The twentieth century witnessed colossal economic as well as political transformations in the history of humankind. The emergence and upsurge of information technology marks another feather in the cap of this era. Furthermore, technological enhancements extended to nearly every aspect of human life, and motorsports is just one of them.
Ardent fans of motocross would be aware of the gigantic leap that the sport had taken from its initiation as the off-road speeding game called ‘Scrambles’ to one of the hugest motorcycling championships at the close of the century.
By the 1990s America had safely established itself in motocross, a sport of European origin, and there were several names that were slowly gaining popularity in the motocross circuits. Bobby Moore, Donny Schmit, Tallon Vohland, Trampas Parker and Mike Brown are some of the motorcyclists that took the motocross world by storm during the 1990s.
It was also during the 1990s that the popularity and thrill of racing 500cc engines started declining. 125cc engines were the technologically advanced versions being preferred in motocross fraternity. The advent and establishment of the Japanese manufacturer, Suzuki, in the arena of motocross machines was another indication of the rapid globalization of a sport that had its inception in Great Britain and had in its early years, off-road tracks and dirt roads as the racing circuits.
In fact, in the 250cc category, which had become the most loved by this period, all the first riders in the same were supported by the factories. Yes, motocross had definitely come a long way from those early twentieth century days to a more mature and organized sport by the end of the century.
The decline in the 500cc category, however, implied a string of victories for European motocross riders, and a major part of the decade saw the dominance of Belgium in the championship.
The overall effect of technological transformations was that the manufacturers were being encouraged to produce more environment-friendly machines. This change saw the increase of four-stroke engines in motocross racing circuits as well.
Motocross, over the years, has become a sport loved across nations, as well as continents. The end of the twentieth century also brought with it rapid changes in terms of popularity of the sport to extend to women riders. Championships held exclusively for women motocross riders are exemplary of this.
Motorcycling and motocross gear is another aspect of this series of transformations. From simple cloth attire to stylish leather, motocross clothing, boots, helmets and other accessories speak the language of rising fame and growing awareness of the sport. For that matter, there are special motorcycles and motocross equipment for kids keen on the sport as well. These changes have made Europe’s dirt-road, off-track game turn out to become one of the most widely liked sports of all time.
However, this does not go to say that motocross is a simple riding sport. It requires a large amount of grit and skill to actually be a motocross rider. This is so due to the possibility of dirty, muddy, hilly and uneven terrains that the rider would have to encounter during a race. Such high levels of danger and adventure are what make motocross such a demanding, yet high-intensity motorsport!