First of all, you want to make sure that you get a good full night’s rest the night before the motocross race.  Yes, it may be hard to sleep, but you need to make sure you receive adequate sleep; otherwise, you won’t be able to race at your fullest potential.  Because you need your rest, if you are staying in a hotel in the town that the race is being held in – book ahead by all means!  Not booking ahead could lead to a disastrous night before the race because you may be sleeping your vehicle at the track!

When you first arrive, you need to go walk the motocross track.  It doesn’t matter whether it’s a day or two before the race or if it’s the morning of race day, you need to walk the track.  Why?  You do this so that you can take note of any specific wet spots that could potentially turn into ruts as the day progresses as well as any other problems with the track – such as holes to avoid or larger hills that you aren’t quite used to.

On race day, there is a normally a motocross rider briefing.  This is something that you need to go to.  At this briefing, they will explain to the riders about their starting procedures, rules, and regulations.  In addition, if there have been any changes to the lineup or schedule, they will inform the riders here, which is one reason that the briefing is so important.

Check out your bike before you leave the house and when you get to the track.  There will be professionals there that go around to check each and every rider’s bike prior to the race to ensure that rules have been followed and that your bike passes particular bike inspections.  Make sure you’ve read the latest handbooks on the rules and regulations so that you don’t have something illegal on your bike.

Utilize the practice sessions.  You’ve never been to this track, possibly never been to a single track at all; therefore, you don’t know what to expect.  Don’t go too fast on your first lap so that you can take a look at the track as you did when you walked it and take note of anything you see.  Determine the best lines for entry and exit in the corners.  The second lap is when you should go a little bit faster and practice those entry and exit lines in the corners.  This is also when you should take note of any obstacles that you incur so that you can try to fix the problem.  This is the best time to do so because you don’t want to be on the track, actually racing, and have to worry about sudden obstacles and have to quickly come up with a solution.

Last but not least, have fun!  It’s your first race so it’s going to be a little bit difficult!  Use all you have and enjoy it! Your first motocross race will be the one that you remember for all your life. It’s been almost 30 years since I had me first race and I will never forget it.

Dirt Bike washing tips

As much fun as it is to ride a dirt bike in untamed mx tracks, there is a work to be done in maintaining these off-road bikes to keep them in good shape. Having mud and dirt stuck in your bike is going to cause chain corrosion and destroy wheel bearings which might cost you a new bike altogether or expensive repairs. This is bad especially if a bike has had a good operating streak; you want to keep it around for as long as possible and it will help the resale value of the bike when you need to sale it for another newer year model.

First tip in cleaning a dirt bike especially for beginners is to plug the exhaust system, install a rag around the air filter to keep the water from going in the carburetor and using water at high pressure, get rid of all the persistent mud and dirt picked up from the tracks. The wash should be thorough making sure all the little crevices are cleaned up neatly you will need to lay the bike on the side to get wash the bottom of the motor and frame. Truck wash works wonders especially if allowed to sit for sometime. When hosing the bike, caution should be taken around the radiator, and the electrical CDI box. These areas are not so into pressured water and can cause the bike not to start. The insides should also be given a sprinkle to avoid corrosion. After the wash spray it off with WD40 to evaporate the moisture. This is for long term affects; to keep the bike racing for as long as possible with out any problems.

Brakes should be looked at regularly since some of the soapy stuff used in cleaning hangs around will effect the performance. Constant replacement when the pads are worn out is the best angle to handle this. After giving the bike a nice bath, the ignition should be checked to ensure no water has entered it after a mud ride its best to unplug the wires plow them out with air and ably light coat electrical grease. The last thing anyone wants is a bike that has lost the spark. If the carburetor has gas and the bike is stored away for sometime, it has to be checked to make sure no clutter inside the tank it will clog your carburetor jets. Tire replacement is a must for any serious dirt bike rider. In a race the goal is to stay on the bike not to fall off from the word go. Investing in a high quality front tire and a less expensive one for the back so that it is constantly replaced is best. The back tire gets worn out so fast and its best to keep getting a new one by investing in something not too expensive.

The throttle tube should be replaced any time it gets damaged they will stick and this can be a safety issue. The chains and sprockets should be kept clean and well oiled for a smooth ride otherwise the bike will drag and demand a lot more energy from the rider to keep it free rolling. Constantly grease the pivots, bearings and axles. The air filter and spark plug should be replaced if they display any signs of fatigue the air filter is the heart of the bike so keep it clean or it will die on you. If a bike is treated nice and kept in shape, it will duplicate the tender love and care through excellent performance on the mx track. Dedicating time to attend to all the little maintenance details keeps the bike around for a long time. Leave us feedback about this article or request.

Check out all of the Beginner tips on the home page at MotocrossOnline