A Glossary of Motocross Terms
Motocross and supercross have a language all their own. Commentators and fans throw around terms like whoops, scrub, and berm as if everyone was born knowing them. If you are new to the sport, this glossary will get you up to speed. Each term below is defined in a single line so you can quickly connect the words you hear to what is actually happening on the track.
Track Features
- Whoops: a series of closely spaced bumps that riders skim across at speed rather than jumping individually.
- Berm: a banked wall of dirt on the outside of a corner that riders lean into for grip.
- Rut: a deep groove worn into the dirt by repeated passes, which riders use as a guide through corners.
- Rhythm section: a run of jumps that can be tackled in different combinations depending on a rider's speed and skill.
- Tabletop: a jump with a flat top connecting the takeoff and landing, safer because the gap is filled in.
- Double: two jumps spaced so a rider clears both in one leap.
- Triple: three jumps cleared in a single leap, a bigger and riskier commitment than a double.
- Step-up: a jump where the landing is higher than the takeoff.
- Off-camber: a section of track that slopes away from the rider, reducing traction.
- Face: the takeoff ramp of a jump.
Racing and Starts
- Holeshot: the award for the rider who leads the pack through the first corner after the start.
- Gate drop: the moment the starting gate falls and the race begins.
- Moto: an individual race; outdoor events typically combine two motos for an overall result.
- Main event: the featured, points-paying race of a supercross night.
- Heat race: a shorter qualifying race that transfers top finishers to the main event.
- LCQ: the last chance qualifier, a final race for riders who did not yet transfer to the main.
- Overall: a rider's combined result across both motos at an outdoor event.
- Lapped rider: a slower competitor a full lap behind the leaders, who must be passed again.
Riding Techniques
- Scrub: a technique of laying the bike over low and flat through a jump to stay fast and low.
- Whiskey throttle: accidentally grabbing too much throttle, often causing a rider to be thrown off the back.
- Seat bounce: using the compression of the seat and suspension to help launch off a jump.
- Cross rutted: when a bike's wheels end up in two different ruts, an unstable and dangerous situation.
- Roost: the spray of dirt kicked up behind a bike's rear wheel under acceleration.
- Block pass: an aggressive pass where a rider cuts in front and forces the other to slow.
- Braking bumps: small ripples that form before corners where riders repeatedly brake.
Bikes and Equipment
- Two-stroke: an engine type that fires once per crankshaft revolution, known for a light, snappy power delivery.
- Four-stroke: an engine type that fires once every two revolutions, offering smoother, more usable power.
- 450: shorthand for the premier class and its roughly 450cc machines.
- 250: shorthand for the development class and its smaller-displacement bikes.
- Holeshot device: a mechanism that lowers the front of the bike at the start for better launch and traction.
- Goggles and tear-offs: eye protection with disposable clear layers riders peel away to keep vision clear in mud.
People and Roles
- Privateer: a rider who competes without a full factory team, often self-funded.
- Factory rider: a rider under contract to a manufacturer's official team with top-level support.
- Mechanic: the crew member responsible for preparing and maintaining a rider's bike.
- Pit board: a sign held out on the track to relay position or timing information to a rider mid-race.
Conditions and Miscellaneous
- Loamy: soft, grippy dirt that riders love because it offers excellent traction.
- Blue groove: a hard-packed track surface with a shiny, slick main line and little loose dirt.
- Sand track: a deep, sandy circuit that demands a specialized, aggressive riding style.
- DNF: did not finish, marking a rider who failed to complete the race.
- Podium: the top-three finishing positions, and the ceremony that follows the race.
- Sighting lap: a slow lap that lets riders inspect track conditions before racing.
Keep this list handy for your next race broadcast. Once these terms click, the commentary stops sounding like jargon and starts telling you the real story of what is happening on the track, from who grabbed the holeshot to why a rider chose to scrub a big triple instead of jumping it clean.
