The Moto: Inside The Outdoors

[p3ga]

Watched this season's premier episode on Fuel last night.

Painted a really grim, yet realistic picture for those outside the top handful of factory riders. Given the economy these days, it really is a thankless profession. And if the sport does recover, it's going to take a long while.

I'm happy my thirteen year old has backed down on the riding & racing, instead concentrating on other sports. It was his call & I support it entirely.

Anyone else with aspiring 50-65-85 riders in the household see this episode?

Discuss.

[GotMojo?]

I watched. I knew the top riders were making millions, but I didn't realize a lot of those guys running just outside the top 5 aren't making much money. I figured they could atleast make a steady living, but it sounds like thats not the case and many of them go year to year without knowing where the next paycheck comes from, and some are even racing for no pay. Makes you wonder why some of them stick it out... I guess they are just hoping to get their big break and don't want to give up.

[toro618]

I missed the show. What are the riders outside of the top 5 making?

[Shawnee Bill]

Originally Posted by toro618

I missed the show. What are the riders outside of the top 5 making?

Didn't really say but it sounded like places 6-10 got paid but outside the top 10 is where it got real slim picking.
It hinted that those outside the top few were pulling in about 100 grand but then had a lot of expenses they had to pay out of that.
The sad fact is that many that think they have a chance are dropping out of school to race so when their run at a racing career is through they have nothing to fall back on.


.

[Cromoth]

http://www.fuel.tv/themotoinsidetheoutdoors/episode/ has another episode online. Please bump the thread if this episode re-airs or becomes available online. Cool show!

[slidewayes]

this show really hit the spot after trying to do a a national series for 4 years never been so broke and had so much fun at one time

[chollo9]

Man, the Josh Grant deal was harsh.

slidewayes says it all

When people ask me why I quit racing, I say people quit for one of two reasons--busted up or flat busted. I was the latter. Lucky to only have a gamey shoulder, bad knees, and a bad wrist.

[JeffS77]

Originally Posted by chollo9

I say people quit for one of two reasons--busted up or flat busted.

for some of us it is busted up that then turns into flat busted when the medical bills start stacking up

[nachtflug]

Originally Posted by GotMojo?

I figured they could atleast make a steady living, but it sounds like thats not the case and many of them go year to year without knowing where the next paycheck comes from, and some are even racing for no pay. Makes you wonder why some of them stick it out...

because they can. lot's of reasons but at the end of the day it's what they do. still probably a lot cheaper than a lot of other fruitless endeavors. even the small rigs in the pro pits are a LOT bigger than what a lot of guys raced out of years back. they might not be making any money but I think the sponsorship network still exists to the point where a pro rider who realistically isn't going to crack the top 20 can still "field a team" without breaking the bank. today's riders who become really good at the local level are lucky if they have 2-3 guys to compete with at a local race, depending on who raced where on any given sunday so you have to give the pro's who know they are on the bubble just to make the main credit for gutting it out and trying. once my riding days were over and I found myself in the Navy in my mid 20's I knew that I'd invested an awful lot of time in a very thankless sport but again, it's what they do. I knew after high school and I was spending my days and years just basicaly fucking off on a dirt bike that it wasn't going to last forever and to enjoy it while it lasted. I knew other people went on to college but I knew it wasn't for me and rding was. We have 2 local pro's here, one just turned, the other has been riding at the national level for a few years, and they happen to come from families that can afford their sons interest and don't mind doing it. a little help from sponsors and they get good deals on bikes and sell them after each season and while I couldn't afford it, they obviously can. maybe the LCQ's are the "best" races of the day in that those are where the most is on the line in some respects. why these guys compete is a fascinating topic and if it wasn't for them it would be awful boring to watch a 6 man moto. Nothing and I mean nothing has ever dropped my jaw like being in the first turn at Unadilla in 2009 and seeing a full gate of current pro's coming through the first turn in one wide open amazing mass of

awesome stuff.

[chollo9]

Originally Posted by nachtflug

riders who become really good at the local level are lucky if they have 2-3 guys to compete with at a local race

True no matter the level. There is rarely more than a handful of guys that are really likely to win week-in week-out. The rest are either on their way up or on their way down. The top half is the competition, the bottom half is filler. It's harsh, but reality.

What people gotta realize, however, is that in any national series, even the guys at the back have a LOT of talent. Almost all of them have given up everything for this.