Motocross - Motorcycle Racing Essay

Motorcycle racing in the United States has been one of the fastest growing and most drastically evolving sports in the world. From its inception in Europe, motorcycle racing has attracted adrenaline seekers and innovative mechanics, setting in motion the rapid evolution from outdoor trials to the high flying action of freestyle motocross and supercross. This paper will evaluate the history of motocross, with a focus on its migration to the United States and its growth since. The focus of this paper will be on the advancement of the sport in the United States and the riders who helped it gain its current status in the sports world. Riders, innovaters and events responsible for its development will be more closely examined than the technological and social changes during the time periods of the sports advancement. People like Edison Dye, who revolutionized the sport in America, and riders such as Jeremy McGrath, Ricky Carmichael, and James Stewart who brought Motocross into the living rooms of Americans will be brought to light in this paper and their influence will be examined throughout. Motocross has transformed itself throughout the 20th century and those individuals and companies, paired with a desire for entertainment by the general public has turned Motocross into a true spectator sport in America, however it did not always look this way.

​Motorcycle racing has its roots in practical uses for the motorcycle. During the First World War military forces used the bikes to transport troops and information between the trenches and over Europe’s rough terrain. Its small size combined with its rugged and powerful capabilities made the motorcycle an efficient tool for trench warfare. Once the war was over in 1918 many soldiers continued to ride for personal enjoyment, and competitive motocross was born.

The beginning of motocross looked a lot different from the arenas and manmade tracks that house the events today. Initially races were held on the open countryside and racers used their personal everyday bikes to race on, beginning with the early British “scrambles” held in the countryside of England, in which “riders had to go over or through whatever they encountered, even water”.(Woods) This key development in the sport began when British riders in the 1920’s began competing to complete these courses the fastest.

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However it didn’t take long for the rest of Europe to catch on and for motorcycle manufacturers to begin making specialized bikes for these off road courses. The specialization of these motorcycles would eventually lead to the creation of factory teams, in which these major manufacturers sign riders to contracts stating they will ride and wear only products from that