Hey Ping,
I've always been an MX/SX fan. My parents never let me ride as a kid and I got involved in stick and ball sports during my teen years and college and I've been a born-again fan since graduating a few years ago. It's taken me awhile to get caught back up but all things Racer X and the related podcasts have really helped.
Here's my question: I'm an average sized six foot 190lb athletic dude. A say average referring to non-MXers (First time I saw Nick Wey and James Stewart in the pits I almost laughed because these dudes are munchkins). I've really wanted to get a bike but I'm not sure whether I should get a 250 or 450. I don't want to get in over my head with a 450 but I don't want to look like Mookie on a 250 either. What would you say is the smartest thing to do? Is a 250 going to be THAT under powered for a novice? Would a 450 fly out of my hands? Whatever you say I'll do. After all, you did say the 2013 Honda 450 blows right out of the gate.
All the way from the 805 (T.O.),
Kenneth
Ken,
Congrats on the college education. In today’s economy all you need are that degree and about $3.50 and you can get yourself a latte at Starbucks. Am I right? Seriously, am I? I don’t have a degree. I’ll tell you what else I don’t have and that is “little man” syndrome. After all, you laughed at James and Nick and yet I am shorter than both of those guys. But I’m sure you knew that when you wrote this nasty letter, you sunnovabitch. Hey, I’m just kidding I’m not angry about that at all. After all, most motocross guys look more like horse jockeys than linebackers. That’s just a fact.
So you’re not sure what the right bike is for a tall drink of water like yourself. A 450 is a lot of motor for a guy just getting started, even if he is tall enough to dunk a basketball. But 190 lbs is pushing the weight range for a 250F. If you are concerned that a 250 won’t have enough balls for six foot Adonis like yourself you can always pick up a KTM 350. After all, they built that motorcycle to fill a niche and it is a great bike. Honestly I think you would be just fine on a 250 also.
Oh, and I never said the Honda “blew.” It would be way more bike than you’d need for, like, ever.
PING
Dear Ping,
My question is simple but at the same time very complex. What can the industry do to get stronger? How can I help? Last year I attended 5 supercross races and 1 outdoor race. I also ride at local tracks pay my fees, race, and buy food at tracks and so on in order to support the industry. I purchased my staff bikes as well and sponsored one of them. I even built a free track directory in order to help tracks communicate to the riders so that they can get more business thus help prevent them from shutting down (MotocrossMatrix.com). I am trying to help but it seems as if the industry does not care? Tracks do not invest money into their facilities and the industry keeps getting smaller so it seems. Is there a solution?
Terry
Mount Dora, FL
Terry,
I’m moved by your passion and dedication for the sport. Most people are only concerned with what they can get from the industry, not what they can do to help it. You are a rare breed in this world of narcissistic me-monsters and I commend you. Here’s what you can do. Send me money. It sounds like you are well-off and I could use some extra cash, frankly, especially around Christmas time. How will this help the industry? Well, you have to start somewhere. Pay it forward, the man in the mirror, etc, etc. Look, just send me some cash, bro. I’ll spend some of it on motocross related products, I promise. There’s motocross stuff on Hawaii, right?
PING
Hey Ping –
At my kid’s school they have this “sport” called cup stacking. You know, these little kids that can stack up cups real fast and move them around like Criss Angel on Mindfreak (yes, that’s how he spells Criss). Is this even a legitimate sport? I thought my kid jumping a three-foot double on his PW50 was impressive, but watching some googly-eyed kid with his shirt buttoned up to his neck do some laser-fast cup-stacking puts the PW jump to shame. I mean, I know there is a push to ban dodge ball and anything that might be perceived as violent or demoralizes character, but I am at a loss for understanding the challenge and rewards that come from cup stacking and how the hell it even started. Am I missing something here???
AGB
Dear AGB,
Leave it to some nerd with quick hands to turn a sad little game from his mom’s basement into a school “sport.” Of course it’s not legitimate. If you have to ask then you already know the answer. The problem with all the bleeding hearts forcing schools to nix dodge ball and replace it with co-ed hugging competitions is that we are turning out a generation of pansy-asses. Sorry, but stacking beverage containers for sport is only acceptable at a frat party when a pile of empties climb their way to the ceiling. Of course I was never in a fraternity so the only relatable experience I have is when Gatorade and water bottles pile up on the passenger side floorboard of my truck. I hope that special little snowflake just keeps using his quick hands to stack cups like a champ because with that as his only notable skill he’s going to need quick hands well into his twenties. Or forever.
PING
