Mini Dad Mistakes?

MX_Implements

MX_Implements

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My 4 year is hooked and is all about it now. I’d like to hear what you guys would’ve done differently? Skip 50’s or 60’s ? Race sooner or later? If you rode when did you put away your bike?


I don’t want to hear about not being an ass or about the typical guy that yells at his kid at the track.
 
I just try to keep it fun, but use it to teach life lesson's.
He says it is is his favorite thing, but he doesn't get to ride as much as he and I wish he could. We play ride on the pit bikes more then he gets to practice on his race bike. He hasn't been on his Cobra but for 20-30 mins since the regional.
I'm glad we are on the 50's. We have a great group of friends from riding 50's. We all camp together, go to NC together and even meet up for dinner, movies, swimming and such through out the year.
He had his first race at age 4, on a pw doing a fair race, then did the winter series at RT62. I think starting small was a good path to take.
I sold my bikes shortly after he was born. I miss them terribly lol, but that is why we have a klx110 and a crf50 clone I ride the 110 when he is on the crf around the yard.
 
weasel49 said:
My 4 year is hooked and is all about it now. I’d like to hear what you guys would’ve done differently? Skip 50’s or 60’s ? Race sooner or later? If you rode when did you put away your bike?


I don’t want to hear about not being an ass or about the typical guy that yells at his kid at the track.
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Do the 50's and 65's
 
663dad said:
Do the 50's and 65's
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My boy wants to skip the 50sr and go straight to a 65 so bad. He jumped on a 65 down at Eastbend in NC at age 6 and cleared everything but the uphill triple by the second lap... I havent stopped hearing about wanting a 65 since lol. I figure we will get a new cobra 50sr at the end of the year then try and find a cheap used KTM or Kawi 65 to ride. The pit bikes really seem to have helped him with learning when to shift as he was banging gears the first lap at East Bend.
 
4DAIVI PAI2K5 said:
My boy wants to skip the 50sr and go straight to a 65 so bad. He jumped on a 65 down at Eastbend in NC at age 6 and cleared everything but the uphill triple by the second lap... I havent stopped hearing about wanting a 65 since lol. I figure we will get a new cobra 50sr at the end of the year then try and find a cheap used KTM or Kawi 65 to ride. The pit bikes really seem to have helped him with learning when to shift as he was banging gears the first lap at East Bend.
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I have a super clean 09 kx65 if you would be interested. Email me at vargo671@yahoo.com if interested.
 
Get him to a couple training classes early to teach him the basics.
I gave my boy some out dated information that we had to break him of.
Yes keep it fun.
 
4DAIVI PAI2K5 said:
My boy wants to skip the 50sr and go straight to a 65 so bad. He jumped on a 65 down at Eastbend in NC at age 6 and cleared everything but the uphill triple by the second lap... I havent stopped hearing about wanting a 65 since lol. I figure we will get a new cobra 50sr at the end of the year then try and find a cheap used KTM or Kawi 65 to ride. The pit bikes really seem to have helped him with learning when to shift as he was banging gears the first lap at East Bend.
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If your boy is big enough a 65 is not a bad way to go. But. They are fast and powerful

The 50 cc bikes teach them bad habits. I hated 50’s. Ha ha.
 
Just from personal experience. I starting riding on a 50 at like age 4. Got a trail 80 when I was 6ish but never raced until the mini jr class at age 9. I got my son a 50 at age 4 and was racing (if you want to call it that) by age 6. Two years later he has no desire to race. I'm sure failure to run up front has a lot to do with that but I honestly think 50's and even 65's for the first couple years are a waste of a lot of time and money. Sure there are kids that have "it" and maybe they should race. BUT those kids are few and far between. I remember one of my first races with my son was Chilitown. Sent my kid out for practice and was all giddy getting to see my boy do the sport I love. Then reality kicked in when a little kid named Fauser went flying by. I even told my cousin right then and there "That kid has IT" and I knew my son was no where near but really did not care...HE WAS DOING MY SPORT, HECK YEAH.
Last year when he told me he did not want to race anymore, it stung for a little while. BUT I quickly realized this little kid just saved me a lot of headaches... and money. Now I get to hear parents complain that $500 for travel baseball it too much for a year. I'm like heck, this is nothing. We spent that in a couple low budget weekends racing.
I guess long story even longer..... If he has a passion and really wants to race. Do it. If he goes out and blows everyone away the first race? See you next weekend. BUT he is not running away with it, stay local and just a few races here and there. No need to chase the LL dream or anything like that.
From the outside looking in, 50 parents are nuts. But when your inside you realize 95% of them are just having a good time with their kids and are really good people and you will enjoy hanging out with them. The 5% standout and ruin the fun.
While the rest of you are enjoying yourself this weekend up at TV Land, I will be enjoying watching my son play a baseball tournament. Its the sport HE loves, and that's all that really matters.

Oh, and don't race on his first few races. Make it 100% about him. You can come back later on a 125!
 
Let him let you know what he wants. As much as you might think you won't live through him, you will. I fight it all the time. If he us having fun then race. When he isn't then be there for him not telling him how to Go better. Every kid is different. If you guys are having fun then you can't go wrong. Even in last place.

As for riding myself, haven't quit yet and don't see it happening. Currently in the 50+ class and still having fun. It's a little more work but seeing him ride makes me want to ride even more!
 
Matthew raced shortly after his fourth birthday. He never had a ton of success on 50s. Rode ok, but nothing great. But I can remember him on the ride home telling me about what he did on the track, and all kinds of stories. He loved it and had fun, but was not winning. 65s he started doing a little better, but never would jump some of the bigger jumps. That is what was holding him back. Great corner speed, but would not hit the big ones. Having raced most of my life, I NEVER pushed him to jump the big stuff. I would encourage him, and give him some guidance, but I always figured when he was ready he would do it. The last thing I wanted to do was push him and have him crash.

Once he got on 85s things clicked in Mini Jr. All the sudden he was winning most of the motos and had a good couple seasons. Then because of size, we went from Mini Jr. to a 125. First season was so so, but last year it clicked again, and he is riding good. He will now launch about any jump on the track. Since he is riding well now, I push him. When h rides like crap, I let him know, and when he rides great I let him know. Funny story, at Malvern for the Battle, the first motos he rode like s**t. Gets a horrible start and rides like the guys around him. I got on him pretty good after the motos. 2nd two motos, the kid gets awesome starts and rides like a TOTALLY different kid, the way I know he can ride. I asked him, what the heck was the difference in the 2nd motos. His response.......You Pissed Me Off!! My dad and I laughed and walked off.

We race quite a bit, but for fun. We don't take it too serious. Just have fun. But if he does not like racing, don't waste your money. I think Matthew is like me though, he will ride for a long long time. But we also encourage him to play school sports too. He gave up football and switched to golf, hes got a good swing. And at 6"3 he is a pretty good basketball player for the high school.

Also, I started keeping a spread sheet once of racing expenses. DO NOT DO IT. Just race and have fun.
 
Best years with my mom and dad were on 50s, 60s and 80s....we never used to practice back then. Raced only. Well I take that back. We raced every Friday, Saturday and Sunday.and practiced Wednesday night at dirtworld. Don’t know how my mom and dad kept up with it all. But times are different now.

Point I’m making there’s no wrong time. All I wanted to do was ride after I went to my first pro National at high point in 1990. Been enfatuated ever since...burned out a few times here and there. But I think that’s normal with this sport.

My dad always says (and still does to this day) “have fun, ride smart” before every gate drop. Just be that dad!
 
IMG_20180630_082008.jpg
Grandpa and his favorite person. Love making these memories.
 
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Don’t drink the cool-aid too much, a sip or two is cool, but let the kid ride, they either have it or they don’t. There’s nothing you can do other than make it fun for them and give them a solid machine to ride. Pushing them
too much could kill the whole deal, just eye ball it and see what happens.
 
I’m not a mini moto dad yet but I’ve got a little guy that’s 2 and is obsessed with bikes. I have a 110 that I ride him around on all the time. He loves it.

As for getting him into riding, I hope he does. But if likes to spectate or just putt around in the yard that’s fine with me. My dad didn’t get me into dirt bikes. I got me into dirt bikes. I saw a bike and a guy that had one and decided I wanted to do that. And that’s where my love for moto came from. It’s what I enjoyed. Everything major in my life is moto related one way or another. I met my wife through a friend that rode. My best man and I rode together. I got my job through a guy I rode with. The list goes on.

So as it goes for me being a moto dad if my son or soon to be born daughter is into it then I’m excited. If they like snowboards, bmx, baseball, golf I’m in. Only thing I want for them is to know how to ride a motorcycle. But the easiest way to kill their passion is to force them to ride. It’s all about having fun and meeting friends.
 
Put the bikes aside for a second. Camping at the track with my kid and hanging around with a bunch of moto-morons like me is what has kept it alive. Without the motor home we would be a 3 or 4 race per year team. Pro practice.
 
I'm with you guys on this.
We have the grandkids fun riding. Raced a few times.

Between me still racing and our 32 year old son riding and occasionally racing, the kids and grandkids still get a lot of exposure to the sport. If the day comes that they get the burn really bad to race, everybody will know.

You never know, our sport's history is chock full of great racers and riders that were late arrivals or late bloomers.
 
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