Sports motorcycling

Speed bike competition.

Enduro test.

Rally Dakar is the most prestigious rally raid race in the world.

Sports motorcycling is the sporting use of motorcycles in various modalities.

The objective of a speed race is to cover a certain distance (or go from one place to another), in the shortest possible time; or travel the greatest distance in a predefined time; or cover a distance in a pre-established time without exceeding that time, in which way the runner who comes closest to the pre-defined time wins. Said races can last from a few seconds or minutes, as is the case with drag races, motocross races and dirt ovals; up to several hours or days, as in drag racing and rally raid. On the other hand, the trial consists of passing a series of obstacles in a certain time without committing faults; and in freestyle motorcycling where stunts are performed in the air so that the jury awards the most points.

Sprint motorcycling has its equivalent in motorsport, which is practiced in automobiles. The concept of motorcycling also covers competitions between vehicles similar to motorcycles, such as snowmobiles and four-wheelers, among others.

Since motorcycles develop high speeds and riders have little protection, motorcycling is an extremely dangerous sport in all its modalities. Although safety measures have progressed over the decades, collisions, falls and other accidents that cause injuries and even deaths to competitors and spectators frequently occur.

The governing body of motorcycling worldwide is the International Motorcycling Federation, which represents national federations of a hundred countries.

Disciplines

Speed motorcycling

Superbikes, a speed bike category.

MotoGP, Grand Prix of Motorcycle.

The speed motorcycling is a sports modality of motorcycling played on paved racing circuits. The motorcycles that are used can be prototypes, that is, developed specifically for competition, or derived from series models (generally sports motorcycles) with modifications to increase performance. The first group includes those participating in the World Motorcycling Championship, and the second includes Superbikes, Supersports and Superstocks.

Motorcycles must present a series of characteristics such as stability, high speed (both straight and cornering), great acceleration, great braking, easy maneuverability and low weight.

A race of this modality normally consists of one or two days of practice made up of several sessions (free and official) in which the drivers try to lap the circuit as quickly as possible, which will determine their position on the grid start of the race itself.

Within the same event, there can be different races depending on the type of motorcycle and its displacement, and in some of them several sleeves are held for each category.

Some of the most important speed championships are:

• The World Championship of Speed, is contested with the most developed national motorcycling.

• The World Championship of Resistance Motocycling also played with Superbikes.

• The TT Isle of Man is a legendary race that takes place annually on the Isle of Man (United Kingdom). He was part of the world of speed for many years. It is a race through the closed roads of the island, very dangerous, since it has more than 200 dead and average speeds up to 208 km/h (2014), and with a length of about 60 km.

Motocross

Motocross is a motorcycling discipline that takes place on unpaved or cross-country circuits and in which the different participants compete in a race with the aim of finishing in first position at the finish line. It is one of the most spectacular modalities of motorcycling, in which speed is combined with the necessary dexterity to control the motorcycle in the face of natural (and in some cases artificial) irregularities in the terrain, with tight curves, mounds, potholes, violent changes of direction. slope, watercourses, etc., and on a land surface that is generally muddy. All this makes jumps and skids happen in motocross races. Over time, motocross has evolved into different parallel disciplines, such as free-style and supermotard, the latter a mix between motocross and speed motorcycling that takes place on mixed surfaces (asphalt and dirt).

Trial

It is a motorcycling discipline in which riders must overcome obstacles without touching the ground with their bodies or falling. Essential skills are balance and movement planning to progress through the course. This discipline is particularly popular in Spain and the United Kingdom.

Enduro

Enduro (or also, All Terrain) is a modality of motorcycling whose objective is to carry out routes usually outdoors, off-road, or on controlled circuits, similar to motocross but of greater distance. It is similar to a vehicle rally, in which the competitors must travel along established routes at indicated time intervals. The term "enduro" It comes from the English endurance ("resistance").

Supermoto

Supermoto is a fusion between road motorcycling and motocross. Racing commonly takes place on tracks with off-road sections within the same circuit; approximately 70% is asphalt and the remaining 30% is dirt and usually with some jump. Motorcycles are often creations made from dirt bikes with racing motorcycle wheels or tires. Drivers also wear a mix of racing and off-road suits, usually leather, helmets, and off-road boots. Unlike normal road racing, the emphasis is on slower racing (top speeds below 100 mph / 195 km/h), and long, curvy tracks, where competitor skills are more important than machine performance..

Rally raid

Rally raid is a discipline that is carried out in stages on cross-country routes and on rough roads with all-terrain motorcycles. The main rally raid race is the Dakar Rally.

Motopolo/motoball (Motorcycle Polo)

Similar to soccer, but all the players (except the goalies) are on motorcycles and the ball is much bigger. Motopolo began as an officially organized sport in the mid-1930s. Motoball competitions are organized in France, and the sport was included in the inaugural Goodwill Games.

Hill Climbs

In the United States, competitions are generally held on off-road courses, where one competitor at a time attempts to climb a very steep hill, often 45 degrees or more. In some cases, few runners complete the course and the results are judged by the distance they manage to cover. Of those who complete the course, the runner who reaches the top with the least 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 revs, similar to farm engines. For years, national competitions were held at Mount Garfield, near Muskegon, Michigan.

In other countries, notably the UK, competitions are held mainly on tarmac tracks, occasionally on closed public roads, and the machines used for competition are similar to those used for other road disciplines.