Gymkhana (motorcycle)
Encyclopedia
Motorcycle gymkhana is a motorcycle
time trial
sport where riders compete for the shortest time maneuvering through a paved course restricted by traffic cone
s or other obstacles. Gymkhana is especially popular in Japan.
After walking through to familiarize themselves with the course, participants ride their motorcycles through individually in a predetermined order. Riders have two chances to run the course, one in the morning and one in the afternoon, and the fastest of the two times is kept to determine the winner.
s, parking lot
s, small circuits, or other paved lots. The layout of the course is designed by the organizer and is different for each event.
Generally, the riders use only 1st or 2nd gear
because of the course's tight turns. The speed range is therefore usually low or moderate. There is a high chance of falling due to the instability of motorcycles of low speeds, but injuries or damage to motorcycles are nonetheless rare.
This is an open motorsport for beginners because there is no need for a special license or many pieces of expensive special equipment and to participate.
Due to the course layout, motorbikes with small bodies and small power output have the advantage over larger ones. However, the course includes not only tight turns but also some long straights so the small bikes are not always faster over the whole course.
Motorcycle gymkhana requires technique, ability, knowledge, and experience of motorbikes. This means you must have not only techniques of acceleration
, braking, handling, weight control but also knowledge to tune the machine to improve the performance. In addition, an analytical mind to assess the course in terms of the quickest or most efficient “racing lines” is essential.
. A machine must have one wheel at the front and one wheel at the rear.
The regulations do not place any limitations on the bikes regarding engine displacement
and styles such as naked, super-sports, cruisers
, scooters
, or on-road or off-road. The brake light must be in working order.
Tyre
s must be street legal, so racing tyres such as dry slicks, super motard slicks are not allowed. Tyres must have enough depth of grooves and worn-out tyres are not allowed. Exhaust noise is limited to 100dB.
The motorbikes must not have sharp edges at the end of handlebar
, levers, pedals and any other projections.
Bikes may be customized freely, if the above conditions are met.
For example, in general, many participants will replace the handlebar to the upper position (to get advanced controllability), change the front and/or rear sprocket
s (to get stronger acceleration), change the exhaust system, and eliminates fairings (to make it lighter).
that has enough strength, such as full face helmets, open face helmets. Half helmets are not recommended.
You must wear a motorcycle gloves and equip elbow protectors
.
Additional protectors for shoulders, chest, back are also recommended to protect the upper part of the body. Better choices for protection are a leather
jacket or a leather suit with built-in protectors.
In the lower body, you need to wear knee protectors on pants. Additional protectors for hips and shins are also recommended. You may wear boots without laces, or you can choose racing boots.
One is for 'Warm-up (short course)' to adjust yourself to the motorbike and warm tyres up before a time-attack.
The other is a 'figure eight turn area', located near the starting point, to run tightly around the cones. This is also for warm-up before starting the main event.
And another is the 'time-attack course'.
Cones which are placed in courses are usually 45 cm in height or less, however they can sometimes be 70 cm in height.
Gymkhana has various distinctive sections such as slalom
, figure eight turns, circles, lines to go through, 180 degrees turns, and so on.
Motorcycle
A motorcycle is a single-track, two-wheeled motor vehicle. Motorcycles vary considerably depending on the task for which they are designed, such as long distance travel, navigating congested urban traffic, cruising, sport and racing, or off-road conditions.Motorcycles are one of the most...
time trial
Time trial
In many racing sports an athlete will compete in a time trial against the clock to secure the fastest time. In cycling, for example, a time trial can be a single track cycling event, or an individual or team time trial on the road, and either or both of the latter may form components of...
sport where riders compete for the shortest time maneuvering through a paved course restricted by traffic cone
Traffic cone
Traffic cones, also called traffic pylons, road cones, highway cones, safety cones, construction cones or witches' hats or safety wizards, are usually cone-shaped markers that are placed on roads or footpaths to temporarily redirect traffic in a safe manner...
s or other obstacles. Gymkhana is especially popular in Japan.
After walking through to familiarize themselves with the course, participants ride their motorcycles through individually in a predetermined order. Riders have two chances to run the course, one in the morning and one in the afternoon, and the fastest of the two times is kept to determine the winner.
Competition characteristics
The events are usually held at closed courses such as driving schoolDriving school
Driving school may refer to:* A school that teaches driving training and road safety; see driver's education* Driving School, a 1997 docusoap which was broadcast on BBC One...
s, parking lot
Parking lot
A parking lot , also known as car lot, is a cleared area that is intended for parking vehicles. Usually, the term refers to a dedicated area that has been provided with a durable or semi-durable surface....
s, small circuits, or other paved lots. The layout of the course is designed by the organizer and is different for each event.
Generally, the riders use only 1st or 2nd gear
Motorcycle transmission
A motorcycle transmission is a transmission created specifically for motorcycle applications.-Manual:All manual transmission two-wheelers use a sequential gearbox. Most modern motorcycles change gears by foot lever...
because of the course's tight turns. The speed range is therefore usually low or moderate. There is a high chance of falling due to the instability of motorcycles of low speeds, but injuries or damage to motorcycles are nonetheless rare.
This is an open motorsport for beginners because there is no need for a special license or many pieces of expensive special equipment and to participate.
Due to the course layout, motorbikes with small bodies and small power output have the advantage over larger ones. However, the course includes not only tight turns but also some long straights so the small bikes are not always faster over the whole course.
Motorcycle gymkhana requires technique, ability, knowledge, and experience of motorbikes. This means you must have not only techniques of acceleration
Acceleration
In physics, acceleration is the rate of change of velocity with time. In one dimension, acceleration is the rate at which something speeds up or slows down. However, since velocity is a vector, acceleration describes the rate of change of both the magnitude and the direction of velocity. ...
, braking, handling, weight control but also knowledge to tune the machine to improve the performance. In addition, an analytical mind to assess the course in terms of the quickest or most efficient “racing lines” is essential.
Requirements for machines
Motorcycles in gymkhana must be street legalStreet legal
Street legal or road legal refers to a vehicle such as an automobile, motorcycle, or light truck that is equipped and licensed for use on public roads...
. A machine must have one wheel at the front and one wheel at the rear.
The regulations do not place any limitations on the bikes regarding engine displacement
Engine displacement
Engine displacement is the volume swept by all the pistons inside the cylinders of an internal combustion engine in a single movement from top dead centre to bottom dead centre . It is commonly specified in cubic centimeters , litres , or cubic inches...
and styles such as naked, super-sports, cruisers
Cruiser (motorcycle)
Cruiser is the term for motorcycles that mimic the design style of American machines from the 1930s to the early 1960s, including those made by Harley-Davidson, Indian, Excelsior and Henderson. The market for models evocative of the early cruisers has grown to embrace 60 percent of the U.S...
, scooters
Scooter (motorcycle)
A scooter is a motorcycle with step-through frame and a platform for the operator's feet. Elements of scooter design have been present in some of the earliest motorcycles, and motorcycles identifiable as scooters have been made from 1914 or earlier...
, or on-road or off-road. The brake light must be in working order.
Tyre
Tyre
Tyre is a city in the South Governorate of Lebanon. There were approximately 117,000 inhabitants in 2003, however, the government of Lebanon has released only rough estimates of population numbers since 1932, so an accurate statistical accounting is not possible...
s must be street legal, so racing tyres such as dry slicks, super motard slicks are not allowed. Tyres must have enough depth of grooves and worn-out tyres are not allowed. Exhaust noise is limited to 100dB.
The motorbikes must not have sharp edges at the end of handlebar
Handlebar
A handlebar is part of the steering mechanism, in lieu of a steering wheel, for vehicles that are ridden on, instead of in, such as bicycles, motorcycles, tricycles, ATVs, snowmobiles and personal watercraft. It may also be simply the handles on a device such as a zip line trolley or a floor buffer...
, levers, pedals and any other projections.
Bikes may be customized freely, if the above conditions are met.
For example, in general, many participants will replace the handlebar to the upper position (to get advanced controllability), change the front and/or rear sprocket
Sprocket
A sprocket or sprocket-wheel is a profiled wheel with teeth, cogs, or even sprockets that mesh with a chain, track or other perforated or indented material. The name 'sprocket' applies generally to any wheel upon which are radial projections that engage a chain passing over it...
s (to get stronger acceleration), change the exhaust system, and eliminates fairings (to make it lighter).
Equipment
You essentially need to have a motorcycle helmetMotorcycle helmet
A motorcycle helmet is a type of protective headgear used by motorcycle riders. The primary goal of a motorcycle helmet is motorcycle safety - to protect the rider's head during impact, thus preventing or reducing head injury or saving the rider's life...
that has enough strength, such as full face helmets, open face helmets. Half helmets are not recommended.
You must wear a motorcycle gloves and equip elbow protectors
Elbow pad
thumb|left|200px|Rollerblader wearing elbow padsElbow pads are protective padded gear worn on the elbows to protect them against injury during a fall or a strike....
.
Additional protectors for shoulders, chest, back are also recommended to protect the upper part of the body. Better choices for protection are a leather
Leather
Leather is a durable and flexible material created via the tanning of putrescible animal rawhide and skin, primarily cattlehide. It can be produced through different manufacturing processes, ranging from cottage industry to heavy industry.-Forms:...
jacket or a leather suit with built-in protectors.
In the lower body, you need to wear knee protectors on pants. Additional protectors for hips and shins are also recommended. You may wear boots without laces, or you can choose racing boots.
Authorized associations
JAGE is one of the authorized associations of motorcycle gymkhana in Japan. The series of gymkhana organized by JAGE is called 'Official events'. At the event, all of the participants are classified under JAGE's authorization criteria as following.Seeded classes
- A Class : Riders who recorded less than 105% time compared to the fastest time in an 'Official event' and have acquired enough series ranking points, in addition, approved as being the 'A Class' by organizer.
- B Class : Riders who recorded less than 105% time compared to the fastest time in an 'Official event'.
- C1 Class : Riders who recorded less than 110% time compared to the fastest time in an 'Official event'.
- C2 Class : Riders who recorded less than 115% time compared to the fastest time in an 'Official event'.
Non-seeded novice classes
- NO Class : Men who have not recorded less than 115% time compared to the fastest time in an 'Official event', or beginners with 'Customized' motorbikes.
- NN Class : Men who have not recorded less than 115% time compared to the fastest time in an 'Official event', or beginners with 'Non-customized' motorbikes.
- NL Class : Women who have not recorded less than 115% time compared to the fastest time in an 'Official event', or a beginner.
The other class
'SB Class' is applied only to seeded larger bikes that have over 700cc displacement. Their results are ordered among 'SB Class' too. Furthermore, they can get Series Ranking Points (among 'SB Class') when recorded less than 107%.Courses
There are three separate courses in the event.One is for 'Warm-up (short course)' to adjust yourself to the motorbike and warm tyres up before a time-attack.
The other is a 'figure eight turn area', located near the starting point, to run tightly around the cones. This is also for warm-up before starting the main event.
And another is the 'time-attack course'.
Cones which are placed in courses are usually 45 cm in height or less, however they can sometimes be 70 cm in height.
Gymkhana has various distinctive sections such as slalom
Slalom
To slalom is to zigzag between obstacles. It can refer to:Sports:*Alpine Slalom skiing*Whitewater slalom/kayaking*Freestyle slalom skating*Slalom skateboarding*Slalom water skiing*Slalom ice skating*Slalom windsurfing...
, figure eight turns, circles, lines to go through, 180 degrees turns, and so on.