As I mentioned in an earlier blog, my first experience riding a dirt bike was hot but exhilarating. It left me wanting more but I also knew I needed some proper tuition. I’d survived the first outing without a spill but it was definitely more luck than skill, and I didn’t relish testing the full ability of my Shift (www.shiftracing.com) motocross safety gear.
So imagine my surprise when Kawasaki offered to contribute $30 to a breast cancer charity on our behalf if we took part in the third annual Ride for the Cure event in early October. In return, we’d publicize the cause to help raise awareness of breast cancer.

 To be honest, it seemed too good to be true. We double-checked the fine-print and the calendar to see it wasn’t April 1st. When all seemed kosher we even made a contribution to the cause ourselves to thank the gods for our good fortune!

The money was going to Michelle’s Place (michellesplace.org); a women's breast cancer center founded in 2001 to provide support and resources to women battling breast cancer, as well as to educate those not yet impacted by breast cancer.
The event took place in Anza, CA at the Rynoland motocross training facility (www.rynoland.com). Buried deep in the desert, it’s a giant adult playground boasting several different tracks where motocross skills can be discovered and developed.

With acres of space available, Kawasaki provided safety equipment to those without, as well as a selection of Kawasaki's KLX 140 dirt bikes. These were perfect for novice riders, with some of our group having never previously ridden a motorcycle of any form. The basic model has small 17" front, 14" rear wheels, which were perfect for some of the women in our group. While the KLX140L gets bigger 19" front, 16" rear wheels to increase the ground clearance for taller riders.

While the SOHC 144cc engine was a little smaller than we’d hoped for, the electric start was a god-send. The bikes were also extremely light, which suited the low-speed maneuvers we’d be doing.
With a group of extremely patient instructors, we learned to ditch our road-riding techniques and adapt to off-road. Initially we were sticking out a knee in the corners and sliding off the saddle to transfer weight, but we eventually mastered the art of keeping your knees clamped to the fuel tank and sliding your bum off the high-side of the saddle, like a skier leans out of the bend. It was counter-intuitive but soon made sense. Standing on the footpegs is another way to ride these motocross machines but my simple brain could only process a limited amount of information in one day…

After several hours of training, when even the newbies were slaloming with the best of us, we were dispatched to Rynoland’s mini-course. The jumps, bumps and gradients were gentle enough for beginners, but some of us soon found ourselves searching out new challenges and getting air with remarkable ease. The biggest surprise was how easily these tiny Kawasaki’s climbed the steep inclines and their long-travel suspension soaked up the landings. It was all done at a relatively low speed, giving us the confidence to push further and seek out more adventure on bigger machines.
So if you’ve always wanted to try motocross but have never taken the plunge, now’s a great time to give it a go. The machinery is extremely user-friendly and you need no prior experience. There are instructors out there capable of teaching you the basics and ensuring you have fun in a safe environment. And if we can encourage you to learn more about the cause and effect of breast cancer and what you can do to help, then our work here is done.
Greg Emmerson