So ....WHY.... do you ride ?

hershey

hershey

PR Elite
In an attempt to understand some things last night I got to thinking why I ride.

For me its this:

Thrill...adrenalin, railing a sweet corner or hitting that big jump that has been bothering me. Going faster than I feel comfortable at times. Getting that flow where you feel everything is going just right. Racing gives me an outlet for pushing the limits and fighting to be better than the other guys on the gate.


Friends...Hanging out with good people with common interests. Meeting new people, I have met the best of friends all through MX.


Fitness...This is my gym. Its the reason Im in any kind of good shape physically. Its the reason I want to stay in good shape.


It clears my mind....Along with probably 90% of motocrossers Im certain Im ADHD. When Im riding or at the track everything else in my brain is shut off. When Im riding its the only time my thoughts are quiet. Its a fantastic stress reliever.


And now I get my kids going so a times we all get the toy hauler out and make a weekend out of it. Camping, hanging out together and relaxing.

Those are just mine in no particular order. What are yours? Im not asking what got you started but instead why do you keep doing it?
 
For me it's freedom! Freedom from all the things that clutter and consume your mind every day! When you're on your bike you can't think about anything but what you're doing. It's just you and your bike working together to negotiate the obstacles as they come at you! It's also all the things Dave said. The memories and friends I have made are more than worth all the skin lost, bones broken, concussions and MONEY SPENT! Every time I've been laid up from crashing my brains out... People ask "Was it worth it?" YES!
 
I ride because it's the best stress reliever along with lifting weights. It calms my anxiety, I get anxious on the gate but once it drops, I'm not thinking about anything, it's the only 10min in my life to where I can feel free and forget about everything that plagues me on a daily basis, plus it keeps me sober and on a straight line. I look at kids I grew up with and they're all wrapped up in the wrong things, and I think to myself if I didnt have motocross in my life, could I have potentially been where they're at in life.
 
Because it is all i have known my whole life. My parents were really involved with motorcycles and racing from the time I was born. My dads family were boat racers, and motorcycle people. In my house, ball sports were not big as a kid, but anything with a motor that raced was.

It is the one thing I like doing, because fact is, not everyone can throw a leg over a motorcycle and navigate a motocross track, and jumps. A avg skilled C rider is doing things on a motorcycle that you just cant hop on a motorcycle and do.

When I am racing, I love the adrenalin of being on the starting line, and going into the first turn. The feeling of hitting a big jump finally, and going wow, that was not that bad......It is a time when you think about nothing else in your head. Just riding or racing.

Today I also love the fact that I have a son that loves riding and racing as much as me. Even when I want to stay home and lay in bed, it is exciting that he is draggin me out of bed to go to the races. Ive coached him in football for years, and went to basketball games, etc. But the best is going to the starting line with him, giving him a little advice on the line, and watching him improve his riding skills.

I ride street bikes also. And I get a ton of enjoyment out of that also, but it is different. Some of my best friends ride harleys with me. We go out, dont worry about much, and have a great ride, laughs, a couple beers, and enjoy being on motorcycles.

So whether it is on the dirt or the street, I can not ever see me not having some sort of motorcycle in my garage.
 
For me it was all about two things. The entire experience of the first turn. It is unlike any feeling you can get from any other form of motorsports or any sport for the matter. And I am telling you, being off a bike for as long as I have, that is the #1 thing I miss the most. Setting on the gate and knowing "I am getting this holeshot" It just feels right. That is why I don't understand the pro practicers, they never get that feeling. Wow, you are missing out on the best part.
Second is pushing yourself to win. Plan and simple.

Now it is all about giving my son the opportunity to experience those things. He is WAY off from winning but when he gets there he will know that HE won and not someone on his team.

I never got the enjoyment out of street bikes. Being so focused on the idiot drivers around me and knowing it is a matter of time before some 17 girl pulls out in front of me because she is texting, just makes if feel more like work then the escape is should feel like. Had my last bike for 10 years and put less then 11K miles on it.
 
Romanyak256 said:
I ride because it's the best stress reliever along with lifting weights. It calms my anxiety, I get anxious on the gate but once it drops, I'm not thinking about anything, it's the only 10min in my life to where I can feel free and forget about everything that plagues me on a daily basis, plus it keeps me sober and on a straight line. I look at kids I grew up with and they're all wrapped up in the wrong things, and I think to myself if I didnt have motocross in my life, could I have potentially been where they're at in life.
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Yep. If it weren't for motocross I wouldn't work or try to better myself. Sounds shallow but I'd be on welfare.


I absolutely love going to the starting gate with my dad. He settles me down. Reminds me that there is no reason I can't get to that first turn first. And packs me a rocket ship lane. When he isn't there im frazzled, my gate prep sucks (so it seems) and I find myself wishing he was there giving me a slap on the back when the 2 comes up.
 
Hey George, screw you. I packed you a rocketship lane once and you pulled the holey.. Lol

Most of us who have done this so long will have nearly the same answer to Dave's question.. Its in our blood. It can't not be. Its kept me out of a lot of trouble too..
 
Man...there is so much to love about riding and the sport.

As a kid...riding was it, nothing else mattered. It was pure freedom and enjoyment.

As I grew up...working the tracks and serving the people became very fulfilling. I suppose it was seeing all those reasons you guys stated hapoening in others lives. It became a responsibility to be apart of providing a way for folks to experience riding.

The foremost enjoyment for me is the MX Family. I will always love riding and the sport, but seeing joy in others brings more joy to my heart than riding could ever offer me.

I guess it two loves...riding and the people.
 
hershey said:
In an attempt to understand some things last night I got to thinking why I ride.

For me its this:

Thrill...adrenalin, railing a sweet corner or hitting that big jump that has been bothering me. Going faster than I feel comfortable at times. Getting that flow where you feel everything is going just right. Racing gives me an outlet for pushing the limits and fighting to be better than the other guys on the gate.


Friends...Hanging out with good people with common interests. Meeting new people, I have met the best of friends all through MX.


Fitness...This is my gym. Its the reason Im in any kind of good shape physically. Its the reason I want to stay in good shape.


It clears my mind....Along with probably 90% of motocrossers Im certain Im ADHD. When Im riding or at the track everything else in my brain is shut off. When Im riding its the only time my thoughts are quiet. Its a fantastic stress reliever.


And now I get my kids going so a times we all get the toy hauler out and make a weekend out of it. Camping, hanging out together and relaxing.

Those are just mine in no particular order. What are yours? Im not asking what got you started but instead why do you keep doing it?
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You said it all perfectly.
Mostly for fun, exercise, hanging out with friends.

Clears my head and helps me stop stressing from work.

Then I start obsessing about why I won't do that jump or why I suck in ruts. But I'd rather stress about that rather than all the jobs that are late... (as I sit here at work on a Sunday rather than racing)

Kids are grown, it will be grandkids for us in a few years.
 
for me it like you said good freinds and all you said I am not the fastest guy on the track but the fun of a battle is awsome if it is for first or last and feeling when the board goes sideways and and you look down at the gate is better than any drug can give you if you have never done it you have no clue
 
Hershey, people are correct, you said it too well for people to try to improve on your post for why they ride when you hit most of the points already…..

I started riding because my dad was a racer when I was a little kid. I always loved motorcycles and would ride my 50 all day long from the time my dad left in the morning for work until he got home. He used to set up a course for me to follow when he was leaving in the summer and by the time he got home, I'd have the grass worn out on that track. My dad's injuries over the years kept my mom from allowing me to race until I was older so I always practiced weekly with my dad on the Motocross track and only got an occasional hare scramble in as a youngster, which my mom didn't consider "racing", so I only started racing MotoX at about age 15, and was instantly hooked on the racing too. Loved the first turn, loved the pressure to perform, loved the big gates and such. Loretta Lynn's pushed my interest later on when I was past 25 years old and re-invigorated my racing passion with the Regionals, full gates, lots of pressure to perform, and lots of good riders. It calms me down, gives me a reason to stay in shape, train, and be a much better version of myself than a world without riding.

That being said, I just love riding an off road motorcycle still for fun. I also have as much fun riding in the woods with my dad and his friends on the trail riding tours of the national forest in Michigan, or trying out vintage trials with Zman, riding vintage hare scrambles with other buddies, riding practice days at the various practice options, in addition to the racing that I pushed so hard for for many years. I just like motorcycle riding and never was much into the street bike life. I've slowed down the Motocross racing over the past few years to almost none, but I keep those big races in mind of what I'm going to ride each year….. I try to do a Loretta's Area Qualifier and Regional, and always Red Bud's Vet Fest at the minimum if I can help it. My kids don't have the bug like I did, but they occasionally do like to go ride because it makes them cool……. that's fine with me, hopefully someday they will get a chance to enjoy it for exercise and family time like I did growing up with a dad that raced. My dad rides more than me now by a bunch, but I'm glad he is still doing it as he is pushing me to ride every week while I'm doing my dad duty for other sports. Hockey and Lacrosse have been taking most of my time up but I'm getting to the off season this week……. So I plan on hitting Briarcliff on Sunday without even a practice beforehand, just like last year.
 
Meister said:
Hey George, screw you. I packed you a rocketship lane once and you pulled the holey.. Lol

Most of us who have done this so long will have nearly the same answer to Dave's question.. Its in our blood. It can't not be. Its kept me out of a lot of trouble too..
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That you did. You did a good job of mimmicking my dad and I's routine that day. Good job! ha. Dave Bernard set me up with some nice gates at the BC AQ. Always came out of the first turn in the top 5.
 
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