Motocross – what is it?
The name motocross came from the combination of motorbike and cross-country that the sport consists of. While motocross spawned FMX the obvious difference between them is that FMX puts more focus on the daredevil tricks and stunts done while the bike is airborne as oppose to motocross, which is focused on racing.
Motocross races are held on an enclosed, marked and fenced off-road circuit where the rough features of the natural terrain like hills, cambers, banks, mixed in with man-made jumps make the circuits challenging. Racers tend to increase their engine capacity size as they progress in their speed and experience and fitness.
The bikes are specifically designed for racing with quick powerful motors and disc brakes, and knobbly tyres so they can race on surfaces ranging from sand to hard clay.
The first noted motocross event was held way back in 1924, in Surrey, Northern England. Back then they were more or less motorcycle trial events known as scrambles, on account of all the dirt that the rider was destined to be wearing at the end of a ride.
Back then the bikes were less than ideal to ride with off-road bikes hardly differing at all from the ones on-road racing until the 1930s when more advanced suspension sprung onto the scene to save the day.
Today the realm of motocross circulates around two huge championship events;
The Grand Prix (or Motocross World Championships) and the AMA Motorcycle Championships. Motocross des Nations or Motocross of Nations is also a big deal, usually held at the end of the year once both National and World Championships have finished.
On the more technical side, the classes of each Championship are as follows. MX1 = 450cc, MX2 = 250cc, and MX3 = open.
In the AMA there are two classes: 250cc and 450cc. Each round has two rides of 30 minute-plus-two-laps.
In the Motocross of Nations there are three moto (races) with two classes competing per moto. The location of the event changes from year to year. So far the US, Belgium and Great Britain have had the greatest success.
If the missus (or sensitive new age guy) is in your ear about the danger factor this is a good comeback to remember to help you get back on your bike, stress-free. As a group of athletes, tested against elite groups from track , football, basketball and soccer, motocross athletes tested to a higher overall fitness level than any other group. This test was done in 1979, and retested in 2002.
