Competition motorcycles are purposefully built. They are designed to perform and take you to the top step of the podium. They are built with the right combination of power, light weight, strength and durability. Competition bikes can be powered by a 2 stroke (add oil to the gas) or a 4 stroke motors. Most have gone electric start, some are just kick-start and some offer both means of starting. Most motors are liquid cooled to provide maximum power and reliability.
Motocross bikes are built to provide the most power to get you to the first corner in front of the pack. They have the stiffest suspension to land the big jumps and pound out the whoops. Their transmission is what is called a close ratio. The gears are close together and the top speed can be relatively low because motocross tracks don’t have really long straight-aways. Motocross or MX bikes don’t generally play well in the woods because their suspension is too stiff, their gear ratios too short and their exhaust is too loud.
Competition bikes can also include bikes designed for cross-country (XC) or Hare Scrambles & closed course off-road racing. The courses have less big air, less whoops and longer straight-aways. Whoops are long set of evenly spaced hills, usually about three or four feet tall and about 10 to 12 feet apart, but those specs vary.
Competition bikes have taller gearing for more top speed and softer suspension to better accommodate smaller obstacles. Cross-country courses tend to be longer than motocross (MX) tracks so most cross-country bikes will have larger fuel tanks. Some manufactures make specific cross-country bikes. Another option is to modify a motocross bike to better suit a cross-country course.
Enduro race bikes take it one step further. they have the highest gearing (top speed), the softest suspension and longest fuel range. This type of set up best suits an enduro course where absorbing ruts and roots takes priority over big air. Enduro bikes are typically fitted with a spark arrestor muffler and are by far the quietest of the competition bikes.
| Super powerful |
| Awesome suspension for the roughest of tracks |
| Lightweight, nimble handling |
| Not street legal |
| Loud exhaust limits use to tracks |