CALL YOURSELF A RACER? YEP!

Why do most people ride their dirt bike, but never race the thing? Because stepping up from casual rider to dog-eat-dog racer would take all the fun out of it, right? Or would it? What if you could get a taste of racing by joining a few of your mates on a team and racing epic, custom-made tracks purely for fun? What if this racing caper turned out to me more fun than recreational riding?

Well, here are five reasons why Transmoto Enduro Events attract more first-time racers than any other dirt bike event in the country; five reasons it’s high time you finally popped your racing cherry…

1. RACE CRED!

C’mon, admit it. You’ve always wanted to say that you race your dirt bike, rather than simply ride it, right? Who doesn’t crave a little Steve McQueen race cred by casually referring to “last weekend’s race” in public? But there’s more to it than that. Transmoto’s Enduros are one of the very few events in the world where first-time racers get the opportunity to share both a racetrack and campfire yarn with some of the world’s best Pro racers. If you’re interested, you can even compare lap times with these ‘off-duty’ Pros. Most entrants, however, are there simply to have fun and call themselves a finisher. Or at least say they gave it a red-hot crack.

2. THE ATMOSPHERE

Race it or ride it; run a motocross weapon or trail sled; fly in and fly out or make a weekend’s surf-and-golf-and-moto roadtrip out of it with your mates … take your pick. At Transmoto Enduro Events, riders take the racing as seriously or lightheartedly as they want to. All the organisers want to know is that they’re enjoying themselves. After all, “It’s the vibe of the thing”. It’s all about fun, not officialdom; about back-slappin’, high-fivin’, trash-talkin’, roost-throwin’, road-trippin’, campfire-yarnin’, mate-racin’, fun-lovin’ good times. That’s why these events sell out so quickly. That and the laid-back atmosphere Transmoto events are notorious for.

3. YOU’RE NOT ALONE

Racing solo can be intimidating, especially if you’re new to it. Racing as part of a multi-rider team, on the other hand, means you’ve got a ready-made support network in your corner. You can even share one (or all) of your teammate’s bikes – if they’re up for it. Even though it’s an eight-hour race, there’s a few of you to carry the racing load, which means you’ve got time off the bike to enjoy your surroundings. Meet the crew in the neighbouring pit plot. Indulge in a forearm massage. Steal a cheeky snooze in your swag. Cruise trade alley. Wander over to the far side of the pits to suss out that tricky corner. Take a squiz at how the team is going on the live timing screen (if that even matters to you). In short, enjoy the experience; the race that doesn’t feel like a race. We suspect this is exactly why, for more than half the entrants at every Transmoto event, it’ll be the only race they enter all year. If your team tanks, you’ve got the perfect excuse: simply blame your sluggish teammates for finishing way down the results sheet. If the team ends up killing it, then remind everyone how you carried those busted-arse teammates of yours to a better-than-expected result. Either way, you win … until you realise no one even cares where the team finished. The only thing most people care about is that their lap times compare favourably with their own teammates’.

4. BUILT-IN BACK-UP

Aside from the reassuring fact your teammates have got your back, there are also 20 experienced sweep riders out on the race loop for the entire eight-hour race, whose primary job it is to make sure you don’t get stuck or lost or tired and emotional or tangled in bunting. In other words, they’re there to give riders the best chance of greeting the chequered flag at the end of the day with a smile on their dials. And if things do go tits-up, rest assured there’s a super-experienced emergency medical team on hand to look after you and your teammates, with vehicular access to the entire track.

5. WEEKEND WARRIORS: THE REAL WINNERS

The events’ 16km-long race loops intentionally avoid extreme obstacles. Sure, depending on the venue, there’s the odd creek crossing or rocky hill or rough section, but the courses are designed to challenge riders’ endurance, not their obstacle-conquering skills. Each loop includes multiple areas where fast riders can pass slower riders safely, and any technical sections have a ‘chicken line’ for those who don’t feel quite up to the task. Admittedly, the courses do get pretty rough by the end of the event, but as track deterioration is a gradual process, you get the chance to adapt and adjust your suspension clickers accordingly (if you’re that serious). Either that or put your feet up in the pits and send a teammate back out there to face the bump-strewn music. A majority of riders sign up in ‘Weekend Warrior’ team category, which reflects the fact a greater majority pay for their bikes, parts, gear, travel costs and race entries in cold hard cash, and like nothing more than simply getting out there and tearing around on their bikes with their mates on the weekend. It’s the Weekend Warriors who get the brightest media spotlight. And the biggest trophy and prize bootie!

Check out our 2025 Transmoto Enduro event dates below, and pre-register your interest here to get notified about specific on-sale dates.