Freestyle Motocrossing – The Next Big Sport?

When motocrossing first began, it was more of a rebel sport. We had amateur car and bike racing that involved severely trained sportsmen riding major motor company vehicles. And then there was this back-road, no-rules, rough “motocross” sport that people with gnarly dirt bikes and kids who had nothing better to do, would venture in. However, more and more people got into the game and it became something of a popular event that onlookers would get a kick out of. Imagine going to the beach and watching screeching bikes and their riders do wheelies and rev on uneven ground.

Related Article: FMX or Freestyle Motocross

At that point in time The Backflip wasn’t even heard of. If someone did attempt it, they would be considered a freak. It seemed to dangerous, too rudimentary, too ludicrous. It wasn’t until 1998 when the first motocross film “Children Of A Metal God” was released and featured riders doing the ‘Flip into the water. In 1991, there was a man by the name of José Yanez who attempted, and succeeded, in doing the Backflip. Like other riders, he initially began by performing the stunt, which he ended in the water – just after he killed his bike’s engine. However, working after being goaded on by The National Enquirer, he attempted to perform the backflip between two ramps that resulted in a knee injury that kept him out of action for a couple of years.

What is freeing about freestyle motocross racing is that there are no limits. In fact, in the field, it is encouraged to come up with new groundbreaking tactics and stunts that helps to improve the competition in the game. It is still a difficult task to perform maneuvers and other daredevil tactics while in mid-air with a bike weighing several hundred pounds. Comparatively, Freestyle Motocross is a relatively new sport and still adapts some of the techniques used in regular motocross racing. But with adrenaline-infused stunts, awed audiences and entertaining events, it looks like soon enough Freestyling is going to take over as one of the most exciting sports to take place in modern times.