Recreational Trail Bike Riding – research and information
Trail bike riding is a legitimate outdoor recreation activity with increasing demand.
Recreational trail bike usage, particularly in bushland areas near private residences, presents a range of interrelated problems for participants, adjoining landholders, Local Governments and State Government agencies in Queensland and elsewhere in Australia.
Trail Bike Riding in Queensland
Ride smart, ride safe and ride in the right place.
It’s pretty hard to find places to ride that are close to home, fun and legal. But that doesn’t mean it’s ok to ride on land where you’re not supposed to! When people ride in places where they shouldn’t they could be damaging the land, polluting the waterways, annoying the people who live close by and even breaking the law. If everyone rides in the right place, we can reduce trail bike related fatalities and injuries as well as the damage done to both the bush and the reputation of trail bike riders.
Where to Ride
Parks and forests with trail bikes permitted
Safety Tips
Links & Resources
Trail Bike Riding Needs Analysis 2009, a report from the University of Queensland based on an online survey run in 2009. The aim of the survey was to acquire information on the profile of trail bikes riders, the kind of bikes they and their children and partner ride, where they ride, their needs in terms of places to ride, their expenditures related to trail bike riding activities. This survey also asked about the benefits of trail bike riding and issues and concerns surrounding the sport.
Conclusion
This report demonstrates that trail bike riding is a healthy lifestyle. Riders in both surveys perceive trail bike riding as a social activity which is beneficial to their personal well-being, their physical and mental health, and the relationship with their family and friends. The number of bikes reported and the expenditures related to trail bike riding indicate that this sport makes a significant contribution to Queensland’s economy. In addition, trail bike riders are concerned with being able to continue practicing the sport in an organised and well managed fashion while taking into consideration the concerns of local communities. Strong empirical research is needed to validate the riders’ perception of the benefits of the sport and also to generalise findings to the population of riders.
Riding a motorbike is not exercise. The gym is exercise. Running is exercise. Swimming is exercise. Isn’t it?
Any trail rider will tell you how much they sweat on a tough day out on the trails. New riders often call it a day early as the experience can be so physically draining. But if you’ve never been on a bike, how would you know?
Devon TRF member Dr Sean Combs has been on a mission to apply a little science to the art of trail riding and has published a ground breaking report, ‘The Health Benefits of Trail Riding’. We (TRF) caught up with him to find out how it came to together and why trail riding is a key part of the governments strategy to keep us active and fit for longer. Read More
Read full report: The Health Benefits of Trail Riding
Source
Trail Riders Fellowship (UK)
The (UK) Government recommends targets for exercise in order to remain healthy. It is advised to take either 150 minutes of moderate exercise, 75 minutes of vigorous exercise or a combination of both per week.
3.5 hours: the amount of time spent trail riding to reach the Government guidelines for weekly moderate exercise
Read full report: The Health Benefits of Trail Riding
Source
Trail Riders Fellowship (UK)
Motorcycling Queensland (MQ) – the state controlling body for the sport of motorcycling in Queensland, which can be broken up into the following racing disciplines: Motocross (including Stadium, Freestyle and Supercross), Dirt Track, Enduro, Road Racing, Moto-Trials, SuperMoto and Speedway.
Motorcycling Queensland runs the Queensland Moto Park at Wyaralong
Dual Sport Motor Cycle Riders Association (DSMRA) – The DSMRA was formed in 1995 as a direct consequence of the current trend of land closures throughout Australia.
The main thrust determined at the inception of the association was to provide the framework for off road riders to become a cohesive body and to fight the current trend of closures by demonstrating the positive aspects of off road motorcycle riding, and the fact that we can co-exist with the environment.
