blackhawk468

President of Bling
N. Texas SP
Nov 3, 2000
698
0
Today I went to Oakhill MX, my first time on a prepped track. I was not used to the oversized breaking bumps that looked like killer whopps all over the track, but as the day went on I started taking them in powerband (a first for me), then I moved on to riding the rest of the track in powerband. I started to take the jumps with a little more speed and confidence. It paid off because I landed my first jump today on the designated landing area, instead of coming up short. I was so happy, I had to turn around and try it again. Once again, I cleared it with ease. So I moved on to the rest of the track and kept going. I applied this newly achieved jumping knowledge to the other jumps around the track, I didn't clear them, but I came closer and closer each lap around the track. Then, there was this one section of the track it was a berm turn into hard breaking bumps/straightaway, into another berm turn well I was doing it in 3rd gear pinned, and I kept a pro rider behind me for that one turn then he passed me on the next straightaway. It was only one turn, and he probley slowed down because I was there, but it sure felt good to be a beginner and to have kept a pro rider behind you even if it was for just one turn. :confused: :p
 

SL99

Member
Jun 18, 2000
58
0
Thats a great feeling!

Your getting the hang of the track! The track is soo addicting, especially when its groomed and you have a bunch of people to moto with.
I did that once too. The guy, a freind who is a local pro, told me he couldnt get around me in a bermed corner but I think he was just saying that to make me feel good. I had Danny Smith (Honda factory rider from my hometown) on my tail once but he blew my sprockets off once we hit a straight away! I must have been so slow compared to his pase that the only reason he was behind me for even one second was cause he came up on me so fast that I startled him!:eek:
Keep it up blackhawk468, you'll soon be clearing every jump out there.
 

nikki

Moto Junkie
Apr 21, 2000
5,802
1
Way to go!!

That's really cool! I'll never forget clearing my first double - what a feeling!! And you did the right thing by turning around and doing it again! That's really important... do it 5 times in a row - and you'll never think twice about it again!

Now isn't it much smoother and easier on your body to just clear them all the way? When I first started jumping - I used to case & face (land on top of the landing or my front tire on the landing) a lot of jumps - and it really takes a beating on your body. Just twist the throttle a hair more, and - piece of cake - a nice smooth landing! Keep it up blackhawk!! Pretty soon you'll be telling us about the triples you've jumped :confused:
 

firecracker22

Sponsoring Member
Oct 23, 2000
3,217
0
Congratulations! Way to go! I know the feeling—I cleared my first double ever a month and a half ago on my old XR 200. Well, it was a very small double, and I did come up a little short and bounce, but it was the first time I ever really cleared anything. I was hucking it over the tabletops but they were pretty long and the XR didn’t have the juice to clear them even WFO.

But now I have a new bike to start all over on! I’m jealous of all you who can do this with ease. Nikki, I hope soon that I will be racing more and being smoother. It's one of those things I know but have trouble doing.
 

nikki

Moto Junkie
Apr 21, 2000
5,802
1
FC22 - it just takes LOTS of practice and bike time - my first season of attempting to race MX was very far from pretty. It helps a ton if you have someone to ride with who will do some of the jumps - and you can watch them do it (or have them do it on your bike) so you can see how it looks/sounds. It will all come with lots of time, practice, and confidence! Having a new bike will help a ton in the confidence department, too. And once you get really comfortable on that new pumpkin - you'll start flying and doing things you've never done before! Just like Blackhawk flying around the berm and keeping a pro rider behind her and Sarah riding with Danny Smith (that had to be really cool!!!) and Kali flying high with the encouragement of Debbie Mathews!! And KTMster - just getting both tires off the ground is a huge accomplishment!

Kali - the biggest jump I ever did was in the same situation as yours - I went to a Junior Jackson class at the closest track to my house and he practically made me jump a big tabletop triple (60 feet - I think). He knew me and my bike could do it - so the encouragement was on! After trying several times - I finally got it all the way! Of course - he made me do it over and over again... and it was 10 pm at night - so I was getting pretty tired. Funny thing is I have raced that track twice since then and haven't tried to clear that jump again????? :think
 

Jeff Gilbert

N. Texas SP
LIFETIME SPONSOR
Oct 20, 2000
2,969
2
Originally posted by blackhawk468
I kept a pro rider behind me for that one turn then he passed me on the next straightaway

I can relate to that. Right after I started riding a local pro was coming up behind me as I made the turn to head down the straight away. (Didn't know at the time who it was) I thought to myself," I'm not gonna let this guy pass me" so I nailed it down the straight with him right beside me. We crossed a small double and he had my line but I kept it pinned anyway, I was feeling good. As we approached the next turn I was flyin' and waited till the last possible second to brake, as I did he was still on the gas and I thought, "that'll show ya, you're going over the berm and off the track." To my suprise he didn't, by the time I had made the turn he was probably 100 yards in front of me and had already made another turn and hit a TT and was gone.:confused:
Oh well, it felt good while it lasted.:o
 
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SL99

Member
Jun 18, 2000
58
0
Intimidation

Ya, its kind of intimidating to ride around the track with pros but its also very inspirational. Just riding with people who are really good helps out. It gives me an incentive to put in the extra effort and takes a little fear away. I think riding right on someones tail really helps me to follow through with everything. I have a bad habbit of letting off at the crest of jumps.
I wish I could ride with some fast women because theyd really inspire me.
 

firecracker22

Sponsoring Member
Oct 23, 2000
3,217
0
Ya know, one of my best days at the track ever was last Saturday. I rode for 3 hours (not straight, but did lots of laps) and there was another gal there at about my level. I pulled up and tried to chat and she was pretty quiet tho her dad asked me about my bike and we talked a bit. She had a YZ 125 and was younger than me but about my level. Anyway, I followed her around the track for quite a while and though I didn’t pass, we were about the same speed. If I’d hung it out I could have passed her but I was having a good day just watching her and doing what she did. She rolled a lot of the same stuff I did and while I might have been faster in the corners, she was going bigger on jumps so it evened out. She kept going out side the whoops though so I never caught up because I was going through them.

It really helped to know that there’s someone at my level. In a race situation, there might have been some really fun battles as we tried to pass each other. She’s a member of the same private track that Steve is so maybe we’ll see her out there and she and I can work out together.
 

bbbom

~SPONSOR~
Aug 13, 1999
2,094
0
Way to go Blackhawk!!!!

It is always a great feeling to do something that you aren't sure you can do, Karl makes me do it allllllll the time. "You can make it up that hill." "You can wheelie just do this....." "Sure drop off that rock shelf on your mountain bike."

Sometimes I swear he's trying to kill me but after I've managed to do it I want to try it again. I got my front wheel up in the air last night finally. :eek: Scared me half to death but after a couple more times it was starting to feel comfortable, now if I can just keep it up there for more than a couple seconds!!

It does help to ride with really good riders. Fortunately, :think I get to do that everytime I go out with either Karl or my son. One day I'm going to keep that little dirtsquirt behind me for more than the first 2 turns too, I'm getting tired of getting roosted by that KX60!!! :p Ahhhhh paybacks!
 

Bob Brooks

Member
Jan 6, 2001
367
0
Kali,

The woods here are pretty neat (except for the poison ivy that I always seem to attract:scream: ), some tight, some fast, quite hilly in spots (not mountainous, but challenging), lots of logs and tree roots and if you don't watch it, one of those suckers jumps right into your path!!:think

I am scanning some pictures tonight from the Buffalo GP race 2 weeks ago and I will send to you to get an idea.

The little jumps are fun, but I am still a chicken to try to get off the ground much. I am just learning how to wheelie over the logs effectively, which is fun. As you recall, I had the pig TTR225 last year, and that did NOT jump. My XR250 has been great so far, and I am learning a lot this year. Hopefully I will be jumping more and clearing the logs, etc more effectively soon.
Thanks for asking...
 

jdiaz

Member
Oct 30, 2000
28
0
Hey Anne-

Thanks for the pics from the GP! I think my favorite one is the starting line.....where everyone has their kickstart lever out for the dead-engine start, and I have my finger tensed over the e-button. :)

Jon
 

blackhawk468

President of Bling
N. Texas SP
Nov 3, 2000
698
0
Thanks for the support!!! I can't wait to go out there and do it again. There is two or three other jumps there that I was close to clearing, and all I can think about is going back out there and clearing them. To bad I have to wait a few more days... :( :think But, if things go well for me on the track, I think I am going to try and have my first race in a few weekends!
 

firecracker22

Sponsoring Member
Oct 23, 2000
3,217
0
Good luck! I have raced a few small races and hare scrambles but have never entered a motocross event. I want to this summer. I think I will be ready soon. I didn't clear any of the doubles this weekend but I went bigger on the singles and uphills than I have before! I even kept up with a guy on a CR for a whole lap! What a blast. I came up the uphill jump on the pipe, like I usually do, only to notice mid-air that they changed it. That's what I get for blasting around the track 1st lap out! When I rode it last weekend it wasn't half that big! So I didn't crash but I flat-landed bigger than life. Thank goodness the dirt is very soft there. Afterward, though, I did ok . . . I'm definitely making progress. When are you thinking about entering that race, blackhawk?
 

blackhawk468

President of Bling
N. Texas SP
Nov 3, 2000
698
0
Well, I was thinking of racing at the Badlands on June 8th, but only if I can practice at the track a few times before that date. I'm definatly going (unless I can't find a way to get my bike there) to Oakhilll on June 10th to race. Oakhill is where I cleared that jump and I fell in love with the track. Its funny because I'm a beginner and all and I've told some more expierenced riders about that track and they say they can't ride in that kind of stuff and that it is too hard, but I found it really easy and got the hang of it real quick. I'm planning on not being too competive and riding over my head for my first few races, so that I can just get the hang of a race enviroment, but I can't wait to take home a 1st place trophy... :p
 

SL99

Member
Jun 18, 2000
58
0
Good Attitude!

Riding over your head gets a lot of people in trouble, especially in the beginner class. I see it most among the young boys but I see it in some of the girls. They always seem go down somewhere and multiple times because of it and as long as I stayed on the bike, just trying to stay smooth and in contrrol, I'd finish ahead of them. First place trophies are huge(at least in my area), so youll enjoy displaying one in your front room. Most people are really surprised to find out a girl got it too.
 
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