How many times have you left/gotten back in this sport?

[Casper250]

I was just thinking the other day how many times I have almost given up on riding dirtbikes only to come full swing back into it.

First time was after my first race. I didn't crash or anything but I didn't do to well. None of my friends ride so I kinda lost interest. Went almost the whole summer without taking my bike out. By the winter, met a couple guys who all rode quads and it sparked my interest in my dirtbike again. Rode it that whole winter.

Second time was when I was contiplating road racing my motorcycle. Not that I totally lost interest in my dirtbike, but I just wanted to get into roadracing. I quickly realized how much more $$$ it is to race a streetbike and decided to get back into motocross racing again.

This last time has not been a total loss of interest but a change in my priorities. In the spring, I went to every race for 2 months. I ended up loosing my air screw on my carburator and it took 3 weeks for the part to come it. In these three weeks, spring turned to summer and it was beach weather. Even when I got the part from the shop, I was in no rush to get my bike back. Instead of waking up early on saturday and go to the practice track, I would sleep in late.

Now I'm all gung ho about racing again and it seems like the dirtbike gods are punishing me. The last two weekends I have tried to go racing I have

1. Left my house at 5am, driven all the way to the track only to find out I have left my $ and my wallet at home. Had to drive all the way home.

2. Fried my altenator driving the night before. Wake up to leave for the track, dead batery, no racing again.


So has any one else gone through this stage where you leave this sport, only to have it calling your name again?

 

[Nice Guy Eddie]

Rode since early childhood untill age 18..... NEVER rode again untill 15 years later... now I'm back 2 years riding and can't believe I ever quit.... :bang:

 

[XRpredator]

. . . given up on riding dirtbikes only to come full swing back into it.

once. Rode from age 9 to 16, then started again at age 28.

 

[trakkerman]

I road as a kid, then after highschool (parents stopped footing the bill) I quit riding.

Road street for a couple years (and a couple crashes) in the eighties.

Got back into street riding in 1995 and got a dualsport in 2000. Now I ride a KTM 300exc. I pretty much gave up on street riding because I could get so much more enjoyment with less risk riding off-road. Don't get me wrong, I like street riding, but I can crank the throttle off road, ride as hard as I want and not reach 140mph and worry about someone turning left in front of me.

I have just got my street bike on the road again primarily for commuting to work (save fuel costs). I still look forward to riding off-road everyweek. :aj: Now if I could just get a cooler, less humid weekend!

Randy

 

[MikeT]

Me too, but it was a forced leave of absence. I didn't have a place to store my bike, but now I do!

 

[mx547]

i started racing mx in '86. in the early 90's, after a string of four broken bones in three years, i nearly quit. there were no longer any tracks nearby, i was out of money and i was not particularly interested in riding anymore. in '94, i only raced twice. in '95, a new track opened nearby. i decided to check it out. i won my first race back and enjoyed it so much i kept racing about every other week until retiring a couple years ago.

 

[thumbs]

I was just thinking the other day how many times I have almost given up on riding dirtbikes

What, did ya :bang: your head?
Give up riding .....................now that's funny!

 

[SpeedyManiac]

I only got involved in the sport about 5 years ago. I hope that I never quit, riding and racing is a lot of fun, and if I can make it through college with my bike, I should be able to keep on riding until I'm old and decrepit.

 

[KX02]

I rode anything with two wheels and a motor I could get my hands on during my youth to late teen years. Sold my RM at that point. Started working full time, got a muscle car and thought I'd never sell it. Drove it a little, dumped thousands into it, never finished it ( I don't know anything about bodywork). Eventually I really lost interest in it, but had been thinking about dirt biking again for a number of years. It took like 2 years just to sell my car. When I finally did I went out and bought my KX125 immediately. Do not plan on stopping dirt biking and regret losing all those years!!! :ride:

 

[YZ165]

I got my first bike when I was 27, six years later I still wonder how I ever lived without riding.

"You don't quit riding because you get old, you get old because you quit riding."

 

[darringer]

Started riding when I was 8. Rode constantly until about 20. Took a 20 year layoff and got back into it at 40. If not for injuries, I would never have stopped.
Thank God for quality knee braces.

 

[placelast]

…now this subject requires some thought. I’ve been in and out of bikes more than I care to remember, yet did everything in “two’s” (or multiples thereof.)

Got my first bike immediately once out of college – with a long time wishing/wanting beforehand. Sold it after two years and took a wife. Two years later bought another (bike, that is – that’s the subject – right?) Sold it in two years, while we had babies thereafter. Fast forward eight years to buy again – sold after two years. Bought again and kept 4 years then sold. Bought current bike, which I still have.

It’s amusing to think I’ve never kept anything long enough to need new tires or chain/sprocket replacements from use – the kind of guy you want to buy from, although my current ride has been with me long enough to need several tires, some bearings, two top ends and one bottom end.

 

[Timr]

This is real simple: Got my first bike when I was 14...Never quit. Took bikes with me to college. I've never not had bikes in my garage (or storage unit, or back of my van, or someone elses garage). My longest break (if you want to call it that) was 11 months when I was in England.

 

[Ol'89r]

I should be able to keep on riding until I'm old and decrepit.

:ohmy: Speaking of old and decrepit.

Rode my first race in 1963. Ten years later, I had just returned home from a 6 week tour of the mid-west and east riding the AMA Nat circuit and also a bunch of outlaw fair circuit races. Half mile and miles.

I had a broken collar bone, broken hip, one very badly bent up motorcycle, another very badly worn out motorcyle, enough parts to make another very badly worn out motorcycle and a very worn out van. It was not a good season. I watched a very good friend of mine lose his life on the San Jose mile about 30 feet in front of me. Watched my best friend have a career ending injury at a 1/2 mile track in Mount Giliead Ohio.

I was broken, my bikes were broken and my savings account was broke. Figured, enough was enough. I never wanted to see another freakin motorcycle as long as I lived. :ugg:

Well, that only lasted about a month.

About ten years later, my wife and I were building our new house in Corona. Took about two years to build the house and barn. Didn't ride during those two years and was starting to doubt my ability to ever ride again. Was I too old for this??? One afternoon before we actually moved in, I had moved the bikes to the new house and decided to give it a try. Went up in the hills and after about 10 minutes, was back in the groove. Returned home at about 0 dark 30, grinnin' ear to ear. What the heck was I thinkin'?? :yikes:

About four years ago, I was running out of riding buddies. Most of them had hung it up thinking they were too old. Others were busy with their businesses and family concerns. I was entertaining thoughts about quiting until I found this DRN site. Came here and asked, "anyone in So Cal want to go trail riding?"

The rest is history. At the ripe old age of,,, ahhh,,never mind. I'm having a blast. Having more fun than ever. Thanks to DRN. :yeehaw:

 

[Enduro_Nut]

Rode from 51/2 until my mid to late 20's, stopped until '01 and started again. Priorites and cash flow made me stop.
In retrospect, I should have continued to ride - I really lost alot of ability and muscle tone and not to mention getting older!

 

[dante]

I rode some in grade school... I had an XR 75, and a GT 80 both paid for myself in the 5th grade... That was key in my upbringing and develping a work ethic I think... My stepdad rode dirtbikes but I had to buy my own if I wanted to ride too... I was a golf caddie, and I had a paper route... The gt80 had lights and I'd guide my friends home if we were riding after dark, they all had MX bikes... Their moms were stoked on me for that... Could'nt deal with my stepdad and I moved in with my Dad who hated dirtbikes... He let me keep them but the 80 needed a top end and was taken apart the xr had some other problems and both did'nt run after that move... I did'nt want to caddie anymore I guess, I don't remember, and got into BMX really heavy for many many years... Then mountian bikes... I have many many fond memories of getting smoked by all my friends on MX bikes... Bottom line their bikes were just better all around... Back then my bikes were ten years old, all these kids had new bikes with mono shock,or uni-link, suspension... I knew these things held me back in my riding but i was still having fun riding... I've never really had the chance to even ride on one,expirence good suspension and all that... Once in the sixth grade I rode a cr125 elsenor and it scared the crap out of me when I hit the power band but still had dual shock setup... But recently I bought a 2000 KX 125... it's a layaway deal and I don't even have it yet... But sooooooonnnnnnn.....