Freestyle Motocross History

Freestyle motocross (FMX) is a form of dirt bike riding in which the objective is to land the most impressive aerial tricks. Competitions are usually in the best trick or timed run format. In a best trick contest, each rider has three chances to land one trick off a fairly large ramp. Timed competitions use a circular track with several different types of jumps so the rider can perform tricks in a continuous run. In both formats, a panel of judges scores the riders' efforts to determine the winner.

  1. The Early Years

    • The first instance of freestyle motocross is believed to be the 1924 Scrambles off-road race held in Surrey, England. While it started off as simply a race around a dirt track, the evolution of the sport led to shorter tracks with sharp curves and jumps to increase the degree of difficulty.

    Modern Freestyle Motocross

    • The evolution of motorcycles from the heavy four-stroke 500cc engines to the lighter two-stroke 250cc and 125cc engines paved the way for the creation of freestyle motocross as it is known today. Originally, the tricks and jumps were only done when a motocross rider was so far back in the race that he might as well have some fun while finishing out his laps. By 1998, these moves were so popular that the International Freestyle Motocross Association was formed and freestyle contests were held in addition to the regular racing events.

    X Games

    • The inclusion of freestyle motocross as an event in the 1999 X Games gave the sport legitimacy and much-needed television exposure. Its popularity has grown in the decade since its introduction, with new motocross events like best trick, step-up, best whip and super moto becoming a regular part of the X Games schedule. The best trick event has been instrumental in the sport's evolution, giving the riders incentive to push their limits each year to outdo each other.

    Record-Setting Events

    • In recent years, several promotional events have gained mainstream media attention as freestyle motocross riders have attempted to break existing records in spectacular fashion. One of the most publicized events was held on New Year's Eve 2007 in Las Vegas. Robbie Maddison set a long jump record of 322 feet in this Red Bull-sponsored event.

    The Backflip

    • No trick has represented the evolution of freestyle motocross like the backflip. It was once thought to be impossible to make a heavy motorcycle rotate backward 360 degrees while flying off a jump. This changed in 2002, when Mike Metzger and Travis Pastrana successfully landed backflips in the X Games. Variations of the backflip are now a staple of almost every freestyle motocross run, with tricks like the heel clicker, superman or one-hander being done while the rider is upside down. In 2006, Pastrana again raised the bar for freestyle motocross, landing the first double backflip in competition history.