Vince,

You are asking the wrong question, Vince. Imagine if I asked you how many interceptions you thought Tony Romo would throw this season? I could answer by saying, "All of them," but the real question I should be asking is, "Why is Tony Romo still the Cowboys’ starting QB?" You see what I mean? The proper bike has more to do with your weight and intended use than anything else, so what do you weigh? My opinion is that for somebody riding on a motocross track, 175 pounds is probably the cutoff for a 250F. Anything heavier than that and the 450 is likely a better option. If you are just cruising down trails or through tight, wooded sections, however, you may still like a 250F. Sand dunes? Don't waste your time on a 250F at Glamis or your nearest sand hills. Popping mad wheelies through the streets of major metropolitan areas? It seems like 250Fs are the bike of choice for that activity. Two-strokes are the perfect bike for those nostalgic fans, electric bikes are the way to go for vegan hippies who want to reduce their carbon footprint, and the 350—or any KTM for that matter—is what you want when you lack the hip flexor mobility to kickstart a bike. There's a perfect bike for everybody. Make your selection, and then find a forum and start talking trash on everyone who disagrees with what you bought. I guess that's what we do these days.

PING

 

Ping, 

I heard a quote from Tony Alessi a few years ago that really made sense. He was talking about the importance of a good start and how it’s the only place on the track you can pass 39 riders at once. Since Mike is the hole shot king it goes without saying that they are practicing what they preach. With that being said, why are top riders like Reed and Bagget, just to name a few, so bad at hole shots? I can’t believe they are not practicing starts during the week. But week in, week out, over the course of years, they still suck. Knowing that Dungey and Martin are getting holeshots every week and you will never catch them with the usual 15th place start, you’d think they would get help in this area. It just boggles my mind that some racers of that caliber are so bad at it.

Thanks,

Jeff

Jeff,

Saying that Reed and Baggett are "bad" at starts is a bit harsh. Both of them are champions, so they've managed to get a couple good starts over the course of their careers. Maybe they should spend more time working on their starts, but you and I aren't there to see how much time they dedicate to that. Also, remember that they are lining up with a gate full of professionals who ALL work on their starts every week. It isn't like Baggett shows up to a local race at Glen Helen and gets beat to the first turn by Jody Weisel. He may not have a bunch of oversized holeshot checks in his garage, but he certainly doesn't suck off the line either. When I am coaching somebody or teaching a class, I like to ask riders how important they think the start is in relation to their overall finish. Most guy will say it's 60 percent to 80 percent of the race, in terms of their results, particularly at an amateur level where the motos are shorter. Then I ask, "So, do you currently spend 60 percent to 80 percent of your time at the track working on starts?" To that I get some headshakes and a few emphatic "Nos" coming from the group. I'm not suggesting you spend most of your day at the track burning up your clutch doing starts, but starts should definitely be a priority in your practice schedule. I think Mike Alessi and Tony Alessi realize how much easier it is to do well when you start up front and they make that part of the race a priority during practice. I've seen lot of guys burn lap after lap at the track, and at the very end of the day they'll do a few half-assed starts and then call it a day and load up. If that’s your routine, you'll probably be starting in the middle of the pack on the weekends.

PING

 

Ping,

Pondering the thoughts about dedication to this sport; training of this great sport seems to at the top of all aspects.  Individuals have to have strength, endurance, mental capacity and heart.  I will never question someone whom rides a dirtbike.  What I have to question is the Trainer himself.  One particular trainer seems to be at the top of the heap, Aldon Baker has created a legacy for building champions.  But, on another note about Aldon is his style.  I wonder if how aggressive he trains each individual is the driving force behind the early departure of the great RC, the massive fall of James "the fastest man on the planet" Stewart and now the situation of what is RV2 next plan. Aldon has the tenacity to make a person better, but does it come at the cost of riding motocross for the love.  Wondering if you think if Aldon Baker could find a better balance in his training program would we see our favorite riders ride longer because the love of the sport never leaves, or will we keep seeing greats rise to the top gain championships then leave because they have become burnt out on the training.  

Brandon Rivera