Need some advice - To ride or not to ride?
- Thread starter faithlove617
- Start date
mooch
PR Elite
Since you've now decided to do some riding, do you have a bike in mind?
If funding could be an issue, and you're not looking to be an ultra competitive racer, consider buying a 2 stroke as you'd be able to more easily afford engine maintenance costs or fixing a blown top end.
With a 4 stroke it'll cost thousands to fix a grenaded top end rather than a few hundred to do a top end on a 2 stroke. Too many 4 stroke riders who've had blown top ends have had to consider whether it's better to just get away from it by parting the thing out ..or spend thousands to get it running again.
Buying a used 4stroke is a big roll of the dice unless you're certain the bike is a low hour bike or one that the owner has stayed on top of the maintenance schedule.
I don't want to turn this into a 2stroke vs 4stroke thread but I feel it's something to be considered if someone doesn't have a huge bike budget.
If funding could be an issue, and you're not looking to be an ultra competitive racer, consider buying a 2 stroke as you'd be able to more easily afford engine maintenance costs or fixing a blown top end.
With a 4 stroke it'll cost thousands to fix a grenaded top end rather than a few hundred to do a top end on a 2 stroke. Too many 4 stroke riders who've had blown top ends have had to consider whether it's better to just get away from it by parting the thing out ..or spend thousands to get it running again.
Buying a used 4stroke is a big roll of the dice unless you're certain the bike is a low hour bike or one that the owner has stayed on top of the maintenance schedule.
I don't want to turn this into a 2stroke vs 4stroke thread but I feel it's something to be considered if someone doesn't have a huge bike budget.
loneranger171
PR Addict
+1 on two strokes .... road 4 strokes many years.... just got back to a 2 stroke last year.... I don't get to ride that much either because of kids and work.. . and even though I felt I could jump better and go faster on the 4 stroke the 2 stroke is way more fun for the weekend warrior
GeorgiePorgie
PR Founding Father
If you change your motor oil and oil filter religiously and leave your 4 stroke stock it will be very loyal for many years.
faithlove617
PR Addict
You all are awesome, thank you! I for sure believe motocross is a great way to reach people because its a passion. Its what helps us make lake life tollerable. I don't need to ride to be at peace, I just love riding. Motocross and the people in it reached me as well. I can't even begin to speak in the ways the motocross family has touched my heart. Maybe the main thing to buying a bike is that their is much more to life than motocross. With that said, motocross is part of our life. I just want to ride, no racing really. Even if i do, i don't care what position i take. What i think about when riding is being at a practice and just being able to hang with people. Not to many times i go to a race just to spectate.
As for a bike, I am partial to 4-strokes. I started on them and my riding style suits them. I am cautious of buying a used 4-stroke without sure knowledge of it's history and maintenance. A friend just offered me a great deal on an 07 honda crf250 that is to good to pass up. I know its a good bike. I wasn't really looking to buy a bike until late spring but this person is willing to work with me. It's not exactly the bike I want, but 250f's are fun and simply its 2-wheels. I am thankful for their generosity. I like a clean bike and would take care of it. I think having a bike would be a good thing for me. I think it would help me as a person like you said.
As far as reaching people, I need to be reached myself also, daily. I think of choosing to ride kinda as a king per say. If a king in the old days declared war and wouldn't go to battle himself, then he is not a very good king. I am not saying I am a king, but realize I am in a position of responsibility and I desire to be a man of integrity. So if I want to really reach you guys and for you to be a part of my life also, then I need to ride too! Kinda like walk the walk more than talk the talk. That may sound weird, but i hope you get it.
Thank you again! This has helped alot. I might have to watch the wizard of oz!
As for a bike, I am partial to 4-strokes. I started on them and my riding style suits them. I am cautious of buying a used 4-stroke without sure knowledge of it's history and maintenance. A friend just offered me a great deal on an 07 honda crf250 that is to good to pass up. I know its a good bike. I wasn't really looking to buy a bike until late spring but this person is willing to work with me. It's not exactly the bike I want, but 250f's are fun and simply its 2-wheels. I am thankful for their generosity. I like a clean bike and would take care of it. I think having a bike would be a good thing for me. I think it would help me as a person like you said.
As far as reaching people, I need to be reached myself also, daily. I think of choosing to ride kinda as a king per say. If a king in the old days declared war and wouldn't go to battle himself, then he is not a very good king. I am not saying I am a king, but realize I am in a position of responsibility and I desire to be a man of integrity. So if I want to really reach you guys and for you to be a part of my life also, then I need to ride too! Kinda like walk the walk more than talk the talk. That may sound weird, but i hope you get it.
Thank you again! This has helped alot. I might have to watch the wizard of oz!
TimSr90
PR Addict
Jarrett, As somebody who started out too old, and is now way too old to race for any other reason than fun, I can say that the secret to racing for fun, is to find a class of like minded riders to race with. The only times I've run into problems was while racing in classes where people were far more serous than I was, and were willing put others around them and themselves at far more risk than I was willing. Also, as someone who was self employed, of the last 15 seasons, I did not have insurance the first 10. I figured that if the time came I had to divert all those race fees to paying off a medical bill, it would be sign from above that I should discontinue. I race far more conservatively than I am capable of, even with insurance now, because I know that if I go down at my age, I'm not bouncing back up.
I found the ultimate refuge in racing with guys who are there to have fun, and don't much care about who wins, or creaming somebody to take home a plaque, and who will pull their own parts to help out their competitors. They are all different ages and backgrounds, and range from seasoned, over the hill veterans to beginners riding machines older than they are.
To me, the choice is obvious. You need to get a 350X since you prefer a 4 stroke, and become a part of OTC Racing!
I found the ultimate refuge in racing with guys who are there to have fun, and don't much care about who wins, or creaming somebody to take home a plaque, and who will pull their own parts to help out their competitors. They are all different ages and backgrounds, and range from seasoned, over the hill veterans to beginners riding machines older than they are.
To me, the choice is obvious. You need to get a 350X since you prefer a 4 stroke, and become a part of OTC Racing!
MarctheSharc
PR Founding Father
This guy knows....
faithlove617
PR Addict
Please Tim, are your trying to give me nightmares. I would gladly be apart of the OTC gang though...Ohio Two-Wheeled Club, haha. You guys are nuts...pure nuts on those things. I have seen Blackwater 100 footage...yikes!!! All kidding aside, thank you for the encouragement...all of you. I love the OTC gang. I am honored you would consider me to be apart of it. Keep up your efforts Tim!
BriarcliffMx
PR Founding Father
My hats off to OTC, they're opranized! Cool Club. Wish one of us quad rickholes would organize the OQC. We are all idiots though. Wont happen.
faithlove617
PR Addict
I am baffled at how Briarcliff has a working relationship between bikes and quads...must attend to learn this work of mystery. Wouldn't really need a OQC deal, just the right promotion at the right races, it could really be good, maybe even UTV's. A couple or so tracks could be worthy of a ohio atv national besides Sunday Creek! The Ohio battle is all bikes I think, right? EDIT - Nevermind, I looked it up, I should have known that Battle for Ohio is bikes and quads, sorry.
TimSr90
PR Addict
When I did the Blackwaters I was on two wheels, though I did take my TriZ down there for the last one and rode the course the day before. By then we couldn't race them though.
You have to admit, you'd feel a lot safer looking across the starting gate and seeing guys who are all friends.
Seriously, if you ever want to ride one of these things just to say you did it, I'd be happy to let you try a few. I'll be at Smith Road's quad practice this Sunday, and also a bunch of us will be at Lightning for the whole weekend of Oct. 19-21. Id be happy to let you try a couple out, even if you just want to putt around in the field. That goes for anybody else too.