In 2009, Motokazie will host seven dates for expert instruction in the sport of Motocross, check out the School Schedule page for the complete list. This year we will offer schools at our Elko, Jordan and Kellogg facilities. New this year we will include 50cc bikes at our Elko and Kellogg race schools, with the requirement of a minimum of five 50cc riders pre-registered. If we do not have the minimum number of 50cc riders pre-registered, they will not be included in that days race school. Our Jordan Race Schools will only include 65cc riders and up. We will not offer a Mini Quad Race School this year. At all of our Schools, there will be a minimum requirement of 5 bikes pre-registered in order for the school to be held.

Rest assured the instructors will be highly skilled and more than qualified to teach in all aspects. There will be multiple instructors at each event to cater to the specific needs of every student from absolute beginners to expert racers, and we are careful to keep the ratio of students per instructor very low to optimize the one-on-one experience.

We are proud to say that many students return to Motokazie Race Schools because they find value in what we have to offer. We are dedicated to increasing knowledge, skill level, and overall experience to every rider that participates.

Many topics will be covered at each school. From common bike maintenance, correct body positioning and engine braking to double jumps and timing sections. We are prepared to cover anything involved in the sport of motocross/Supercross racing.

Classes range from 4-5 hours in length, and cost $120.00/Pre Registration or $135 day of. A $30.00 deposit is required to hold your spot, as our classes fill up fast! Upon completion, students will receive a gift pack and a personalized certificate stating that the rider has graduated from Motokazie Race School!

To Sign up for a Motokazie Race School, simply print out and complete the form on the entry form, (link is below in blue) specify which school you would like to enter and send it in with your deposit (or payment in full) to the address provided. You are then on your way to becoming a smarter, safer and faster rider!

Click for School Entry/Release Form

Minor Release forms

Follow these links to open a printable page for each page of our minor release form.

Minor Release and Waiver of Liability (Page 1)
Minor's Understanding Form (Page 2)

Want to start riding or racing? Click here

The Lowdown on Motocross and Supercross

By Owen Riess

Getting Started

You are a parent like me. You never raced or haven’t raced since dirt bikes had two rear shocks. Not to worry it wasn’t that long ago when I pulled into the Motokazie Elko track with my five year old daughter and a Yamaha PW50 in the back of the SUV.

I have always been a motorcycle enthusiast; for as long as I can remember I have been dreaming about riding my motorcycle, planning the next road trip, or trail ride. So when my friend says his daughter has outgrown her little Yamaha dirt bike and do I want to buy it – well my daughter Jacqueline was only three but I thought this is something about me I wanted to share with her.

The first year it just sat in the garage and she would climb on it and hold her hands on handlebars and put her feet on the foot pegs.

The second year when she was four she wanted to ride it. So I would put her on and sit on the back and we would go around the yard. It wasn’t long before she was on her own going around the house one way and then around the house the other way.

Soon she was riding so well that I couldn’t catch her, and she would just keep going until she ran out of gas. After that I learned to only put in a few cups of gas and not fill the whole tank. LOL However, this was the turning point in her riding. The circles around the house were just not enough of a challenge to keep her interest. She could start and stop, and pick the bike up when she tipped it over and start it on her own and the yard was just not going to limit her.

It was the riding across the neighbor’s back yards and back that sent me to the world wide web to find a place for her to ride, and that brought us to Motokazie’s Thursday ‘open practice’ in Elko, MN.

We arrived at ‘open practice’ and as you pull in all you see is the big bikes flying through the air, and you think as you look at your four year old whose eyes are bigger than the wheels on her motorcycle, there won’t be any riding for her today.

But, the nice Motokazie folks walk you through sign-up and aim you to the small track for the four to eight year olds.

Skill Level

The little gals and guys have their own riding area called appropriately the ‘peewee track’. This is a challenging course with all the same design components such as a starting gate, tabletops and whoops as the big track just in a smaller scale.

All the kids riding on the peewee track are four to eight years old, and they are all on 50cc bikes. The Motokazie staff breaks the group into slower and faster groups. You will know after watching for a few minutes which group your child belongs in. Don’t push your child ~– some of those eight year olds have been riding and racing for four years.

Your child needs to have the ability to ride their motorcycle. They need to have control of starting, steering and stopping. I sent Jacqueline out the first time to just follow the track and she was weaving all over the track and another rider bumped into her and down they went. First lap! Bam. She got up crying and we walked back to the SUV to take a break.

The other rider Tayva (another girl) came over and asked if she was ok and they talked and became friends. Tayva talked to her all about “holding your line” and after that they were off and running making laps until Motokazie kicked us out at 8 PM.

Holding your line. If you are going to ride down the left side always stay on the left side, and if you are going to ride in the right side always stay on the right side. That way the faster riders coming up behind you that are going to pass you don’t have to guess what you are going to do, and when your child starts passing they won’t have to guess what the slower child they are going to pass is going to do.

The basic skill set is starting, steering, stopping and holding your line. If your child can do this they are ready to ride.

Equipment

Let’s cover just what you need to keep your little one protected. First and foremost is a good quality helmet. Never skimp on the helmet and get a helmet bag to put it in. Teach your child to take good care of their helmet. If they drop it on the garage floor, put it on the shelf and buy a new helmet.

Shin guards, motocross pants, motocross boots, a motocross jersey, a kidney belt, a roost protector, elbow guards, a good neck brace, motocross gloves and goggles.

All of this can be overwhelming and the thought of spending $200 or $300 bucks before you even know if your child will be interested can be discouraging. This is about having fun. I suggest you get out and try it. Motocross is a family event and the parents are always on the sidelines while the kids ride. If you need equipment just ask around. We always hand down the equipment Jacqueline has outgrown to the younger kids. There are parents and families with bags and bucket’s of gear that their kids have outgrown and they would be happy to see it put to good use.

It’s about having fun and making friends

Motocross is a physically demanding individual sport. If you keep your kids riding and they get involved in racing as a parent you will see an increase in their confidence and self esteem.

It’s not about winning or going fast it’s about each child doing their very best and having fun. Every competitor on the peewee track gets a trophy or a medallion, no matter how they finish!

Motocross is good clean fun. It’s a chance to get your family away for the weekend to camp and grill and make friends from all over the State and Country.

My daughter and I have three rules for racing: 1. Have fun, 2. Try hard, and 3. Don’t give up. If it’s not fun we’ll find something else to do, if something is worth doing it’s worth making your best effort, and no quitting, if you fall down get back up and do your best to finish strong. Rules for life and living I think, but don’t tell the kids that too soon. LOL Just remember it’s all about Rule # 1., and letting your kids ride their motorcycles.

Motocross vs Supercross

There is probably a more technical explanation than Motocross is a permanent outdoor facility and Supercross is a temporary track set up for each event. That Motocross is a longer track and Supercross is a shorter track usually inside the grandstand of a County Fairgrounds .

But the short version is that Motocross races are generally on Sundays. Supercross races can be almost any night of the week. The actual racing event works the same for both with the biggest difference being the spectators, the fair and food.

Most of the Motokazie Supercross events are held during the County Fairs in the grandstands under the lights. If you go early enough you can visit the fair. Think corn on the cobb, the animal barns, and a grandstand with 3-4 thousand fans, the Motokazie announcer saying your child’s name and the fans roaring and clapping and encouraging them to have fun.

Your job as a parent is to get your kid(s) to the track and see what it’s all about. You could just bring your child to watch, but you might as well bring their motorbike, because what you will find is a fun and friendly environment, and kids just want to ride!