How to Build Kids' Motocross Jumps

Motocross began growing in popularity in the United States in the 1970s, and there's no sign of it slowing down. Fans of all ages travel to motocross tracks to watch riders and to ride the tracks themselves, but why not do the same at home? With preparation, a proper location and the right equipment, you could build a motocross track in your own backyard and one the whole family can enjoy.

Things You'll Need

  • Dirt
  • Mini excavator or bobcat
  • Bulldozer
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Instructions

    • 1

      Collect dirt. To build the jumps, you'll need plenty of dirt. You can get a large supply of dirt in multiple ways: Dig holes on your property and transport that dirt to the track; contact local construction crews or developers to see if they have any excess fill you can have; or contact companies that install pools because they often remove dirt from their job sites. Once the dirt is on your property, you'll probably need a mini excavator or Bobcat to move it where you need it.

    • 2

      Do your measurements. A simple rule for building motocross jumps is the "1 to 3" rule, as famousbymorning.com advises. Multiply every 1 unit of height by 3 to get the length of the ramp. For example, for a motocross jump that is 2 feet high, you need the ramp length to be about 6 feet. When you know what sort of jumps you want to make and what size they'll be, check the amount of dirt you have. Will it be enough, or will you need to collect more? Also, consider who this track is designed for --- your children --- and keep them in mind when building jumps so you don't make it too challenging for them.

    • 3

      Rent (or borrow) a bulldozer. You'll need this piece of heavy machinery because much of the work now will be pushing the dirt into place to build the jumps. You may also need a water truck to help with compacting the dirt.

    • 4

      Use the bulldozer to push the dirt into place to create jumps. A lot of your work will be done with the bulldozer, including shaping and grading the dirt to help form the jumps. You'll need three piles of dirt for one single jump: one for the path leading to the jump, one for the jump itself, and one leading away from the jump. Try to make sure that the bucketloads of dirt from the bulldozer are level and each contains roughly the same amount of dirt. This will save time and work when smoothing things out later.

    • 5

      Use the bulldozer to finish the shape once the dirt is piled up. Smooth out both the pile of dirt that leads to the jump and the pile of dirt that leads away from the jump. With the tracks of the bulldozer, go over the pile of dirt that makes up the jump to compact the dirt even more. Using the blade of the bulldozer, sweep across the jump to further compact the dirt and level out the jump. Make sure the shape is uniform, without bumps or dips. Repeat this process on each jump.