Motocross

History

Motocross first evolved in the United Kingdom from competitions, such as the first quarterly trial in 1906 and the that began in 1909.When delicate balancing and strict scoring of trials were dispensed with in favour 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.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 for short, into a with “cross country”.The first known scramble race took place at in 1924.During the 1930s, the sport grew in popularity, especially in Britain where teams from the (BSA), and 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 gave way to by the early 1930s, and appeared by the early 1950s, several years before it was incorporated on the majority of production street bikes.The period after World War II was dominated which had become the largest motorcycle company in the world.BSA riders dominated international competitions throughout the 1940s.

In 1952, the, motorcycling’s international governing body, created an individual European Championship using a 500cc engine displacement formula.In 1957 it was upgraded it to World Championship status.In 1962, a 250cc world championship was created.It was in the smaller 250cc category that companies with motorcycles came into their own. Companies such as from Sweden from the former Czechoslovakia and from England, became popular due to their lightness and agility. By the 1960s, advancements in two-stroke engine technology meant that the heavier, machines were relegated to niche competitions.Riders from Belgium and Sweden began to dominate the sport during this period.Motocross was introduced to the United States in 1966 when Swedish champion,rode an exhibition event against the top American TT riders at the also known as Hopetown in . The year Hallman was joined by other motocross stars including and. They dominated the event placing their lightweight two-strokes into the top six finishing positions ,Motocross began to grow in popularity in the United States during this period, which fueled an explosive growth in the sport.

By the late 1960s, Japanese motorcycle companies began challenging the European factories for supremacy in the motocross world.laimed the first world championship for a Japanese factory when Joël Robert won the250cc crown.The first stadium motocross event was held in 1972 at the In 1975, a 125cc world championship was introduced.European riders continued to dominate motocross throughout the 1970s but, by the 1980s, American riders had caught up and began winning international competitions.

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 and fitted with single-shock absorber rear suspension. By 2003, increasingly stringent environmental laws in California forced some manufacturers to develop environmentally friendly four-stroke technology.By 2004, all the major manufacturers have begun competing with four-stroke machines. European firms also experienced a resurgence with Husqvarna,, and winning world championships with four-stroke machinery.

The sport evolved with sub-disciplines such as stadium events known asand held in indoor arenas. Classes were also created for(FMX) events where riders are judged on their jumping and aerial acrobatic skills have gained popularity, as well as, where motocross machines race on both tarmac and off road. Vintage motocross (VMX) events are held for motorcycles usually predating the 1975 model year.Many VMX races also include a “Post Vintage” portion, which usually includes bikes dating until 1983.