Moto Dad Tips: Knowing When to Push Your Kid and When to Back Off in Motocross

By Nick McBride | Founder of FlowVision | Former Professional Motocross Racer & Moto Dad

There's something I've learned over the years that I never really understood until I became a motocross dad.

Sometimes the hardest thing to do as a parent is nothing at all.

I grew up racing motocross. I turned professional at 18, spent years chasing my own racing goals, and learned firsthand how much work this sport takes.

Now I'm on the other side of the fence, helping my son Landon chase his dreams.

And I'll tell you, being a moto dad is a whole different experience.

When you're the one racing, you control the throttle, choose your lines, and make your own mistakes. When you're watching your kid, you see everything you think they should be doing differently, but you can't do it for them.

That's where things get difficult.

As parents, we want to help. We want to see our kids improve, succeed, and get everything they can out of the opportunities we're giving them.

But knowing when to push and when to back off might be one of the most important things we can learn.

The Investment We Make as Moto Parents

Let's face it. Motocross isn't cheap, and it definitely isn't easy.

There's the cost of bikes, parts, tires, fuel, entry fees, training, hotels, and traveling.

Then there's the time.

Early mornings loading the truck, late nights working on bikes, weekends away from home, and thousands of miles on the road.

As parents, we invest a lot into this sport.

And sometimes, whether we realize it or not, that investment creates expectations.

We spend all week getting ready for a race, drive hours to get there, and naturally want to see our kids perform well.

When they don't, it's easy to get frustrated.

I've been there.

But I've had to remind myself that Landon doesn't need to carry the weight of everything we put into his racing.

He's a kid doing something he loves.

Our investment as parents shouldn't become their burden as riders.

Not Every Practice Needs to Be Perfect

Landon trains regularly, and we spend a lot of time at motocross tracks working on different parts of his riding.

Some days, everything clicks.

His corners are good, his starts are solid, and he's riding with confidence.

Other days, things just aren't there.

Maybe he's tired. Maybe he's struggling with a section of the track. Maybe he's simply having one of those days that every racer experiences.

My first instinct, especially coming from a racing background, is to figure out what's wrong and fix it.

One more moto. A few more laps. Let's work on that corner again.

But I've learned that sometimes pushing harder isn't the answer.

If a kid is frustrated, physically exhausted, or mentally checked out, adding another 20 minutes on the bike might not accomplish anything.

In fact, it can make things worse.

Sometimes the best thing you can do is end the day on a positive note, load the bikes, and go home.

There's always another practice day.

And if your rider's concentration has dropped enough to affect their safety, that's a good reason to call it a day regardless of the training plan.

The Difference Between Pushing and Encouraging

I think there's a big difference between pushing your kid and encouraging them.

Pushing can sound like:

"Why aren't you going faster?"

"You should have beaten that kid."

"We drove all this way, and that's how you're going to ride?"

Encouragement sounds different.

"What did you think about that moto?"

"What's one thing you want to improve next time?"

"I saw you working hard through that section."

I'm not saying kids shouldn't be challenged.

Quite the opposite.

I believe in hard work, discipline, accountability, and putting in the effort to achieve your goals.

Those are things I want Landon to learn through motocross.

But I also want him to understand that making mistakes is part of getting better.

He should be able to have a bad moto without feeling like he's disappointed everyone around him.

You can hold your kid to a high standard without making every ride about the results.

Remember Who Wants to Race

This is something I think about a lot.

I loved racing motocross growing up. It was my passion, and eventually it became my profession.

Now I get to share that same passion with Landon.

But just because I loved it doesn't automatically mean he has to love it the same way.

I want him to chase his own goals.

I want him to wake up excited to go riding, motivated to improve, and proud of the work he's putting in.

Not because I'm telling him he has to.

But because it's something he genuinely wants.

As parents who raced ourselves, it's easy to see things through our own experiences.

We know what it takes. We know what we wish we'd done differently. We recognize opportunities our kids might not understand yet.

But their journey still needs to be theirs.

I'm here to guide Landon, support him, and help him take advantage of those opportunities.

I'm not here to relive my career through him.

Learning to Handle Bad Race Days

One thing motocross teaches kids better than almost anything else is how to handle adversity.

You can have a great week of training, feel incredible during practice, and still have everything go wrong on race day.

A bad start.

A crash.

A mechanical problem.

Or simply getting beaten by faster riders.

That's racing.

Landon has experienced plenty of highs and lows, from standing on the podium at KTM Jr. Supercross to fighting through difficult motos at major amateur events.

And while the good results are exciting, I believe the tough days can teach just as much.

The important part is how we respond.

If he has a rough moto, I try to focus on what we can learn rather than dwelling on the finish.

Did he keep fighting?

Did he make better decisions as the race went on?

Did he improve something we've been working on?

Those are things worth recognizing.

A finishing position tells you where you ended up that day.

It doesn't always tell you how much progress you've made.

Five Things I Try to Remember as a Moto Dad

I've learned a lot through my own racing and even more through helping Landon.

These are five things I try to keep in mind.

1. Let your kid tell you about the moto first.

Before jumping into everything you saw from the sidelines, ask what they thought about their ride.

Sometimes they already know exactly what went wrong.

2. Focus on one thing at a time.

Kids don't need a list of ten things they did wrong after every practice.

Pick one area to improve and work on it.

3. Know when they're physically or mentally tired.

There's a difference between a kid who needs encouragement and one who genuinely needs a break.

Learning that difference matters.

4. Celebrate effort, not just results.

A kid who fights from last to tenth may have ridden a better race than one who cruises to third.

Recognize the effort.

5. Make sure you're still having fun together.

Some of my favorite memories with Landon have nothing to do with trophies.

It's the drives to the track, working on bikes together, laughing in the pits, and just spending time doing something we both love.

Those moments matter.

The Long-Term Goal Is Bigger Than the Next Race

We're serious about Landon's racing.

We train, travel, maintain his bikes, and try to put him in situations where he can race against good competition and continue developing.

I'd love to see him accomplish everything he's dreaming about.

But I also understand this is a long road.

One bad practice isn't going to ruin his future.

One bad weekend doesn't define him.

And one good result doesn't mean we've suddenly figured everything out.

What matters is the progress he makes over months and years.

The work ethic he's building.

The confidence he's developing.

The ability to handle disappointment and keep working.

Those things will help him long after he's done racing motorcycles, whenever that day comes.

Why This Matters to Me and FlowVision

When Nicole and I started FlowVision, we wanted to build something that represented our family and the sport we love.

We're not just selling motocross goggles.

We're part of the same community as the families who support us.

We're at the tracks, traveling to races, working on bikes, and experiencing the same highs and lows as everyone else.

That's why I wanted to start sharing these Moto Dad Tips.

Not because I have all the answers.

I definitely don't.

I'm learning as I go, just like every other parent.

But I've been fortunate enough to experience motocross as both a professional racer and a father, and if something I've learned can help another family, I think it's worth sharing.

Whether you're raising a kid racing 50s, 65s, 85s, or big bikes, we're all trying to figure out how to help them succeed while enjoying the journey.

And if there's one thing I hope we never lose sight of, it's why we started doing this in the first place.

Final Thoughts: Sometimes Less Really Is More

The next time your kid is struggling at the track, remember that not every problem has to be fixed that day.

Sometimes they need encouragement.

Sometimes they need instruction.

Sometimes they need to be challenged.

And sometimes they just need their dad or mom to tell them they're proud of them, load up the bikes, and head home.

There's always another race.

But the years we get to spend doing this with our kids won't last forever.

Enjoy them.

See you at the track!

Nick McBride
Founder, FlowVision
Faith. Family. Moto.

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