Endangering The Youth MX Racer

by Brent Powell
(Dougllasville GA USA)

I think that the elimination of the 125 2-stroke has had a hand in the drop of young teens racing motocross and the injuries incurred by those who do continue racing after they have outgrown mini classes. The 125 2-stroke is a perfect bridge between the mini classes and the 250 or lites class.

Old timers know the thrill of tapping out a 125 around a track and the skills it will develop. If you look at the lap times of the school-boy 1 class at the 2011 Loretta Lynn National you will see as a group, the top 15 riders were as fast or faster than all but the top 7 riders in the 250a class. That leaves no doubt as to how a 125 performs with a light and aggressive young rider on board.

Also it is cheaper to race and maintain or repair. They are lighter, easier to start and easy to learn body control and its effect on a race bike than it is on a 250f. Also considering that most kids stop racing in the 15 to 18 age range, we should make sure the reason is not the cost of obtaining and maintaining a bike.

Other than 125's I believe the time has come to let the displacement of the bikes be equal, and let the best rider win races - not a bike with twice the displacement.