Viewing 19 posts - 1 through 19 (of 19 total)
  • ive asked about trials, now what about MX?
  • gavtheoldskater
    Free Member

    hmmmm, too much time spent looking at classic mx sites on facebook.

    does anyone on here either race or mx or have a bike they play with on practice tracks, is it fun?

    for background, i used to race enduro in the late 90s on a modded cr250 and it was an incredibly fun bike.

    long since sold my modern bikes but this is something thats been itching. even gone as far as checking out a few local mx races specifically to guage where, on an older bike, i’d sit in the field. i did look at evo but the bikes seem crazy money, nice bikes though.

    so now i’m back to looking at cr250, ideally one that i can do a little work on, and wondering about a new toy.

    fervouredimage
    Free Member

    I do. I’ve been racing MX since I was 6 years old. I race a little less now than I used to but I do run training classes for youngsters at a couple of tracks in the Midlands. The evo scene is huge now and as such evo bikes are becoming expensive and the truth is that even an immaculate example will be a troublesome investment. We’ve forgotten just how much tinkering mx bikes in the 80’s took to just work well. Now you can buy a 450f out the showroom and short of oil and filter changes they will keep ticking over for 50 hours without seeing a spanner or screwdriver. It’s not a coincidence that all you see at evo meetings are blokes trying to put their pristine 89 cr250s back together.

    Super evo is starting to creep in now (90s machines) which will become increasingly popular. 90s 2 strokes can be picked up cheap, parts are readily available and frankly 2 strokes during the mid to late 90’s were absolutely fantastic machines with handling that is competitive today. You’ll see plenty of late 90s, early 2000’s machines in modern MX fields which are very competitive with modern 4 strokes and importantly; great fun.

    All I will say is that if your toying with the idea of either trials or MX be aware that MX, even at an amateur level, is a pretty violent sport, unlike trials which is more akin to a gentle pootle with your buddies in a field (which is still great). Amateur Motocross will beat you up, cover you in bruises and leave you in pain every Monday. I love it but it’s not for everyone.

    fd3chris
    Free Member

    Do it ! I’ve just bought a 99 cr125,as I used to race when I was younger . I’m 46 now and i know its going to kill me like it always did but what a way to go ;). I’ve finished rebuilding mine and have bought all the kit and work are even supplying me with a van ( they don’t actually know this ) so I’m ready to go !!!

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    jam-bo
    Full Member

    Everyone I know who plays with MX bikes is skint or broken. Or both.

    gravity-slave
    Free Member

    I’m neither of those, although I can see how it could happen!

    In some ways it’s more accessible and affordable than DH racing was. I raced DH for years and all the races are 2-3 hours away, full weekend, £60 or more for 20-30 mins actual bike time.

    Did a tryout day for a Stag Do and ended up jumping in to MX with both feet. 4 tracks near my house, one of the best in the country 10 mins from work. Track fees £20-£28 for 5-6 20 minute motos and all done from 10-4 so a good day but not all weekend.

    I fall off less than DH but only because I am crap so not only slow but very respectful of the machine!

    Love working in it, love riding it, all round great sport and hobby. Does get expensive if you can’t control the urges though!

    Don’t forget to budget for all the gear as well as the bike – lid, boots, kit, armour, spares and transport.

    gavtheoldskater
    Free Member

    thanks guys. did’nt know about super evo, that interests me more. my cr was a ’94 (from memory). the spar frame crs came out when i was racing and i was always curious about them.

    love that 125 fd3chris. i’ve thought about a 125 myself, like the idea of something super light that i can really use the power on.

    i’m 47 btw.

    qwerty
    Free Member

    What about BMX? Far cheaper, less mechanism for injury, go as rad as you like, indoors if your lucky.

    Pigface
    Free Member

    If you get into MX prepare to be broken both physicaly and financialy 😆 you will also meet some extrordinary characters 😉

    Everything above is great advice but I will also mention this: THEFT, if you think mountain bikes get stolen a lot then the MX world is worse.

    Oh and if you want light and with some go KTM 150 or a more brutal example a TM150, the TM will be worse than the most beautiful woman you ever met, so beautiful and will care nothing for your wellbeing or bank balance. Will just use and abuse you and you will keep going back until you ar ruined 😥

    qwerty
    Free Member

    Fuel for your fire: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=43PeewYCBWI pegless, brakeless fluidity in motion.

    stever
    Free Member

    I stumbled across a meet when I was out for a ride. Popped back with kids and camera and just grinned all afternoon. Regular thing for me now http://www.flickr.com/photos/steverile/sets/72157624630412576/
    More tempted by the old duffers wobbling around a woodland of the local trials scene. Anyone got a Honda 4-stroke going spare 🙂

    fasthaggis
    Full Member

    Same Stever
    I was out for a road ride last year and went past a MXpractice track. Stopped for a good bit to watch,very impressed by some of the youngsters,fearless. 🙂

    Anyone got a Honda 4-stroke going spare

    🙂

    Got an old TL 125 for my son,looking forward to having a laugh ,while pretending that we are in the SSDT

    stever
    Free Member

    I need a new dad 🙂

    5thElefant
    Free Member

    What about BMX?

    😆 He’s 47!

    Why not H&H on a MX bike? A bit less brutal than MX. Less axe murderers at least.

    I found H&H no more expensive than 24s on a mtb. There are 24hr H&Hs these days too…

    fd3chris
    Free Member

    I went for a 125 as i love the lightness and they are less tiring to hang on to. I know you can be frantically changing gear on one but when i raced i started on a 500 ktm in 1982 then slowly over the years went backwards until i was on a new 2001 cr125 which i just loved so I’m trying to recapture that feeling 🙂

    gavtheoldskater
    Free Member

    trials is the very sensible option for me. i rode schoolboy tials (bultaco 250) then later on an armstrong 240. i stopped just as monos were coming in so i do have utter curiosity about what a modern bike will ride like – and i’ve posted on here asking. there’s also 3 or 4 good local trials within walking of my house, one is literally at the end of my garden.

    but though i did trials, greenlaned when there were greenlanes, and i raced enduro, i never had an out and out mx (though my cr250 was just a weighted flywheel and a few lights with a battery away).

    there’s a few practice tracks about, most of them roll up and pay the farmer a fiver. theres a big (think its gp standard) an hour away thats more formal and groomed. i’m more into the idea of just some sunday afternoon blatting, but i’d give a race a go.

    hh is a very good call. there is an excellent one 15mins away that i did a few times.

    i’ve got a cheney 440 victor sat in the garage already, but pre 65 racing is another story!

    craigxxl
    Free Member

    I used to race motocross as a teenager to mid 20’s. I’ve had the itch to get another just for a toy. After riding my mates sons bike I soon realised that in my early 40’s I was much fitter back then as my arms and legs where pumped in no time and I was soaked in sweat. Also you don’t shrug off falls now instead you ache for days after.
    Instead I bought a KTM supermoto.

    fervouredimage
    Free Member

    I’ll echo the theft concerns raised above. I spend most of my days in fear that I will come home to find my mx bikes gone. I’ve gone over board on security but they are very desirable things for those who want to help themselves.

    On the bike front I would recommend a 2 stroke. They hold their value and you’ll have no issue selling it on should you decide it’s not for you. Second hand honda 2 smokers are priced higher because they haven’t been in production since 2007 but the later year Honda 125’s were very sluggish… Slow in fact. KTM very much rule the 2 stroke world now but if your looking for an older machine then any of the big four will serve you well.

    If your looking for something easier to handle then a four stroke is the way to go, the market is saturated with 2nd hand four strokes. Sadly they are seen as short term investments. Most serious riders buy a new one each season and sell it on come season end. I’ve certainly never kept a four stroke for longer than 9 months. Plenty to choose from but if that’s the route your going to take choose carefully. 250f’s will need a top end rebuild after 20 hours run time, 450’s will go happily for 50-60 hours.

    Mxtrax.co.uk is a good place to sign up for more detailed info.

    gavtheoldskater
    Free Member

    it’ll be a pre ’99 cr250 if i get one. quite like the idea of something i can do some work on.

    http://www.dirtbikemagazine.com/ME2/dirmod.asp?type=news&mod=News&mid=9A02E3B96F2A415ABC72CB5F516B4C10&tier=3&nid=A2AD7BE995114D19981FA21DD0DB801F

    mccett
    Free Member

    This was my 2000 YZ 250, got this after a season on a TM125. The difference was night and day. TM was as described above, basically keep throttle wide open and feather the clutch. The YZ was easier to ride and moving up to 250s and away from the kids on 125s was a lot ‘safer’. Was watching the 2013 Canadian MX the other day and nice to see the 2 smokes undergoing a resurgence in the pro field as I was one of 2 or 3 2 strokes on the start line when I quit in 2005.

    Having said that, all the injuries I received involved other riders rather than just falling off of my own accord. In the end and with a change of job I had to quit as I couldn’t carry out my job injured.

    It takes over your life, evenings spent cleaning and tinkering, in one year I did 32 weekends racing and not much less the other years.

    Everyone I knew apart from me had a bike nicked. I got followed by a gang in a Transit tipper when I started out and had the bike on a trailer, no problems once got a van but being followed was an issue.

    After a few years off decided to give enduro a go and got this….

    Even easier to ride and the enduro practise days were great and cheaper – more relaxed than the MX and as an MTBer you have certain skills that are transferable like line choice and an ability to descend steep trails that MX riders seemed to find alien. Plus the courses in N Wales were like MTBing with an engine.

    Great sport… but am hankering after a new (post-TY 175) trials bike to see what a ‘modern’ bike with disc brakes that doesn’t weight a tonne handles like.

Viewing 19 posts - 1 through 19 (of 19 total)

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