My 6yo first time on a 2 wheel bike.

[Conquiztador]

Vinny has now just turned 9 and as bike mad as ever.

Here the updates:

When he turned 7 we sold the DS80 and I got him a chinese Honda replica. 90cc 4 stroke and with 3 gears and auto clutch. A fraction big, but he was happily using that one around home and beach.


Then when he was 7 1/2 I came across on KB a chap that has a 2 stroke aircooled 50cc KTM for sale. We grabbed that one and Vinny went to his first MX race. It was an eye opener. There was 6 yo boys that had 2 bikes, dads with trailers and big 4wd cars. There was tents, chilly bins and s/s bbq's. But this did not face us. Vinny rode as well as he could. But soon we realised that his little bike was missing a few hp's compared to the watercooled ones (his had 3hp, the watercooled ones 7 or 8)



When he then turned 8 he got some new gear and a competetive KTM 50cc SX watercooled bike. He has now been riding that one for a year and has been getting faster and better. Came 2'nd in the HB Winter Series (over 5 meetings) and is 2'nd in the HB Champs with one meeting to go.


He has a couple of days ago turned 9 and has had 4 bikes sofar. He now will have to move up to 65cc and gears and clutch. (Have a bike, well two actually, that we are planning to buy. One as spare...)Costs go up, the racing gets tougher, the speed increases and there is meetings most w/e's. But he is keen, so we keep on going. And he told me that when he becomes professional and rich he will buy me whatever bike I want so I can go riding with him, so I have something to look forward to.

[Headbanger]

Very cool. Let me know if you or when you on sell any of those bikes, My boys are mad-keen on motorcycles and I'd love to get them on something.

[Conquiztador]

Very cool. Let me know if you or when you on sell any of those bikes, My boys are mad-keen on motorcycles and I'd love to get them on something.

As we have gone on I have sold the earlier ones and bought the next one. (He is my youngest, so the older boys are too big for his bikes) Currently he has the one in that last pic. Called "KTM Pro Senior 50 SX". It is a 2004 model. But from 2004 up until 2009 they were the same. 2003 had drum brake back and the 2010 up has been redesigned. (The jury is still out if that was a good idea as they tend to have some issues...)

After his last race this Sunday this bike will be for sale. It is a tidy and well working one that I have through the year spent some money on:
(Here what I can remember)
- Swingarm bushes
- Rear brake pads
- All chain guide plastics
- Hand grips
- Almost new tyres
- New rear end plastics still to be fitted
- Rebuilt rear brake master cylinder
- Kick start seal

The bike has done less than 20 meetings where a race is 10 minutes with 4 races average per meeting since we got it. So she has been used approx 20 - 25 hours since new chain and rear sprocket, piston, bottom end and waterpump rebuild. She is getting close to needing a set of rings. But still fast enough to be very competetive. I will not put new rings in her but reflect this in the sale price.

$1,200

Note that this is a race bike that revs over 10,000 and there has been dads who have bought these for their kids only to find out that the bike scares the shit outta them and they refuse to ride it. Your little one turns the throttle and the dirt will fly and they are off...

The centrifugal clutch needs to be taken apart and cleaned and oil replaced between meetings. Allow 1 - 1 1/2 hour.

Parts are easily available and not too expensive. And there is heaps of tips and tricks how to set them up on the web.

Uses pre mix fuel.

This bike is used by kids from approx 5yo until they turn 9 (if racing is what the bike is used for). Once 9 they need to move up to 65cc.

This bike has never been used to the full potential by Vinny, and the limitations are with him and not the bike.

So if your boys are planning to race, then this is as good as it gets for this age. (2011 models are just under $5K and not any faster). But be prepared to do maintenance. If they only want something to hoon around the paddoc on I would not recommen these, as they require too much maintenance and cost to keep going.

Oh yes, comes with a manual too, old rear end plastics and a set of tyres with 80% left.

[Cayman911]

When i took off the training wheels off my bicycle. i was the coolest lil kid on the block.

[Conquiztador]

So now we are riding in the 65cc class. We sold the 50cc, his boots that were too small, the body armour. And threw in some other bits. All up $1,300 to same dad.

And we bought two KTM 65cc ones from a dad who's boy was moving up to 85cc.

Today I had a call from the MX club re the Prize Giving. When Vinny's all points were counted together from all his racing last year in HB (he came 2'nd in the Winter Series and 2'nd in the club champs) he had most points. So tomorrow he will get top points scorer in 50cc in 2010. Will be a surprise for him .

This year he is learning the gear shifting and clutch use. That has come together well, and at Taupo where he rides in the B-grade this year he has every meeting cut a minute of his time. From being lapped in his first meeting he is now 30 seconds behind the winner.

Much of his improvement can be put down to the two MX holiday programmes he has attended. And now in July he will be attending the next one.

So where is this going you ask? No idea. But he is a capable rider who does not take silly chances. And if he never becomes a NZ champ it would not worry me. He clearly has developed a liking for motorbikes and a skill in using them. And we are doing something together that we both love. That makes it all worth it.

[FJRider]

Worth it INDEED ...

[Conquiztador]

Vinny is now 10 1/2 yo and second year in 65cc. Vinny is now managing to qualify for A grade in all competitions he enters. We have two KTM 65cc bikes. They are set up a fraction different to cater for changes in the tracks. At end of 2010 I paid $4K for both with a big box of spares thrown in. I have learnt more re setup and working on these 2 stroke rocket ships. Vinny is cutting times at every track we visit on regular basis. Currently he is 3'rd in HB Winter series (after 2 rounds), 4'th in Wanganui Winter series (after 2 rounds), 21'st in Taupo A grade Winter Series (after 2 rounds). In end of December we did Whakatane Summer cross where Vinny came 15'th, end of January Woodville where things did not go well and he came towards the end, and just done NI Mini MX Champs in Huntly where he came 17'th.

Most riders now have later model 65cc KTM's that tends to have more bottom end that makes them easier to ride than Vinnys model. The jury is still out if we will get a later model one or stay with what we have. But as we will in February move him up to Junior 85cc I am not sure if it is worth it. I would love to let him use a later model KTM at Taupo where the top riders are 10 seconds faster than Vinny/lap. (He is cutting a few seconds of best lap each race there and we are now down to 1m 33sec/lap). He has since January 2011 now been part of 6 one week MX camps here in HB, and will again be part of the July one.

Since beginning of February we have raced every weekend. Hastings, Waipawa, Wanganui, Taupo, Whakatane, Tokoroa, Auckland, Rotorua, Huntly at this stage. At times 2 meetings/weekend. And it started to pay off approx a month ago when he suddenly started to get all together and compete with the better riders. At Taupo he also did better last meeting, but had some bad luck and a faulty bike in one race meaning the total points were not what we were hoping for. Up until recently he had problems on muddy and slippery tracks, but at Huntly he was passing riders off the line in the wet clay in the corners and he loved it.

The aim is to be in the top 5 at each place and also at championships so we can get some sponsorship for him.

We still have no idea where this goes. But Vinny is loving it, he has started to watch what he eats, started soccer so he can get fit, does much pushbiking for fitness and the two evenings before a race he goes early to bed. All this without me having to do anything re it. At times he has a crappy meeting/race and I am not sure why. Can only put it down to that he at times does not seem to have "killer instinct". But as we go on these meetings/races are becoming less frequent.

Vinny still has to come first in a race with good riders and pick up max 25 points. Last meeting in Wanganui he had two 2'nds and is now hungry to get his first win against good riders.

This is not cheap. Apart from the fuel, parts and motor rebuilds I will be spending $10K on travel, entry fees and other costs related to all the meetings we go to this year. But... it is only money.

[unstuck]

Good stuff, what an awesome read. What a cool dad.

[caseye]

Way to go Con, Vinny is a lucky young fella and I'm sure will one day be a bloody good Dirt rider and most likely a fantastic road rider for all his training and skills.
Great when they get into it themselves aye.
Loved catching up on how he's doing, next time you guys are in Dorkalnd there's a garage with enough tools to sink a battleship and spare beds if needed, can't do much else but we can take the accommodation problem out of the equation for you.

[White trash]

What an awesome thread! I read with a heap of interest as my boy Keiran has just turned 4 last week and has is first introductory PeeWee race at Kapi-Mana on Sunday. I've been agonizing over how expensive this is potentially going to get as working at a KTM dealership, you see the sheer dollars parents are forking out to keep their kids on competitive machinery and frankly, I can't afford it.

At least I've got two years to see how he enjoys it and decide what level he decides will make him happiest.

Vinny's a lucky boy to have such a supportive dad but I reckon (know) dad get's as much enjoyment out of it as the racer does.

[Conquiztador]

Way to go Con, Vinny is a lucky young fella and I'm sure will one day be a bloody good Dirt rider and most likely a fantastic road rider for all his training and skills.
Great when they get into it themselves aye.
Loved catching up on how he's doing, next time you guys are in Dorkalnd there's a garage with enough tools to sink a battleship and spare beds if needed, can't do much else but we can take the accommodation problem out of the equation for you.

Cheers. Not sure when we will next ride in Auckland as we have it all planned until end of November. But if nothing else, we be in Auckland riding in the "King of the North" in beginning of 2013.

What an awesome thread! I read with a heap of interest as my boy Keiran has just turned 4 last week and has is first introductory PeeWee race at Kapi-Mana on Sunday. I've been agonizing over how expensive this is potentially going to get as working at a KTM dealership, you see the sheer dollars parents are forking out to keep their kids on competitive machinery and frankly, I can't afford it.

At least I've got two years to see how he enjoys it and decide what level he decides will make him happiest.

Vinny's a lucky boy to have such a supportive dad but I reckon (know) dad get's as much enjoyment out of it as the racer does.

Cheers. Good luck to Kieran in his first race! After the beginner classes he can always race in the Trials class where the bikes are 4 stroke up to 110cc. A fraction cheaper bikes and don't need so much work. But if he gets hooked and has potential I recon you would be short-changing him. Thou working at a KTM dealership should give you an advantage, and I am sure there would be some sponsorship available... The NZ Mini MX Champs are at Kapi-Mana 6-7 October this year. WE have plans to come down and do a trial run before then.

[White trash]

Cheers. Good luck to Kieran in his first race! After the beginner classes he can always race in the Trials class where the bikes are 4 stroke up to 110cc. A fraction cheaper bikes and don't need so much work. But if he gets hooked and has potential I recon you would be short-changing him. Thou working at a KTM dealership should give you an advantage, and I am sure there would be some sponsorship available... The NZ Mini MX Champs are at Kapi-Mana 6-7 October this year. WE have plans to come down and do a trial run before then.

Thanks mate. Yeah, we're sponsoring the Mini Champs with KTM. Let me know when you sort out what weekend you want to come down for a preview and I'll see if we can help with accommodation also, depending on the house situation.

[Conquiztador]

Thanks mate. Yeah, we're sponsoring the Mini Champs with KTM. Let me know when you sort out what weekend you want to come down for a preview and I'll see if we can help with accommodation also, depending on the house situation.

Thanks! Will let you know!

[Conquiztador]

Just had to post this: Vinny's first holeshot and win! And against quality riders too. This was in Wanganui over the w/e. Did run out of memory so only got the first part of the race, but you get the drift. Once he got the lead in the 3'rd corner he never let it go!

[caseye]

Well he never looked like being threatened, held his nerve and got the job done, nice work there Con jnr! Yer up late there, vid looked great, next time make sure ya have enough memory, please.