Hare scrambles vs Roadracing

Hey, I’m considering getting back into dirt riding to save up some cash after Roadracing this season. I’ve been told I can race hare scrambles all year for a fraction of the cost of Roadracing. I wanted some opinions from those who have raced both.

How would you compare dirt racing to Roadracing? Which do you prefer?

Should I stop being cheap and just race both next season lol?

any thoughts appreciated!

 

Dirt racing is absolutely cheaper than road racing, no question. But they also scratch different itches. Racing dirt will improve your road racing, I should do it more but... it's just not an itch I have?

 

If you already have a bike, you can do a season or two of hare scrambles for the cost of one road racing weekend. They are both fun, but pavement racing is more intense.

 

some costs would be the same- transportation, gas, lodging, etc. Some costs are quite a bit cheaper- tires, entry fee (one race only) being the top ones. Usually 2-3 hours of racing depending upon events. also you can probably find 3-4 or more races within 2-3 hours of your location, vs road racing tracks can be quite a bit further away if you want to visit multiple tracks.

very different vibe to the racing, and different style but overall a good way to "scratch the itch" as mentioned and good training/conditioning.

One tip if you decide to do any type of XC racing- buy mousse inserts for your tires (foam tubes instead of air filled inner tubes). Given the cost of attending a race, getting a flat tire 10 minutes into the race can ruin your day. Not cheap but compared to road racing tires you can use one set of mousse for a full season of XC racing and it's nice to not have to worry about flat tires.

 

I have a buddy chasing a Vet C class championship... he has had some injuries,equipment failures, & mental breakdowns. Its ironic because he took time off from roadracing to chase dirt.
If you can do both... more power to you!! I have a feeling that after chasing 2 disciplines you might burn out quicker. Setting a budget boundary line may help temper... or not.

 

Depends on your budget and which one you are more passionate about. Agree with what was said above, they scratch different itches. Road racing is more intense and more of a rush, to me more mentally fulfilling. Hare scrambles are more of a physical challenge and mentally but just a different kind of mental challenge. If I had time to do one or other, I’d get aside my personal presence is road. If I had even more time I’d do maybe 70/30 road to dirt. Riding trails up in the mountains is more of a fear rush because some places I ride even if you have a small get off and slide the wrong way you are having a very long trip down a lock a Rocky mountain side.

 

I’ve ridden dirt pretty extensively in the past but never raced. At this point Roadracing is my passion without a doubt, but with a big family I have to consider the costs. I get what you’re saying about the dirt scratching a different itch though. I may just have to make the dive into dirt racing to see how I enjoy it. Even though I don’t see anything being a proper substitute for a screaming engine flying around a circuit..

 

If you can afford both and your body says so...go for it man!

 

Understand most Harescrambles are 90 minute plus a lap (2 plus hours, no getting off the bike), or 120 minutes, plus a lap (can be close to 3 hours or more), depending on length of lap loop, and difficulty.

I am not a fan of punishing myself to the extreme limit, on a dirt bike, in the woods, in 1 3 hour session. I found sprint enduros to be more my "style" of riding. Sprints are usually 2 tracks, a "cross test", with an mx, grass track, and some woods riding. Then the "enduro test" which is usually mostly tight woods riding, think enduro riding/racing. You race each test 3-4 times for a total of 6-8 tests, the times are added, the lowest time, finishes best.

The great thing about sprint enduro's is, race a lap, 10-20 minutes, come in for a 10-15 minute break, fix/adjust the bike, rest, and head to the next test. Also, the start is individual at 15 second intervals so, you are not racing the guy in front of you, you race the clock. In the riders meet they explain, "if someone catches you and are revving the motor, or whistling, hollering, they have 15 seconds on you, be courteous, and let them go, you are not racing them". This works out way better, than how our Scramble series is, big gate start per group, and slower riders in front of you really get hammered, and the fast guys dont feel like it is a race, they feel it is a passing exercise.


To me, the sprint series is like HIIT exercising, if you like that. You still get your race time in, you still get worn out, just a little at a time, like the boiling water and the frog, instead of leaving that gate, and knowing you are not coming off for 3 hours.

Good luck in your quest. Ski

 

That sounds a lot like the old ISDE qualifier series events. Those were one of my favorites back when I was still racing offoad. Another type of event I really enjoyed was natural terrain or grass track motocross. If I were still able to ride offroad That is what I would look for. If I were looking to cross train for RR on a dirtybike I would ask around to see if these types of events are happening in my area.

With a small investment Kart track supermoto is great fun as well. @skidooboy, I believe we road together a few times at a small track in Ohio. I was riding a sketchy older 2 stroke YZ250 (that is still sitting in my garage waiting on a rebuild)

 

this is very interesting, what types of bikes are you running for the sprints?

 

Yes, we did Bill. the wife and I were on 2006 yamaha yzf250f, and 450f's. we rode Circleville, New Castle Indiana, Beaver Run Pa, Jackson, Flint Michigan, and a few others in Wisc, Iowa, etc... was a great time, in our lives. Ski

 

I ride ktm xcf250f. I have 2 of them. One is a straight xcf 250f with kreft suspension, I have used for practice, trail riding, and dual sporting. The other is a full on 270 big bore, full Kreft suspension, all set up to race. Some use mx bikes, some use the cross country bikes, and some utilize the 2 stroke bikes. no need to invest in a new latest and greatest 12,000 dollar steed. Ski

 

Ahrma cross country is great in this regard. My woods bike is a 1965 model. It will never go out of date.

 

If budget is a concern, have you thought of mini racing?

 

I have done a lot of both and say that if you stay slower than a mid pack B class rider, harescrambles are much cheaper.

Once you are faster than mid pack B you will be up against many people that ride/practice 2+ times a week. This gets expensive cause well, there are trees in the way. It not only gets expensive financially, it also takes a big toll physically. Each time that your tire hits a pebble/root/sand and slides out, it's a natural reaction to jam your foot into the ground...

If you are lucky enough to not have much motorcycle riding talent and can stay slow, it is a fun way to hang out with like minded people while having cool pictures to put on your gay social media accounts to impress your boring co-workers/fake friends.

 

I impress my fake friends with my fake Rolex.
I treat hare scrambles like a trail ride. I'm not going to win, so I just run at a comfortably fast pace. That way, the trees don't jump out in front of me.

 

I am hoping to be able to do that when I grow up. Right now at 51, when I ride with a number on my machine, I am still there to beat everybody.

 

Hare Scrambles / Woods racing is a totally different animal than road racing. Where do you live and do you have a place to practice / ride single track? In the Midwest / Great Lakes we have a lot of different places to practice this discipline. On starts you're basically in a field lined up 15-30 bikes side by side in 1 row for your class with a dead motor start. When the starter drops the flag you jet into the woods that might be wide enough for 1 or maybe 2 bikes (bottleneck). Get used to standing up the whole time. If you are sitting you are not going fast enough. You will make contact with others during the starts. Your eyes and head need to be up scanning the woods for different lines, ravines, obstacles, hills, trees ect... there are a lot of different variables to take into consideration when racing through the woods compared to a road race course. Every lap conditions can change. You don't get practice or a warm up lap, you don't know where you are going through the woods. Basically just follow the arrows, keep your eyes looking through the woods, stand up and be smooth. You will crash, there will be pile ups in the woods and you might have to run over another riders motorcycle to get through sometimes. Practice your log crossings and practice your hill climbs.

Personally I think there is much more risk for getting injured in the woods than road racing because it's such an uncontrollably environment. Set your bike up right. MX or stock dirtbike suspension is not ideal. You want it soft. Make sure you have bark busters mounted and if you decide you want to do longer races like enduros I suggest a bigger tank. I also run flex bars on my woods bike which helps with fatigue from breaking both of my hands and wrists racing over the years.

Woods racing will make a rider out of you.

 

dirt is way cheaper, and lots more seat time.. but chance of getting banged up is greater on dirt. full well fitting leathers are amazing vs the thin nylon with very little protection ya wear riding dirt. some wear a ton of stuff, but hitting a tree hurts no matter what protective gear ya put on. so i suggest not hitting the trees It's more physical, so to not get totally drained, gonna want to ride a couple times a week (to toughen up the hands a bit so ya don't blister) or at least do some form of aerobic training a couple times a week. mtn bike riding is a GOOD way to build riding endurance...

Offroad racing is mega fun, but as many indicated, roadracing scratches a totally different itch. having a place not far to ride the dirt bike is a big bonus. many have nowhere to ride other than mx tracks, and for many even those are a far drive.

most harescramble courses are not able to be ridden except for that event as the land is leased by a local club, for the event 1 time a year.. in Florida there are 14 or so FTR clubs, each leasing property to put on events. this has gotten tougher and tougher with land and insurance costs rising