[Closed] Want to start riding Motocross

I know nothing of MX except that if you ask someone who's MX'd for a long time their list of injuries is long and often involves significant ouchyness (femur/pelvis/spleen/lungs).

I'd go motorcycle Enduro / green Laning over MX on a road legal set up and ride from the door or drive to some prime spots.

I'd love to have a go on a motorcycle trials bike, but I've no idea how.

the thought of a 450 does scare me,

No real help, but the old, air-cooled 250 2 stroke ‘crosser that my brother had terrified me.

I always thought that Enduro would probably suit me better than full-on Moto-X.

(ETA: I think that green-laning in a responsible manner would be a bit dull YMMV)

There are quite a few places around the country where you can hire a bike and all the protective gear for a day and usually Includes coaching.
I would suggest having a day at one of these first to see if you like it or not.
I go once a year to the yamaha off road experience in Wales which is more enduro than mx but they do have a small mx track at the top of the mountain.
After six hours of wrestling a dirt bike around mountains and forests you will know if its for you.

I'd agree about green laning. Did quite a bit a few years ago. Great fun and really improved confidence on a road bike. 125 crosser needs thrashing to get the best out of it. A 250 would be best. Or even an old cr500 😆

I'd go on a try out day first before you buy anything.
I can recommend either of these two.
Used to race with Mick and Ady was an ex team mate when we both rode for Yamaha UK.

https://www.mickextanceexperience.com/

https://www.adysmith.co.uk/

Both really nice guys who know their stuff with years of experience.

Or you could try
https://www.yamaha-offroad-experience.co.uk/index.html
Geraint knows just about everthing there is to know about riding offroad.

After six hours of wrestling a dirt bike around mountains and forests you will know if its for you

Sort of. You'll probably have a ****ing brilliant time if you're relatively fit, even if you are ruined at the end of the day and hurting in new places for a few days after.

I think you'll *really* know if it's for you when you understand how much faff the motorbike is going to be either side of a few hours' riding and you don't just roll the pushbike out the door for a thrash on that instead.

I've done the Ady Smith KTM Enduro Experience Day that SS-Stu has linked to. A great day out and the whole range of bikes from 150 2 stroke through to 500 4 stroke. You can ride all or just the one you fancy. I'm doing another one in a couple of weeks!

I've also done a days Trials riding here; https://www.trials-school.co.uk/
Trials day was also great fun and taught balance and wheelies - so all good :o)

A larger capacity 4stroke will be easier/more forgiving to ride than a 2stroke.

I used to do a lot of Enduro racing on a Honda 400 and KTM 525 - had a few goes on my mates KTM 250. Basically the 4stroke was more forgiving and you surfed the power curve. Whereas the 2stroke was much more tricky to get right.

I used to race a KX 250 and CRM 250 - the 4 stokes were better in terms of fun and control.

But you need to decide if MX racing is for you. Its not like mountian biking. Enduro is, MX is much a more jumpy, elbow to the wind thrash. Unless you are very good you will end up being last and pebble dashed by everyone in front of you until you die shortly afterwards on the second lap from exhaustion or being bumped off. Its war.

I tried it and it just hurt. Whereas Enduro was more enjoyable due to the varied terrain, longer laps and a better chance of finishing better than last.

Go and watch a few and speak to the riders.

If you go down the Enduro route you can also end up green laning and riding it on the road, so more options for you.

Bike wise - any of the big manufactures are all as good as each other. Get a non thrashed second hand one. Persoanlly I found the Hondas and KTM's great. But its a bit like say Spesh vs Trek, nothing in it.

I’m doing another one in a couple of weeks!

Say hello to the fast little ****er for me.

👍

I used to know the Yamaha Experience guys (a long time ago). They did a good try out day. Give that a go (or similar). They usually have a selection of bikes to try.

But... a 125 is the best bet unless you find you don't get on with them. Easy and cheap to maintain and you won't find it slow.

As far as getting started. Buy a bike, go to a practice track. It'll all come from there.

I raced years ago and was profoundly shit at it, but it was great fun. Deffo recommend any of the experience days above to dip a toe in the water, very broadly four strokes are easier to ride, two strokes trickier to ride but easy to maintain (never owned a four stroke scrammy and never will, but I don't fancy messing with valves and cam chains and stuff) - a 125 has plenty of poke for a beginner, and a good rider can go very fast on one, I don't know if there's anything much more fun to ride off road.

a 125 has plenty of poke for a beginner, and a good rider can go very fast on one, I don’t know if there’s anything much more fun to ride off road.

Another voice for trials riding here. I’ve been on a few trials days and it’s by far the best days riding fun I’ve had. I went to Inch Perfect Trials in Whitewell (clitheroe way). https://www.inchperfecttrials.co.uk/

Mx always strikes me as a day in A&E, as Stoner pointed out to Rossi, my ambition outweighs my ability.

I'm in exactly the same boat. I have a YZ125 lined up that I was about to buy before lockdown. I even bought the van in preparation (see the thread where my timing belt snapped!)

I've never ridden one before. I'm in Sheffield and I've got lots of places to ride in easy reach. It's the same price as an uplift day but with 10 times more riding and it's all flat out. No sitting in sweaty uplift buses.

I know the potential for injury but I've got no intention of racing or impressing anyone. After 30 years of riding DH and BMX I trust myself to reign it in before I break myself.

I'm probably going to buy the bike when I get back in touch with the owner. It's an itch I just have to scratch before I'm too old and knackered. Even if I hate it and sell up at least I'll know. Plus I just want a YZ in the garage to strip down and mess around with!

Green laning's ok, it's kind of the motorcycle version of MTB bimbling with the added risk of physical injury because the bike's heavier but without the joy of a pint on the way round. I'd rather MTB bimble, personally.

What about having a go on one of those off road/MX experience days to see if you like it first?

I think you’ll *really* know if it’s for you when you understand how much faff the motorbike is going to be either side of a few hours’ riding and you don’t just roll the pushbike out the door for a thrash on that instead.

This is a very good point. You can thrash a pushbike [i]anywhere[/i] 😎 whereas there's always a vague whiff of chew on with motorcycles.

Yet another heads up for trials riding. I did a few years of it, mainly to support my son who was riding the expert schoolboys class.  Unusually he made what I think is probably the reverse progression from many in that after a few years he went from motorcycle trials to cycle  trials competitions.

Our experience of trials riding was very positive with a nice bunch of folks all ready to help each other, fix broken bikes etc.

Thanks all, much appreciate the input.

I think by the sounds of it, Enduro riding might be a better bet rather than full bore moto-x. I've been meaning to try one of those experience days so it looks like I need to get booked onto one of those. I've ridden quite a bit of bike trials in the past doing a few national rounds and whilst I can appreciate the skill and talent needed, I think I'm more after the speed and jumps rather than the hopping about.

Enduro bikes also seem a load cheaper second hand - is there any reason for that?

Unusually he made what I think is probably the reverse progression from many in that after a few years he went from motorcycle trials to cycle trials competitions.

Thought it was more common to go from motorbike trials to pushbike trials , I'm thinking Chris akrigg, didn't peaty do junior motorbike trials too?

Enduro bikes also seem a load cheaper second hand – is there any reason for that?

Been a VERY long time since I looked at second hand bike prices but that's the opposite of what I remember - is that four stroke enduro bikes? I think four stroke MXers became disproportionally expensive compared to their two stroke predecessors, there's more expensive tech in them, maybe that's why second-hand ones are expensive?

Thought it was more common to go from motorbike trials to pushbike trials , I’m thinking Chris akrigg, didn’t peaty do junior motorbike trials too?

I don't know, never really thought about it in any detail.... I do know that watching him riding cycle trials was more frightening than watching him doing motorbike trials....

Yes yes yes, go for it, best sport in the world, did it for 20 yrs and loved every minute of it,, but just got tired of the injuries. I now do a girls sport called mountain biking replace it 🙂 What bike- depends what you want,,, 2 strokes = much fun and nice noise , 4 strokes = nearly as much fun but not as nice noise... You being big unit, depends what you want... do you want something to wring the neck off.... yip yip, or do you want to go put put....small bike more forgiving to learn on... It you can handle it 250 2 stroke in my opinion best fun,, but best to start with a 250 4 stroke.. One of the problems in some areas is getting a track to ride on... Where I am the best track in the world - desertmartin .. other thing you have to be ready for is that it is not easy, be prepared for a year of figuring out how to ride a bike, how to make it slide, suck up the bumps, best advise I can give you on that is get fast on the corners and the jumps seem to look after themselves..Falling off doses not hurt every time.. and last best gear that you can get... I would def recommend knee braces. and Set the suspension up for you own weight with the correct spring rates etc...dont worry about fancy exhausts etc... Gordan Crockard my old mate smoked the world on a near standard 250 honda (on his day mind you).