FreestyleFreak
Region 7 AM Freestyle
- Location
- 615
Im having my first motorsross race next sunday.I need some tips please.I was at a farm all weekend practicing with my friend that im racing with.
first race next weekend.TIPS!
- Thread starter FreestyleFreak
- Start date
ANT
Just ride
- Location
- Sea Isle City, NJ
damn where to start. First and foremost make sure you bring enough cash to cover everything: gate fee, pit pass, classes, ama membership all that right there is gonna be over a hundred bucks. Make sure your bike is READY for the race. do all the maintenance on it a couple nights before and if your gonna change anything such as handlebars suspension setting even tires do it in the middle of the week cause you could end up hating whatver change you made and it will mess you up the whole time. As far as maintenance check everything, make sure the bolts are tight, change you oil, clean your air filter, tighten and lube the chain, and please wash the bike; i hate seeing people roll up to races with dirty bikes. Put a new spark plug in it. Make sure your bike is structurally in good shape check for cracks in your frame make sure you dont have any play in the suspension linkage if you do it will definetly compromise your handling.
Make sure you get a good night sleep before the race, dont do the tune-up the night before the race. You don't know how many people I see sitting in line or at the the yawning, your gonna do it anyway because your nervous but dont let it be because you didnt get good sleep. Thats the number one race killer.
On race day leave early and get there early so you get a good spot in the pits or else youll walk miles all day just to get places. Another good reason to get there early is so you dont have to wait in line long for sign ups. If you get there late your gonna be waiting in line for a while then have to rush around just to make it to the gate for practice on time.
Bring spares: bring spare spark plugs (they are like having gold with you for two strokes), if you change your own tires bring spare tubes, make sure you have enough gas you will use more than you think, bring some oil with you and chain lube, bring spare levers and perches, bring a nut and bolt kit, bring enough tools to be able to fix anything that will get you back in the race, and bring wire tires it will make or break your race day with some stuff.
Bring friends, it gets boring sitting around. Your gonna be there between 8 and 10 hours so you might as well bring people with you it'll make it funner and the time go by faster. Make sure your on top of the race order and what race they're on so that you dont miss your moto or almost miss it. if you dont have a tear off kit get one and get tear off for you goggles, you will regret it if you dont. A lot of people dont get them and take off their goggles and get DQ'd from the race. Bring a cooler with some food and drinks. Bring chairs for everyone. If you have a pop up tent bring one. Dont have your gear on when you roll up to the track in your truck its such a newbie move.
Pracitce some starts, your gonna be nervous as hell on your first start so at least get down what you have to do. Don't let other people on the line intimidate you, whats gonna make you nervous is being right next to people and hearing everyone elses bikes. Watch some starts and see how they go down. Look to see how it works with the guy holding the board or if they have lights. Look to see if the guy who drops the gate is consistent with how long he waits to drop the gate from the time the board goes sideways. Some will screw with you and wait a while for some gates and short for others, but some guys are completely predictable and drop every gate in the same amount of time.
Well its a lot of stuff but you will get into a routine quickly and dont be nervous about going.
Make sure you get a good night sleep before the race, dont do the tune-up the night before the race. You don't know how many people I see sitting in line or at the the yawning, your gonna do it anyway because your nervous but dont let it be because you didnt get good sleep. Thats the number one race killer.
On race day leave early and get there early so you get a good spot in the pits or else youll walk miles all day just to get places. Another good reason to get there early is so you dont have to wait in line long for sign ups. If you get there late your gonna be waiting in line for a while then have to rush around just to make it to the gate for practice on time.
Bring spares: bring spare spark plugs (they are like having gold with you for two strokes), if you change your own tires bring spare tubes, make sure you have enough gas you will use more than you think, bring some oil with you and chain lube, bring spare levers and perches, bring a nut and bolt kit, bring enough tools to be able to fix anything that will get you back in the race, and bring wire tires it will make or break your race day with some stuff.
Bring friends, it gets boring sitting around. Your gonna be there between 8 and 10 hours so you might as well bring people with you it'll make it funner and the time go by faster. Make sure your on top of the race order and what race they're on so that you dont miss your moto or almost miss it. if you dont have a tear off kit get one and get tear off for you goggles, you will regret it if you dont. A lot of people dont get them and take off their goggles and get DQ'd from the race. Bring a cooler with some food and drinks. Bring chairs for everyone. If you have a pop up tent bring one. Dont have your gear on when you roll up to the track in your truck its such a newbie move.
Pracitce some starts, your gonna be nervous as hell on your first start so at least get down what you have to do. Don't let other people on the line intimidate you, whats gonna make you nervous is being right next to people and hearing everyone elses bikes. Watch some starts and see how they go down. Look to see how it works with the guy holding the board or if they have lights. Look to see if the guy who drops the gate is consistent with how long he waits to drop the gate from the time the board goes sideways. Some will screw with you and wait a while for some gates and short for others, but some guys are completely predictable and drop every gate in the same amount of time.
Well its a lot of stuff but you will get into a routine quickly and dont be nervous about going.
- Location
- Sweet Valley, pa
get a good start........
get a feel for the track in practice and try a bunch of lines cause the track will be ever changing. also try different jump combos. for example if there is a triple at teh track you are doing, double it once so if something ahppens in the race and ytou cant triple and you have to double you will know what speed to hit it at. also stay loose, dont ride tight, thats when you slow down and make mistakes. and if you start riding on the edge and making mistakes, remember slow down to go fast. just think your out there for fun. the biggest thing to riding well its just being loose and let everything flow. ohh and if you can get to practice early, you wont have to follow as many people and i know where i am from practice is always muddy so it helps you vision.
but mainly get a good start..
get a feel for the track in practice and try a bunch of lines cause the track will be ever changing. also try different jump combos. for example if there is a triple at teh track you are doing, double it once so if something ahppens in the race and ytou cant triple and you have to double you will know what speed to hit it at. also stay loose, dont ride tight, thats when you slow down and make mistakes. and if you start riding on the edge and making mistakes, remember slow down to go fast. just think your out there for fun. the biggest thing to riding well its just being loose and let everything flow. ohh and if you can get to practice early, you wont have to follow as many people and i know where i am from practice is always muddy so it helps you vision.
but mainly get a good start..
FreestyleFreak
Region 7 AM Freestyle
- Location
- 615
hm
Aight and while i was at the farm i broke my friggin clutch perch.I already got it.Is it hard to put on?
Aight and while i was at the farm i broke my friggin clutch perch.I already got it.Is it hard to put on?
The clutch perch shouldn't be hard to put on.
IMO the biggest thing to performing well in a race is to be confident in your own skills even if your slower than most of the guys your first time out. Also try your best to stay calm. Bring friends and talk, talk, talk. Think about the race, but don't dwell on things that will make you nervous. Before a feature I always pace around checking the lineup about 50 times. It's a clear sign that I'm nervous, but walking around and talking to people about the races and other stuff helps me keep my mind clear and the nerves to a manageable level. Once you take off all the nerves go away and you will just be reacting.
While I haven't raced MX, I have raced in sprint car races and the nerves part of the game is the same no matter what form of racing it is. There isn't a bigger adrenaline rush than sitting in that car and waiting for the green to drop, and once it does it's all about reacting. Most importantly JUST HAVE FUN!
IMO the biggest thing to performing well in a race is to be confident in your own skills even if your slower than most of the guys your first time out. Also try your best to stay calm. Bring friends and talk, talk, talk. Think about the race, but don't dwell on things that will make you nervous. Before a feature I always pace around checking the lineup about 50 times. It's a clear sign that I'm nervous, but walking around and talking to people about the races and other stuff helps me keep my mind clear and the nerves to a manageable level. Once you take off all the nerves go away and you will just be reacting.
While I haven't raced MX, I have raced in sprint car races and the nerves part of the game is the same no matter what form of racing it is. There isn't a bigger adrenaline rush than sitting in that car and waiting for the green to drop, and once it does it's all about reacting. Most importantly JUST HAVE FUN!
jetpilot701sj
superjet destroyer!
- Location
- Lake Lanier
x2 on the early practice. Bring lots of tear off's too. I walk the track the night before if i am camping out.
Also for starts, i try to watch the gate next to me with my peripheral vision instead staring at my own. They say you see things quicker w/side view so your reaction time will be quicker.
Also for starts, i try to watch the gate next to me with my peripheral vision instead staring at my own. They say you see things quicker w/side view so your reaction time will be quicker.
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- Location
- Sweet Valley, pa
watch the pin that drops the gate, look for the thing on the gate that is going to be the first thing that moves. also (if your not first moto) watch a few starts, go to the line and after the guy throws the 30 second board sideways count how long it is before he drops the gate. usually starters get into a routine and drop it after about the same amount of time.
ohh and this only works at some tracks, but some of the time (also depending if the starting spot by the doghouse has a reasonably good line to the first turn) if you line up 1 or 2 spots to the left or right of the doghouse you can watch the starter kick the lever to drop the gates. this way when you see him kick his leg to drop the gate you go, the track i run at alot, hurricane hills, everyone is always fighting for the 4 spots closest to the doghouse because of this.
ohh and this only works at some tracks, but some of the time (also depending if the starting spot by the doghouse has a reasonably good line to the first turn) if you line up 1 or 2 spots to the left or right of the doghouse you can watch the starter kick the lever to drop the gates. this way when you see him kick his leg to drop the gate you go, the track i run at alot, hurricane hills, everyone is always fighting for the 4 spots closest to the doghouse because of this.
- Location
- Burnsville, MN
Yeah get a good start for sure. Nothing sucks more than to get roosted lap after lap-its really fun passing people, but sucks because your not going to finish good. Also put some tephlone tape between your bars and your purch. This will eliminate your clutch and brake from snapping causing a DNF. I started doing this to my levers and cannot remember the last time they broke. Good luck.
And hey, its normal to be nervous. If your not nervous, you are not going to do good!! I know for a fact Stewart and Reed still get nervious!!
- Location
- Manitowoc, Wi
hydrate, hydrate... and did i say hydrate.
i saw early practice up a ways here. i am going to have to disagree. i tend to go tor a middle or later practice to see how fast the track is deterierating. thats just me. also in staging and once you get to the line. try and stay calm and focused. lastly, ride to your abilities and have fun.
ps: show boating=bad. it cost me a broken collar bone and a season points championship
good luck and have fun
i saw early practice up a ways here. i am going to have to disagree. i tend to go tor a middle or later practice to see how fast the track is deterierating. thats just me. also in staging and once you get to the line. try and stay calm and focused. lastly, ride to your abilities and have fun.
ps: show boating=bad. it cost me a broken collar bone and a season points championship
good luck and have fun
FreestyleFreak
Region 7 AM Freestyle
- Location
- 615
!!
Hey,i just got back from the track and i got 6th place out of 16 people so i did ok.I didnt get to finish my first race because a kid broke his leg so they ended the race early.It was sooooo much fun though and i appreciate all the tips from all you.
Hey,i just got back from the track and i got 6th place out of 16 people so i did ok.I didnt get to finish my first race because a kid broke his leg so they ended the race early.It was sooooo much fun though and i appreciate all the tips from all you.
Moondance
Just plain me....
- Location
- Ridin' the Crazy Train
good job Jared...:fing02:
I don't race MX but do some offroad events. I've only been racing for a year, and the quote above sums up my whole approach to racing. I haven't won anything, even been DFL, but so far no DNF.
Have fun!