NMA, Enduro Basics

Big Fun - No Computers!

By Marcus Erickson, maicothedog@juno.com

This article is for all the Trail Riding Animals, Poker Run Pro Racers, Hare Scrambles Hooligans and Moto Cross Maniacs who have never tried Enduros. Many times I've heard folks say that you can't ride enduros without a $400 ICOMoosePentiumIVCray-CyberdyneSystems computer bolted to your dashboard. I'm here to tell you that you don't need a computer. The next most common reason riders don't try Enduros is because they think the rules are too complicated. People, the basic rules of Enduro Racing are not that tough. Yikes, if I can figure them out then anyone should be able to grasp them.

This article will explain the basic premise of Timekeeping Enduros, outline the equipment you need, tell how to enter the event, and present the basic tricks you need to know to have a fighting chance at bringing home a trophy.

What Is An Enduro?

A Timekeeping Enduro is a trail event usually covering between 30 and 80 miles. The object of the competition is to arrive at hidden checkpoints along the course at the correct time. You lose points for arriving at the checkpoint late OR early. The person who loses the fewest points (in each rider class) is the winner. One to four Riders start the race each minute - there is not a mass start. The organizing club will mark the course well with arrows and provide you with a printout of the speed averages you need to maintain in order to arrive at the checks on time. Usually the speed averages will be fast enough to keep you riding at your fast trail pace most of the time. On some parts of the course you will find it easy to keep on time but on other parts only experts can make the pace. This is what makes an Enduro both a speed event and a thinking event. The thinking part comes in when you try to anticipate where the checks are and have to decide the best pace to maintain to stay on time without "burning" the check (come in early).

What Do I Need to Ride an Enduro?

Bike Requirements:

Your bike should be in good mechanical condition and capable of covering moderately difficult terrain at your maximum comfortable speed for at least 30 miles without refueling (some events you may need more range). You must have a spark arrester, forest acceptable muffler and current ORV or street tags. In the NMA series you do not need lights, horn, mirrors or other sissy street equipment.

Rider Requirements:

Like your bike, your body should be in good mechanical condition and capable of covering moderately difficult terrain at your maximum comfortable speed for at least 30 miles without refueling. Well, you will probably have time somewhere for a Power Bar, but we aren't signing up for a flower arranging class here so you need to be in reasonably good physical shape. If you currently ride long course Poker Runs, you are probably "Good to Go, Ready to Launch" for your first Enduro. Except for the two Beginner Enduros on the schedule, NMA Enduros are Competition points events and therefore you must be an NMA member to enter. Remember to bring your NMA membership card. The two Beginner Enduros do not require NMA membership. Of course you will need a helmet, supportive boots, eye protection and gloves. Helmetless riders compete for a special "Darwin" award which is not sanctioned by the NMA. Water probably will not be available on the course so be sure you carry some with you.

Timekeeping Equipment:

Route Chart Holder - This is a plastic box about the size of a Band-Aid box with a clear face and two spools on which to roll your route chart. The Route Chart Holder attaches to your handlebars with a hose clamp. The Route Chart Holder is available at local motorcycle and accessory dealers for $8-$20. (I will explain Route Charts in the Basic Tricks section of this article.)
Digital Clock - Since we are talking about Timekeeping Enduros, you probably guessed that you are going to need a timepiece. You will be reading minutes off your clock periodically as you ride so you need something easy to read with big digital numerals. The cheapest clocks which work well are the big number digital jobs sold at Schucks, Al's or Fred Meyer's auto departments. Use two of the inexpensive ones so you have a backup if one fails. One good way to mount the clocks to the bike is to glue them securely to an old crossbar pad cover. You should set them up so that you can get to the control buttons to set the clocks on raceday morning. When you use the clocks in an event, tape the crossbar pad so it can't rotate. Trail test your clock setup on a good hard ride before you rely on it for an event.
Odometer - You really need an odometer that you can set (forwards or backwards) to an even tenth of a mile. The stock odometers which come on XRs, KDXs and many KTMs are ideal.- but I'm going to explain in the Basic Tricks section of this article how you guys on MX bikes can get around the odometer thing for your first few events. (It is possible to use bicycle speedos or dual sport odos if you write your own route chart - but that is way beyond the scope of this Basics article.)

How Do I Enter My First Enduro?

Choosing The Event:

All of the Enduros on the NMA schedule are listed at the end of this article. Many riders will try a Beginner Enduro for their first competition. This year there are two Beginner Enduros on the schedule. The Puget Sound Enduro Riders event in May is a time tested winner and Cascade Family MC will put on their first such event in August. The Beginner Enduros are attractive because they typically will feature a morning class session covering the rules and tricks. The riding portion in the afternoon will have easier speed averages than a competition points Enduro and moderately difficult trails. Entry in Beginner Enduros is restricted to riders without competition licenses. The Cascade Beginner Enduro will pay those precious Poker Run Points as an added incentive to give it a go. If you enjoy the Beginner Enduros on Saturday, you are welcome to enter the competition points Enduros the next day. If you choose to jump right in and run a competition points Enduro for your first event, it is a good idea to pick one held at a familiar riding area or ask around to see which events are the most fun. Some events are set up to challenge the best riders and it would be a shame to be deflowered at the Norman Bates Zombie Run.

Raceday Morning:

Raceday will typically start with sign-up at 7:00 AM. You will need to get to the staging area early so you may be better off to camp the night before. You have several things to take care of before you begin your race.

Sign-up - present the nice person with your NMA card and entry fee ($15-$35). Tell the sign-up person your age, the type of bike you are riding and that this is your first Enduro. They will help you choose your riding class (probably C class or one of the Amateur classes). The sign-up person will give you your entry package which will consist of your rider number, your score card and the course info. Your rider number will indicate your starting minute. The course info will contain the mileages and speed averages for the event. Don't worry too much about the course info for your first few events. We will rely on the Route Chart for managing the course. Before leaving Sign-up, ask where the start area will be.
Route Chart - Near the sign-up table they will be selling Route Charts (also called JART Charts or Roll Charts). Buy one ($5-$7). The route chart will be your guide to the event speed averages and possible check points. If they have several types of charts, buy the same one that everyone else does. Be sure it lists "possibles only", major turns and minutes (more on this in the Basic Tricks section).
Key Time - This is very important! Near the sign-up table will be a clock labeled "Key Time". Your rider number is the number of minutes after the event starts that you will start. You need to set both of your clocks so that they will read earlier than Key Time by your start minute. In other words, if you are on minute 18 (rider number 18), and the Key Time clock says 7:45, you set your clocks to 7:27 (to the second). This will make it so that your clock will read 9:00:00 when your minute starts (assuming 9 AM start time). Now you will be in sync with your route chart and the course clocks.
Sound Test - You are expected to show up with a spark arrester and a reasonably quiet silencer. You will need to find the sound test area and have them check your exhaust and mark that you passed on your score card.
Final Preparations - Tape your score card to your fender or number plate for the check crews to mark and load your route chart into its holder.
Riders' Meeting - Shortly before the start of the event the organizers will sound a horn to signal that the Riders' Meeting is starting. Do not miss the Riders' Meeting because they will be discussing important course changes, reviewing how the course is marked and answering questions.
Twenty minutes before your minute comes up, run to the bathroom. Ten to fifteen before your minute, start getting in line at the start. Make a note of the folks on the two rows ahead of you and on your row. You may need to key off of them during the race for your first few races so memorize what they look like.
Make sure your odometer is zeroed and your clocks are running. Check that your gas is on.
Watch how the starter sends the riders ahead of you off. You will start from a dead engine. You will probably wish you could go to the bathroom again and you may feel butterflies for the first time in months... It's almost time to race... But wait! You still need to know…

Rules and Basic Tricks to Bring Home Trophies

Basic Rules:

Checkpoints - Checkpoints will be marked by colored flag boards and will be manned by one to four people. Flip cards with times on them should be visible. You want to pass the flags while your minute is shown on the flip cards. A member of the check crew will mark on your score card your arrival time from the flip cards. The timing of the flip cards is staggered from key time such that if you are exactly on time, the flip cards will show your start time at each check. If you "zero" every check (perfect score) your time card should have your start time marked for each check.

If you are late to a Check Point, you lose one point for every minute you are late - late is bad.
If you are early to a Check Point, you lose two points for the first minute early and FIVE points for every additional minute early - early is VERY bad.
If you are more than 60 minutes and 59 seconds late to any checkpoint, you have "houred out" and are DISQUALIFIED (DQ).
If you are more than 15 minutes early to any checkpoint, you are DISQUALIFIED. And no, seeing how early you can get is not cool - everyone will think you're an idiot. Finishing without a DQ and getting a trophy even though you don't have an odometer is Way Cool.
If you are caught cutting the course, you may be DISQUALIFIED.
The check crew will score your arrival time as soon as you cross the line between the flags. If you are early you should ride as slowly as you can to let the clock catch up but don't stop forward motion or put a foot down or the crew will count you as across the line.

More Involved Rules and Tricks For Trophies:

Riding Possibles - This is the most important trick in Enduro Riding. The rules state that Checkpoints must be located on a whole 1/10 of a mile AND on a whole minute of the keytime clock. That means that for any given speed average, the checks can ONLY be located at certain locations (known as "possibles").
- Example: At 18 mph average you will travel exactly 3/10th of a mile in exactly one minute. That means that in an 18 mph section there is a "possible" at the top of every minute (each .3 mile).
- Example: At 15 mph average you will travel exactly _ mile in exactly one minute. Since .25 mile is not a whole tenth "possibles" do not occur each minute in a 15 mph section. Do the math and you will find that at 15 mph, you will travel exactly 5/10 of a mile in exactly two minutes. That means that in a 15 mph section there is a "possible" every two minutes (each .5 mile).
- Does this make your brain hurt? No worries, just remember that your Route Chart lists "possibles only". The Route Chart frees you from trying to calculate "possibles" on the fly. As you follow the course, if your odometer says you are not near a "possible" listed on your Route Chart, you can rage until you start to get close to the next "possible". As you get close, check your clock against the charted arrival time at the "possible" and if you are ahead of schedule, look ahead and try to figure out if there is a hiding place for the check. If no check is likely keep raging to the next "possible". If you can't tell if there is a check, you should probably let the clock catch up to you and get back on time. Remember Early Points burn badly! If you check your clock and you are behind schedule, Gas It Man!
Resets - Resets are the C class rider's friend. A reset is where you will move your odometer reading ahead - just like you teleported yourself ahead on the course while time stands still. You could come into a 1.2 mile reset in a 12 mph section and you instantly makeup six minutes! Now if you came in on time, you can rest and scarf that Power Bar. If you were ten minutes late, you are now only four minutes late and you best stop just long enough to set your odometer then get moving and get caught up. Again, the Route Chart will do the math for you on Resets. Just make sure you stop at the right place and adjust your odometer.
Three For Free - The rules state that Checkpoints can be no closer together than three route miles apart. This means every time you have your card marked at a checkpoint you should go as fast as you safely can for the next three miles because there can be no checkpoint in that three miles to catch you early. Use this to your advantage to get ahead of the clock just in case you are about to get into difficult terrain. A common low down dirty trick the organizers will pull is to put a Reset in the "Three For Free" zone. The Reset miles do count towards the "Three For Free". So your 1.2 mile Reset in our earlier example would reduce your free zone to only 1.8 miles. Don't get burned.
When ever you see a mileage posted on the course, set your odometer to agree with it. The next "possible" location is based off of the last posted mileage - no matter how far off it may have been. Mileages will be posted at each check and speed average change.

What About MX Bikes? -or- Oh Fudge, My Computer Quit!

If you don't have an odometer you can still play the Enduro game. It will be harder to do well but you can get some amazingly good scores if you use your head. You will need the cheapo clock and a roll chart, but try a few Enduros seat of the pants before you go out and spend real cash on an odometer. Here are a few techniques to get you by:

Sponge Off Your Buddies - If you have a buddy with timekeeping equipment, ask the sign-up folks to put both of you on the same minute. If you are faster than your buddy, ask him to signal you if he is dropping behind the clock but otherwise don't pass him. The better your friends are, the better you will do. If you don't have someone on your minute to key off of, key off of the guys ahead of you. If you are passing a lot of people and the speed average is not very fast, you are undoubtedly getting ahead of the clock and are risking a burn. If you are getting passed by a lot of kids on PW 50s you are probably going too slow - Gas it up, Dude.
Rely On the Landmarks - Route Charts will typically list major turns and road crossings. Watch for these landmarks and compare the time the Chart says you should have seen the landmark to when you really arrived. Similarly there will be signs on the trail for each Speed Change and Reset. These signs will tell you the exact mileage on the course which you compare to your clock and route chart. All of these Landmarks will allow you to avoid getting wildly off schedule.
Drive To Naches - The organizers of the Little Bear Enduro plan to write reference mileages on the course marker arrows every so often to give you a pretty good idea where you are on the course.

That's All There Is To It?

Well, no. There are a lot more tricks and details involved in becoming an Enduro Expert. But this is what you need to know to go out and give it your best shot. Riding Enduros will get in your blood if you give it a chance. Where else can you ride the "sacred enduro trails" and get a trophy to prove you did it?

NMA Enduro Listing

See our event calendar for enduro events throughout the year.