Motocross rider hitting a berm.

Motocross is a form of motorcycle racing held on enclosed off road circuits. The sport evolved from motorcycle trials competitions held in the United Kingdom.^[1][2] Motocross is a physically demanding sport held in all weather conditions.

History[link]

Motocross first evolved in the United Kingdom from motorcycle trials competitions, such as the Auto-Cycle Clubs's first quarterly trial in 1906 and the Scottish Six Days Trial that began in 1909.^[1][2] When delicate balancing and strict scoring of trials were dispensed with in favor of a 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] Originally known as scrambles racing in the United Kingdom, as the sport grew in popularity, the competitions became known internationally as motocross racing, by combining the French word for motorcycle, motocyclette, or moto for short, into a portmanteau with "cross country".^[1] The first known scramble race took place at Camberley, Surrey in 1924.^[3] 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.^[4] The period after World War II was dominated by BSA which had become the largest motorcycle company in the world.^[4] BSA riders dominated international competitions throughout the 1940s.^[4]

A Maico 360 cc with air-cooled engine and twin shock absorbers on the rear suspension

In 1952, the FIM, motorcycling's international governing body, created an individual European Championship using a 500 cc engine displacement formula.^[4] In 1957, it was upgraded it to World Championship status.^[4] In 1962, a 250 cc world championship was created.^[4] 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.^[4] By the 1960s, advancements in two-stroke engine technology meant that the heavier, four-stroke machines were relegated to niche competitions.^[4] Riders from Belgium and Sweden began to dominate the sport during this period.^[2] 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 lightweight two-strokes into the top six finishing positions.^[5][6] Motocross began to grow in popularity in the United States during this period, which fueled an explosive growth in the sport.^[7]

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.^[8] The first stadium motocross event was held in 1972 at the Los Angeles Coliseum.^[9] In 1975, a 125 cc world championship was introduced.^[2] European riders continued to dominate motocross throughout the 1970s but, by the 1980s, American riders had caught up and began winning international competitions.^[10]

During the late 1970s and early 1980s, Japanese motorcycle manufacturers presided over a boom period in motocross technology. 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.^[11][12] 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. Classes were also created for all-terrain vehicles. 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 are held for motorcycles usually pre-dating the 1975 model year.^{[citation needed]}

Major competitions[link]

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FIM Motocross World Championship[link]

FIM Motocross World Championship

The FIM Grand Prix Motocross World Championship is predominantly held in Europe, but also includes events in North America, South America, Asia, Australia and Africa. There are four classes: MX1 for 450cc machines, MX2 for 250cc machines, MX3 for 650cc machines and Women's MX. Competitions consist of two races which are called called motos with a duration of 35 minutes plus two laps. The championship generally incorporates over 16 rounds.

AMA Motocross Championship[link]

The AMA Motocross Championship begins in early May and continues until mid-September. The championship consists of twelve rounds at twelve major tracks all over the continental United States. There are three classes:^[13] the 250 Motocross Class for 0–125 cc 2-stroke or 150–250 cc 4-stroke machines, the 450 Motocross Class for 150–250 cc 2-stroke or 251–450 cc 4-stroke machines and a Women's Class.

Motocross des Nations[link]

Motocross des Nations

The annual Motocross des Nations is held at the end of the year when National and World Championship series have ended.^[4] The competition involves teams of three riders representing their nations.^[2] Each rider competes in a different class (MX1, MX2 and "Open"). There are three motos with two classes competing per moto. The location of the event changes from year to year. The United States, Belgium and Great Britain have had the greatest success.^[10]

British Motocross Championship[link]

The Maxxis British Motocross Championship is the main UK off road competition and organised into classes of MX1 and MX2. MX1 is for 251 cc to 450 cc (fourstroke) and MX2 for 175 cc to 250 cc fourstroke motorcycles.^[14] In 2007 an additional youth class, the MXY2 class, was added to the programme at selected rounds.^[15]

A 'Veterans' series was introduced in 2009 with just two rounds but the demand for places was so high that from 2011 the Veterans series will have three rounds, held over six races.^[16]

Sports derived from Motocross[link]

A number of other types of motorcycle sport have been derived from Motocross.

Freestyle[link]

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[link]

A Supermoto rider on the road

Supermoto 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 85 cc 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".

ATV/Quad Motocross[link]

Professional ATV racer Tim Farr at the 2006 Glen Helen MX national.

Throughout the United States and the United Kingdom there are many quad racing clubs with enduro and quadcross sections. GNCC Racing began around 1980 and includes hare scramble and enduro type races. To date, events are mainly held in the eastern part of the United States. GNCC racing features many types of obstacles such as, hill climbing, creek and log crossings, dirt roads and wooded trails.

ATV National Motocross Championship was formed around 1985.^[17] ATVMX events are hosted at motocross racetracks throughout the United States. ATVMX consists of several groups, including the Pro (AMA Pro) and Amateur (ATVA) series. Championship mud racing (CMR)^[18] saw its infancy in 2006 as leaders of the ATV industry recognized a need for uniformity of classes and rules of various local mud bog events. Providing standardized rules created the need for a governing body that both racers and event promoters could turn to and CMR was born. Once unified, a true points series was established and lead to a national championship for what was once nothing more than a hobby for most. In 2007 the finalized board of directors was established and the first races were held in 2008. Currently, the CMR schedule includes eight competition dates spanning from March to November. Points are awarded throughout the season in several different competition classes of ATV and SxS Mud Racing. The 2008 year included Mud Bog and Mudda-Cross competitions, but the 2009 and future seasons will only have Mudda-Cross competitions. Classes range from 0 to 499 cc, to a Super-Modified class which will allow any size ATV in competition.

Supercross[link]

Supercross is a cycle racing sport involving racing specialized high performance off-road motorcycles on artificially made dirt tracks consisting of steep jumps and obstacles. Professional Supercross contest races are held almost exclusively within professional baseball and football stadiums. Many notable differences exist from regular motocross. Supercross tracks generally have much tighter turns and are more technical than motocross tracks due to the limited space of an indoor arena. The supercross season takes place during the winter and spring months, partially due to more controllable indoor climates involved.

The supercross season travels all of the US going a different city every weekend for the next race. There are 17 races in the 2011 and 2012 Monster Energy AMA/FIM Supercross schedule.^[19][20] The Supercross Lites riders series is split into 2 series, the East and the West Coast. The Supercross class has one large series where they travel from east to west for the race and even go to Canada for a couple rounds out of the series. Racers only get a month or two off out of the year between the Supercross and the motocross series, Racers endure crazy jumps and obstacles in their Supercross races that they have to endure for a heat race and a main event.

Sidecars[link]

A Zabel engined sidecar outfit.

Sidecar racing, known as Sidecarcross has been around since the 1950s but has declined in popularity ever since mid-1980s. This variant is common in Europe, with a few followers in USA, New Zealand and Australia. The premier competition, the Sidecarcross World Championship, is contested on European tracks only and almost exclusively by Europeans.

Motocross sidecars are purpose built frames that resemble an ordinary motocross-cycle with a flat platform to stand on attached to either side and a handlebar at waist height to hold on to. The side of the "chair" (slang for the platform) usually follows the side of the road the nation in question drives upon, but not always. The passenger balances the bike by being a counterweight, especially in corners and on jumps. It is driven on ordinary crosstracks.

It is very physically demanding, especially for the passenger. This is reflected in most in the Swedish term for passenger – "burkslav", roughly translated as trunk/body/barrel-slave. This name comes from the early sidecars where the platform looked like a real road-sidecar and not today's platform.

The major frame builders today are VMC, BSU, AYR, EML and Woodenleg. Ordinary engines can be used, but size matters and two engines purpose built for sidecars exist, Zabel (Germany) and MTH (Austria) are most common. Four-strokes are getting more common, usually KTM (Austria).

Pit bikes and mini-motocross[link]

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Pit bikes are small motorbikes that participants in powersports events use to ride around the pits, which are the staging areas where team support vehicles are located. More recently, they have been used in races held on either supercross or motocross tracks. Numerous performance and aesthetic upgrades are often applied to pit bikes.

Originally, there was only one way to acquire a pit bike. A rider would buy a child's minibike, usually a Honda CRF 50 or Kawasaki KLX110, and apply all the necessary upgrades and modifications to build a competitive pit bike. Of course, a rider could also buy a used bike. Since 2004, manufacturers have begun designing, manufacturing, importing, and selling already complete pit bikes. These bikes are less expensive, and require less time to complete.

Pit bikes are powered by 4-stroke, horizontal, single-cylinder engines ranging anywhere in displacement from 49 cc to 195 cc. A typical pit bike is usually a small dirt bike, but it has become common to be able to buy pit bikes with street-style wheels and tires. Pit bikes with street tires, as opposed to knobby tires, are used in Mini Supermoto Racing.

Pit bikes are frequently heavily customized with decorative add-ons and performance-enhancing parts. Many riders and mechanics bore-out or replace engines in order to increase displacement and therefore power output. Heavy duty suspension systems, are often a necessary addition, since the stock mini-bike suspension was designed for a small child. Wheel, brake, and tire upgrades are sometimes performed to improve handling.

Pit bikes also have their own separate competitions held with classes generally corresponding to wheel size. This is a notable difference from Motocross and Supercross competition, where classes are separated by engine displacement. Pit bike racing is a relatively new niche of motocross, and as such, there is no official governing body similar to the AMA.

Equipment[link]

Motocross motorcycle[link]

See also: History, above

Manufacturers[link]

A Yamaha 450 cc four-stroke on display at the Phillip Island Grand Prix Circuit.

10 times world champion, Stefan Everts.

This list is incomplete; you can help by expanding it.

Current

• Honda (Japan)
• Kawasaki (Japan)
• KTM (Austria)
• Suzuki (Japan)
• Yamaha (Japan)

The above are the major five manufactures in most markets, the manufactures below command a smaller market share (currently – 2007).

• Aprilia (Italy)
• Baja (Japan)
• Benelli (Italy) In 2008 they made their first modern day dirtbike 450 cc only
• Beta (Italy)
• BMW Motorrad (Germany)
• CCM (UK)
• Cobra (USA)
• Derbi (Spain)
• Gas Gas (Spain)
• Husaberg (Austria, originally from Sweden, now owned by KTM)
• Husqvarna (Produced in Italy, originally from Sweden, now owned by BMW)
• Maico (Germany)
• Mojo Motorcycles (Australia)
• Polini (Italy)
• Pitster Pro (United States)
• TM Racing (Italy)
• Vertemati (Italy)
• VOR (Italy)
• Cagiva (Italy)
• Ossa (Spain)
• Montesa (Spain)
• Cannondale now ATK (USA)

Manufacturers that have ceased production

Governing bodies[link]

This section uses abbreviations that may be confusing or ambiguous. Specific concerns may be found on the Talk page. Please improve this section if you can. (November 2011)

Motocross is governed world-wide by the Fédération Internationale de Motocyclisme (FIM), with federations in many nations.

• Australia – Motorcycling Australia (MA)
• Brazil – Confederação Brasileira de Motociclismo (CBM)
• Canada – Canadian Motorsport Racing Corp.(CMRC) and Canadian Motorcycle Association (CMA)
• France – Fédération Française de Motocyclisme (FFM)
• India – Federation of Motor Sports Clubs of India (FMSCI)
• Ireland – Motorcycle Union of Ireland (MCUI) – NB covers the whole island
• Latvia – Latvijas Motosporta Federācija (LaMSF)
• Lithuania – Lietuvos Motociklų Sporto Federacija (LMSF)
• The Netherlands – Koninklijke Nederlandse Motorrijdersvereniging (KNMV), Motorsport Organisatie Nederland (MON)
• New Zealand – Motorcycling New Zealand (MNZ) and New Zealand Dirt Bike Federation
• South Africa – Motorsport South Africa (MSA)
• Sweden – SVEMO
• United Kingdom – Auto-Cycle Union (ACU), with other separate bodies like the Amateur Motorcycling Association (AMCA), ORPA, BSMA, and YSMA.
• United States – American Motorcyclist Association (AMA)

See also[link]

• FIM Motocross World Championship
• List of motocross World Championship results
• List of AMA Motocross Champions
• List of Trans-AMA motocross champions
• List of Motocross riders
• Snocross
• Hawkstone Park Motocross Circuit
• Cwmythig Hill Motocross Circuit
• Motocross training
• Outline of motorcycles and motorcycling

References[link]

External links[link]

Wikimedia Commons has media related to: Motocross

• Off-Road racing at the Open Directory Project
• Official FIM World Motocross Championship

Ryan Villopoto

http://www.rv2.com/
Personal information
Full name	Ryan Villopoto
Nickname	RV
Date of birth	(1988-08-13) August 13, 1988 (age 23)
Bike Number	1
Nationality	United States
Sponsors
Monster Energy Kawasaki, Volcom, Thor, Oakley, Monster Energy, Alpinestars, Vans, Incipio, Falken[1]
Major titles
2012 AMA US National Supercross Champion 2012 FIM Supercross World Champion 2011 AMA US National Supercross Champion 2011 FIM Supercross World Champion 2011 AMA US National Motocross Champion 2011 FIM Motocross Des Nations World Champion 2008 AMA US National Motocross (250cc) Champion 2008 FIM Motocross Des Nations World Champion 2007 AMA US Supercross (West-250cc) Champion 2007 AMA US National Motocross (250cc) Champion 2007 FIM Motocross Des Nations World Champion 2006 AMA US National Motocross (250cc) Champion 2006 FIM Motocross Des Nations World Champion 2006 AMA Supercross / Motocross Rookie of The Year [2]

Ryan Villopoto (born August 13, 1988 in Fortuna, California, resident in Poulsbo, Washington) is a motocross and supercross champion^[2] who currently competes in the AMA Supercross series and the AMA Lucas Oil Motocross series. He resides in Menifee, California and will race for Kawasaki in the 2012 supercross and outdoor motocross series.

Professional 450cc career[link]

2012
Another perfect season that Villopoto wins and clinches the 2012 AMA Supercross Champion and the 2012 World Supercross Champion for the second time, and is the first repeat champion since Ricky Carmichael in 2006. However, during the Main of Round 15 in Seattle, he suffered a knee injury after the big crash, which was the same thing happened in 2010 during the Round 14 in St. Louis. The most serious of the injuries required surgery for a torn ACL. Consequently, Villopoto will be out for the remainder of the two rounds, even though he clinched the Supercross title with a score of 323 points. Still recuperating from his knee surgery, he was unable to compete in the 2012 AMA Motocross series.

2011

The 2011 season was a five way battle between Villopoto, James Stewart, Jr., Chad Reed, Ryan Dungey and Trey Canard. Villopoto consistently finished toward the top of his class, with the exception of round 11 where he failed to qualify, crashing in both his heat race and the Last Chance Qualifier. This was a notable event as the round in Jacksonville was the first time in over a decade that a points leader failed to qualify for a supercross main event. On May 7, Villopoto won the 2011 AMA Supercross Championship by a margin of 4 points over Reed (338–334). Villopoto won the 2011 Lucas Oil AMA Pro Motocross Championship by a margin of 14 points over reigning champion Ryan Dungey. In October, Villopoto won all 3 main-event races of the inaugural Monster Energy Cup in Las Vegas, Nevada, earning a publicized $1,000,000 prize.

2010
Villopoto returned with the Monster Energy Kawasaki Team in the Supercross class and battled consistently with Dungey throughout the season.

While in the lead during the Main of Round 14 at St Louis, Villopoto came up short on a triple jump and leaped from his bike landing hard. His bike dived into the face of the third jump and flipped over several times. Medical workers arrived on the scene and cut Villopoto's racing boot off his foot. Villopoto had to be carried off the track. Further examination revealed a broken right tibia and fibula and surgery was performed to stabilize it.^[4] Due to the extent of his injury, he was unable to complete the season.

He retired from the 2010 series after his Round 14 injury with 266 championship points, leaving him in 4th place by the season's end. He won 7 of the 14 races he entered. Still recuperating from his injury, he was unable to compete in the 2010 AMA Motocross outdoor series.

2009
Villopoto's beginning year in the AMA Supercross Series, racng a Team Kawasaki Factory KX450. Villopoto's first win in the 450 class took place on his "hometown" track at Qwest Field, Seattle, on April 18. He dominated the field and won convincingly over Reed (2008 AMA Supecross Champion) and Stewart (who won 11 races and was the 2009 Series winner). Villopoto wapped up the AMA Supercross series of 2009 with his second win in Las Vegas on May 2.

Villopoto also won the opening round of the 2009 motocross outdoor series at Glen Helen Raceway in Southern California. Villopoto finished with two first place finishes after even after mid pack starts in both motos. He was unable to compete throughout the rest of the series due to a knee injury that required surgery. The surgery would keep him out of professional racing until the 2009 U.S. Open of Supercross in Las Vegas, where he finished second. Then later on, won the 2010 championship.

Lites 250cc career[link]

2008
Earned his third consecutive AMA motocross 250cc Championship by winning eight events and finishing on the podium in 11 of 12 starts. Finished second in the AMA Supercross Lites East Region Championship with three wins and five podiums in seven starts. Claimed the MX2 championship at the Motocross of Nations helping Team USA earn the team title for the third consecutive year.

2007
Villopoto started the season with a dominating performance in the AMA West Supercross Lites Series, where he won seven of the eight races. He carried his momentum into motocross, winning his second-straight AMA Motocross Lites Championship. To cap off a perfect season, Villopoto became the first rider in history to win the overalls in both motos on KX250F against larger 450cc motorcycles at the Motocross of Nations.

2006
Villopoto began his professional career in the AMA West Supercross Lites Series at Angel Stadium for Anaheim I, where he finished second-place overall. He won his first race later in the season at Texas Stadium in Dallas and ended the Supercross Lites season third overall. Then Ryan headed to the AMA Motocross Lites Series with a little more experience stemming from his amateur days. With eight podium finishes and six first-place finishes, Villopoto proved to be unstoppable during his rookie season and became the AMA Motocross Lites Champion. That momentum was carried over into the post-season where Villopoto was selected as a member of Team USA at the Motocross of Nations in England and helped Team USA claim first place. Ryan was also named the 2006 AMA Supercross/Motocross Rookie of the Year.

Amateur career[link]

2005
Villopoto concluded his career as a Team Green amateur racer and was honored for his many achievements as the recipient of the 2005 AMA Horizon Award. He competed in his first professional Motocross race at Binghamton’s Broome-Tioga Sports Center where he placed 15th overall. He finished up the remainder of his rookie season taking fifth overall at Steel City Raceway and second overall at Glen Helen Raceway.

2004
Competing in numerous amateur motocross races for Team Green and winning an impressive 12 titles. He won three races at Lake Whitney Spring National, three at the GNC Finals, two at Mammoth Motocross, and four at the NMA Ponca City Grand Nationals. Alessi did give Villopoto a hard time, but Sean Bohannon gave him an even harder time. Bohannon was dominating in the stock class until he unfortunately broke his femur at Ponca City.

2003
Villopoto won 12 titles for Team Green. He won two Kawasaki Race of Champions races, four Winter Olympic SX races, four Winter Olympic MX races, and two Winter Olympics Olympiad titles.

2002
Ryan won the NMA 85cc Open, and placed second in both the 85cc Stock and Modified classes at the AMA Amateur National Championships as a Team Green Rider.

Notable moments

Ryan Villopoto has been involved in some "on track incidents" with several different riders.

Villopoto and Mike Alessi battled each other in their amateur days. In the summer of 2006, RV collided with Mike Alessi at the Budds Creek Outdoor National and caused Alessi to crash. Villopoto called the incident "payback" for what Alessi had done to him throughout their amateur days.

In 2007, Jason Lawrence began racing dangerously and aggressively with Villopoto. The rivalry reached new heights at the opening round of the Outdoor Motocross season when Lawrence followed Villopoto around the track during practice and began putting block passes on him. Eventually Lawrence stopped in front of Ryan out of anger but an outraged Villopoto stopped and launched his motorcycle into Lawrence. Both racers began fighting in the middle of the racetrack, but AMA officials broke the fight up before it got too serious. Both racers were fined, and Lawrence was placed on probation.

References[link]

External links[link]

• Official Website
• Bio on Racer X Online
• Monster Energy Kawasaki Racing Web Page