Well, I found out.
I was leading my class until I found a drainage pipe in the middle of a turn that was under the dirt. Got back up, and worked my way through the pack, including the +30 group that started before us, and finished second. Me an the first place guy were running exactly the same lap time, so there was no way I could catch him. The good thing was, that when I saw the checkered flag, I was disappointed. I could have gone for another hour 

Nice work.