FROM a very young age, the Noles boys have had a love of motorcycling running through their veins.
First hopping on a motorbike when they were very young, Hayden, 14, and Ruben, 10, have grasped the sport with both hands.
The sport is in the family, with their father Darren riding a bike at age 7.
Both boys are currently ranked second in their classes in the northern region motocross series where they compete against riders from north Victoria including Albury, Mildura and Bendigo, and will compete this weekend when Swan Hill hosts a round of the 2014 Victorian Junior Motocross Championships.
Starting out like most country kids riding around in the paddocks on the family farm at Tyntynder South, they joined up with the Swan Hill Motorcycling Club around six years ago.
“It made it a lot more technical and made me think there is a lot more to riding that just riding,” Hayden said.
“It is a lot more competitive and helped me to get more experience.”
Darren added that there were other benefits to riding with a club.
“By riding in the club, it helps to educate junior riders to wear the proper protective gear, they can get support off of other club members and get advice from senior riders,” Darren said.
On many weekends, the boys can be found loading up their bikes and travelling to competitions where they have the chance to compete against riders from across the state.
“More experienced riders are A grade — they are some of the fastest kids in Australia — B grade is still fast but not that fast and C grade is anything from beginners… it can get quite fast,” Hayden said.
“You can be graded up if you come top five or six,” Ruben said.
Grading up is something Ruben is currently aiming to achieve.
Currently racing in the 85 small wheel class in C grade, he is hoping to move up to B grade in 2014.
The Noles are hoping that 2014 turns out to be a rewarding year, after injuries prevented them from seeing out last season.
“We have been on and off recently because we have had a few injuries in the last year… but we are back at it this year and racing in the Vic Titles,” Darren said.
“We’re hoping to make it through this year without injuries.”
And so far 2014 has begun very well — the boys recently signed on with TM Racing’s junior team.
The boys are set to get the bikes out this weekend, competing in the Victorian Junior Championships in Swan Hill.
Darren said when the town hosted regional and national events, it drew big crowds.
“We are going to have about 250 riders [competing on the weekend],” he said.
“It usually brings a lot of people to town, some people might have two kids riding and add on mum and dad, that could be an extra thousand people in town.
“The Junior Vic’s is a bit of a build up to the MX Nationals we will have here in June — that is going to be huge.”
Approximately 250 riders are set to compete this weekend to compete in the championship round.
The young riders will have a chance to compete on a national level track — which will also host the MX Nationals in June — and with recent rain, it is in perfect condition for racing.
The fun will kick into gear from 9am tomorrow and Sunday at Chisholm Reserve.
Entry is free.
