A beginner's guide to motocross racing

A beginner's guide to motocross racing

A beginner's guide to motocross racing

Dirt bike racing is one of the most challenging, exhilarating and rewarding things you can do on two wheels, but how do you get started? To the untrained eye, dirt bikes all look the same, but the truth is that variations range from motocross to race enduros to street-legal dual-sports. If you already have a specific type of dirt bike, that may determine what type of racing you want to try. If you haven't purchased one yet, this article will help you decide which one to choose based on the type of racing and riding you plan to do.

So to get you started, let's break down some of the different types of off-road racing so you can decide which discipline suits you best.

Motocross and Supercross

Many people are already familiar with motocross (MX for short) as it is widely televised and quite spectacular to watch. The courses are outdoors, usually one to three miles long, and consist of natural and man-made terrain that includes hills, jumps, whoops and berms on a combination of curves and straightaways. The soil can vary from dry and sandy to wet and muddy. The races begin at a starting gate with all racers in the same class starting side by side with their engines running. The races consist of two sessions of 12 to 30 minutes plus two laps in length and are called "moto". Scores from each heat are combined to determine the overall winner. Between practice and both heats, you'll end up on the track for a total of less than two hours.

Supercross (abbreviated to SX) is similar to MX but races typically take place inside stadiums and arenas. This makes it much easier for spectators to see all the action, whereas MX spectators can usually only watch a section of the track, and this is one of the reasons why Supercross attracts more fans than any other form of motorcycle racing in the United States . Compared to motocross, Supercross courses are usually narrower with larger jumps and shorter straights. Runners can sometimes jump up to 35 feet in the air and cover 70 feet of distance.

Scrambled hare

Sometimes referred to as “Cross Country” or XC, hare races are run on natural terrain over a course approximately three to eight miles in length. They usually don't feature the intimidating high jumps of MX or SX, but generally include very difficult terrain, including rocks, roots, water crossings, mud and steep hills. Racers start in rows based on the class they are competing in. Each row switches off at 30-second intervals, starting with the most advanced groups to reduce overtaking as much as possible, as the routes include narrow forest paths. Engine-off starts are common, where the bike must be turned off and started only when the standard bearer raises the green flag. Racers will typically race between one and two hours, doing as many laps as possible, as fast as possible. The racers with the most laps and the least elapsed time win.

GNCC

Grand National Cross Country, or GNCC, is very similar to hare races, but typically features longer, faster forest courses, which sometimes include grass courses and MX sections. Courses can cover up to 12 miles per lap and races last up to three hours. GNCC also includes lessons for ATVs and electric mountain bikes (eMTBs).

Enduro

There are several types of enduro races, including traditional time trials, restarts and sprint enduros. Similar to hare races, they are raced on natural terrain, but over a much longer course, sometimes 100 miles or more, including paved sections on public roads. All enduros leave time to refuel, make repairs, eat, etc.

Starting with traditional timekeepers , runners will start in rows of approximately four at a set "key time" every minute. The key time is what keeps all runners on the same minute. For example, if the first row of runners starts at 9:05 a.m., the fifth row will start at 9:05, but their watches will be set five minutes late, so they read 9:05 a.m. Regardless of which row the runners start in, their watches will read 9:05 a.m. when they start.

There are checkpoints along the route and runners are penalized for arriving late or early. Racers must keep time using their odometer, watch and timetable (or enduro-specific computer) to ensure they are not going too fast or too slow. In a perfect timekeeper, riders from each row will ride together all day, never seeing or passing anyone from another row. This makes enduro seem like a great day of riding with your friends. When you sign up, you can request to be in the same queue as your friends. If you don't have any riding buddies, you'll probably have some from your queue at the end of the day.

There are many strategies that are beyond the scope of this article, such as knowing when you may or may not encounter a checkpoint. In general, I find that you generally have to go slow on the easy things and fast on the hard things.

Restart or start-and-check enduros are similar to traditional time trials in length, terrain, and difficulty, and are also my favorite. Restart enduros include timed and transfer stages. During the timed stage, riders go as fast as possible to the next checkpoint. The terrain in the timed stage is generally narrower, faster, and more challenging. During a transfer stage, riders may ride some easier terrain (but not always) or some road sections with relatively low average speeds. This gives them time to get to the start of their timed stage, where they take off again at their minute, then "restart." Riders who crash or experience a mechanical issue or other delays may not make it to the next stage in time, forcing them to start a section late based on their key time, but longer breaks are built into the race to allow riders to catch up to their minute.

Sprint enduros are a relatively new format that's a sort of combination of a hare scramble and an enduro. Riders race against the clock to achieve the best possible time on several shorter test sections, similar to a hare race lap. The sections vary in style from a "cross" section, including fast, flowing grassy tracks and sometimes MX track features, to "enduro" sections, including forest trails and natural terrain. Riders will have multiple attempts at each test to go as hard as possible to achieve the fastest time. The riders with the fastest lap times in the combined test sections win. Because this format is still growing, different organizations and regions may have slightly different race rules and structures. If you enjoy racing against the clock but prefer to keep your race laps shorter than in time-trial or start-control enduros,

Vintage racing

AHRMA stands for the American Historic Racing Motorcycle Association and offers versions of most of the aforementioned racing disciplines, but for older bikes (pre-1999). I've written about my personal experience with AHRMA XC racing before, but it's worth mentioning again because people generally think of racing as very expensive. It certainly can be, but it doesn't have to be. You can get a cheap old bike, enter some vintage races, and have a really good time for cheap.

Ready to race?

With any of these different types of motocross racing, start by connecting with the local organization that promotes them. There are tons of resources online for finding regional and national race series. Some require an AMA membership, which can typically be purchased at the event. Someone will happily walk you through signing up for your first race. Usually you will sign a gate waiver and pay a gate fee and then registration will be a separate line. Prices per race typically range from $40 to $80.

You may be given a transponder to attach to your helmet or motorbike to record your lap times with the on-course timing system, and they will probably also give you a number sticker, so you don't have to worry about the numbers on your motorbike. They'll let you know which class to start in, what time your race will start, and where the starting area is located. Some races will require a technical inspection and some will require your bike to be street legal, with registration, insurance and lights. They will also likely make sure you are wearing appropriate riding gear, such as boots, pants, gloves, helmet, and goggles.

Before signing up for any race, make sure your motorbike is in good condition and that you have spare parts, fuel, water and food. Most off-road racers, aside from MX and SX, will carry a hydration pack or fanny pack to carry some of these items during the race. As you can imagine, racing an enduro all day will make you very thirsty and hungry, so be prepared. Most long distance races will include several resupplies. Many will also provide a lunch stop for runners to refuel before continuing the race.

I really love motocross racing bikes. I have found that there is no other sensation like it on earth. Even at the most inexperienced level, the anticipation, excitement, and feeling of personal achievement is unrivaled. Don't get me wrong, I also love Sunday rides with my friends, but racing helps push your riding skills beyond your comfort zone. Driving in new places with new people and getting official results that show your standing within your class is a great way to develop your driving skills.

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