Change of Pace With Dylan Kaelin

This week we reached out to Dylan Kaelin to see if he was interested in giving us his take on the state of motocross in Canada. As many of you know, for the past year Dylan has had about the same amount of bad luck that we’ve seen Dean Wilson have. With a serious knee injury suffered just prior to the opening round of last years Rockstar Energy Drink MX Nationals, and then some very serious internal injuries suffered this winter in AX. Dylan is currently taking a break from racing and working at Holeshot Motorsports in BC while he plans his next move. Here is the first installment of Kaelin’s Corner.

It’s to no surprise that bikes, gear and race fees keep climbing and climbing. Motorcycles are far more advanced then they have ever been before, thus driving the price up. The same can be said for the gear we put on as we head out to ride. Track maintenance has also gone through the roof since the rise of 4 strokes. Motocross is a ever changing sport and at times it becomes difficult to keep up! It is growing at such a rapid pace that it becomes easy to have a scurried vision of what is important.

What are you doing to ensure that your hard earned pennies are not being wasted? Are there any corners that can be cut without losing the safety and protection we need to ride?  Better yet, does little Johnny really need those RV replica Air-brakes? Sure, he might look great in them, but is it really for the better? Training, riding and racing should be the over all focus over “material” based products.

Now don’t get me wrong, we do need aftermarket parts to advance our performances. 95% of the time an amateur rider can’t use a stock bike to its full potential, nevertheless a motor that Pops sent to Mitch at Pro Circuit! Oh and who are we kidding…the janitor likely ported that head after he was finished mopping the bathroom floor.Take a look outside the box, and step away from your stereotypical 50 dad roots. Stop thinking, more power, more parts, and more everything on the bike!!! Start thinking rider! Start looking at the big picture. Is your focus on evolving the rider? Or are you more focused on evolving the machine?  Are you investing to ensure in your child’s talents and success? Or are you investing your money so that you have the best looking and fastest 65 on the track?

All manufactures are producing race ready bikes that one can simply buy off the showroom floor. However, there are a few extremely important parts to any bike that should not be over looked when trying to advance a rider’s skills. Suspension and regular maintenance seem to get by passed frequently. Yet, they hold the most value in the riders safety. Through all the years I have been present at Walton Trans-can, I have personally watched kids with brand new gear push their worn out bikes off the track. Last time I checked, DNF’S didn’t fall under the success category. At the end of the day it all boils down to your priorities.

Bikes will always come and go, but the rider will always remain the same. No matter what jersey the rider pulls over his head, or bike he sits on, he is responsible for the performance. Build the rider! It is never, EVER, to early to sign the rider/racer up for training camps on and off the bike. Yes, I just said off the bike. If you haven’t noticed, motocross is very physically demanding. Maybe, just maybe, in 2016 training should start in the pre season. This means the season starts well, before all that fluffy white snow melts!

Take advantage of your local motocross trainers. Use what you have easily accessible. Contact a local pro, or research training camps during the summer months. Chances are that someone locally can offer you a lot more then you think. Most Pro’s have been to the MTF’s or have been trained extensively already. Build a relationship with your local trainer so that he can see what makes little Johnny tick. Instead of spending a wad of cash on a mainstream school a million miles away. Stay local and spend that hard earned money on a couple sessions a week over a few months time. Steady training will cement techniques and skills into your rider.

Investing in success as a racer may vary for everyone. The moral of the story is to invest in the racer. His safety, skill set and physical conditioning will carry him leaps and bounds further then any shinny new titanium exhaust will. A riding a coach is the best place to start. A strong skill set on the bike is without a doubt the most important aspect for a racer. Technique is something that can’t be bolted on.

Look at building the racer as a puzzle. Slowly, with patience and dedication you develop each piece you need to complete the puzzle. Without these puzzle pieces, the racer will never be successful. Talent only brings you so far as a professional. The level of fitness needed to succeed as a professional does not come over night. Seasons and seasons of training are needed to have a foundation strong enough to compete in a full length series. Again, ask yourself, are you committed to the big picture?

I am not trying to paint a image, that being successful as a pro is impossible. Anything is possible if you are truly committed to the program. Racing consumes you. Plain and simple. It takes a very special breed to accept this level of consumption, and be completely okay with it. As a parent we all want little johnny to be the next big thing. When in all reality the chances of a career as a racer are slim to none. Injuries, sponsorships, traveling and money can tear a racer apart. It truly is a special grind that will chew up and spit out the best of the best.

I hope everyone can take something from this and absorb it into their own program. Don’t be afraid to change it up. Change is good! Embrace your weaknesses and downfalls. They will only build you to be a better racer, athlete and human as life rolls on. Motocross is gnarly. It is dangerous and down right crazy at times. Yet, we love it and we find it impossible to walk away. Keep things light, keep them fun and build your rider. I promise you will not be disappointed as time goes on!