23/03/2016
9 MotoGiro USA Events
9.1 History
The first AMA sanctioned vintage Motogiro USA run by the United
States Classic Racing Association got off to a wet start from Plattekill
Ski Resort in the Catskill Mountains of New York State as the remnants
of hurricane Ivan dropped five inches of rain during the night
prior to the start. With heavy rain still falling into the morning of the
start, the organizers opted to run the one Sunday section on Saturday
and run the two Saturday sections on Sunday. Doing this would allow
an early Saturday afternoon start with hopefully improved weather
conditions. As this program modification was being presented to the
participants at the riders meeting, word came from the State Police
that all roads in the county had been closed due to flash flooding. The
start of the Motogiro was on hold.
Motogiro USA is an outgrowth of the very popular and historic
Motogiro d’Italia that has been revived recently in Italy. Loosely
translated from the Italian, it means a motorcycle tour. Historically in
Italy, it was a race for small production motorcycles on the public
roads in order to draw attention to market brands and increase
motorcycle sales. The recent Italian revival of the Motogiro d’ Italia is
now primarily for small displacement vintage motorcycles built prior
to 1957. In 1957, all motor racing on public roads in Italy ceased due
to a horrific car racing accident in the auto equivalent of the
Motogiro d’Italia.
Several members of the USCRA had participated in the newly revived
Italian Motogiro and proposed a similar event for North America. The
United States Classic Racing Association picked up on the theme of a
small displacement vintage road enduro with displacement and year
modifications to more closely align with the small displacement bike
boom in North America.
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A year of detail planning went into the event, a suitable location was
selected and sections were set through the picturesque and very rural
Catskill Mountains of New Your State. Four displacement classes up to
250 cc and a 1968-year cutoff attracted a great variety of machines.
A low average speed was set to enable the participants to have a leisurely
tour on the demanding and scenic roads. Each participant had a
start time and a section end time that had to be met to incur no penalty
points. Meeting those section times would be relatively easy if the
rider didn’t get lost en-route. The real winning and losing of the event
would take place in the Ability Tests, an integral part of the Motogiro
that are incorporated in the sections. At the Ability Tests the participant
would have to ride an electronically timed 20 meter course in a
pre announced time through a slalom of cones. The set time requires
slow precision riding and was timed to a 1/1000th of a second.
As the skies cleared, twenty-three hardy participants set off in rain
gear on the big adventure that would create unbelievable enthusiasm
and camaraderie through adversity. From the smallest machine,
a Sears 50cc to the oldest with Dave Roper riding a Moto Guzzi 250
Aerone, an unbelievable seventeen different manufacturers were represented.
These included Suzuki, Honda, Yamaha, Velocette, Morini,
NSU, Benelli, Puch, CZ, Ducati, Bridgestone, Moto Guzzi, BSA, Gilera,
Bultaco, Parilla, and Sears. The terrain and the weather tested these
vintage machines to their maximum. The section done on Saturday
was close to 100 miles long, and the two sections on Sunday totaled
120 miles. Road closures due to flash flooding on Saturday necessitated
the riders finding alternative routes around the raging rivers. Noted road
racer from the 1960’s, Frank Camilleri, entered one of these flooded
roads on his small Yamaha only to bury it under water and almost
get swept away by the current. Dragging his machine back to high
ground, the two-stroke motor was emptied of its water and restarted to
eventually finish first in the 125 class. The sight of that near catastrophe
deterred others from the temptation to try and ride through.
9.1.1 Introduction
MOTOGIRO USA is an AMA sanctioned road event for vintage
motorcycles conducted by the USCRA. It is a non-speed event with a
very low average mile per hour speed limit over a specified route.
All participants are to adhear to all local traffic laws governing the
specified route for the duration of the event. The USCRA and AMA
are not responsible for any liability caused or incurred at a
MOTOGIRO USA event.
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9.2 Regulations
The MotoGiroUSA will take place primarily on paved roads. The route
will be clearly marked on your route sheet and be marked with arrows
posted along to route to aid in identifying turns. Although it is assumed
that directional arrows will remain as posted by the organizers, the
organizers cannot be responsible for missing or redirected arrows. In
areas of question, refer to your route sheet and maps for accuracy.
Note: Each person is personally liable for his/her behavior
and actions during the entirety of the event.
1. Any person legally licensed to ride a motorcycle in the state of New
York and entering a pre-1968 motorcycle of less that 250cc will be
permitted to enter. Like design or similar design motorcycles
manufactured during or after 1968, in the spirit of the event, and
with PERMISSION of the event rules committee, will be permitted.
2. All participants must be current members of the American
Motorcyclists Association. AMA memberships will be sold at the event
and be good for one year.
3. All motorcycles must be legally registered, insured and equipped to
meet the safety standards for operation on public roads in the state(s)
where the event takes place. It is the sole responsibility of each entrant
to comply with the motor vehicle laws of said state(s).
Note: Helmets must be worn anytime the motorcycle is ridden
(including ability trials) regardless of any state motor
vehicle laws to the contrary
4. Entered motorcycle will be broken into the following classes, based on
displacement or type of machine.
5. Each participant is personally liable for his/her behavior and actions
during the entirety of the event. Participants risk disqualification,
suspension or other disciplinary action for any prohibited conduct.
6. Teams can hold no less than 3 riders and no more than 5. Results
for each team will be based on the best 3 out of 5 scores per team.
9.3 Starting Order
The starting order may be set by the order of registration and the
displacement class entered. Motorcycles will enter / depart the start box
at the time indicated on their time card. Official time clocks for rider
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viewing will be placed at the entrance to the start box and at the start
line.Riders must enter the start box in their assigned minute. Riders should
have their time cards in their “clip” and accessible for the starting official.
The starting official will take the rider’s time card when the rider enters the
start box and record his/her start time on their card. Once the rider’s time
is officially recorded and card returned to the rider, the rider must depart
the start box. For any entrant who is “punched in” prior to or after his/her
assigned start minute, he/she will receive a penalty of one minute of up to a
maximum of twenty minutes. Once this time is exceeded, the fixed penalty
is applied. This penalty is carried through to the end of the section. Riders
should depart on their assigned times in subsequent sections.
Note: The official “punch clock” seconds may vary slightly from the
official event time. The officials know this variation and will
apply or deduct that variation when tabulatisng scores.
9.4 Time Cards and Controls
1. At the beginning of each day, an entrant will be given a time card with
the following information.
• Entrant’s number
• Displacement Class entered
• Entrant’s specific STARTING and ENDING times for each section
• Blank spaces for transit stamps
• Approximate distances between check points
2. Each participant is responsible for and required to carry his own time
card throughout the sections and present it to the:
“SC” Stamp Checks or “TC” Time Checks
3. The route indicated on the route sheet must be followed at all times.
4. All Stamp Checks “SC” and Time Checks “TC” must be passed
through. Deviation from the assigned route or missing checks will incur
the fixed penalty.
5. Any participant who is found to have altered or falsified his time card
will be disqualified.
6. Any entrant that loses his time card should ask for a replacement at the
next checkpoint. In that case an entrant will only be classified in that
days sections if it is possible for the officials to reconstruct the entrants
missing timings and stamps. Also in this case the entrant will incur a
1/10 second penalty. If it is impossible to reconstruct the entrant’s
timings, the fixed penalty will be assigned.
• 0 – 65cc
• 66 – 125cc
• 126 – 200cc
• 201 – 250cc
• 305cc
• Sidecar
• Scooter
9.5 Check Points
“SC” STAMP CHECKS
“TC” TIME CHECKS
The checkpoints will be clearly marked.
STAMP CHECKS “SC” are simply a means of assuring that the participant
stays on the prescribed route. Stamp checks “SC” are not timed.
Participants do not have to worry about crossing the STAMP CHECK
“SC” at their correct time.
TIME CHECKS ”TC” and end of section arrival points are clearly
marked and should be crossed at you prescribed time. On approaching
a TIME CHECK “TC” or end of section point, the participant will
find a white flag on the right 100 meters before the control line followed
by a yellow flag 20 meters before the control line. The actual
CHECK POINT will be a white line or colored stripe across the road.
If a participant arrives early, he / she may wait in the transit area
between the white and yellow flags. To check the official time a participant
may proceed from the transit area ON FOOT to the control
desk to check the official time.
9.6 Time Keeping
The time at all Check Points will be measured by the Race Officials
using either manual or electronic timers. Where possible, the use of
atomic time clocks will be the official time standard. The time in the
Ability Trials will be measured in hundredths of a second. The time in
the Time Checks “TC” will be measured to the minute.
NOTE: The judgement of the official timekeepers is final
and may not be challenged.
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9.7 Ability Trials
Ability trials will be set up along the way. An ability trial tests the rider’s
ability to cover a prescribed distance in a predetermined amount
of time. Timing will be to a 100th of a second and be
automatically timed. When it is his / her turn to take the Ability Trial,
the participant enters the holding area on his / her motorbike to
prepare for the trial. The holding area is the area before the white
flag. When indicated the participant enters the Neutral Zone – the
area between the white and yellow flags. The official will then signal
to the participant that he may begin the Trial. The Trial area (non-stop
zone) is the area between the yellow flag and the white line across
the road where the timing beam is placed. The non-stop distance
must be covered in as near as possible to the set time. (for example
50m in 40 seconds ) The test ends when the participant crosses the
second timing beam at the end of the non-stop zone (marked by a
white line ). Once in the non-stop zone, it is prohibited to stop the
bike, reverse direction, put the feet on the ground or touch any external
object for support. Zigzagging is permitted in order to cross the
finish line (break the beam ) in the set time. Ability trials may be done
either in a straight line or in a slalom. The slalom is marked by a number
of cones depending on the length of the stretch.
9.8 Penalties
9.8.1 Ability trial penalties
• One foot on the ground - 1 second
• Both feet on the ground - 1 second
• U-turn / direction change - 10 seconds
• Stopping the bike - 10 seconds
• Using external objects for support - 10 seconds
• For every slalom cone knocked over - .10 second
• Complete avoidance of the slalom - 10 seconds
• Partial avoidance of the slalom - 5 seconds
To participate in the Ability Trials only the following are permitted:
mechanical or electrical chronometers and chronographs (countdown
timers prohibited). Under no circumstances will acoustic or light
emitting signal devices be permitted. Devices deemed unsuitable by
an official must be removed or disabled. Participants unwilling to
abide by the officials requests will receive the maximum penalty points
for that test.
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9.8.1 Fixed penalties
The fixed penalty will be 120 minutes
9.8.2 General penalties
60 seconds – Reporting late at the starting line at the beginning
of each leg. For each minute late-up to 20 minutes.
Fixed Penalty – Reporting late at starting line at beginning of
each leg. More than 20 minutes late.
Fixed Penalty – Deviation from the official route with intention of
taking short-cut when noted by an event official.
1/10 second – Loss of time card where reconstruction of official
timings is possible.
Fixed Penalty – Alteration of the time card.
Fixed Penalty – Failure to pass a time check or stamp check point.
60 seconds – Delayed arrival at a time check for each minute
over accepted margin
60 seconds – Failure to respect Highway codes witnessed by
police.
9.8.3 Exclusions from classification
In the following circumstances, competitors will be excluded from
daily classifications.
• One or more time stamps missing from Time Card.
• Loss of time card ( unless a Race Official is able to accurately
reconstruct the participants missing timings ) In this case,
participants may continue the Motogiro next section but with
a fixed penalty applied
9.9 Finishing Positions
Overall finishing position in each class will be determined by totaling
of all penalty points the rider has accumulated throughout the event.
