MARINE CORPS BASE HAWAII, KANEOHE BAY, Hawaii -- Hawaii is a state known by many for being the birthplace of some of the world’s most extreme sports. Big-wave surfing, kite boarding, and many others have seen their start here in the state of Hawaii, but one import sport is nonetheless popular in the Hawaiian isles.
Motocross, or dirt-bike riding in general, is an exciting sport for the many who currently enjoy it on the island of Oahu.
For Sgt. Doug Maxon, a military police officer with the Provost Marshal’s Office, the island of Oahu has been a great place to ride his 2000 Kawasaki KX125. The Bakersfield, Calif. native got his first dirt bike when he was 11 and was taught how to ride by his older cousins, mainly doing trail riding behind his uncle’s house in Michigan.
“I moved to Bakersfield at 12 and bought another bike. I rode with friends all the time in the foothills in and around Bakersfield,” said Maxon. “We mainly rode out by Mesa Marin Speedway, but we would occasionally take weekend trips to Pismo Beach to ride in the sand dunes.”
Currently the single parent of two sons, 4-year-old Chase and 2-year-old T.J., Maxon enjoys taking his sons up to the North Shore for the weekend camping and just riding.
“My kids love the bike and are both already begging to get one. My oldest son is getting his in January for his fifth birthday, and I can’t wait to be able to teach him how to ride,” said Maxon.
According to the 26-year-old, there are several places around the island to ride, but of the two Oahu motocross tracks on the island owned by Hawaii Motocross Association, only one provides an open track with extensive attached areas where visitors can practice. When Kaneohe Marines and other military are not using it during the week, training area Kahuku opens up on the weekend for family fun in the mud and on the trails at Kahuku Motocross Park.
According to the HMA, the constantly changing Kahuku course ranges from three quarters of a mile to one mile long with dirt that is intermediate to hard-packed adobe and free of rocks.
Kahuku is in a valley and the layout includes many off-cambers and moderate hills. The big jumps include a 60-foot double and 45-foot tabletop.
“I remember my worst crash was when I came up short on double — bottomed out the bike, flipped over the handlebars and had the bike land on me,” explained Maxon. “It left me on crutches for a couple weeks with a thigh injury and a couple cuts, but as soon as I could, I was back on the bike — it’s too fun to give up just because of a crash.”
But that’s not all Kahuku has to offer. According to Maxon, there are more than 100 miles of trail on more than 100 acres of land nearby, and open riding is permitted on the weekends. For the children, the Kahuku track offers peewee, quad and hare-scramble courses. For more family fun and entertainment, the Hawaii Raceway Park Motocross in Kapolei offers regular races every other Friday night, but is closed in November and December.
“I am more into trail riding than I am the track — although I have entered a couple races around the island,” said Maxon. “I grew up trail and desert riding, and I’m just a little too old to try and start racing. I’m actually selling my bike because I need a little more power and want to take a few months to teach my kids and just focus on them for a while. I stayed with the one-twenty five when I first started riding again, but now I just need more juice. Next bike will be a four-fifty four-stroke.”
Originally purchased in 2003 while stationed at Marine Corps Recruit Depot, San Diego, Maxon rode his KX125 down by the border of Mexico three to four times a week.
“It was really a fun spot to ride,”said Maxon. “All of Southern California is pretty much the spot to be for dirt-bike riders. The terrain is unbeatable for it. So many places to go and tons of other riders to hang out with.”
When he came to Hawaii in August of 2003, he quickly found his favorite spots to ride in Hawaii. At Kahuku, Maxon was surprised to see how much riding room there was on such a small island.
“The most fun thing about going riding in Hawaii is the people you meet and, of course, the rides. I enjoy the natural terrain a lot better. It’s just a great time to unwind and kinda forget about everything. You’re just challenging yourself to always do bigger and better things. The track is fun at times, but I’m more of the person who likes to look at something and say, ‘OK, how can I jump that?’ or ‘How am I gonna get through there?’”
In answer to his own questions, he replies, “When all else fails, just twist the throttle and hold on!”