Although the number of dirt bikes has doubled in a decade, the amount of open, public space for riders has decreased, bringing more riders, many of them inexperienced, into already congested areas.
"People could be riding backwards. Or people are hunting, or this and that," said Travis Bellah, shirtless and sweating on a Saturday morning at the Glen Helen Raceway, where he'd already taken a few spins around the course with his buddies.
"There's people that come out and drink beer and ride and stuff. Unfortunately, that's a pretty good population of people that ride out in the hills. That's why we have bad statistics out there -- one of the reasons.
"But the tracks, you don't get a whole lot of that. It's safer. I recommend keeping it separate."
It's only 9 a.m., but the motocross track is, quite literally, jumping with Honda-Yama-Kawa-Zukis grinding corners and catching air over mounds of loose, bull-dozed earth.
"It's all testosterone. It's not like one bike's better than the other one," said Jimmy Bateson, a former pro motocrosser who's also owned sport bikes and Harleys.
"It's just all preference. It's a total statement. For the most part, it's what people do on the weekend anyways, and they want to feel like they've got the best equipment out there. But you know, it's nothing too serious."
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Ultimate riding machines
Sport bike
Gear: One-piece leathers and Gore-Tex riding suits in a rainbow of colors, racing booties, Kevlar-reinforced gloves.
Helmet: Full-face. BMW guys like theirs hinged.
Riding style: Aggressive, preferably scraping knees to the ground in tight turns. Of course, straight roads are no sweat; they do it one-handed, resting left arm on thigh.
Attitude: Speed limits are for sissies.
Age: 20s, or as long as their backs and wrists hold out.
Where to find them: Tend to congregate along the twisties. In the Santa Monica mountains, it's the Rock Store, 30354 Mulholland Highway, Cornell.
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Cruisers
Gear: Black leather chaps/jackets/vests, doo rags and fringe, fringe, fringe.
Helmet: Half helmets, a.k.a. "brain buckets" or "beanies."
Riding style: Casual, with legs outstretched to barely reachable foot pegs and left arms dangling.
Attitude: If it isn't a Harley, it isn't worth riding.
Age: 40s, 50s and 60s, when they've got the money.
