Are you interested in a competitive sport that will have you riding up to 500 miles in a day on winding mountain roads, and then doing it again the next day, and the next, and the next? You’re going to want a good, comfortable long-distance motorcycle if you’re going to compete in this event. This is the Motomarathon.
The brainchild of Boulder rider John Metzger, the Motomarathon, now in its third year, comprises three events around the country. The first event in this year’s line-up was in New England, the second in Colorado, and the third in northern California. Riders typically show up on a wide variety of bikes, but sport-touring models, such as the Kawasaki Concours 14 or the Yamaha FJR1300A, are popular because they are designed for just this sort of riding. Some events have even included riders on Can-Am Spyders.
In its first year, 2009, the Motomarathon consisted of just one event, a four-day ride in the mountains of Colorado. Year two saw the addition of a Centopassi, or 100 passes, ride that has been dropped for 2011. Much like Iron Butt Association events, riders cover long miles in a relatively short period of time and can add points by taking a few sidetrips.
Unlike competitive endurance events such as the Hoka Hey Motorcycle Challenge, the only thing Motomarathoners win is bragging rights, and the pleasure of riding their motorcycles through some gorgeous country with some affable companions.
Metzger and crew do keep score, though. At the end of each season an honors banquet is held and the top point-scorer for the year receives an award. Additionally, lifetime points totals are also tracked, so it’s always clear who leads the pack overall. Interestingly, although he has been involved with every event since the beginning, Metzger himself is only fourth on the all-time list. Number one honors are currently held by Shawn Pearsall of Fairport, NY, with a couple other Boulder riders ahead of Metzger as well.
The way the event works is fairly simple. Generally a centrally located hotel is selected as the home base and each day riders start from there, follow the route of their choosing, and end up that night back at the hotel. The route is not set but there is a list of checkpoints that must be visited the each day. This list is handed out each night beforehand and riders are free to start at any time they wish. They have 24 hours to complete the ride, though 10 hours is usually plenty. Riders can ride alone or in groups, as they choose. At the checkpoints, the rider is required to prove their arrival by shooting a photo of something that distinguishes the site, with their participant badge in the foreground.
Metzger came up with the idea of the Motomarathon after finding himself dissatisfied with some other long-distance motorcycle events. For years he and a few companions had taken off a few days each summer to go “pass bagging,” seeing how many of Colorado’s mountain passes they could ride over in the course of just a few days. The idea hit: Why not make a sanctioned sport of pass bagging?
Of course, that required that there be a sanctioning body, so Metzger created the Motomarathon Association. He started putting out the word, riders expressed interest, and the Motomarathon was off and running.
While there will always be some competitive folks in any group who want to compete and win, most of the Motomarathoners are only serious about having a good time, not scoring points. And considering that riding in the event puts them on their bikes, often in riding areas they’ve never seen before, everyone comes out a winner.
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