Member of the Week: Bella Bathke
What discipline(s) do you participate in?
Hare Scramble.
When did you begin riding and/or racing?
I started racing in 2020 and riding in 2018-2019.
What's one thing you love about the District 23 ARMCA community?
I love how supportive the parents are! If something happens, they’re always willing to jump to help you, even if you’re racing their child, they want everybody to succeed and are willing to help with whatever they can.
What is the significance of your riding number? Was it given to you or did you pick it for a specific reason?
When I started racing I wanted it to be my birthday 6/21 but it wasn’t available, so my number (623) was the next closest to the day I was born. I decided to keep it because it grew on me and now anytime I look at the clock and see 6:23, it reminds me of racing!
What is your favorite track, course, trail, or event and why?
My favorite track is Motocity or BCMX! I love their moto track and they always do such a good job having things go smoothly. Their woods is so flowy and overall a good mix.
What is the greatest accomplishment of your riding/racing career?
My greatest accomplishment was winning the end of the year award in my class!
Where do you see yourself in the next five years within the sport?
I hope i’m still racing in 5 years and to be better and more confident. I hope that if i cannot race, that I can still ride at the very minimum.
If you had to describe your riding style as a movie title, what would it be?
Mud and Mayhem
If you could race at any track in the world, where would it be and why?
I want to race at Unadilla (New Berlin, NY) because it’s one of the oldest tracks in the U.S and I feel like it would be cool to know how many people that are considered legends have raced there and knowing I got the opportunity to race there too.
Who inspires you in racing or riding? And how has motorcycling impacted your life?
My brother inspires me the most because he has been in some bad accidents caused by racing that most wouldn’t ever come back to the sport if they got hurt that bad and yet he did and continues to push, at least to have fun when he rides/races, even though he never going to be able to be the same as he was.
Racing has made a huge impact on my life because I have met so many people through racing and met some of the most genuine people that care and want the best for me and all winter I look forward to seeing those people and racing with them again!
What has been your favorite machine to race/ride and why?
My favorite bike I’ve raced was a KLX 100. It was my favorite because it was old and it was a 1996. It showed me that it doesn’t matter what bike you ride, it’s how you ride it! It taught me so much and to not take what you have for granted because that used to be peoples dream bike when they were growing up.
What's one pre-race ritual or superstition you have?
I always say a little prayer and thank god for everything I have been lucky enough to experience in my life and pray that nobody gets hurt and thank my parents for everything they’ve done for me to live out my dreams.
What's the funniest or most unexpected thing that's happened to you at a race?
I had lost my kickstarter somewhere throughout the race and then I had crashed my bike so some people had to help me jump start my bike and then I finished the race without crashing or stalling the bike and won!
What's a lesson you've learned from racing that applies to life outside the track?
Help people. There’s been so many times where I’ve been in positions where there’s nothing I could do and all it took was one person to see if I was okay or to get help, and that made all the difference.
If you could give one piece of advice to a new rider, what would it be?
Just have fun! It’s so much more fun when you have a good mindset and just do you when you’re out there. Everybody thinks you need to go out there and win and that winning is what makes it fun but having fun when you’re racing is more of a win than any trophy you’ll ever win.