OK, How Many Are Still Motocrossing In The Dirt ?

[kelstr]

OK, How Many Are Still Motocrossing In The Dirt ?

[kelstr]

My oldlady and myself will still go out all the time and give her hell at the mx tracks in AZ here ,
it really is a great sport :D

[ÜberDoober]

I'm almost surprised that motocross continues to survive. With "dirt" bikes costing $7,000 and the latest, greatest four strokes taking a ton more maintenance than the average Joe can perform, I don't get it. I see a ton of parents, in debt up to their ass, with rigs and equipment that would have put the factories to shame not too long ago and I just don't know how they do it?

With the loss of riding areas, of being able to throw the kids and bikes on the trailer and head out for some play without getting all serious, one would think the whole motocross thing would be dying a slow and painful death?

But, obviously it isn't. One visit to the local track is all it takes to see that either some people are making money somewhere in this downturned economy or the bank has them by the nuts for life?

I've had some of the best times ever riding dirt bikes and wish it was still the fun, reasonably cheap and easy family activity it used to be. Kudos to those of you that have the money and time to still be into it.

[Hoofhearted]

I've never stripped one of the "latest and greatest" 4 strokes. I've read in other forums about the (as one writer put it) "incessant" maintenance on four strokes. I'm trying to figure out where this comes from. Is it from people who consider taking the head off a two stroke, relacing the head gasket and then proudly announce they rebuilt the top end? I've run four strokes and two strokes and neither have a pronounced difference in a maintenance schedule. Right now my Norton has an elderly(33 years old) four stroke in it. It got a fresh crank, bearing, and rod three yars ago. It holds the class record at Bonneville and El Mirage. Its fastes run at El Mirage was 129.817. This is a 500cc pushrod motor on gas. Oh yes, it got fresh valves and springs a few years ago too. Dead nuts reliable. So please can we drop the non stop maintenance crap about four strokes?

[kelstr]

the 250 motors rev to 14,700 and the 450's rev to 12,500, way more rpm than our 2 strokes ever reved ,these newer 4 stroke race bikes are a true F1 racing motor , they use TI valves with a DLC hard coating on them that wear out after 20 hrs and suck into the head ,
the valve springs really do not go 15 hrs anyway and they loose the on the seat and the over the nose pressure quickly.
the slipper piston has no skirt to speak of and it has one ring than will only last maybe 15 hrs on a good day.

the motor only holds 20 oz of oil , and the trans holds 22 oz .

and the oil is sheared out of spec in 30 to 45 min of run time ( i do not care what oil you use,--- its gone )

the cranks might go 40 hrs ----generally the trans will brake a gear first anyway .

the suspension gets hammered real quick , it needs major work and set up all the time .

so these newer 4 strokes are very short lived :eek:

most guys will go through 4 to 6 of these bikes a year if they are chasing ama points.

the chassis streatch quickly and if you can not constaintly be working on them it is cheeper and quicker to just keep getting fresh ones !!

[kelstr]

I'm almost surprised that motocross continues to survive. With "dirt" bikes costing $7,000 and the latest, greatest four strokes taking a ton more maintenance than the average Joe can perform, I don't get it. I see a ton of parents, in debt up to their ass, with rigs and equipment that would have put the factories to shame not too long ago and I just don't know how they do it?


you are correct , mom and dad are over their heads in debt that they will never climb out of -----ever !!!

most dads will go through 10 of these bike a year to keep the brothers racing.

the showa "B" kit suspension that you must have ---(the stock stuff almost wont do the trick at the ama level .)

is 6K ---and the "A" kit showa that you really should have in 165K

the A kit taken care of will last you 2 years on 20 bikes -----so it the way to go---:eek:

[ÜberDoober]

Wow! I knew the thumpers were more work to keep going but I had no idea it was that crazy. I bet there are a lot of peeps that go out and buy one without a clue what they're getting themselves into. That's sad.

Like I said, I'm surprised the sport survives at the local level. :(

[kelstr]

Wow! I knew the thumpers were more work to keep going but I had no idea it was that crazy. I bet there are a lot of peeps that go out and buy one without a clue what they're getting themselves into. That's sad.

Like I said, I'm surprised the sport survives at the local level. :(


i can not tell you how many people get one of these and ride the hell out of it for two months and bring it in the shop for me to fix and it costs $2,500
because they thought it was like the old XR 650 they had for 20 years and did nothing to it :confused:

i see this all the time , people just do not know what they are getting into :eek:

[Cornbread Red]

Well, there's always AHRMA. I'm into shorttrack/TT myself, but finding a old RM or Husky 250 and racing it on a "proper era" MX track (No five- story jumps and nothing that would really need more than five inches of shock travel)..

I found a 1/8th mile dirt oval out near Suprise that caters to not only karts but bikes as well. They have a "Veterans" class that lets us old folks bang handlebars with each other. I bought a Cheney-framed TT500 from one of the racers, and now armed with health insurance :p.. Come Fall, I'm racing again.

Racing will never be like it was in the 60's/70's. The days of the DT/AT1's are gone, but it can still be done reasonably cheap if you go the "Vintage" route.

Chip

[kelstr]

that would not be the old 1/8th mile oval at speedworld mx track ( its in the back by the car track ) would it ?
i will use the oval at speedworld to dial in some of the trx250r's and banshee quads i build for the dune guys.

its actually a nice little flat track .

there is also a nice AMX VET track there for running the old vintadge bikes on also , ----its alot of fun !

there is alot of vintage mx racing going on in az , --and also some tt/ and flat track stuff :cheers2:

[Cornbread Red]

Yep. I also wonder if the Oval that we built out at Canyon Raceway still exists. R.A.C.E. (Racing Organization of Concerned Enthusiasts) ran T.T. there until Marlo Parks died in a bike accident (not on the track).. It kinda faded away after that.

Speedworld has a BB for flattrack racers..

http://www.azspeedway.com/phpBB2/viewforum.php?f=1

One place I hope will open up to local dirttrackers is USA Raceway in Tucson. I went to the GN Twins race there last Fall, and the track flat rocked. The 1/2mi oval is the fastest, cleanest track I've ever seen.

Chip

[ÜberDoober]

Yep. I also wonder if the Oval that we built out at Canyon Raceway still exists. R.A.C.E. (Racing Organization of Concerned Enthusiasts) ran T.T. there until Marlo Parks died in a bike accident (not on the track).. It kinda faded away after that.

Speedworld has a BB for flattrack racers..

http://www.azspeedway.com/phpBB2/viewforum.php?f=1

One place I hope will open up to local dirttrackers is USA Raceway in Tucson. I went to the GN Twins race there last Fall, and the track flat rocked. The 1/2mi oval is the fastest, cleanest track I've ever seen.

Chip

Marlo Parks. Now there's a name I haven't heard in forever. I didn't even know he died. Wow. :(

[Cornbread Red]

I think Marlo passed away in 1983 (?) He was testing a Husqvarna dirtbike out in front of his house on the street and the throttle stuck. He was pitched off and didn't have a helmet on...

He's buried out at that cemetery off Northern and 59th ave. He had a big turnout for his funeral.

Chip

[kelstr]

my god i have not heard that name in forever also -------that is just a shame how he died ,----i did not know :eek:

and yes that track is still out at canyon , ----canyon is not running anything right at the moment,

we were going there 2 to 3 times a month untill about a year ago and they ran into money problems ,

so the whole facility is just sitting there .

the mx track was really the best it had ever been, i just hate to se it go :confused:

[Motoman_AZ]

With my divorce in '05 I went out and renewed my love of the dirt with a YZ426.....then bought a CRF450x and started racing the AMRA series here in AZ..... I am having a blast! Should of starting this a long time ago! I might have been good!

http://www.emotoman.com/bikes/rockstar/images/IMG_2650.jpg

:cheers2:

[ÜberDoober]

Ok, Now I'm going to have to drag some pics out and scan them. Dammit! :rolleyes:

[Motoman_AZ]

This weekend is the next race in the AMRA series.... we are traveling to the Bull Hollow track in Monticello UT for a Hare Scramble.... have a friend taking my race bike up in the trailer and I am taking the Triumph for fuel economy....400 miles up, day of practice, day of racing, 400 miles home!!!

Here's some pics from last years race!

http://www.emotoman.com/bikes/webe/

Wish me luck!!!! I am #2 in the points so far this year (40+ class)!!! WooT!

[ÜberDoober]

....400 miles up, day of practice, day of racing, 400 miles home!!!

And how many days to recover after that? :)

I looked through your pics - very cool stuff. DooberVille wishes you luck and for a safe trip.

ps.
kelstr, that started this thread I think, does suspension, motor work and welding if you should need that sort of thing.