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I'd love to hear your answer when someone asks "How can I run more than 1 class?" Especially the kids.
Last time I checked the more people that buy their own new bikes, parts and riding gear the better the health of the industry.
The guys that ride weekly and race occasionally for fun are the life blood of the industry. Let's see these companies survive giving product for free to pro's or selling it at cost to LL riders. That would be a ugly p&l statement.
On the pro racing health topic - there will always be 20 guys in the us racing at the top level with or without LL's. Same number as the years before LL's. Its not like we have 20 SX or 40 MX riders on the same lap at the pro level because of the amateur racing structure.
The Shop
Laps per $. Just paying for gate fees (unsure why racers have to pay gate fees on top of everything else, if it weren't for the racers there would be no event) and then my registration for two classes I'm looking at over $100... On top of the $100+ I just spent in fuel in the truck getting there, food for the day, tear offs etc etc... Now we're looking at a $300+ day for less than 30 laps of racing... For some stupid reason I still go.
The amount of ride time for being there for 12 hours. It really seems like the class of 10 little 50s end up with a 20 minute moto despite them not being anywhere near each other. I understand they are the "future" of the sport, but by the time the last lapper pics his bike up 10 more times and finally gets off the track, the vet guys have been sitting on the gate for 30 minutes.
It would be nice for physical fitness to actually matter beyond a 4 or 5 lap sprint. If you're not able to do 20 minutes at "race pace", you're not really in race shape. It's frustrating to get pulled on for the first 2 laps only to be making huge gains on them as they are gassed on the last lap... A real 15-20 minute moto for A/B and vet classes would be great.
There are way too many duplicate classes, and C class is full of sandbaggers. We have qualifying motos in our 250C classes out here in the maritimes of Canada because we get 50+ riders for that one class... I had recently moved from Ontario and was shocked with how fast "C" class is out here... The top few guys in that class were as fast, sometimes faster than the top B guys... But yet they weren't moved up.
I started to race off road in 2016 as I started to trail ride with some guys for fun... $40, Nearly 2 hours of racing, endurance and fitness is a huge help. Less chances of the big injuries as it's more about the skill than it is about being forced to huck some big jump you shouldn't be doing. I show up at 10am, hang out for a bit and by 4pm I'm exhausted, truck is loaded up and I'm headed home.
That is why that sport is growing so well.
Bought a brand new 250X at Christmas... Selling my 250F next spring and I doubt I'll buy another straight up MX bike.
Our MX series is hard on travelling... 4+ hours of traveling for a "regional" series is a lot, and unless you live in a central area you do lots of driving.
And got to factor in the cost of what other gay shit you’d be doing on a Sunday if not riding, sure you’d still be spending money
Last time I checked it takes skill to huck a jump....
They've chased away all the actual novices from wanting to race Loretta qualifiers.
People vote with their wallets.
I love racing, and I'll stick to racing in other events where Im going up against people of my own skill. No interest in the sandbag nationals.
Nothing beats the buzz of racing though.
People post it time and time again, race days are too long blah blah blah blah. If the problem is people don't want to spend their time at a race track then the sport really is screwed. I can't imagine not looking forward to a day at the race track personally. But if the problem is people don't want to spend the day at the race track then what's the point.
But, a longer moto helps those actually in shape.
Not saying it doesn't take skill to huck a big jump, but once you're hitting the big stuff, the skill required doesn't go up if it's an extra 20 feet, but the consequences for the higher speeds make it not really worth it.
In hare scrambles, the risk really doesn't go up that much when the obstacles get harder, but it takes more skill to get over things the bigger they get. Big difference going over a log thats 18" high and one that is nearly waist level.
Pit Row
Most other hobbies we all have don't cost $300+ per day. Tank of fuel in the boat is like $20, lasts a day. Maybe spend $60 to take the car to a show/cruise in, mountain biking is almost free, a day out riding the trails is 5 gallons of gas... Lots of cheaper ways to spend time.
I can't complain too much about the cost, as I do it because I'm lucky enough I can afford it, but it's really easy to see why people aren't showing up anymore.
Cost of bikes, transportation and especially health insurance coverage, etc hasn't helped as well how much contingency pays and events that pay these days....
Sure miss the old days.
-$325 annual licence fee
-$50-%100 annual club membership fee (you have to be a member of each club you compete at unless it's a state level championship, the just be a member of any club)
-Then your race fee, anywhere from $30 at club day-$180 state title.
Add in practice fees and I think you have it good over there.
Having said that I still race and don't plan on quitting just yet.
One has to look at this from an economic perspective. Does typical local racing pass the cost/benefit analysis? For me, the answer is no. I can spend $25-$30 plus gas, go to a local practice track, ride at my own pace for as long as I like, race the locals and try to keep them at bay, take very little risk, and have the rest of the day to do whatever I please.
The world is changing because costs/benefits are changing. In the good old days, a reasonably intelligent and hard working male could race motocross, find an attractive mate, and afford kids and a home. The costs of these things have changed, and perhaps the benefits have declined. This is why local motocross racing, dating, marriage, birth rates, and the like are losing popularity. We are entering uncharted waters with the Boomers thinning out and their way of life (and prosperity) going the way of the dodo.
I used to love local racing, but for me the costs outweigh the benefits. I'd be open to cool one-off races like 125 Dream, Vet Fest, Sleepy Hollow 2-Stroke, and maybe a GP. But I have no interest in local motocross racing, Loretta qualifiers, and the like.
-Licence fee/year 410€ (~509$)
-Club membership/year 100€ (~124$)
-Race entry fee 60€ (~74$)
-Mandatory Insurance/year 1200€ and up...(~1488$)
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