Desert Racing (Dirt Bike)

[Stites]

The wife and I agreed over dinner on Saturday night with some friends that myself, my daughter and my wife should all start racing.

They have different levels for all skill levels from Novice, Amateur and Expert.

They have short courses for the kids to race that they do 1-2 mile laps. There are two women events all with N, A and E classes one on Saturday and one on Sunday. Sunday is a 100 mile race.

All men races are typically right at 100 miles. Most times the course is 40-50 miles and you do 2-3 laps. The fast guys will finish the course in 2- 2-1/2 hours with novice guys creeping into the 3-4 hour mark.

I recently finished my home gym and have been going hard core to build strength and stamina, I am looking forward to this challenge and to be back racing for the first time in over 10 years. I plan on starting out in the Novice Over 40 class.

 

[Austin_F]

Um point of order....

I will be identifying as female to race in the novice women's class just to teach you cishet normies a lesson in gender assumptions.

 

[wormser77]

Do it
I've always thought a desert race would be rad! We have a huge one here called the desert 100, grand cannon fire start!
For some reason I've never raced it, always did the woods stuff.

Check out this couple! Ran across an article about them a few months back.

This Couple Racing Two-Up Is Racking Up Wins In Baja - ADV Pulse

Rally racing, and off-road riding in general, can be a daunting task even for experienced riders. Kevin and Michele Busch, however, are taking it to a whole other level. The adventurous couple not only rides the trails together on their Honda XR650R, but also does cross-country rally racing…...

www.advpulse.com

.

 

[Terry_Schiavo]

Um point of order....
I will be identifying as female to race in the novice women's class just to teach you cishet normies a lesson in gender assumptions.

you didnt ask for your point of privilege... so its a 3 week vacation for you!! #BAN!

To complete the BAN you must logout from your computer immediately and return on March 8th

 

[Terry_Schiavo]

Stites should start MTB'ing if you want to up your fitness... same balance skill set.

 

[Stites]

Looks really fun, with exception to the summer months when it's really dusty.

 

[tinhead]

Twist them grips!

 

[Terry_Schiavo]

what district is out by you? Do youse have an AMA card?

 

[Stites]

what district is out by you? Do youse have an AMA card?

I don't have an AMA card anymore, been 10 years since I raced AMA. Planning on racing MRANN which is Northern Nevada specific.

If I set the world on fire and because a famous desert racer I will consider blessing the AMA with my presence. Might be hard to do because I am not that fast.

 

[Terry_Schiavo]

weird... not a single mention of AMA on their website... I would think a regional org would at least be associated.
Basically in club racing you need an AMA membership in order to compete so they can track the points you scored to be eligible for MA events.
Last hare scramble req proof of AMA membership. Again you had to score a min amount of points to qualify for other events.

 

[whipit1K]

I would be all about desert racing if I lived in that area. I have watched some desert racing videos and it is totally different than east coast off road racing, to say the least. I bet it will be fun

 

[bowtie]

a enduro with no checkpoints fuk yea!

 

[wormser77]

a enduro with no checkpoints fuk yea!

Our harescrambles have checkpoints but aren't time specific. Fastest guy wins.

 

[Stites]

a enduro with no checkpoints fuk yea!

I recall seeing a video where they scan your bike after each lap......not sure if it's a checkpoint or not as I also saw people picking up transponders before the race this last weekend at our local bike shop.

 

[Vandal]

Prepare to get passed by a kid on a 70.

 

[Stites]

Prepare to get passed by a kid on a 70.

And chicks on CRF230’s!

 

[RollieFree]

The wife and I agreed over dinner on Saturday night with some friends that myself, my daughter and my wife should all start racing.

They have different levels for all skill levels from Novice, Amateur and Expert.

They have short courses for the kids to race that they do 1-2 mile laps. There are two women events all with N, A and E classes one on Saturday and one on Sunday. Sunday is a 100 mile race.

All men races are typically right at 100 miles. Most times the course is 40-50 miles and you do 2-3 laps. The fast guys will finish the course in 2- 2-1/2 hours with novice guys creeping into the 3-4 hour mark.

I recently finished my home gym and have been going hard core to build strength and stamina, I am looking forward to this challenge and to be back racing for the first time in over 10 years. I plan on starting out in the Novice Over 40 class.

Say bye bye to all your extra money and time.
RF

 

[Master-Cylinder]

I have a "Lifetyme" AMA Membership, earned it the hard way. I wonder if it's worth a fuck for nonsense like this.

I raced a few 100 mile 250 races at Daytona. The olde TZ250's vibrated so bad, your hands were useless after the race. It took everything you had to make those things last 100 miles. And to make it that far on a tank of gas. They held close to six gallons. I had a Harris fuel tank.

 

[maui]

Try it...run it like a business. Advertise your company(s?) or just wander into to it and have fun. Either is good but tax deductions are nice.

How many races would you do? Whats the season? What do you have to give up besides time and money?

sounds fun.

 

[Stites]

Try it...run it like a business. Advertise your company(s?) or just wander into to it and have fun. Either is good but tax deductions are nice.

How many races would you do? Whats the season? What do you have to give up besides time and money?

sounds fun.

For me this is family fun if the girls take to it.....I am not 100% that they will buy they seemed interested so let’s roll with it!

Time is irrelevant if I am doing something I love with my family. Money is about $100-125 per race for the entire family. There is 8-10 races per year.

The guy that sold you all your dirt bike gear a few weeks ago won the entire race this past week and was racing in the over 50 class, but smoked everyone. That said he also won the over 50 class at Baja a few months ago.

 

[pimpslayer]

weird... not a single mention of AMA on their website... I would think a regional org would at least be associated.

Up until 1999, there was no MX or Harescrambles run on any AMA tracks in NE Ohio. A sanctioning body called the CRA had all the tracks tied up.
If you wanted to run an AMA event, you had to go down to SW Ohio, or over into PA.
The only dirt bike riders I knew with an AMA comp license were the guys that ran the National Enduro Series.
I left in '99, so I don't know what goes on up there now.
.

 

[Terry_Schiavo]

its a $100 fee to have an AMA sanctioned event. If you want Pros... add another $600.
I dont have either set of rules in front of me but I wonder what the difference is. I let my AMA membership lapse for a few years in 2002... I had been a member since the 80s. Still not a bad deal for the $50/yr it costs. No pins anymore ...

 

[Fever500]

District 37 represent!

 

[pimpslayer]

its a $100 fee to have an AMA sanctioned event. If you want Pros... add another $600.
I dont have either set of rules in front of me but I wonder what the difference is. I let my AMA membership lapse for a few years in 2002... I had been a member since the 80s. Still not a bad deal for the $50/yr it costs. No pins anymore ...

I do know from talking to a CRA promoter that the CRA was formed because of the cost of putting on an AMA event. The high level of insurance coverage they required them to carry was crippling. And I think you had to buy it from the AMA.....
.

 

[Terry_Schiavo]

I do know from talking to a CRA promoter that the CRA was formed because of the cost of putting on an AMA event. The high level of insurance coverage they required them to carry was crippling. And I think you had to buy it from the AMA...

I dont think that would be the case at all... does the AMA have your best interests, as a motorcyclist, represented?
Insurance can be an issue so ask yourself where are they cutting corners on coverage? I know from racing WERA that when I was injured they had coverage available that was included in your license.
The cost of coverage is typically based on a year long policy. The deck sheet looks identical to the ones I had to submit for contract bids. Some projects required added addendums or specific wording.

 

[pimpslayer]

I dont think that would be the case at all... does the AMA have your best interests, as a motorcyclist, represented?

I don't remember the WERA officials mentioning insurance at all when I got my license, but they sure had me signing waivers every
time I turned around...

 

[Terry_Schiavo]

I don't remember the WERA officials mentioning insurance at all when I got my license, but they sure had me signing waivers every
time I turned around...

right those are questions nobody really asks until after the fact. The waiver is standard but WERA didnt hide or evade after my incident... came right out with what I needed.
The hospital dropped the ball and failed to bill in a timely manner.

If youre running 50mph inches from trees and obstacles probably wsnt to carry some kinda supplemental coverage aside from having the best available gear.
My buddy Dan had pulled the tendon off his arm/shoulder in a harescramble... lucky for him he has STD and cadilliac health coverage... was still out of work 5 months.

 

[jhinderliter]

C class for life here lol

 

[BigGar]

My buddy Dan has STD and out of work 5 months.

That must have really burned when he peed!

 

[maui]

$100-125 per race for the entire family. There is 8-10 races per year.

seems pretty straight forward then.

Give me the dates, maybe I can come watch

 

[Stites]

seems pretty straight forward then.

Give me the dates, maybe I can come watch

You could also race in the over 50 class

2021 SCHEDULE | race-mrann

www.racemrann.com

 

[Stites]

Here we go!! Sienna is signed up for this Saturday's race and will be racing in the women's novice class and I am signed up for the Over 40 novice class on Sunday. My neighbor Pete is going to race with me and my buddy who is a Motors Officer with RPD.

I am excited and also a little nervous.....

 

[Snail]

Kick ass!

 

[Terry_Schiavo]

racing butterflies... woohoo

 

[maui]

woohoo

woohoo...you been hanging with Augie?

 

[Snail]

The butterflies will not be an issue once the green flag drops.

 

[Stites]

The butterflies will not be an issue once the green flag drops.

Yeah I am looking forward to this! I am not very fast and don't really know what to expect yet. Goals are to have fun and finish!!

 

[Terry_Schiavo]

woohoo...you been hanging with Augie?

trading emails... choo choo

 

[Stites]

My daughter had her race today. She was a bit nervous as she was racing with people younger than her all the way up to women in their 40s/50s.

We got her all suited up and to the line for the riders meeting. All stuff that’s foreign to her. I explained the best I could in a short time.

At flag drop it’s a dead start, flag drops she starts up her bike and off she goes. First time she’s ever ridden without me. I watched her disappear in a cloud of dust. I was proud but anxious. She’s 12 and just growing to fucking fast for me to handle. But I love watching her grow and ventura out on these adventures. This one was a 20 mile loop.

Before the race she tells me she put her phone in her camel back. I told her to leave, she said what if I need to call you. I responded great idea!

20 minutes in I get a call expecting it to be my dad wanting an update. Nope it’s my kid......I am slightly concerned but glad she’s calling. She tells me she crashed hard, sprained her wrist and the shift lever is bent and she can’t get out of first. I told her chin up and keep riding in first and finish the race. She was upset as she’s very competitive.

 

[Stites]

After an hour and a half I am starting to get worried as I haven’t heard from her and we have seen the really fast kids finish a lap.

I walked out into the middle of the desert with a better few and after a half and hour of thinking each bike I saw was her she finally appeared. I was so excited! The kicker was she was in 2nd or 3rd gear, standing and ripping through a wash.

I was so dam proud of her! We told her she had 3 goals today:

1. Don’t get hurt
2. Finish the race
3. Have fun

She was exhausted when she came in and said a course worker helped her bend the shift lever out as she wasn’t strong enough to to do it herself after spending 10 minutes trying.

First thing she says once we are loaded and on the way home as we left the pits. “Hey dad is there another race next weekend?” I smiled with a full heart, she’s got the bug!!

 

[Vegas12]

Soooo glad she's safe.

Trust me when I say I understand the anxiety of watching your spawn on a track....though mind was never out of sight; that has to be nerve-racking!!

Not sure if she's doing MX, but I'm sure I had ulcers from watching Jason land doubles.

Give Sienna a hug from me....(Cami and Hank also....you can FO)

 

[CZLoco]

Way to go Sienna

 

[Stites]

Soooo glad she's safe.

Trust me when I say I understand the anxiety of watching your spawn on a track....though mind was never out of sight; that has to be nerve-racking!!

Not sure if she's doing MX, but I'm sure I had ulcers from watching Jason land doubles.

Give Sienna a hug from me....(Cami and Hank also....you can FO)

All desert racing and she’s never been more that a hundred yards behind me on a bike. Today she did a 20 mile loop when she left I didn’t see her again for an hour and a half, yes nerve racking

 

[whipit1K]

Great story, memorable day!

 

[Stites]

Great story, memorable day!

Shit was epic

 

[BigGar]

Looking forward to your report on tomorrow's action!

 

[Stites]

Looking forward to your report on tomorrow's action!

You mean the old fat guy trying his hand at dirt bike racing? I am not sure what I have gotten myself into

 

[BigGar]

I played around with my KTM carburetor today and got it way, way better. Still needs some fine tuning but it's a proper evil beast now. I forgot how wicked that thing is when it's running good.

 

[Stites]

I played around with my KTM carburetor today and got it way, way better. Still needs some fine tuning but it's a proper evil beast now. I forgot how wicked that thing is when it's running good.

Sweet, should be ready for September!

 

[BigGar]

Sweet, should be ready for September!

Or ready to sell so that I have something else ready for September!