TrackMaster

Member
Mar 15, 2001
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Hey, this is Trackmasters Brother, I own a 1993 Honda Cr125 and am starting my first race in an arenacross event in des moines iowa. I would like to know if anybody could give me some extra tips, I know the basics just need some advice from fast riders on riding and more importantly what to do with my bike. Am I gonna have to set up my bike differently for outdoor nationals also? i plan to race them also. thank you
 

Jaybird

Apprentice Goon
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Mar 16, 2001
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Charlestown, IN
Be very tentative on the arenacross whoops section. They are very deep whoops and will make for a bad afternoon fast.

Just go out and ride at your level. Have fun and keep practicing.
 

Chili

Lifetime Sponsor - Photog Moderator
Apr 9, 2002
8,062
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My personal advice would be to wait until you have some outdoor racing experience and are a competent jumper before you race an AX. The tight confines of an AX course and so many jumps that are single lined on the approach lead to a bad environment for a beginning racer.
 

TrackMaster2

Member
Dec 1, 2003
85
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crap, sorry guys, i clicked on new thread instead of post reply, anyway, not nationals, i meant outdoor motocross, i got alittle mixed up, sorry, and the arenacross race is on amature day so they would be cutting the jumps in half, any suggestions on maintenence on my bike? thanks
 

whitesands26

Mod Ban
Nov 17, 2002
220
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I have to agree with the above reply....If it is your first race I would stay away from the arenacross and do a solid year of motocross....Even with the smaller jumps for amature day.

Unless you have alot of track experience I would avoid trying to win your first race..If you're so much faster than everyone else that you can easily win that's different. Use your first race as a learning experience, pace yourself, get comfortable in a race environment...Once you know what to expect then go for it and try to win...Practice, practice, and more practice...Practice the correct technique, practice different types of corners, and practice by doing motos so that you can build the endurance to last an entire race...And...GET in Shape.

Lots of injuries occur because a particular rider doesn't have basic physical conditioning. This is very important.

Motocross is a very difficult and dangerous sport that requires exceptional physical condition that is not only required to win, but to help avoid injuries...

You don't want to go out on your very first race and get hurt and have to wait 6 months to ride again...Take it easy.
 

mxer842

~SPONSOR~
Nov 11, 2003
597
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the whoops should be the least of your worries, last year in denver they were a breeze to blitz through for me, but watch out if you aren't jumping everything because in such a close enviroment the guy behind you might jump something your not and that could get messy.
 

Jeff Gilbert

N. Texas SP
LIFETIME SPONSOR
Oct 20, 2000
2,969
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Recap from my 1st AX experience last year.

I had been racing beginner & Vet outdoor for almost an entire year, two classes every weekend and had just moved up to B class locally. I was all fired up about doing my 1st AX and thought I had prepped pretty well for it. The only bike prep I did was go one tooth bigger on the rear sprocket and stiffen my suspension compression a bit and adjust the robound out for a little help with lift to clear jumps. Conditioning wasn't a problem, the track was so short that the 7 or 9 laps we did were easy.

I took the advice from fellow local riders and entered beginner 125 class even though I thought I should have been in at least novice, this was a wise choice as the beginner was entirely made up of sandbagger types, me included. There were qualifiers in the afternoon and a lot of riders in my class, all I had to do was finish my qualifier at 6th or better and I felt good on the track. As the gate dropped I got a poor start, probably 8th out of 13. As we entered the 1st turn bikes on both sides of me hit me. No one went down but I stalled the motor and was in dead last. I started back up and rode like hell. I managed to catch up to close to the front of the pack after a few laps only to come up short on the tripple which I was only trying to double, actually I over jumped the double and landed in the face of the triple. There I was with about 2 laps to go, bike dead and wouldn't start. I beat the kill switch that I had slammed my chest protector on and jammed down. As I finally got the bike started again I noticed the blood running through my jersey where my CP had peeled the skin off my stomach like a cheese grader. I did manage to catch back up and finish 6th to go on to the main.

The main finally rolled around and I got last gate pick, right up against the dog-house starting box. My handle bars were pressed up against the wood on one side and behind the bars of the guy in front of me. I wa also lined up to ride right inot the side of the catapult jump unless I got a whole shot or let everyone else go. I let everyone else go. I made it up to about mid pack but couldn't get around the guy in front of me. I was clearly faster than he but he did everything he could to block me. I even rammed his back tire a few times but just as I made my way up to the white flag the checkers came out. 1st place had lapped up to me but not the guy in front of me. Split second decession on my part was to take an extra lap just to pass the guy in front of me. I finally took him on the last turn headed up the catapult that beginners weren't to jump. I was on the gas just hard enough to jump it about half way. I just had my moment of glory when I passed him up the face to take the checkers only to flat land the jump on the balls of my feet resulting in two severely sprained ankles. Was all this worth it? I don't know. Will I do it again? Probably. Will I take that extra lap to satisfy my personal motives" No way!!!

This was my 1st AX and it wasn't anything like I expected. I thought it would be balls to the wall the entire time but it wasn't. I felt like I was riding very slow yet the jumps threw me way up in the air like I was haulin' butt. In my opinion, AX is not as much about all out speed as it is timing and finese (sp). Even geared down I only got out of 2nd gear on the straight. If you do race AX, use your head, hold your line and know how to not get landed on. Good luck
 

Moto Squid

~SPONSOR~
Jul 22, 2002
853
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AX as a first race ever can be tough. Thats what my best friend did in 80sr class. He got an ass whoop'n but on the last lap of his last moto he jumped the cadapult. We'd been telling him he could and he finally got the nutz to go for it. The next year wasn't pretty for him, but it was very comical for us :laugh: He made it around like 2 laps total and spent the time inbetween mamaging to flop off the bike in one way or another. He had a fun time, well for the most part anyways.

On the other hand another friend raced 250C with his crf and really screwed himself up. He got bumped coming up to the cadipult, came up short, and broke both legs. They were picking dirt outa his bones at the hospital. Been out for almost a year and won't race again until spring. Very uncool for a $2 trophy.

I personally won't race AX because of the extreme tighness of the track. So tight there have been a few bike that got launched on the inside berm, over the track and other bikes, into the stands or into the wall. No thanks!!


Now onto your question on bike setup. Make sure everything is in very good working order and nothing is broken or worn out. Good cahin/sprockets, tires, brakes etc. Rethals or tapers are a must too. Good luck!!
 
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