MX to GP/Hare Scrambles Question

[robwbright]

I was doing some woods riding recently - it's been really hot and two of my local tracks also have 3-5 mile woods loops. We'd ride the track till we were hot and then head into the woods for cool off.

I was running about 15% slower than the A class times from the race the day before - and I don't really ride woods that much (although i did A LOT when I was a teenager). I could have and would have ridden faster if it was a race. With the A guys in the 10 minute per lap range on the 3.2 mile loop, I think if I had pushed it, I could have gotten within 30-45 seconds or so of their times the other day.

That was interesting to me because I'm a C/D rider in MX.

Thus, it raised the question in my mind:

If an MX rider crosses over to GP or HS, should he sign up for the same class?

In other words, are MX riders relatively fast or slow when they get in the woods?

 

[SpDyKen]

Ride non-stop for 2 or 3 hours, first, then decide.

 

[2-Strokes 4-ever]

I was a better MXer than woods rider. Line selection and riding smart is huge in the woods (a 2-3 hour format.) Some things can be conquered by raw speed in MX, while things like hydration, proper rest and nutrition are big when toughing it out on the trail for 2-3 hours. I was an A level motocrosser but got smoked (by the time the checkered flag waved) in the B class in the woods. I was your typical southern California MXer who thought "Ahhh, it's just trail riding"... I had a rude awakening. The challenge is awesome though!

 

[SpeedyManiac]

It depends if you can figure out how to slow it down to go fast in the woods. A friend of mine locally is a very fast motocrosser (used to battle it out with Ryan Villopoto in the 80 class) but I routinely spank him in the woods. Reason? Line selection and learning how to tame it down. Raw speed, my buddy is way faster than me (when we hit the motocross track he regularly reminds me) but he lacks the precision and patience to beat me in the woods. He bounces off everything in sight while I expend less energy and ultimately go faster.

My thoughts: motocrossers are faster than woods riders IF they figure out how to tone it down from always riding wide open.

I'd recommend signing up for the C class, then if you win handily, move up, if not, figure out how to win, then move up!

 

[YamaB]

It really depends on the rider and the terrain. On easier courses, many mx'ers can jump right in and be competitive or better than the equivalent hs class riders. On the more technical/more difficult courses, they tend to not do as well. It also depends on the rider. Dennis Jonon (raced ama sx lites class) showed up to a few of our harescrambles and won the AA class... but then again, as an ama level pro rider, he is a lot better than your typical local mx'er and in much better shape than pretty much any amateur racer.

 

[mox69]

In my District (AMA 23) you have to ride in the same class for ALL types of events. AKA if your registered as an A level MXer, you must ride A hare scrambles. The opposite holds true too.


This seems kinda silly to me, but I somewhat understand.

 

[dirt bike dave]

There are several successful MX riders such as Fred Andrews and Rodney Smith that rarely won a title in MX, but raked in many major offroad titles after their MX careers were over. Ryan Hughes, too, but WORCS is pretty much an MX on a really long track.

I think it is just a matter of having some experience in the woods. The good MXers I've ridden with have been able to figure it out pretty quick, even on technical nasty trails. IMO, with few exceptions, if you are good on a track, you can figure out how to be good offroad.

That being said, just because you can run with a fast woods rider for 5 or 10 minutes does not mean you can keep him in site for longer than that. Shoot, lots of guys can go fast for 5 minutes. The top guys go that speed all day long, and by the end of a 3 hour race they are an hour ahead.