Once you’re hooked on dirt bike riding, there are no words to describe the feelings of adrenaline, camaraderie, enjoyment and excitement one feels when getting on a bike and twisting the throttle; doesn’t matter how old or young you are.
If you’re brand new, watch Bruce Brown’s movie “On Any Sunday” and the picture becomes crystal clear.
Add a bit of competition into the mix and you get what we at KZN Racing are all about and we’re here to help, guide and share stuff we’ve learned and make you look forward to every time you jump on your bike.
We want you to go home after our events with a smile so big it’ll take weeks to fade!
Here’s a step by step guide to get that smile going in your life.

ONE: your bike.
If you’re buying new there are no bad bikes, no matter what anybody says.
Every decent bike on the market has plusses and minuses and every sales person wants you to buy their bike so you’ll get all sorts of info.
Then cc capacity, 2 stroke or 4 stroke.
Very personal choice; don’t buy a 125cc 2 stroke if you’re 100kg wet on the bathroom scale and also think twice about buying a 500cc 4 stroke if you’re a 50kg price tag unless you really know how to ride.
2nd hand bikes; a dealer is probably the best option but private sales are also good.
Take somebody along with you who knows bikes when you’re looking.

TWO: Bike accessories.
Here you can go ballistic, depends entirely on your budget.
A few almost essentials are a sump guard to protect the bottom of the motor and hand guards to save on broken levers and protect your fingers.
Other good ideas are exhaust cages/protectors, disc guards, engine part protectors

THREE: Kit.
Few areas here where you don’t short cut and that’s a helmet and protective gear.
Bell helmets had a sales line many years ago that went “If you got a $10 head, buy a $10 helmet”. That pretty much sums it up.
Roost guard/chest protector, knee guards a good idea, you get banged about when you bail off which you will do when you start.
Goggles, very important. You don’t want stones, sticks, bugs in your eyes, it hurts.
Plenty of other safety options to look at like kidney belt and stuff.
Boots; can get expensive but you get what you pay for. You need your feet when you’re not riding so look after them.
Hydration pack for drinking while riding absolutely essential.
Riding gear? Dozens of brands to choose from but remember it will get chewed up over time and choose something that won’t be a mobile sauna when you ride in summer.

FOUR: What you need to do.
You’re going to get tired, keep your fitness up a bit and ride often.
Encourage your buddies to ride with you or join riding groups, you learn a lot from watching other riders.
Learn a bit about your bike, where things are, what they do and what can go wrong with them.
Carry a basic set of tools with you when you ride, dozens of tool bags on the market to choose from.
Ride with your phone, a very handy goodie when you’re broken down or lost.

FIVE: Ready to race.
Time to get on the start line, here’s what you need to do.
1. Join the club, you need to be a member to get a license from MSA (governing body of motorsport in SA). Go to the contact page and download a membership form and send it back to info@kznracing.co.za with some bucks and we’ll send you your membership number.
2. Get a race license from MSA.
Couple of options here, where do you want to fit in; regionals, clubmans or social.
Regionals are the serious crew, fast riders gunning for max points, regional championships and possible provincial colours.
Clubmans not quite so serious but still competitive, looking at club championships. Excellent class if you’re not a super serious racer.
Both above classes have compulsory medical insurance options that might seem unfair but speak to anybody who’s bailed off and required treatment and they’ll tell you how good it is.
Then Social class. This class is sort of a test option for people to give racing a try. It’s a one day license that gives the rider an MSA license, entry to the event and one day club membership.
Riders need to provide proof of medical cover to get this license and this license can be bought through MSA before each event or on the day at the event; remember proof of medical cover!
Licenses are obtained on the MSA online website https://www.msaonline.co.za/
3. Your race number.
Once you got your license you go back to MSA and ask for a number.
Depending on what class you’ve got your license for you’ll be allocated a number.
In regionals there are options like Open, 200cc, Highschool, Masters etc and depending on which bike class you indicated when getting your license you’ll get the number with the required background and number colouring.
If you’ve got a club license it’s yellow background with black numbers.
Social riders we will allocate you numbers at the event.

That’s about it, you’re ready to go racing! Check out race dates and venues on the site, get an entry in and we’ll see you on the start line!

If you need advice or help, grab hold of one of the committee members who’s details are on the contact page.