Motorcycle sport

Competitive events involving motorcycles

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Motorcycle sport is a group of competitive sporting events that involve motorcycles, where riders participate in various disciplines such as racing, stunt riding, trials, and endurance contests. These sports test speed, skill, endurance, and control over different types of motorcycles and terrains.

## History

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Motorcycle sport began in the early 20th century, shortly after the invention of the motorcycle. The first recorded motorcycle race took place in 1901 in England. Since then, the sport has evolved to include numerous disciplines, ranging from track racing to off-road trials, attracting a global following.

## Disciplines

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### Motorcycle racing

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Main article: Motorcycle racing

Motorcycle racing (also known as moto racing and motorbike racing) is a motorcycle sport involving racing motorcycles. Motorcycle racing can be divided into two categories, tarmac-based road disciplines and off-road.

### Track racing

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Main article: Track racing

Track racing is a motorcycle sport where teams or individuals race opponents around an oval track. There are differing variants, with each variant racing on a different surface type.

### Rally

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Main article: Motorcycle rally

A road rally is a navigation event on public roads whereby competitors must visit a number of checkpoints in diverse geographical locations while still obeying road traffic laws (not to be confused with car rallies such as WRC).

### Speedway

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Main article: Motorcycle speedway

Speedway is a motorcycle sport in which the motorcycles have one gear and no brakes.

## Other Motorcycle sports

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### Land speed

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Main article: Motorcycle land speed record

Land speed is where a single rider accelerates over a 1 to 3-mile (4.8 km) long straight track (usually on dry lake beds) and is timed for top speed through a trap at the end of the run. The rider must exceed the previous top speed record for that class or type of bike for their name to be placed on the record books. See—[1] for an example.

### Enduro

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Main article: Enduro

Enduro, not to be confused with Enduro (mountain biking), is not exactly racing, because the main objective is to traverse a series of checkpoints, arriving exactly "on time" in accordance with your beginning time and the time it is supposed to take to arrive at each checkpoint. The courses are usually run over thick wooded terrain, sometimes with large obstacles such as logs, ditches, and sudden drops.

### Freestyle Motocross

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Main article: Freestyle Motocross

A competition based upon points for acrobatic ability on an MX bike over jumps. This activity evolved from Motocross a continuing popular form of racing at both the Amateur and Professional levels.

### Trials

[edit]

Main article: Motorcycle trials

Trials commonly take place on rocky terrain

Known in the US as Observed Trials, it is not racing, but a sport nevertheless. Trials is a test of skill on a motorcycle whereby the rider attempts to traverse an observed section without placing a foot on the ground (and traditionally, although not always, without ceasing forward motion). The winner is the rider with the least penalty points.

#### Time and observation

[edit]

Time and observation trials are trials with a time limit. The person who completes the route the quickest sets the "standard time" and all other competitors must finish within a certain amount of time of the standard time to be counted as a finisher (they received penalty points for every minute after the quickest finisher). This is combined with the penalty points accrued from the observed sections to arrive at a winner, who is not always the quickest rider or the rider who lost the less marks on observation but the rider who balanced these competing demands the best. One of the most famous time and observation trials is the "Scott" trial held annually in North Yorkshire.

#### Indoor trials

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Indoor trials held in stadiums (not necessarily with a roof) which by their very nature use human-made artificial sections in contrast to outdoor trials which rely heavily on the natural terrain.

#### Long distance trials

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Main article: Trail riding

Long Distance Trials (often shortened to 'LDT') in the UK are events for road-registered motorcycles. A course of typically 80 to 120 miles is plotted by the organiser, taking in roads, lanes and Byways Open to All Traffic (known as BOATs). The event is not a race and riders are required to follow the course by using a RoadBook compiled by the organiser.

### Motorcycle Gymkhana

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Main article: Gymkhana (motorcycle)

Similar to car Autocross, Motorcycle Gymkhana is a motorcycle time trial sport round cones on a paved area. The winner is the competitor who completes the course in the shortest time. Time penalties are incurred by putting a foot down, hitting a cone, or going outside the designated area.

### Motoball (Motorcycle Polo)

[edit]

Main article: Motoball

Similar to football, but all players (except goalkeepers) are riding motorcycles, and the ball is much bigger. Motorcycle Polo first began as an officially organized sport in the mid-1930s.[1] In France, there are organized motoball competitions, and the sport was included in the inaugural Goodwill Games.

### Hill Climbs

[edit]

In the United States the completions are usually held on off-road courses, where one competitor at a time attempts to ride up a very steep hill, often 45 degrees or more. In some cases, few riders actually complete the course and results are judged on the distance that they manage to achieve. Of those that do complete the course, the rider to reach the top with the shortest elapsed time wins. The motorcycle of choice in the early decades was the Harley-Davidson 45 cubic inch model due to its high torque at low rpms, similar to farm engines. For years the national competitions was held at Mount Garfield near Muskegon, Michigan.[2]

In other countries, notably the United Kingdom, completions mostly take place on tarmac courses, occasionally closed public roads, with the machines used for competition being similar to those used for other road disciplines.

## References

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1. ^ "Daring Riders Thrill Crowds With Polo On Motor Cycles" July 1935 Popular Science Monthly
2. ^ "Mountain Goats on Two Wheels." Popular Mechanics, December 1954, pp. 142-144

## External links

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A Supersport bike at Phillip Island.

Sanctioning bodies

Wikimedia Commons has media related to Motorcycle sport.

* Fédération Internationale de Motocyclisme (FIM) – World governing body
* Motorcycling Australia (MA) – Australian Governing Body
* Auto Cycle Union – UK governing body
* American Motorcyclist Association (AMA) – US governing body
* Motorcycle Federation of Japan (MFJ) – Japan governing body
* Motosport South Africa (MSA) – South African governing body
* Federation Francaise de moto (FFM) – French governing body
* MCUI Southern Centre – "governing body of motor cycle sport in Leinster, Munster and Connacht" (i.e., Republic of Ireland)
* Championship Cup Series – Sanctioning body for Sportsman Level motorcycle road racing in the United States

* v
* t
* e

Motorcycles and motorcycling (outline)

General topics|

* Definition
* History
* Museums
* Motorcycle occupations
* Safety

Types|

* Street
* Cruiser
* Sport
* Touring / Sport touring
* Universal Japanese Motorcycle
* Custom
* Dual-sport
* Off-road
* Enduro
* Motocross
* Track racing
* Trials

Design|

* Components
* Accessories
* Brakes
* Chassis
* Frame
* Suspension
* Fork
* Engine
* Transmission
* Saddle
* Tires (tyres)
* Wheels
* Fairing
* Testing and measurement

Manufacturers|

* Bajaj
* BMW
* Ducati
* Harley-Davidson
* Hero
* Husqvarna
* Japanese Big Four
* Honda
* Kawasaki
* Suzuki
* Yamaha
* KTM
* Kymco
* Norton
* Peugeot
* Piaggio
* Aprilia
* Moto Guzzi
* Vespa
* Royal Enfield
* Triumph
* TVS
* VinFast
* Zero

Media|

* Books
* Biker films
* Magazines

Touring|

* Motorcycle rally
* List of long-distance motorcycle riders

Equipment|

* Armor
* Boots
* Helmet
* Jacket

Sport|

* Motorcycle land-speed record
* Production motorcycles (by speed / by acceleration)
* Freestyle motocross
* Racing
* Stunting
* Trials

Organizations|

* Motorcycle club
* List of motorcycle clubs
* Motorcycle gang
* Colors
* List of outlaw motorcycle clubs

* v
* t
* e

World championships

* List of world sports championships

Olympic sports|

| Team|

* Association football
* men
* men's club
* women
* women's club
* Baseball
* men
* men's 12
* women
* Basketball
* men
* women
* 3x3 basketball
* club
* Beach volleyball
* Cricket
* T20 (men)
* T20 (women)
* Curling
* mixed doubles
* mixed
* Field hockey
* men
* women
* Flag football
* Handball
* men
* women
* Ice hockey
* men
* women
* Lacrosse
* men
* women
* Rugby 7s
* Softball
* men
* women
* Volleyball
* men
* men's club
* women
* women's club
* Water polo
* men
* women

|

Individual|

* Aquatic sports
* Archery
* Athletics
* outdoor
* race walking
* Badminton
* men
* women
* mixed
* individual
* Biathlon
* Bobsleigh and skeleton
* Boxing
* women
* Canoeing
* slalom
* sprint
* Cycling
* BMX
* mountain biking
* road
* track
* urban
* Equestrianism
* dressage
* eventing
* show jumping
* Fencing
* Golf
* men
* women
* Gymnastics
* artistic
* rhythmic
* trampoline
* Ice skating
* figure
* short track
* speed
* Judo
* Luge
* artificial track
* natural track
* Modern pentathlon
* Rowing
* Sailing
* Olympic Class Combined Worlds
* Shooting
* Skateboarding
* Skiing
* alpine
* Nordic
* freestyle
* snowboarding
* Ski mountaineering
* Sport climbing
* Squash
* individual
* doubles
* team
* Surfing
* Table tennis
* Taekwondo
* Tennis
* men
* women
* Triathlon
* mixed relay
* Weightlifting
* Wrestling

Discontinued|

* Basque pelota
* Cricket
* Test
* Croquet
* singles
* team
* Dance sport
* breakdancing
* Karate
* Polo
* Rackets
* Real tennis
* Rugby union
* men
* women
* Tug of war
* outdoor
* indoor

Paralympic sports|

| Team|

* Blind football
* Para ice hockey
* men
* women
* Wheelchair basketball
* Wheelchair handball
* Wheelchair rugby
* Wheelchair curling
* mixed team
* Goalball
* Sitting volleyball

|

Individual|

* Archery
* Athletics
* Badminton
* Bobsleigh and skeleton
* Climbing
* Cycling
* track cycling
* road cycling
* Powerlifting
* Shooting
* Snowboard
* Skiing
* alpine
* Nordic
* Swimming
* Table tennis

Combat sports|

* Brazilian jiu-jitsu
* Ju-Jitsu World Championships
* Kendo
* Kickboxing (amateur)
* Muaythai
* Sambo
* Sumo
* Wrestling
* beach wrestling
* catch
* grappling
* Wushu

Cue sports|

* Carom billiards
* Three-cushion
* men
* women
* team
* Five-pins
* individual
* team
* artistic
* English billiards
* amateurs
* women
* Pool
* blackball
* chinese eight ball
* eight-ball
* men nine-ball
* women nine-ball
* team nine-ball
* pyramid
* ten-ball
* straight pool
* Snooker
* men
* women
* team
* amateurs
* six-red

Mind sports|

* Backgammon
* Bridge
* Chess
* open
* women
* team
* Draughts
* men
* women
* checkers
* draughts-64
* draughts-64 women
* Go
* Puzzles
* Scrabble
* Sudoku
* Xiangqi

| Esports|

* Call of Duty
* Counter-Strike
* Dota 2
* eSailing
* FIFA
* Fortnite
* League of Legends
* Mobile Legends: Bang Bang
* NES Tetris
* Overwatch
* Pro Evolution Soccer
* Rainbow Six Siege
* Rocket League
* Smite
* StarCraft II
* Valorant

|

Motorsport|

| Auto racing|

* Formula E
* Formula One
* Hill climb
* Karting
* Rallying
* Rallycross
* Rally raid
* Bajas
* Sports Car Endurance
* Touring Car

|

Motorcycle sports|

* Endurance
* Enduro
* Beach Racing
* SuperEnduro
* Hard Enduro
* team endurance
* Ice racing
* individual
* team
* Grand Prix
* MotoGP
* Moto2
* Moto3
* MotoE
* Motocross
* individual
* women
* nations
* Supercross
* SuperMotocross
* Sidecarcross
* Snowcross
* Production
* Superbike
* Supersport
* Supersport 300
* Women
* Rally raid
* Bajas
* Sidecar
* Speedway
* individual
* team
* long track
* team long track
* flat track
* Supermoto
* team
* Trial
* nations
* E-Bike
* cross

Other|

* Aeroplane sport
* Aerobatic
* Aerobatic GP
* Powerboating
* Aquabike
* F1
* F4s
* offshore
* Radio-controlled racing
* 1:10 electric off-road
* 1:8 nitro off-road
* Tank biathlon

Other sports|

| Team|

* American football
* men
* women
* Australian football
* Baseball5
* Ball hockey
* Bandy
* men
* men's club
* women
* women's club
* Cricket
* ODI (men)
* ODI (women)
* Beach handball
* Beach soccer
* Beach tennis
* Canoe polo
* Dancesport
* Formation Latin
* Dodgeball
* Fistball
* Floorball
* men
* women
* Futsal
* men
* women
* men's club
* women
* Indoor hockey
* men
* women
* Inline hockey
* Kabaddi
* Circle
* Standard
* Kho kho
* Korfball
* Lacrosse
* indoor
* Life saving
* Minifootball
* Netball
* Padel tennis
* Quadball
* Ringette
* Rogaining
* Roll Ball
* Roller derby
* men
* women
* Roller hockey
* men
* women
* Rugby league
* men
* men's club
* women
* Sailing
* Yachts
* Dinghies
* Sepaktakraw
* Socca
* Synchronized skating
* Tchoukball
* Underwater hockey
* Underwater rugby

|

Individual|

* Air sports
* ballooning
* gliding
* parachuting
* paragliding
* Aquatics
* water skiing
* Armwrestling
* Archery
* indoor
* 3D
* field
* Athletics
* cross country
* half marathon
* indoor
* women's decathlon
* relays
* 100 km
* mountain running
* long distance mountain running
* snowshoe running
* skyrunning
* trail running
* Bowling
* Tenpin
* Ninepin (singles, team)
* Bowls
* indoor
* outdoor
* Canoeing
* marathon
* ocean race
* wildwater
* SUP
* canoe sailing
* freestyle
* waveski
* Crokinole
* CrossFit
* Cycling
* cyclo-cross
* indoor
* mountain bike marathon
* trials
* Darts
* WDF
* PDC
* team
* Finswimming
* Fishing
* freshwater
* fly fishing
* Gymnastics
* acrobatic
* aerobic
* parkour
* Ice Climbing
* Modern pentathlon
* biathle
* triathle
* laser run
* Mounted games
* Orienteering
* foot
* ski
* mountain bike
* trail
* Pétanque
* Powerlifting
* Racquetball
* Roller Sports
* artistic skating
* inline alpine
* inline downhill
* inline speed skating
* roller freestyle
* scootering
* Rowing
* coastal
* indoor
* Shooting
* practical handgun
* practical rifle
* practical shotgun
* Skiing
* flying
* speed
* telemark
* Summer biathlon
* Strength athletics
* men
* women
* Surfing
* short board
* long board
* big wave
* SUP/paddleboard
* Swimming
* short course
* Teqball
* Triathlon
* Aquathlon
* Duathlon
* Ironman
* Ironman 70.3
* cross
* cross duathlon
* long distance
* long distance duathlon
* sprint
* winter
* Yo-yo

* See also: World cups

Authority control databases

National|

* Germany
* France
* BnF data
* Czech Republic

Other|

* Yale LUX

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