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4/2/2013
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Plano, TX
US
Edited Date/Time
5/12/2016 8:15am
A few months ago, Racer X released an article about motocross in Israel - following Blake Wharton's adventures there in the Middle East. After I posted on here about everyone's thoughts... I promised I would follow-up with my own pictures and thoughts from my trip there this April. So here ya go:
I went to Israel with the mission to work with women who ride - to have a Motocross Ladies Ride Day. I worked with Roey Shlomi of the Dirt Bike Academy and organized a day where we would all get together and ride on the ONE and ONLY legal motocross track in the country (at the time.... we opened up the second one a little over a week after this event). We had a great time! A good group of girls came where we got to work on basic riding techniques, play "how slow can you go" and really shine a light on women's mx there. Shout out to Miki Yochay, Tamar Natanov, Tammy Gorali, Sean Ben Yakar and so many others that made this day incredible! Here is an article written (in Hebrew, but can be translated using Google Translator) about the event here.
The dirt was INCREDIBLE. The weather was INCREDIBLE. The track was great for beginners and was made safe so riders of all skill sets could ride without high risk. While the track at Wingate was the only legal track at the time, there are TONS of tracks to ride, just need to ask the right questions!
Special shout out to Fly Racing, Source MX Graphics and Ashley Fiolek for sending some swag for the girls. They absolutely LOVED it.
While I was there, I had the honor to meet many people that are highly involved in the Israeli Motocross community and learned many things about what is really going on behind the scenes in the moto-world there. I learned of the ridiculous amount of politics keeping people from riding on tracks around the country and how a law created many years ago is ultimately keeping the sport from growing as it should. I learned about how people that do not ride and know little to nothing about the sport are making decisions hindering the progress of the current generation. How just to ride a dirt bike on your own property, you have to get a license that even requires a physical exam. And that even if you have a track on your own property... it is ILLEGAL to ride without permission - you would literally be considered a criminal. It all comes down to the fear of someone getting hurt and who would be liable for their injuries. I'm pretty sure rules like these do not apply for the country's most popular sport, and arguably more risky for daily injury - JUDO. There are many things that need to be changed for motocross to grow and the sport to flourish as it should - starting with the termination of this uncalled for law. There is a lot more to it... but it will be better explained in an article later on.
Oh how BLESSED we are to live in the States. While the US isn't perfect by any means, we are very blessed.
However, despite the politics, I would say, without a doubt, that Israel is quite the place to ride! With more tracks becoming "legal" and many tracks there to ride (just need to ask around), it is definitely worth the trip! I also wanted to add that the media does not do a great job of properly representing what is really going on in Israel. I saw no war, no stabbings, no bombings... it was quiet. And in all honesty, I felt safer there than here in the States! I even checked out an Israeli Navy base and hung out on a battleship! It was a great experience! Between motocross, the Holy Land aspect of it and the beautiful beaches and sites to see... it is a MUST!
If you have any questions or want more information, feel free to email us at motocrossladies@gmail.com!
For the full album of photos from this trip, view the Motocross Ladies Facebook page here.
I went to Israel with the mission to work with women who ride - to have a Motocross Ladies Ride Day. I worked with Roey Shlomi of the Dirt Bike Academy and organized a day where we would all get together and ride on the ONE and ONLY legal motocross track in the country (at the time.... we opened up the second one a little over a week after this event). We had a great time! A good group of girls came where we got to work on basic riding techniques, play "how slow can you go" and really shine a light on women's mx there. Shout out to Miki Yochay, Tamar Natanov, Tammy Gorali, Sean Ben Yakar and so many others that made this day incredible! Here is an article written (in Hebrew, but can be translated using Google Translator) about the event here.
The dirt was INCREDIBLE. The weather was INCREDIBLE. The track was great for beginners and was made safe so riders of all skill sets could ride without high risk. While the track at Wingate was the only legal track at the time, there are TONS of tracks to ride, just need to ask the right questions!
Special shout out to Fly Racing, Source MX Graphics and Ashley Fiolek for sending some swag for the girls. They absolutely LOVED it.
While I was there, I had the honor to meet many people that are highly involved in the Israeli Motocross community and learned many things about what is really going on behind the scenes in the moto-world there. I learned of the ridiculous amount of politics keeping people from riding on tracks around the country and how a law created many years ago is ultimately keeping the sport from growing as it should. I learned about how people that do not ride and know little to nothing about the sport are making decisions hindering the progress of the current generation. How just to ride a dirt bike on your own property, you have to get a license that even requires a physical exam. And that even if you have a track on your own property... it is ILLEGAL to ride without permission - you would literally be considered a criminal. It all comes down to the fear of someone getting hurt and who would be liable for their injuries. I'm pretty sure rules like these do not apply for the country's most popular sport, and arguably more risky for daily injury - JUDO. There are many things that need to be changed for motocross to grow and the sport to flourish as it should - starting with the termination of this uncalled for law. There is a lot more to it... but it will be better explained in an article later on.
Oh how BLESSED we are to live in the States. While the US isn't perfect by any means, we are very blessed.
However, despite the politics, I would say, without a doubt, that Israel is quite the place to ride! With more tracks becoming "legal" and many tracks there to ride (just need to ask around), it is definitely worth the trip! I also wanted to add that the media does not do a great job of properly representing what is really going on in Israel. I saw no war, no stabbings, no bombings... it was quiet. And in all honesty, I felt safer there than here in the States! I even checked out an Israeli Navy base and hung out on a battleship! It was a great experience! Between motocross, the Holy Land aspect of it and the beautiful beaches and sites to see... it is a MUST!
If you have any questions or want more information, feel free to email us at motocrossladies@gmail.com!
For the full album of photos from this trip, view the Motocross Ladies Facebook page here.
Now there are laws about riding in certain areas and all those free riding areas I grew up on are now all leased to be hunted on and you can bet the hunters want no part of you ripping up and down their hunting land.
We still have it good here it's just dwindling away though.
The Shop
It's easy just to think life is easy everywhere.
Thanks for this story and photos. Pretty interesting.
Can you go into any more detail about that bizarre law? Can't find much of anything on it but I can just imagine the fun in a country made up entirely of jewish lawyers
Also, are there many dealerships in Israel?
But cool write up, thanks for sharing.
North of Tel Aviv was the info I was looking for. Thank you
There are actually quite a few dealerships! Honda, KTM and Kawi seem to be most popular but you will see everything there. What is interesting is that there are TONS of trails to ride - legally. You will see people on bikes, ATVs and razors hitting up the sand all over Israel. You can even rent them for the day - which is a super fun way to see different parts of the country.
However... It's different when it comes to the racing side of it. I am working on an article now that will explain the law a lot better. Stay tuned
@dirtnapper - glad you liked the write up! I will be real with you and say that what the media says is almost never an accurate representation of anything - especially when political agenda is behind the script (which is almost always). I would urge you to find truth for yourself and to not depend on TV as your only source of reality. Until you go to Israel - you will have no idea what it is really like.
Waiting for the article...
Pit Row
Regarding what I know about Israel I have worked for 2 different Israeli companies, visited there twice (Tel Aviv Jaffa Haifa Tiberius Jerusalem Bethelehem Eilat) plus dated an Israeli woman for over a year. Being at the Church of Nativity was pretty moving but the room that they have declared (not 100 percent positive) as the place of the last supper made the hair on the back of my neck stand up.
Sorry also I was cranky but like things easy and obviously didn't want to research it. What's funny is I wasn't at home since I have a map Israel on my wall. City is too close to Netanyahu's name and that alone is enough to make me cranky. :-)
When we were in Eilat the company I worked for rented out every jeep in southern Israel and drove out into the Negev desert to a Beaudoin place. We were served tea and dinner while we were seated on the these nice rugs. Half the world wide distributors meeting was in Tel Aviv and the rest in Eilat.
Regarding safe or not safe you give me a ticket and I'm there tomorrow. I wouldn't be visiting Gaza or the West Bank and would avoid Hebron and Nazareth. Hanging out at a cafe at midnight in Tel Aviv is very nice. Very cosmopolitan city.
Seeing the walls of Jersualem lit at night is something I will never forget.
Israel is one of the most amazing places I have ever visited...I've been all over the world, with many places left on the list, but Israel is one of my favorites. It helps that I know Hebrew well enough to get around. Between the food, the people, the nature and the history... there is so much to do and see! I am already planning another trip there. Lots to do to help with the motocross world over there so going back is a must. Next time you go, you should definitely ride! Feel free to shoot me an email and I can connect you with the moto-fam there!
Here are some more pictures from the trip:
This is from Rosh Hanikra.... close to Lebanon. Absolutely beautiful!
Another part of Rosh Hanikra.
Kayaking in Northern Israel!
I have a friend that is in the Israeli Navy and got to go on base!
Oh you know... just watching motocross with these guys. This was at the opening of the second legal track in Israel... sponsored by Honda.
Facebook version: https://www.facebook.com/notes/motocross-ladies/israel-the-motocross-ba…
Here is the article: https://mxladies.wordpress.com/2016/05/12/israel-the-motocross-balagan/
Facebook version: https://www.facebook.com/notes/motocross-ladies/israel-the-motocross-ba…
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