6 seriously silly motorcycle races

There's nothing normal about the Isle of Man TT or the Pikes Peak International Hill Climb, but there's a handful of lesser-known races just as silly as they are serious

1. Grasstree Beach Races

For almost a century, a quiet beach in Queensland has played host to the annual Grasstree Beach Races where roadbikes, dirtbikes and minibikes have competed for glory since 1927. At low tide and well before the wet-season arrival of sea turtles invade the otherwise quiet village beach, a bevy of both standard and heavily modified motorcycles race up and down the saltwater circuit, circling barrels at either end in 250m, 500m and 750m heats in a bid to qualify for the 800m final. The 2015 event spanned entries including a knobby-tyred Yamaha YZF-R1, a similarly shod Honda CBR900RR, a bored-out Kawasaki KX500 and everything in between. To watch or participate in the long-running spectacle, the 2016 event will be held on Sunday, August 28.

2. Snow Quake

This event is born from the delightfully quirky Dirt Quake, where anyone can race dirttrack on whatever motorcycle they own just as long as it didn't start life as a dedicated racer (so no enduros, superbikes or supermotos, etc). But crazy outfits and inappropriate motorcycles are encouraged. So if that wasn't silly enough, organisers went and deemed the muddy and slippery conditions too boring – so this year saw the inaugural running of Snow Quake. Held on Europe's Ice Rosa Ring in -8°C temperatures, oddly dressed riders on inappropriate machinery race flat out on an ice track in what may be the silliest motorcycle race yet.

3. Kungurri Hill Climb

It's the sister event to the Queensland-based Grasstree Beach Races, and it began in 1976 after local trials rider David Finn identified the steep Kungurri Hill as the perfect location for a gnarly off-road hillclimb. The last of its kind in Australia, the community-supported event sees 150-odd competitors on all sorts of machinery buck and weave their way in search of the summit on a course known for deep ruts and exposed rock. Extended swingarms and horsepower is what regulars cite as the winning formula, though members of the family that organises the event are hard to beat. Located 60km west of Mackay in Queenland, if you're keen to watch it or game enough to race it, the next event will be held over July 30-31.

4. Dust Hustle

Inspired by the silly seriousness of the American-based Dirt Quake event, Queensland-based bike builder Ellaspede and the North Brisbane Junior Motorcycle Club have hosted a similar event in Australia since 2014. Described by organisers as dirt track on woefully inappropriate machinery, the event has been widely supported by both riders and spectators – so much so the 2016 rider entries are already at full capacity.

5. Ponde Extreme Sand Drags

Since 1981, the Ponde Extreme Sand Drags have been held on the banks of the Murray River in the South Australian town of Ponde. It began as entertainment for the Ponde Rock Concert but when the concert stopped running, the drags continued. Ranging from 50cc classes for the kids all the way through to purpose-built knobby-tyred V8-powered dragbikes, the well-attended event is both relaxed and wild in equal measure. According to the event's website, all riders competing in the sand drags are required to wear long pants and shoes that cover the whole foot. And that's the end of the requirements. The event has been won by the same bloke for the last three years, riding a purpose-built drag bike powered by a 400-cubic-inch Chevrolet V8.

6. Le Minz 24-hour Scooterthon

The low-powered, twist-and-go version of the famous Le Mans 24 Hour, the Le Minz Scooterthon is where a four-rider team and their up-to-50cc scooter battle it out on a go kart track in a bid to see which team can cover the most ground in a 24-hour period. Attracting big names in motorcycle racing like former grand prix rider Garry McCoy, World Speedway Champ Jason Crump, three-time world Superbike champ Troy Bayliss and Aussie Sueprcross champ Dan Reardon, not since the 50cc tiddlers in GP racing has 49cc held so much at stake. The 2016 event will be the 10th running of the increasingly prestigious event. Entries open in the first week of July with racing underway in the first weekend of December. Click here to see how Team Bikesales fared at the 2014 running of the event.

6 seriously silly motorcycle races

Tags