Are you a fan of adrenaline-filled activities? Is riding a bike something that you always wanted to do? If so, you’ve come to the right place. Motocross is great, jumps, turns, dirt, the sound of engines, action-packed drama and the speed, they all make up for awesome experiences that are unforgettable. As soon as you jump on your bike and ride into the wind, you feel free without a single care in the world. And it doesn’t matter if you want to be a pro or you’d rather just have a riding hobby. Let’s introduce you to the basics.
The bikes
In order to become a rider, you have to invest in a good bike. And to make that happen, you must find a reliable dealer to whom you’ll always turn for parts and services as well as an additional piece of advice after you buy your bike. On top of that, many motorcycle dealers know about racing events that are held nearby. Find someone who will not only supply you with good motorcross parts, but will also be a good friend. When it comes to the actual bike that you’re going to buy, it’s important that you know something about classes. Classes are designed to fit the age of a rider to a machine engine size. Usually, youth classes are designated by age and machine CC. When it comes to adults (125cc and up), these classes are either formed by machine CC and age or the rider’s experience/classification.
Useful guide for choosing the right bike
If you’re having doubts when choosing your bike or you want to buy your kid a bike, take a look below.
- Ages: 4 to 6: 50cc 2-stroke/4-stroke. Max Front Wheel of 10”
- Ages: 7 to 8: 50cc 2-stroke. Max Front Wheel of 12”
- Ages: 7 to 11: 65cc 2-stroke
- Ages: 9 to 15: 85cc 2-stroke
- Ages: 12 to 16: 112cc 2-stroke or 150cc 4-stroke. Max Front Wheel of 19”
- Ages: 12 & Above: 125cc 2-stroke
- Ages: 14 & Above: 201cc 2-stroke – 350cc 2-stroke/4-stroke
- Ages: 16 & Above: 351cc – Open cc 2-stroke/4-stroke
Safety is of the utmost importance
Motorsport racing is awesome but in order to have the best possible experience, you have to take every measure necessary to ensure your own safety. So, first things first, dress appropriately just in case of a fall. Take a look at absolute essentials that you need to have gear-wise.
- A helmet: This is probably the most important piece of protection you will have. Every single track and racing event requires you to wear a helmet! The helmet has to be properly fastened and it has to be a good fit.
- Goggles: You need to wear goggles to protect your vision. Many tracks are muddy so you can’t afford to lose your vision during the race because that could be costly. Always try on goggles with your helmet on in order to find the best fit.
- Body armor: This piece of equipment includes chest and back protectors. It is recommended that you learn to ride with these from the beginning because later they could take some time getting used to. Protecting your back is obviously quite important as well as protecting your belly and whole torso.
- Gloves: Should a fall occur, you don’t want to land hands first. To avoid that it is best that you put on a pair of gloves.
- Clothing: If you want to race, you need protective pants made of a durable material and long-sleeve jersey. Also consider kneepads and elbow pads.
- Boots: Last, but not the least, also look into motocross boots. The majority of racing events require that you wear them.
Practice
Many tracks have days when you can pay to get some practice with professional instructors. If you’re a beginner, make sure to get enough of practice before going for a race. Practice days are not expensive at all, so don’t worry about that. Even if you want to practice first and then buy a bike, it’s not a problem. Many tracks rent out their bikes so that won’t be a problem.
Tracks
There are two basic types of motocross racing. These are outdoor and indoor motocross. Indoor motocross is usually intended just for kids, while adults always race outdoors. Many outdoor tracks open only seasonally so it is good that you always keep that in mind. There are tracks that operate during the winter but they are rare. When choosing the track, bear in mind two things – safety and potential amount of fun you could have.
Now that you’ve been introduced to the basics, it’s your turn to act. Find a track, a dealer and equip yourself. Good luck!
