Number on a dirtbike

[Feanor]

I did a search on the forums regarding the "protocol" for placing a number on a dirtbike but didn't get the info I was looking for...

On one of my "biffs" on the motocross track, the bike I guess landed just right and though it was a very light fall, the left side of the bars bent slightly... Nothing serious at all but its noticeable when riding (especially straight :) ) that the bars are not true.

Since the bike is brand new, as am I :) I decided this might be a good time to get a good replacement for the stock unit... One of the guys at the track winced in horror when I asked if I could maybe bend them back... "NEVER try to bend bars back! You'll weaken them and not only will they bend again more easily, but they might even break" He sounded very adamant about it and so I took that as gospel...

I ended up buying a set of Pro Tapers, admittedly for no other reason than I liked the way they looked hahaha! (I guess I'll be more saavy on my third ride) but I also bought a Graphic sticker sheet of sponsor decals and some numbers...

I have a lucky "special" number: "174"... and I use it and put it on everything. But I'm wondering about the unwritten "rules" about putting numbers on your bike... Does it indicate that you race and are in some way sanctioned and sponsored? Is it more casual than that? I really want to put the number on, but don't want to make a dirtbike fas paux!

The guys at cyclegear didn't know if there were unwritten rules about such things, though one guy said "Just don't use 259 on your Kawi!" I didn't ask him why... but Why not? is that a bad luck number?

I'm just thinking that with my lack of skill on the KDX I need all the luck I can get! LoL!

Thanks all!

Feanor

 

[JasonWho]

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[powerchord1989]

well i dont know about any rules but 259 is Buba Stewarts #.

 

[CaptainObvious]

Run any number you want. When you register at a race (if you ever do), if someone has the same number they'll just ask you to add a suffix (usually an "X" since it's easy to make with tape) to the number plate(s).

 

[ABS13]

"Official" protocol is to use the last 3 digits of your AMA number (if you have one), but unless you are racing in top classes against riders with numbers assigned by the AMA, you can go with whatever you want. As a matter of form, I wouldn't run the number of a top rider if you are on the same type bike (unless you are in a junior/mini class where that's exactly what the factories want you to do!). If 174 is your lucky number, then go for it!

 

[Casper250]

Auto road racing tip for picking a number was never pick a number that you can read upside down like 11 or 8......

 

[Shig]

174 sounds like a great number to me, just don't put it on the back window of your SUV :| . I wouldn't worry about any of the local racers giving you a hard time because nobody expects a KDX rider to be a serious racer anyway. Most local sanctions have certain numbers and background colors designated for each class. Here in CO, Pro or A riders have black numbers on a white background, Amateur or B class riders have black numbers on yellow plates, and novices have white numbers on black plates. These rules are often bent for first-time racers. Many sanctions reserve 1 through 99 for the A classes, but often they will let you pick your own # as long as somebody else doesn't already have it. That's a good thing because without this rule the entire 125 novice class would be filled with 69s and 420s :ohmy: .