Enduro
Encyclopedia
World Enduro Championship
The FIM World Enduro Championship is the world championship series for enduro, a popular form of off-road motorcycle sport. The championship currently features three classes , along with separate categories for junior and female riders. The WEC was first organized in 1990, and currently consists...
is run, is a time-card enduro, whereby a number of stages are raced in a time trial
Time trial
In many racing sports an athlete will compete in a time trial against the clock to secure the fastest time. In cycling, for example, a time trial can be a single track cycling event, or an individual or team time trial on the road, and either or both of the latter may form components of...
against the clock.
Time-keeping enduros
In a true enduro timekeeping event, riders leave together in groups called, in the USA, "rows," and each row starts on a certain minute. For example, if in a particular Enduro the first row leaves at 8AM, and a certain rider's row is scheduled to leave at 08:20, then the event's Key Time is 08:00 and every rider on Row 20 (usually 4 riders per row) has as his/her minute 20, because his/her start time will be 08:20. To be "on his/her minute," a rider must arrive at certain non-disclosed locations known as checkpoints along the route at the prescribed time, which is the prescribed time for Row 0 plus 20 minutes. There are different types of checkpoints, such as known checks, secret checks, emergency checks, start checks, and finish checks, and points are calculated differently depending on how late or early a rider arrives at each type of check. For example, emergency checks are used to break scoring ties and points are calculated depending on the number of seconds that a rider is early or late, whereas in a standard secret check, points are calculated based on the number of minutes that a rider is early or late.
There are also special tests: sections which may be walked only, not ridden, before the event where, during the event, the distance between the 'test-start' and 'test-finish' must be covered as quickly as possible. Electronic timing is used to separate riders times by thousandths of a second to determine a result in the case of a tie. This is the part of the course that often attracts most spectators. Other spectator points are usually 'bog-holes' or awkward and difficult stream and river crossings out on the 'open' part of the course.
There are very specific rules governing where race-sponsors may place checks, and what types. The rules usually refer to a distance from previous checks, or minimum distances for certain stops such as fuel stops. The careful placement of checks to confuse riders is part of the appeal to Enduro enthusiasts. A good Enduro rider is as familiar with the rules and possibilities as the race organizers, and therefore can predict where checks may or may not be, and rides accordingly to ensure that he/she arrives at the next check as close to his scheduled minute as possible.
In recent years, Enduro Computers have become popular with some riders. Enduro Computers are small instruments that are attached to the bike's handlebars and that have a sensor/sender/magnet combination that calculates revolutions of the front wheel and sends the data to the computer. Once the roll-chart data have been entered, the Enduro Computer tells the rider a variety of information to remove the guesswork from roll-chart reading. Enduro Computers come pre-programmed with the Enduro rules (depending on which rules are being used), and once programmed with the roll-chart of a particular event, can tell the rider when to expect an upcoming unknown check, speed averages, how much faster or slower he/she must ride to "get back on his/her minute," distance travelled, speed, etc... Using an Enduro Computer removes the guesswork from Enduro riding, and by using one, the mental part of the Enduro competition is greatly reduced. Many people have likened Enduro Computers to cheating, while others consider them to be boons to the sport. Either way, using an Enduro Computer absolves the rider from having to learn the specifics of the rules, all of the possible circumstances that could be encountered during a race, etc... Some people consider that to be a bad thing, and most top riders use both a standard roll chart (which they know how to use very well) and an Enduro Computer, just in case the computer somehow breaks during an event.
In Britain, the 'long-distance' enduros, whilst declining, are still run to the form of time-card events.
Throughout a day there will also be allocated periods for refuelling and servicing the machine. Penalties apply for not meeting defined times or for outside-assistance when not permitted.
A world championship course must be at least 200 km and a maximum of 30% of its length can be on asphalt
Asphalt
Asphalt or , also known as bitumen, is a sticky, black and highly viscous liquid or semi-solid that is present in most crude petroleums and in some natural deposits, it is a substance classed as a pitch...
roads. American Motorcycle Association rules governing course length and other course variables (i.e. speed average changes, terrain types, etc...) are different, and the rules of the regional sanctioning body can also affect the ultimate composition of an Enduro course.
Enduros vs. rallies
Rallying
Rallying, also known as rally racing, is a form of auto racing that takes place on public or private roads with modified production or specially built road-legal cars...
, but within the international off-road motorcycle community, the term enduro refers specifically to time keeping events. Rallies, on the other hand, are simply a course that has a start and finish, and the competitors try to race to achieve the fastest time from start to finish. Such courses may be shorter than the total length of the race, in which case the course is repeated several times, with each repetition being referred to as a lap
Lap
A lap is a surface created between the knee and hips of a bipedal being when it is in a seated or lying down position.-Consumer products for laps:...
. Such courses may also be very long such that competitors never cover the same ground twice.
Certainly part of the confusion stems from the fact that rallies and enduros share two pronounced qualities; they are usually lengthy compared to most forms of motorsport racing and they cover varying off-road terrain, usually without repeating any section of the terrain in the course of an event. Examples of such rallies include the Baja 500
Baja 500
SCORE Baja 500 is an off-road race that takes place on Mexico's Baja California Peninsula in early June. The Baja 500 is part of a series of races that include the Baja 1000, San Felipe 250 and Primm 300. The event includes various types of vehicle classes such as small and large bore motorcycles,...
and Baja 1000
Baja 1000
SCORE Baja 1000 is an off-road race that takes place on Mexico's Baja California Peninsula in November. The Baja 1000 is part of the SCORE Championship Desert Racing Series that include the Baja 500, San Felipe 250 and the new San Felipe Challenge of Champions in place of the Primm 300 which had...
, which are promoted and administered by SCORE International
SCORE International
SCORE International is an off-road sanctioning body in the sport of desert racing and is famous for its flagship event, the Baja 1000 as well as the Baja 500 and San Felipe 250. SCORE races are held in United States and Mexico...
and are amongst the most well known long-distance off-road races. Off-road races that span multiple days and that have different types of stages, some that are timed and others that are not, are generally referred to as rallies (or rallyes) or rally raid
Rally raid
Rally raid, also known as cross country rallying is a form of long distance off-road racing that takes place over several days. Each day may require traveling up to . The length of the event can be 3–15 days...
s (a term widely used in the United Kingdom
United Kingdom
The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern IrelandIn the United Kingdom and Dependencies, other languages have been officially recognised as legitimate autochthonous languages under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages...
that is synonymous with off-road rally) such as the Dakar Rally
Dakar Rally
The Dakar Rally is an annual rally raid type of off-road automobile race, organised by the Amaury Sport Organisation...
.
Motorcycles
Motocross
Motocross is a form of motorcycle sport or all-terrain vehicle racing held on enclosed off road circuits. It evolved from trials, and was called scrambles, and later motocross, combining the French moto with cross-country...
bike combined with the features required to make it legal for the public road portions of the course. Engines are generally single-cylinder two-stroke between 125 and 300 cm³ (cc), or four-stroke between 250 and 650 cm³ (cc).
The World Enduro Championship
World Enduro Championship
The FIM World Enduro Championship is the world championship series for enduro, a popular form of off-road motorcycle sport. The championship currently features three classes , along with separate categories for junior and female riders. The WEC was first organized in 1990, and currently consists...
and several other championships currently categorize enduro motorcycles into three classes; Enduro 1 (100 to 125 cc 2-stroke or 175 - 250 cc 4-stroke), Enduro 2 (175 to 250 cc 2-stroke or 290 - 450 cc 4-stroke) and Enduro 3 (290 to 500 cc 2-stroke or 475 - 650 cc 4-stroke).
Events
World Enduro Championship
The FIM World Enduro Championship is the world championship series for enduro, a popular form of off-road motorcycle sport. The championship currently features three classes , along with separate categories for junior and female riders. The WEC was first organized in 1990, and currently consists...
(WEC), the International Six Days Enduro
International Six Days Enduro
The International Six Days Enduro is the oldest 'off road' motorcycle event on the FIM Calendar.The ISDE was first held in 1913 at Carlisle, England. It has occurred annually, apart from interruptions due to World War I and World War II, at various locations throughout the world. The early...
(ISDE) and several national championships. The world governing body for enduro is the Fédération Internationale de Motocyclisme
Fédération Internationale de Motocyclisme
The Fédération Internationale de Motocyclisme is the governing body of motorcycle racing. It represents 103 national motorcycle federations that are divided into six regional continental unions....
(FIM). In the United States, the national governing body is the American Motorcycle Association (AMA). In the United Kingdom, the national governing body is the Auto-Cycle Union.
World Enduro Championship
The World Enduro ChampionshipWorld Enduro Championship
The FIM World Enduro Championship is the world championship series for enduro, a popular form of off-road motorcycle sport. The championship currently features three classes , along with separate categories for junior and female riders. The WEC was first organized in 1990, and currently consists...
(WEC) was started in 1990, replacing the European Enduro Championship, which had been contested since 1968. The championship is run under the FIM and generally consists of around eight or nine Grands Prix spread around the globe. These events are split into two days (and two different races), from which points towards the world championship are awarded. Each round includes a motocross
Motocross
Motocross is a form of motorcycle sport or all-terrain vehicle racing held on enclosed off road circuits. It evolved from trials, and was called scrambles, and later motocross, combining the French moto with cross-country...
test and an "extreme test", in addition to the enduro test.
In the 2008 season
2008 World Enduro Championship season
The 2008 World Enduro Championship season was the 19th season in the FIM World Enduro Championship. The season consisted of eight events and 16 races....
, Honda
Honda
is a Japanese public multinational corporation primarily known as a manufacturer of automobiles and motorcycles.Honda has been the world's largest motorcycle manufacturer since 1959, as well as the world's largest manufacturer of internal combustion engines measured by volume, producing more than...
's Mika Ahola
Mika Ahola
Mika Ahola is a Finnish enduro rider and a five-time world champion. He is also a seven-time winner of the International Six Days Enduro World Trophy with Team Finland, and was the fastest overall in the competition in 1999, 2001 and 2002.Ahola debuted in the World Enduro Championship in a...
won the Enduro 1 class, Yamaha
Yamaha Motor Company
, is a Japanese motorized vehicle-producing company. Yamaha Motor is part of Yamaha Corporation and its headquarter is located in Iwata, Shizuoka. Along with expanding Yamaha Corporation into the world's biggest piano maker, then Yamaha CEO Genichi Kawakami took Yamaha into the field of motorized...
's Johnny Aubert
Johnny Aubert
Johnny Aubert is a French enduro rider and a two-time world-champion. A former motocross rider, Aubert debuted in the World Enduro Championship riding for Yamaha in 2006. He claimed the world championship in the E2 class in the 2008 season. After switching to KTM, he successfully defended his...
took the enduro 2 class and KTM
KTM
KTM Sportmotorcycle AG is an Austrian motorcycle, bicycle and moped manufacturer.The company was founded in 1934 by engineer Hans Trunkenpolz in Mattighofen. It started out as a metal working shop and was named Kraftfahrzeuge Trunkenpolz Mattighofen...
's Samuli Aro
Samuli Aro
Samuli Aro is a Finnish enduro rider. He is a five-time World Enduro Champion and has also won the International Six Days Enduro World Trophy with Team Finland five times....
won his fifth title in the Enduro 3 class.
ISDE
The International Six Days EnduroInternational Six Days Enduro
The International Six Days Enduro is the oldest 'off road' motorcycle event on the FIM Calendar.The ISDE was first held in 1913 at Carlisle, England. It has occurred annually, apart from interruptions due to World War I and World War II, at various locations throughout the world. The early...
(ISDE) has been held since 1913, and it is the oldest off-road event in the FIM calendar. The event brings together the best riders to represent their national team, and it is often referred to as the "World Cup of Enduro" or the "Olympics of Motorcycling".
AMA national and regional events
The American Motorcycle Association is the primary sanctioning body for motorcycle races of all types in America. AMA series are often analogous to FIM series. The East Coast Enduro Association has multiple classes divided by bike type and rider demographic that allow a qualified rider to choose a class to compete in.Each Class (A, B, C) is divided into sub-classes depending on machine type. Some examples include "C 4-stroke," "C-Veteran," "B 2-Stroke Light," "B 2-Stroke Heavy," etc... Generally speaking, there are rewards at both the event and season level for each sub-class (i.e., "I was the B 2-Stroke Light winner at this event...").
The following is a list of bike classes:
- Class AA - The most accomplished level of rider, same as "Class A,", but who competes for points as part of the AMA National Enduro Championship. For example, Mike LaffertyMike LaffertyMike Lafferty is a multi-time AMA National Enduro Champion from Southern New Jersey, USA. He has been racing at the championship level since 1993 when he won the AMA Regional Championship. Lafferty has won eight AMA National Enduro Championships, which ties the record previously set by Dick...
, who is the 7 time AMA National Champion, competes in the AA class.
- Class A - These are also the fastest riders, but they are not competing for points as part of the National Championship. Their awards are restricted to the AMA Region in which they compete. They are amateur participants, although they possess a skill level comparable to many of the AA riders.
- Class B - The is the second level of rider skill (one step up from the entry level C-class). Riders are "promoted" by the AMA when they have received a certain number of points (promotion points are different from the points that are awarded during a race; points during a race are bad, as the goal is to finish an event with as close to 0 points as possible, whereas title/promotion points are awarded at the end of each event depending on how well each rider performed - the dual use of the nomenclature "points" can often be confusing to outside observers, because the connotation of having points during an event is negative, whereas the connotation of having points relative to a rider's standing in a series is generally positive).
- Class C - This is the entry level where all new riders begin. All riders start off as C-Class riders and if they continue to participate in and finish events they will likely be promoted to B-class after 2 or 3 seasons. Exceptional riders will make the leap to B-Class after their first season because they will have accumulated the requisite points quickly enough.
Because of the variety of awards that are possible, riders are sometimes accused of sandbagging
Sandbagging
Sandbagging, hiding the strength, skill or difficulty of something or someone early in an engagement, may refer to: in billiards and other games, deliberately playing below one's actual ability in order to fool opponents into accepting higher stakes bets, or to lower one's competitive rating in...
.
Popularity
Rally raid
Rally raid, also known as cross country rallying is a form of long distance off-road racing that takes place over several days. Each day may require traveling up to . The length of the event can be 3–15 days...
.
Variations
In addition to rallyingRallying
Rallying, also known as rally racing, is a form of auto racing that takes place on public or private roads with modified production or specially built road-legal cars...
and rally raid
Rally raid
Rally raid, also known as cross country rallying is a form of long distance off-road racing that takes place over several days. Each day may require traveling up to . The length of the event can be 3–15 days...
s, there are other off-road races that are very similar to enduros but that vary in that they are not necessarily timekeeping events and in that they are often sanctioned by other bodies than the primary enduro sanctioning bodies.
One example in the USA is the Grand National Cross Country
Grand National Cross Country
The Can-Am Grand National Cross Country Series is America's premieroff-road racing series. Founded in 1979, the 13-round championship isproduced exclusively by Racer Productions. Cross country racing is oneof the most physically demanding sports in the world...
, which more closely resembles hare scrambles than Enduros, but is on a shorter course of perhaps a few miles/kilometers in length that is repeated for several laps. GNCC is famous for the high level of ATV
All-terrain vehicle
An all-terrain vehicle , also known as a quad, quad bike, three wheeler, or four wheeler, is defined by the American National Standards Institute as a vehicle that travels on low pressure tires, with a seat that is straddled by the operator, along with handlebars for steering control...
(four-wheeled off-road vehicles) competition in addition to motorcycle competition.
Endurocross
Endurocross
Endurocross or indoor enduro, shortened Enduro-X or EX, is a mix of supercross and enduro held is indoors over obstacles resembling a trials track. Endurocross events are typically held in hockey or down-sized basketball arenas...
or indoor enduro is a variation of enduro held indoors. Riders must complete as quick as possible a course with obstacles similar to those in enduro.
Notable Enduro riders
- Mika AholaMika AholaMika Ahola is a Finnish enduro rider and a five-time world champion. He is also a seven-time winner of the International Six Days Enduro World Trophy with Team Finland, and was the fastest overall in the competition in 1999, 2001 and 2002.Ahola debuted in the World Enduro Championship in a...
- double world champion - Samuli AroSamuli AroSamuli Aro is a Finnish enduro rider. He is a five-time World Enduro Champion and has also won the International Six Days Enduro World Trophy with Team Finland five times....
- five-time world champion - Dick BurlesonDick BurlesonRichard Burleson was one of the top American motorcycle enduro competitors in history. He is remembered for winning a record eight consecutive AMA Enduro National Championships. His domination of the national enduro series earned him the nickname King Richard.Burleson began his competitive career...
- eight-time AMA national champion - Andy CaldecottAndy CaldecottAndy Caldecott was an off road motorcycle racer born in Keith, South Australia. He won the Australian Safari Rally four times consecutively and was a competitor in the Dakar Rally in 2004 , 2005 , and 2006....
- Iván CervantesIvan CervantesIván Cervantes Montero is a Spanish motorcycle enduro racer from Cambrils .Cervantes started out as a motocross rider, a discipline in which he holds five Spanish national titles, before moving on to enduro racing...
- three-time world champion - Carl CrankeCarl CrankeCarl Cranke was a top American motorcycle enduro competitor. He represented the United States in 10 International Six Day Trials in the 1960s and 1970s. Cranke is also remembered for his tuning abilities with two-stroke engines and was also credited with helping develop Penton motorcycles...
- John DeaconJohn Deacon (motorcyclist)John Deacon was a Motorcycle enduro racer. He had won several Paris Dakar Rally stages. He died as a result of head injuries sustained when his BMW bike flipped, 77 miles from the town of Palmyra in Syria during the seventh stage of the Masters Rally between France and Jordan...
- Paul EdmondsonPaul Edmondson (enduro rider)Paul "Fast Eddy" Edmondson is a British enduro rider and a four-time World Enduro Champion. He is also a long-time member of the British team in the International Six Days Enduro , was the fastest racer in the 125 cc class in 1989, 1990, 1991 and 1994 and holds the ISDE record for Gold Medals,...
- four-time world champion - Anders ErikssonAnders Eriksson (enduro rider)Anders Eriksson is a Swedish enduro rider and a seven-time World Enduro Champion. He debuted in the World Enduro Championship with Kawasaki in 1991, and took his first world title with Husaberg in the 350 cc class in 1995...
- seven-time world champion - David Knight - two-time world champion
- Mike LaffertyMike LaffertyMike Lafferty is a multi-time AMA National Enduro Champion from Southern New Jersey, USA. He has been racing at the championship level since 1993 when he won the AMA Regional Championship. Lafferty has won eight AMA National Enduro Championships, which ties the record previously set by Dick...
- multiple AMA national champion - Fabrizio MeoniFabrizio MeoniFabrizio Meoni was an Italian off road and Rallying motorcycle racer. He was a member of the KTM Factory Team.He won at the Dakar Rally in 2001 and 2002....
- Dakar Rally winner
- Stefan MerrimanStefan MerrimanStefan Merriman is a New Zealand-born Australian enduro rider competing in the World Enduro Championship...
- four-time world champion - Stéphane PeterhanselStéphane PeterhanselStéphane Peterhansel is a rally racing driver from France. He won the Paris Dakar Rally riding Yamaha motorcycles in 1991, 1992, 1993, 1995, 1997, and 1998 and then again driving Mitsubishi Pajero SUVs in 2004, 2005 and 2007, making him one of the most successful drivers in the history of that race...
- multiple world champion and Dakar Rally winner - Xavier PonsXavier PonsXavier "Xevi" Pons Puigdillers is a rally driver competing in the World Rally Championship.Pons started his racing career on motorcycles and won the Spanish national enduro championship in 1998. That same year, he competed with the Spanish junior team at the International Six Days Enduro and won...
- Mario RinaldiMario RinaldiMario Rinaldi is an Italian enduro rider and a four-time World Enduro Champion. He is also a four-time winner of the International Six Days Enduro World Trophy with Team Italy. Rinaldi won all his world championship titles with KTM; in 1992 and 1994 in the 350 cc class, and in 1997 and 2000 in...
- four-time world champion - Richard SainctRichard SainctRichard Sainct was a French Rally Raid Motorcycle Rider, best known for his three victories on the Paris-Dakar rally in 1999, 2000 and 2003....
- Dakar Rally winner - Giovanni SalaGiovanni SalaGiovanni Sala is an Italian enduro rider and a six-time World Enduro Champion...
- six-time world champion - Juha SalminenJuha SalminenJuha Salminen is a Finnish enduro rider. He is a 13-time World Enduro Champion and has also won the German championship and the Spanish championship . In motocross, he won the Finnish championship in 2002...
- 12-time world champion - Petteri SilvánPetteri SilvánPetteri Silván is a Finnish enduro rider and a five-time World Enduro Champion...
- five-time world champion - Malcolm SmithMalcolm Smith (motorcyclist)Malcolm Smith is a Hall of Fame American off-road racer.-Career:Smith first raced in 1956 atop a 1949 Matchless 500cc motorcycle. Later, he was associated with Husqvarna motorcycles. His renown grew as he won races in the 1960s and 1970s...
- Kari TiainenKari TiainenKari Tiainen is a Finnish enduro rider. He is a seven-time World Enduro Champion and held the record for most wins in the world championship , until the record was broken by compatriot Juha Salminen during the 2008 season...
- seven-time world champion - Billy UhlBilly UhlBilly Uhl was a top American motorcycle enduro competitor. He represented the United States in the International Six Day Trials in the 1970s, winning five gold medals....