May 5, 2007
102
0
Didnt go to well,it was loads of fun but i think first place would be alot funnner.I didnt go in expecting a win but i expected alot better.So heres how it went,In practise my friend said take it easy ok i did and i got rooseted 3 times then lapped by one of my friends.Ok so by the end of practise i feel like a loser.Didnt really my confidense much.So forst mot rolls around,Im on the gate thinkin im gonna do good.Well it woulda been great if i didnt get a little exited and flip of the line,kinda funny i thought so i pick it up and go.Right at the first turn pass two riders who apparently got tangled up,I hit the whoops (did i metion im really slow through them?) and go on dont jump even though i know i can clear almost all of them go pass another downed rider and another.I take seventh out of ten riders.Next moto i do pretty bad ninth out of 10 riders.


Ive know i need to jump these jumps i know i can that would make up alot of time.I also need help on line selection and starts.And definatly whoops to because i did prettty bad throught there.I want to go to practise this weekend,dought its happening.Its not the bike its my fault i really need some tips on every thing.I also need help on not getting so nervous and forgeting things i know to do,not so sure if you guys can help me there.But some help from you more expierienced riders would be really appreciated
 

IndyMX

Crash Test Dummy
~SPONSOR~
Jul 18, 2006
5,548
2
Amo, IN
At least Ricky Carmichael, Erin Bates & Kevin Windham weren't there watching you.

I can't say the same for myself. I'm just glad I didn't know until after the damage was already done.
 

150rguy

I got fat bars!
Member
Dec 21, 2006
654
0
There's no way not to be nervous. I'm still kinda nervous at races. Don't think about winning or getting a good position, just think about riding fast and smart.
And there's no such thing as getting lapped in practice, it's not a race, so don't think about other people, just check out the track for the first lap and just keep going faster every lap.
 
Apr 30, 2007
657
0
As a beginning racer as well. All I can say is get as much track time as possible. For me, much of the learning comes by doing. Although I'm still not a top finisher, my riding has improved immensely with every race. If you can, talk to other people at the track...they'll probably give you a few tips here and there.

Good luck!
 
May 10, 2007
957
0
practice practice practice

the only way you can get better. the nervousness will disappate but will never vanish. everyone is nervous when they see the card go sideways. just get to the track whenever you can

if you have the land and the time and the dirt build a small track i have a lot of land and took a whole field and built it up with the help of my friends. we are always working on it when we arent riding. so if you can make a small track do it. it allows you to get max track time

other then that you just gotta keep it up. nobody was good their first races. acually most people werent good their second. but you will get better as you get experience
 

mox69

Member
Mar 26, 2007
236
0
I've been to a track a total of 5 times in my life so far, all within the past 3 months.


There is a very noticeable improvement from trip 1 to trip 5. Last night (trip 5) was the first time I cleared every jump on the track on the same lap :) Last night was also the first time on the track where I passed more people than was passed by people.


I am a pretty cautious person, I like to take it easy and slowly build up my confidence. 2 or 3 trips ago I would have never taken an inside line on the step-up to pass someone or charge through the whoops on the gas. After hitting the same whoops 30+ times I realize I can stay on the gas and stay in control.


The bottom line is everyone sucks when they start out! How do you think they got better? Not by reading Dirt Bike Monthly.

Practice, and don't worry about what other people think, worry about yourself.
 
Mar 16, 2007
471
0
qucik question for you, how old are you, and how long have you been riding? Im going to assume that you are young and havnt been riding long. Dont worry about it and just keep at it, you have time and youth on your side. I know it may seem far away but if you stick with it, in a couple of years you will be pretty damn good! I used to ride a cr80 and I raced a handfull of times before I moved and stopped riding. Now the only thing I can do is sit back and think how good I would have been if I would have just stuck with it. I quit riding in 7th grade, If I never stopped by the time 9th grade rolled around I would have been pretty good.
 
May 5, 2007
102
0
Im 15,im not sure how long it takes to get used to racing but ive been riding in the hillls for around 4 years,on track about 3 months but I had never ridden this track.I plan to get a job and start racin on a regular basis.I need to practise that track.
 

Unky Mer

Member
Jun 26, 2007
4
0
My 2-cents worth

I have a couple of general ideas/thoughts that helped when my kids were first starting. I told them to worry less about how they did against everyone else, and to concentrate on improving their times. We timed them on each track, and even sections of the track and broke those sections down to manageable groups, then worked on those areas. You can't always do that, unless the track isn't nuts busy, but we have a track here we can, and it helped. They were able to run a section 50 times in an afternoon, instead of running it 20 times all day, if they ran the entire track. Like I said, you can't do that everywhere, but we could here. What we noticed, even on tracks where we had to run the entire track to be safe, when they ran against themselves, using only the clock as a guide, and working different techniques and lines in those areas, they progressed, and gained confidence as their times improved. As for the nervousness, well if that ever went away you probably wouldn't do it anymore. Hope it helps. Good luck.
 

Redrodent

Member
Jul 31, 2002
58
0
The problem with practice is you never run over 85-90% pace no matter how hard you try. The last 10% is all new to you. Your focus get shattered by a close pass. Tension tires you out. Don't brake hard enough. Can't judge the distances...etc. Racing is the only way to get the exposure.It will come with time. 1 season at most. At 43, it still makes my heart pound like crazy to line up at the gate.
 
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