How to Position Yourself For A Motocross Start And FUNNY GAGS

Starts

Races can be won and lost on the start. Motocross expert, Ricky Carmichael said that a good start can assure you a win race if you can handle the pressure. Starts have been divided into two sections, concrete and dirt starts. Concrete starts are usually used by amateur riders and they require a slighlty

different technique than dirt. The first thing you should know about concrete starts is that the floor must be clean. You must do a small burnout just top clean the knobs on the rear wheeel. Once the 30 second board is up, position yourself and be ready to act. Both feets should be down and your weight should be on the back seat. Your face should be facing the starting gate and your elbows should be up. Once the 5 second board is up, grab the clutch and shift to gear one. Slowly release the clutch and when the bike starts moving, hold the front brake. Once the gate drops, release the clutch and dont accelerate to the fullest until  you reach the dirt.

Dirt starts are quite different and hard to get used to. Prepare the surface where your rear wheel will be driving out of the gate. Kick some dirt into the rut left from previous starts and press it down. This will give you a harder  and smoother surface. The only real difference from concrete starts is to have your weight forward on the bike and to pick a lower gear because there will be a lot more traction as the gate drops. 

Encouraging Physically Challenged.

To my knowledge motocross is one of the most physical demanding sports in the world. Motocross contains essential elements that create an entertaining and breath taking environment. Motocross is extremely exciting to watch and to see. In a motocross race, anything and everyhting is possible. You can see crashes that can end the riders career and the most unfortunate can win. Motocross can be considered to be an emotional sport since any little mistake can cause you to lose everything. Some were not fortunate enougg to continue racing after a tremendous crash. There are many physically challenged riders who ride extremely fast. This riders should be taken into consideration and not as a joke. Technology has made it possible for handicapped people to actually race. Many of this riders used to race before and due to their love for the sport, they want to continue racing. It is not a passion where you just enjoy watching but you live the moment. Many People refer to motocross as, ''Motocross is my life''. The following clip shows a rider (Darius Glover) who used to race and suffered an injury who led him to be paralytic. This didnt stop him from racing and he wants a title. He trains on a daily basis and he rides really fast. Take a look.

One of the most inspiring videos I have ever seen. MUST WATCH!

I am going to show you a gallery of how passionate people can be about motocross. You will see the true fanatics of the sport. 

                                               So, what is your excuse for not training?

Motocross 2013 Update

Two champions were crowned at the motocross event in the new track in Utah. Ryan Villopoto clinched the 2013 450 AMA title at Miller Motosports Park. After winning both motos, Kawasaki rider captured his second motocross Championship. In the 250, Eli Tomac won his first motocross title in the lites class. Villopoto go the holeshot for the first Moto and quickly got away. He held a 7 second lead in the first couple of laps. Ryan Dungey who was the title defender needed to win Villopoto to keep his chances alive. Unfortunately, by the time he got passsed Justin Brayton who was second, Villopoto was too far to be seen. Villopoto and Dungey finished first and second in Moto 1, which allowed Villopoto to be closer to winning that title. Villopoto's outstanding performance at the Utah National was enough to grab the 2013 championship.

 Heading into Moto 2, the 250 Class Championship was still available for Tomac and the KTM rider Ken Rockzen. Justin Bogle (Eli Tomac's team mate) grabbed the holeshot. Roczen took over the lead in lap 7 until Tomac started to pressure Roczen. In a few laps, Tomac took over the lead and showed what he was made off. Although Tomac had the advantage on Roczen in Moto 2, the championship wasn't completely over until Baggett entered the second place battle with Roczen. Baggett's last-lap pass on Roczen was enough to give Tomac the points he needed to secure the 250 Class Championship with an overall win.

Juan Carlos ''Chavo'' Salvatierra

Having Chavo Salvatierra as a family member can be honorable but at the same time risky. I say this due to the fact that he expects me to train at the same rythm he is training. I try to avoid his training calls but at the end of the day, training makes the master. Chavo has come a long way to become who he is today. He is considered to be the most successfull athlete Bolivia has ever had. To begin with, he used to race in Bolivia and won 9 national championships. He began racing at an old age when he was 15 years old. I think what helped Chavo was the fact that his dad distributed Honda and Kawasaki. This allowed him to see and be passionate about motorcycles. 

                                  

Question: What did it take to become a national champion?

Answer: I had to train at least four times a week on the motorcycle. At the track, i would practice start drills and corner drills. I would go for a cycle run at 5 am each morning. To create muscles, I would go to the gym three times a week.

Chavo was always looking to race international races until he heard about the Dakar. He got really interested in it and decided to give it a try. He knew it was one of the most physicall demanding races rally has to offer so he started training. He told me that he felt he could have trained a little more but he felt he needed to race. His first Dakar went extremely well breaking the stadistics. He finished top 35 out of 250 racers who many of them didnt have the ability of finishing. 

                                             Chavo was welcomed back home

Question: How was your first Dakar?

Answer: It was more than what i expected. Everything was harder and i knew i had to work 10 time harder to be able to accomplish something.

Chavo's second Dakar went pretty well. He improved and even got top 10 in one stage. He was third in various checkpoints and finished top 25 overall. He proved what he was made of. He told me that he knew what he needed training and pushed even harder for the 2012 Dakar. Overall, he was kind of satisfied because he knew he could have done better so he decided to wait for 2013.

                                                      Chavo hitting that dune.

Question: Did you feel anything different this edition?

Answer: Everything was different. The bike, my stamina, my knowledge everything improved. This is why i had a better result.

2013 was a successfull year for Chavo. After hiring the all time Dakar champion, he was more ready than ever. He decided to switch teams and trained even harder. I must say that 2013 was a better year for him because his whole family supported him throughout the whole race. We supported him and the expectations are getting higher every year. Chavo is expecting a top 10 for the next year or so. We hope he accomplishes his goal and puts Bolivia's name in Dakar history.

You can see my cousing pointing at Chavo sinc

-e we were tired of waiting for him. We missed him!

Podium

Question: Are you proud with this years result?

Answer: I am not that proud of this years result. I mean, I improved but due to bike problems I couldnt show everything i had. We will do it next year.

My Experience With Racing

Racing has always been in my veins. My uncle distributes Honda and Kawasaki for the country i live in. This has facilitated my chances of racing and made it easier to continue doing it. Racing started in my uncle's son called Juan Carlos Salvatierra or ''Chavo''. His son came to be the greatest motocross racer Bolivia has had and will. He has a total of 8 national championships and many international race wins. He is my motivation and my desire to be the next champion, to continue the family racing. Right now, Chavo is racing the biggest Rally in the world called, ''Dakar''. 2014 will be his 4th time in this race and his best finish until now is a top 20. The top 20 riders in this race are considered to be heroes and most have them have industry sponsors which Chavo doesnt have. I will be talking more about him and his racing in another entry.

        Unfortunately I started my career as a motocross racer a little too old. I started with 13 years old but due to my harsh routine Chavo gave me I was able to reach the top guys level quickly. I used to race in the 85MX category one year ago. I finished 2nd in the overall national championship which i was comfortable with since it was my third year of racing. This year I stepped up to the 250 category which i struggled a little bit at first. The bike was too big for me but i grew about 10 cm throughout a short amount of time and got hold of it. My debut in this category was on the first start of the season. I had to say it was splendid after finishing 3rd overall. This gave me a small boost to train even harder. I am currently standing 3rd in the local championship which i defintely wasn't expecting. I am looking to become a national championship before I leave to study in the US. There is still a long road ahead but I am aware of the hard work that is needed in order to accomplish this goal of mine.

The Top 10 Most Important Gear For Motocross

Equipping yourself with the proper motocross gear is essential for a safe riding. The gear you need to go racing can be expensive, but it can save you from a costly trip to the hospital. Having the proper equipment will help keep you safe but it will also give you the peace of mind to ride and have fun. I've listed it all in order of importance and offer a few pointer to help you visualize why they are so important and expensive.







10. Falling is part of motocross. When you fall, you usually stretch your arm first. When you do this and crash, you usually scrap your elbow. This can be extremely painful so that is why elbow pads are essential.

9. Wrist braces have just been discovered in the last 5 years. They were created after several riders would snap their wrists after applying so much pressure in order to hold the bike up. They are clinically researched and proven to be a must use protection.

8. The kidney belt will help to support your lower back and internal organs. Many times a rider will be injured with internal problems like a split liver, bruised kidneys or split spleen so it is better to have a kidney belt. Better safe than sorry.

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7. Neck braces have extremely high technology. They protect the rider from having vicious movements that can damage your neck. It is important to protect this part of the body since it is connected to all the parts of the body.

6. Having a gear consists of a pant and a jersey. All of this combined create a set of gear. Without a gear, you are not allowed to race.

5. Gloves are extremely important in the sport. They will help you get a good grip to hold the bike and it will help prevent getting painful calluses on your hand.

4. A good set of goggles are always needed in motocross. Your vision is one of the things you need to have clear in order to have a good race. Goggles can come with many fun artifacts like tear offs or roll offs which help avoid dirt on your goggles.









3. Knee braces are not considered too much when it comes to protection. They protect not only the knee but the ligaments that are inside the knee. Motocross involves a lot of knee movement so it is vital to have it protected.

2. Boots can be uncomfortable at first but they are specially made for motocross. Once you get used to them you are going to find yourself using them at ease.

1. Helmets are considered to be the most important equipment a motocross gear can offer. This is because it protects one of the most fragile parts of the body which is the head. Helmets can be expensive but they are worth each penny you spend.

America's Racing

America's motocross racing has massively evolved ever since it came to the States around 1960's. Before it came to the US, it was an exclusively European sport, raced by riders who were mostly from Europe. Now days, motocross has become an extremely popular sport all around the world. The hardest motocross championship lies in the US and it is called Lucas Oil Motocross Championship. This championship is considered to be outrageously difficult due to the high competition level with riders all around the name. You will hear names like the 5 time champion Ryan Villopoto or Justin Barcia. Riders who are crowned champions in Europe usually come to the US to try and win a championship but few have succeeded. Hot temperatures passing 100 degrees have made the sport more physically demanding and harder to race. The motocross industry has grown tremendously throughout the decade. You will see big sponsors like Red Bull or Monster who are heavily involved in the sport. Motocross in America is getting more competitive as the years go. 

A gallery of what the sport looks like and how hard it can get.

Raining Champ Ryan Villopoto #1

Crashing is part of the sport.

Sometimes the bike doesn't cooperate.

Passing sometimes involves physicall contact.

Eli Tomac after an exhausting 35 minute moto.