Cody Cooper, an Ōpōtiki motocross star, has spent over 20 years competing in numerous events across New Zealand and internationally.

However, this home season will mark his final chapter as a professional racer.

Cooper has decided to step away from the highly competitive MX1 and MX2 classes to focus on family life and his successful coaching business.

Having garnered a loyal fan base and multiple New Zealand titles, Cooper reflected on his decision: “I have a young family now, and the timing just feels right.

“It takes me longer to recover now, and my body isn’t getting any younger. I have loved racing.”

Though he is stepping back from professional competition, the 42-year-old won’t be leaving the sport entirely; he plans to compete in the veterans’ classes when he feels inclined.

This season has posed some challenges for Cooper, especially as he transitions to a new two-stroke bike.

“It’s taken longer to get used to than I anticipated. Four-strokes have come a long way, and I thought two-strokes would have an advantage, but they’re pretty even,” he said.

Cooper had intended for last season to be his farewell but decided to give it one last go.

“I kind of wish I did finish last season because it’s getting harder to stay fit now. Every year, it gets more challenging, but I do love it.”

The New Zealand season kicked off at tracks Cooper isn’t very familiar with, specifically in Invercargill and Balclutha.

“They were fast tracks, and at my age, my mind wants to go fast, but the throttle goes the other way. Nevertheless, they were still enjoyable,” he said.

He managed to secure several top-five finishes in Balclutha, proving he can still hold his own among New Zealand’s top riders. “There are some good young riders coming through. It’s really competitive racing, but the next tracks should be better suited for racing,” he said.

The final two rounds of the season will take place in Tauranga and Rotorua, which are closer to home for Cooper.

“It will be nice not to have to travel too far for those rounds, and I know those tracks quite well.”

He will also participate in Woodville near Palmerston North.

Unfortunately, he missed Summercross in the Eastern Bay this year as his team took a break.

Despite the increasing physical demands of racing, Cooper still enjoys riding, particularly when he gets good starts.

“I can be a bit tentative now that I’m older. It’s a lot more mentally challenging getting prepared now.”

In his extensive career, Cooper has achieved an impressive record of 10 national titles and is in his third year with the Gas Gas team.

“They allowed two-stroke 250s in MX2 this year, so I thought I would ride what I started on for my final season. Four-strokes have become a lot easier to ride, and you can almost become lazy on them. I expected the 250s to have an edge, especially at the start line, but that wasn’t the case. I will work on my starts before February and those rounds.

“It’s been a good challenge riding two strokes and we really have to ride the wheels off them to really compete.”

As he transitions into the veterans’ classes, Cooper believes this change will offer him a more relaxed environment.

“If anything, I will be more relaxed because there’s no pressure in those races. I can have more fun with my racing,” he said.

He views this as an exciting new chapter in his life, stating, “I am stepping down from racing being my profession and my coaching will take over that now.”

“The coaching has been going well – I coach three days a week at different tracks and I still get to ride my bike.”