Motocross Race Day Checklist: What We Actually Bring to the Track

By Nick McBride | FlowVision®

I've been going to motocross races for most of my life.

First it was as a kid who just wanted to race. Then I spent several years racing professionally. Now I'm on the other side of it, loading bikes, prepping goggles, checking parts and traveling around the country with my family so my son can race.

And somehow, no matter how many years you've been doing this, it still feels like you're forgetting something when you pull out of the driveway.

If you're a motocross parent, you know exactly what I'm talking about.

"Did we grab the transponder?"

"Where are his gloves?"

"Did somebody load the gas?"

And one of my favorites:

"Do we have tear-offs?"

That's motocross.

Over the years, though, we've developed a pretty good system for what we bring to the track. This isn't some perfect checklist made by somebody sitting behind a desk.

This is what we've learned from actually doing it.

So if you're wondering what to bring to a motocross race, here's how I look at it.

Start With the Bike

Obviously, none of the other stuff matters much if the motorcycle isn't ready.

I try to do as much bike preparation as possible before race morning.

There's already enough going on at the track.

Depending on the bike and how much it's been ridden, we'll check things like the chain and sprockets, spokes, tire pressure, air filter, controls, brake pads, fluids and all the normal nuts and bolts that take abuse during a race weekend.

I also like having the bike fueled and basically ready to go.

There's nothing worse than getting to the track and immediately having to start working on something you could have handled at home.

Will something still happen?

Of course.

It's motocross.

But the goal is to eliminate as many avoidable problems as possible.

Bring More Riding Gear Than You Think You'll Need

I learned this racing myself, and it's something we still do today.

Bring backups.

Motocross gear gets wet. It gets muddy. Gloves disappear. Socks get soaked. Jerseys get destroyed.

For a normal race weekend, we'll usually have multiple jerseys, pants, gloves, socks and other riding gear available.

If there's any chance of rain, bring even more.

Having a clean set of gear before the next moto might seem like a small thing, but after you've been at the track all day, small things start making a difference.

We Never Bring Just One Pair of Motocross Goggles

This one probably won't surprise anybody coming from me.

But I believed this before we ever owned a goggle company.

Bring multiple pairs of motocross goggles.

Your goggles take a beating during a race.

Roost, dust, mud, sweat and changing weather can completely change what you need between practice and your motos.

I like having goggles already prepared for different situations instead of rebuilding one pair all day.

Our race setup will normally include several pairs of FlowVision motocross goggles, along with different replacement lenses, tear-offs and accessories.

One pair might have a tinted or mirrored lens ready for bright conditions.

Another gets a clear lens.

Another can be prepared specifically for mud.

The important part is that they're ready.

When staging is calling your class, that's not when you want to realize you need to change a lens.

Clear Lenses Always Go in the Bag

Even when the forecast says sunshine.

I've spent enough time at motocross tracks to know that weather forecasts and motocross tracks don't always agree.

Clouds roll in. A moto gets pushed later in the afternoon. You're suddenly racing with less light than you expected.

That's why we always have clear lenses available.

If you're trying to figure out which lens works best for different conditions, we put together a complete guide on choosing motocross goggle lens colors.

Having options takes a lot of the guessing out of race day.

Tear-Offs: Bring More Than You Think You Need

This is another easy one to overlook.

You don't want to run out of tear-offs halfway through a weekend.

I would rather come home with extras than be asking people in the pits if they have some that fit our goggles.

We carry FlowVision tear-offs in the trailer and keep enough around for practice and every moto.

Conditions can change quickly.

A track that looks perfect in the morning can be throwing heavy roost by the afternoon.

For really muddy conditions, we'll also have our Element Film System™ available.

Being prepared gives you options.

Keep Your Goggles Organized

One thing I've become pretty particular about is keeping goggles organized.

Throwing five pairs into a gear bag with gloves, tools and dirty gear is a great way to scratch lenses.

We use a dedicated FlowVision 5-Goggle Case so the goggles stay separated and protected.

It also makes race mornings easier.

Open the case.

Everything is there.

You can immediately see what lens is installed and which pair you want for the conditions.

Simple organization saves a surprising amount of time.

Tools and Spare Parts

You could probably fill an entire trailer with spare parts if you wanted to.

Actually, some weekends it feels like we do.

But there are certain things I really don't like leaving home without.

We carry the normal tools needed to work on the bikes along with commonly needed spares: levers, tubes, filters, spark plugs, hardware and other parts that can end a race day over something stupid.

Zip ties and duct tape have probably saved more race weekends than half the expensive tools in the trailer.

If you race long enough, eventually you'll need something you never thought you'd need.

That's just part of it.

Food and Water Matter More Than People Think

Race days can get long.

Really long.

Especially with multiple classes.

It's easy for riders—and parents—to get caught up watching motos, working on bikes and running back and forth to staging and forget to eat or drink enough.

We make sure we have plenty of water and food available throughout the day.

This becomes even more important during hot summer races.

The goal is to keep everything as normal as possible for the rider.

Eat.

Drink.

Rest.

Get ready for the next moto.

Don't Turn Race Morning Into Chaos

This might be the biggest thing I've learned.

The more you can prepare the night before, the better.

I don't want race morning to feel frantic.

Bike ready.

Gear laid out.

Goggles ready.

Tear-offs installed.

Fuel ready.

Everything possible should already be handled.

Then when race morning comes, the rider can focus on riding.

As a parent, that's become a much bigger deal to me.

I've raced myself, so I know there are already plenty of things going through a rider's head before a moto.

They don't need somebody yelling:

"Where are your goggles?!"

five minutes before staging.

The Stuff You Can't Put on a Checklist

There's another side of racing that I probably appreciate more now than I did when I was younger.

Don't get so caught up in results and preparation that you forget why you're there.

Motocross can become serious really quickly.

Points.

Qualifiers.

Championships.

Lap times.

Training.

Money.

And trust me, our family gets wrapped up in all of it too.

But some of my best memories aren't trophies.

They're road trips.

Sitting around the pits.

Working on motorcycles together.

Laughing about something that happened during the day.

Meeting families at tracks we'd never been to before.

Watching your kid accomplish something he has been working toward.

Those are the parts you remember.

Our Basic Motocross Race Day Checklist

Before we leave, here's the basic mental checklist I run through:

• Bike and backup parts
• Fuel and premix if needed
• Riding gear
• Helmet and boots
• Multiple pairs of goggles
• Clear and tinted lenses
• Tear-offs
• Roll-off system for mud
• Goggle case
• Tools
• Air filters
• Spark plugs
• Levers and common spare parts
• Transponder
• Chairs and pit setup
• Water and food
• Phone chargers
• And about 47 other things we'll remember five minutes after leaving the house

That last one is pretty much guaranteed.

Final Thoughts

There isn't one perfect motocross race day checklist because every family races differently.

But preparation makes race weekends a whole lot easier.

The less time you're scrambling around the pits looking for something, the more time you have to focus on what you're actually there to do.

Ride motorcycles.

Race.

Spend time with your family.

And hopefully make some memories along the way.

That's a big part of what FlowVision has always been about for us.

We're not a company that discovered motocross and decided to sell something to riders.

This sport was part of our family long before FlowVision existed.

We race.

We travel.

We sit on starting lines.

We wash muddy goggles.

We fix bikes late at night.

And we're raising the next generation at the track just like a lot of you are.

That's who we build our products for.

Built by racers. Raised at the track. Made for moto families chasing gates together.

See Clear. Ride Hard.

— Nick
FlowVision®