Introduction:
MotocrossMotocross is a form of motorcycle sport or all-terrain vehicle racing held on enclosed off road circuits. It evolved from trials, and was called scrambles, and later motocross, combining the French moto with cross-country.[1] BMX, or bicycle motocross, is the equivalent sport for non-motorized dirt bikes.
History
Motocross evolved in the UK out of trials, such as the Auto-Cycle Clubs's first quarterly trial in 1906 and the Scottish Six Days Trial that began in 1909.[1] When delicate balancing and strict scoring of trials were dispensed with in favor of a flat out race to be the fastest rider to the finish, it was called scrambles, said to have originated in the phrase, "a rare old scramble" describing one such early race.[1] When scrambles spread to the European continent, the French word for motorcycle, motocyclette, or moto for short, was combined in a portmanteauwith "cross country", and the name motocross stuck.[1] The first known scramble took place at Camberley, Surrey in 1924.[2] During the 1930s, the sport grew in popularity, especially in Britain where teams from the Birmingham Small Arms Company (BSA), Norton, Matchless, Rudge, and AJS competed in the events. Off-road bikes from that era differed little from those used on the street. The intense competition over rugged terrain led to technical improvements in motorcycles. Rigid frames gave way to suspensions by the early 1930s, and swinging fork rear suspension appeared by the early 1950s, several years before it was incorporated on the majority of production street bikes.[3] The period after the Second World War was dominated by BSA which had become the largest motorcycle company in the world.[3] BSA riders dominated international competitions throughout the 1940s.[3]
A Maico 360 cc with air-cooled engine and twin shock absorbers on the rear suspensionIn 1952 the FIM, motorcycling's international governing body, created an individual European Championship using a 500 cc engine displacement formula. In 1957, it was upgraded it to World Championship status.[3] In 1962, a 250 cc world championship was created.[3] It was in the smaller 250 cc category that companies with two-stroke motorcycles came into their own. Companies such as Husqvarna from Sweden, CZ from the former Czechoslovakia and Greeves from England, became popular due to their lightness and agility.[3] By the 1960s, advancements in two-stroke enginetechnology meant that the heavier, four-stroke machines were relegated to niche competitions. Riders from Belgium and Sweden began to dominate the sport during this period.[citation needed]
Motocross sometimes takes place in wet weather, leading to muddy scenes such as this and hence the term "Scrambling". Photo from New Zealand.Motocross was introduced to the United States in 1966 when Swedish champion, Torsten Hallman rode an exhibition event against the top American TT riders at the Corriganville Movie Ranch also known as Hopetown in Simi Valley, California. The following year Hallman was joined by other motocross stars including Roger DeCoster, Joël Robert, and Dave Bickers. They dominated the event placing their light weight two-strokes into the top six finishing positions.[4][5]
By the late 1960s, Japanese motorcycle companies began challenging the European factories for supremacy in the motocross world. Suzuki claimed the first world championship for a Japanese factory when Joël Robert won the 1970 250 cc crown.[6] Motocross also began to grow in popularity in the United States during this period, which fueled an explosive growth in the sport. The first stadium motocross event was held in 1972 at the Los Angeles Coliseum.[7] In 1975, a 125 cc world championship was introduced.[8] European riders continued to dominate motocross throughout the 1970s but, by the 1980s, American riders had caught up and began winning international competitions.[9]
During the early 1980s, Japanese factories presided over a technology boom in motocross. The typical two-stroke air-cooled, twin-shock rear suspension machines gave way to machines that were water-cooled and fitted with single-shock absorber rear suspension. By the 1990s, increasingly stringent environmental laws in California forced manufacturers to develop environmentally friendly four-stroke technology.[10][11] At the turn of the century, all the major manufacturers have begun competing with four-stroke machines. European firms also experienced a resurgence with Husqvarna,Husaberg and KTM winning world championships with four-stroke machinery.
The sport evolved with sub-disciplines such as stadium events known as supercross and arenacross held in indoor arenas. Freestyle motocross (FMX) events where riders are judged on their jumping and aerial acrobatic skills have gained popularity, as well as supermoto, where motocross machines race on both tarmac and off road. Vintage motocross events have also become popular with riders competing on bikes usually pre-dating the 1975 model year.[citation needed]
FIM Motocross World Championship
FIM Motocross World ChampionshipMain article: FIM Motocross World Championship
The Grand Prix (or Motocross World Championship) is predominantly held in Europe with some "flyaway" rounds, recently in Chile, South Africa, Japan and the United States, but over its history it has visited numerous countries including; Indonesia, Australia and countries on both American continents. There are three classes: MX1, MX2 and MX3 (analogous to "450cc" and "250cc", and "open", respectively). Race day consists of two motos with a duration of 35 minutes plus two laps, while the series is longer, generally incorporating over 16 rounds.
Freestyle
Main article: Freestyle Motocross
A Canadian rider performing a "superman seat-grab"Freestyle Motocross (FMX), a relatively new variation of supercross, does not involve racing and instead concentrates on performing acrobatic stunts while jumping motocross bikes. The winner is chosen by a group of judges. The riders are scored on style, level of trick difficulty, best use of the course, and frequently crowd reactions as well. FMX was introduced to the X Games and mainstream audiences in 1999.
Supermoto
Main article: Supermoto
A Supermoto rider on the roadSupermoto involves taking a motocross bike meant to be raced off-road and converting it to be raced on tracks consisting of both dirt and road. The bikes are fitted with special road racing tires with grooved tread to grip both the pavement and dirt. Some tracks for these race events have jumps, berms, and whoops just like true motocross tracks. For special events, the Supermoto track may incorporate metal ramps for jumps that can be disassembled and taken to other locations. Supermoto races may take place at modified go-kart tracks, road racing tracks, or even street racing tracks. There are also classes for kids such as the 85cc class.
Supermoto got its start in the late 1970s as a fun side project for many road racers. Its first exposure to a wide audience came on the American television program ABC's Wide World of Sports in 1979. UK racing journalist Gavin Trippe envisioned a racing event that would prove who the best motorcycle racer was and from 1980 to 1985, he organized a yearly event called "The Superbikers," which pitted the top road racers and motocross racers against one another on specially modified bikes raced on special tracks on the television show. After 1985, the sport died and received little exposure, but in Europe, the sport started gaining popularity, and in 2003 it was revived in the United States, when the name became "Supermoto".
Dirt biking spots /Tracks
Bikes:
