TWELVE reasons To RACE your dirt bike offroad (in a forest)
You get to random camp & enjoy the outdoors
There is nothing better than showing up to a race casually Friday after work or Saturday setting up the trailer getting the steaks on the grill and strolling around the campsites catching up with your dirt bike friends.
The best thing is there is practically no dust unlike an MX track & no gate or camping fee usually.
You can ride around prior to the race (just stay away from the course!)
Nothing sucks more than showing up to an event, having no warm up, no idea what conditions are like and only getting an 8-minute practice that is actually a mini race. The forest allows you to get a test ride in before the race & see what conditions are like,
Make sure you have license/registration & proper lights so the Fish cops don’t bug you!
Everyone is super friendly and nice!
Riding offroad is one of the most friendly and welcoming atmospheres you will ever experience.
Many racers will invite you to their campsite for an adult beverage or a pop to talk about their adventures, their bike, course or all of the above! The evening after the event is one of the most relaxing times as everyone has been riding for over 2 hours straight and will bench race until the beer runs dry at midnight.
Bring an extra $20 as you might need to buy a dirt bike part on site from someone!
Make sure to invite at least 2 friends to race each other.
The knowledge at the campfire is awesome!
Many of the racers have been lining up for over 20 years, some are 70 years old and have been bushwacking longer than we have been alive and have seen and road the most insane stuff around.
Give the legends a beer and you will get 10 years of knowledge overnight!
Racing starts at a decent time!
Sign in is sometimes Friday night, and Saturday morning from 7:30AM to 9AM in Alberta & BC.
Riders meeting is 10AM & Racing is usually a short time after it concludes.No more getting up at 5AM to sign up for a 7AM riders meeting like motocross. Mind you it helps if you camp the night before in your truck or van or a buddies cargo trailer.
The racing is supposed to be enjoyable right? Don’t rush your weekend to race, camp a night, enjoy the day and night.
Signing up online a week before the race means you can just roll in, sign your name, pay and gear up!
The Course is unknown & fair, No home track advantage.
There is no home track advantage like motocross or endurocross, The course is usually only ridden by 10 or so people who set the course up, and as soon as the shotgun goes off you must rely on your skill & instincts, not memory riding the same trails & day after day.
Every hill climb is different, corner unknown & trail full of surprises. You will come across Wildlife and the course is built for skill levels from beginner to Pro!
Photo Doug Newall
Some races have a burger after you finish!
Many races to show their appreciation to you for coming to the event will have a nice Hamburger waiting for you just prior to awards, This is the best time to pull up the lawn chair, grab a nice cold one and bench race the last 3 hours of racing with the 20 guys in your class talking about that big log after the 3rd hill climb. You know the one with the squirrel…
After the race, you will be exhausted yet full of energy to bench race about the awesome passes of the day.
You are tested to your limits and gain skills immediately.
Riding the same trail over and over again doing AWESOME Instagram photos only does so much to advance your skill and ability. Races help you train your instincts, think on your toes and see new lines from the other 20 yahoos in your class bashing through the woods.
Trail riding IS NOTHING LIKE racing, period. You get to ride at the same time as the top pros and 100s of other people.
The Price to Fun Ratio is INCREDIBLE!
The race will cost you about $50.00 Entry Fee & $30 Day License (Canadian beaver pelts).
This gets you a MINIMUM ride time for a CONSTANT 2 hours of racing, Over 2.5hrs if you are an advanced rider.
You normally race from 10:30AM to 12:30PM ! Add in Free Camping, no gate fees, No transponder rentals usually.
Alberta & BC races now use inexpensive RFID transponders that cost under $10 for the ENTIRE year.
You don’t need the best looking bike or gear to be accepted!
Offroad Racers have a nickname and we are proud of it, The Bushrat!
You won’t be judged if your gear and decals don’t match, heck many of the racers only have basic number plates and nothing else! Bolts are missing, zip ties are used everywhere and there is still dirt from 3 weeks ago on our engines.
BUT! Some races require provided numbers or printed decals to be scored so keep that in mind.
What we lack in style we make up in skill and personality.
You learn to RIDE not remember.
Races are flagged one of two ways, with PINK & BLUE ribbon, or ARROWS. Race Loops are not the usual 3 foot wide “singletrack” known for common popular recreation areas or those Instagram pix. These races allow you to legally ride VIRGIN single track trails that can become public in the future. You essentially get to ride a private course for one day and one day only!
These trails will present you with obstacles you normally will never see and test you to the extreme in the 2+ hour period.
Do at least 3 races a year so you can benchmark your performance gains throughout the season.
The Views are UNREAL
Each area and race will have their own unique views and challenges, some very rooty & slimy, others rocky filled with hill climbs and out of this world views of mountain ranges with wildlife crossing your path throughout your journey. Anywhere you go offroad there is something new to see and experience, no race is ever the same, even year after year.
Give your eyes a treat, Feed your Soul & Enjoy the fresh air.
There are so many more reasons to enjoy racing offroad, you may enjoy waking up to rain on the trailer in the middle of the night, the coffee in the morning looking at a mountain or the amazing views you get while you are making a pass on the rider you have been trailing for 20 minutes. Whatever it is, you will love every moment of pushing yourself to new extremes and experiencing new trails from across your province or state from the many local clubs that put on these amazing events.
So get out there, gear up and enjoy Racing your dirt bike offroad. You will get to know some of the areas around you and make some new friends dirt biking. Make sure to look up local dirt bike clubs in your areas and join at least 2 this year! Your support helps keep trails open & races happening!
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