The Night Before.
The night before any practice or race day make sure you get plenty of rest. Do not
go out for a pint or two as you will suffer the next day as this will drag your performance
levels down dramatically! If the event is a fair journey away try and pre book a
B&B for the night but don’t leave it to the day before and just turn up as many of
the vacancies would have been taken .
Follow these motocross racing tips to make your race day as pain free as possible.
Preparation.
Motocross is all about preparation, make sure you have double and triple checked
your bike in plenty of time so that if there are any bits that need doing - you are
not left with a very stressful deadline!
Drink plenty of water (nothing fizzy!) the day before you are due to race or practice
- this allows your body to re-hydrate itself and this will help with the dreaded
arm pump!
Walk The Tack.
Well you may be asking yourself - Why do this? One simple answer is that when you
walk around the track you will notice much more than you would riding it. This gives
you a great opportunity to figure out the lines you will be taking. If you have the
chance of walking round with an “Expert Class” person then you should be able to
pick up some handy hints from them - Take notice of any wet sections which will rut
up quickly and any other obstacles which may be a problem for you.
Please bare in
mind that if you walk the track the day before and it rains overnight then the track
will have different conditions for the following day - best to walk again!
Scrutineering.
Scrutineers have to check your bike (possibly your helmet too) This is done so that
you and your bike are safe on the track - They will check things like wheel bearings,
spoke tightness, brakes, suspension, chain & sprockets. They can pretty much check
anything and if they don’t feel that it is safe to ride - you will be refused to
race!
Some scrutineers can be very picky - The only way to make sure you pass the checks
is to do them yourself. If you are unsure how to do this or need some help please
contact us and we will be happy to help. Just bare in mind that they are doing this
for safety and this should be your main concern too - After all this bike will be
put through the dirt over the race - pushed to the max and the last thing you want
to happen is for something to stop working - making you fall off or even force you
to retire from the race. So the top tip is check it before it gets scrutinised.
Riders Briefing.
If the track meeting has a Rider’s Briefing - Go to it! This is where they will explain
the starting procedure and also any last minute changes - This is important as there
may be something concerning your class, it may have moved times - the last thing
you want is to miss the race!!
Practices.
This is exactly what it is - Practice. These sessions can vary in time so please
make sure you find all of the info needed, if you are on the start line - use this
time to practice what gear you should take off in, which gate has the best line into
the first corner, etc. On the first lap go round at a steady pace and be sure to
pay attention to the lines, experiment with different lines in and out of each corner
- you will not get the chance to do this in the race. Take great note of the parts
that are difficult for you and push yourself to get it right on the next lap. Try
it slowly to start then pick the speed up a bit - this should build your confidence.
Just remember it is not a race - use this time productively. If you happen to crash
into someone - Say you are sorry or the person may take it out on you in the actual
race!
Starts.
Get yourself to the start line with plenty of time to spare, some meetings have a
random draw to pick who has the first choice of the start - but in our experience
it is on a first come first served basis. Try and make sure you have the best line
from the start to the first corner - everyone will be trying to do this! Once you
have got your position stamp down any loose dirt on your start pad and in front of
your gate, if the rider before you left a wheel track that's not straight your rear
wheel will follow it!
Now you are ready! When the 5 second board comes up make sure your bike is in gear,
your goggles are on and get ready to race - Everyone is nervous on the start line
and most mess-ups with starts are because people panic - try and relax. Take a couple
of good deep breaths and focus.
Race Plan.
Your first priority is to get off the start line and through the first corner unscathed!
This is the point where it would be devastating to lose control and fall off before
you hit the first corner - Hold your line through the corner and watch out for the
nutters who are going into the corner at full speed praying to god that they make
it round!
If you get passed then don’t worry - this could be a positive note as you will be
able to see what lines the other riders are taking so you can use their idea’s and
see if it works for you. Most crashes are caused by rider fatigue - look for the
straightest line into and out of the corners, use your legs to grip the bike as
this will save a your energy for the more demanding parts of the lap.
Try to put some distance between you and the rider behind as early on in the race
as possible - this way they will be thinking of the riders behind them and not be
to concerned about you being in front.
Between Races.
After you have completed the first race and managed to catch your breath, you need
to be getting prepared for the next race - Give the bike a once over, lube and adjust
the chain and check whether the air filter needs cleaning or replacing. Clean your
goggles and fit new tear offs if you need them. Refuel if necessary and if it's muddy
clean your number plates so the lap scorers know who you are. It's a good idea if
you don't have access to a bike wash between races to just scrape as much mud as
you can off your bike, it's amazing just how much weight mud can actually add.
Get yourself a drink (water preferably - not fizzy drinks) have some fruit if you
feel hungry and go and watch the more experienced riders do their thing - You can
take note of the lines they are using, when they power on and off and use it to your
advantage! There is nothing better than some free advise - talk to some other riders
as everyone loves talking about how they done and try and gain as much info/tips
as possible! Just remember the information you have gained and use it next time you
race - even if it is not the same track - it is all useful!
The end of the day
At the end of each practice or race it is always the best time to give your much
loved bike a good old clean. After all you have been having hours of fun on her and
it is also the best time as the dirt is still wet. If you leave it to dry you could
be there for hours!
Relax and recap over the day to see your strengths but more importantly your weaknesses
too. Try to mentally improve them ready for the next session. It is always best to
talk with the other team members about the day and how you all felt it went etc.
If you are not part of a team then ask the person who was watching you - better
still see if they can video record you - that way you will be able to judge yourself
how you done that day.
Warm Up!!
It is always recommended that you warm your bike engine prior to any race or practice
session. The parts in your engine work best once warmed up - This is the same for
your body too! You should do warm up exercises before riding and then some warm down
exercises at the end. After a while you will not believe the difference these make
- riding becomes less draining so you can enjoy it more!
