Motocross – officially a sport where a motorcycle is taken over an off-road trail. Unofficially, a literally high-octane experience of rubber and rough, where riders take on the demands of a dirt track in an intense mix of speed, guts and seriously skilled moves. Motocross is one of the most accessible motorsports out there and undoubtedly one of the most awesome.
Riding motocross safely and being properly equipped
On a trail packed with twists, turns and jumps that beg for tricks, it is essential you ride fit and that you ride with the right gear. After your motocross bike, the most important choices you make are the type of helmet, boots and goggles you wear. These are your first line of protection, so quality is key. Other good equipment to go with is a neck brace and a knee brace, along with gloves and some motocross socks.
The risks involved in motocross
The premise of an extreme sport is a high level of risk, though. Whether you are an amateur, semi-pro or pro, accidents and injuries happen. One of the problems when you are living on the edge is that occasionally you ride straight over it, fall and break something – like your bike, or worse, your body. However well you ride or well kitted out you are, motocross is a sport where you are likely to get hurt at some point. In fact, 95% of riders suffer an injury of some sort.
Most accidents in motocross happen when taking a bend in the course or colliding with a fellow rider. Freestyle motocross also accounts for a lot of accidents because just sometimes you stack that trick rather than smash it.
Injuries and time away from the sport
Injuries can happen to even the best, just ask Ben Watson. Currently riding high in the FIM Motocross World Championship, last year’s British Motocross Championship winner found his career on hold a couple of seasons ago when he sustained a serious foot injury during a race. He naturally bounced back to form, but had to take a big chunk of time out first.
The top 5 injuries sustained in the sport are a broken collarbone, an AC joint sprain, a broken wrist, an ACL rupture and a broken ankle. Recovery times for these range between 1 week and 1 year, so it is well worth considering motocross insurance, or checking which motorsport insurance options are available for the type of riding you do.
Insurance is a good move because an accident can cause you to lose not only time on track, but time at work as well. A loss of income can quickly become a problem, and treatment can also eat into your monthly budget.
So, along with choosing your bike and safety gear, the other important choice you need to make in motocross is having the right motocross insurance in place. Whether you are a professional, instructor or amateur, employed or self-employed, having the right level of sports injury insurance in place means you can focus on riding, knowing you are protected if something goes wrong.