I know I'm going to get flamed for this question, but here goes..

Motocross is a great sport, with wide appeal across all ages and genders. It continues to grow in popularity, especially in the Northeast. But for its growth to continue, the motocross community must take a hard look at ways to counter the environmental damage caused by the sport.

Motocross bikes are significant sources of air pollution. More importantly, they are significant sources of noise pollution, angering neighbors, and limiting riding locations. And many riders off-road through parkland, and other protected areas, causing soil erosion and damage to the land.

Quoting from the Appilatin Mountain Club

Because dirt bikes and four-wheel drive vehicles cause a disproportionate amount of damage to land, as well as noise pollution, this type of use needs a large amount of acreage that's separate from hikers and mountain bikers. In the Northeast, our public lands just aren't big enough to accomodate motorized use without damaging land, and the outdoor experience of human-powered recreationists.

Motocross is becoming more popular, but the majority of the public does not ride. Unless steps are taken now, public opposition to the sport, especially on public lands, will continue to grow. What should the motocross community be doing to avoid this confrontation, and lessen the sport's impact on Mother Earth, while preserving the sport itself?

-- chris schaffner (motocross@greenengineer.com), March 24, 2000

Answers

I don't know who this "appilatin" montian club is but I know I ride motocross on a track, not mountiancross on mountians. Go bother the New England Trial riders Association. And as far as NOISE POLLUTION goes go bother Harley Davidson.

-- Normal outdoorsman (motoman@yahoo.com), March 24, 2000.

Well lets take this step by step.... 1.)Air Pollution.. We can start with the Everyday vehicle...many do not meet air controll, as vehicles are not limited in an age to be on the road and are not quality inspected for effeciantness... no more then your lawn mower. 2.)Noise Pollution.. No more then the farm tractors that are used everyday, or the vehicles on the road,The neighbors dog barking,chain saws, and everyday local industrial plants.Try looking into decibel's..did u know the average town decibel level doesn't permit you to speak, your baby crying exceeds the decibel level by 4 times..so think again if you can even operate your lawn mower. The average dirtbike is 74db..a farm tractor is over twice this level.3.) Angery Neighbors...maybe if people lived a little and were more respective they could see this side if they weren't pre-judging everyone.No one ever picks on the farmer with his tractor..or a wood cutter with his chain saw..or even the barking neighbor's dog... How did people get alone back in the 50's or even before. There are too many Politics with too many people telling everyone what to do..I thought this was a FREE Country ?? This also applies to why there are so few places to ride.4.) Damaging Mother Earth.. This is a question we could go on about all day..leaking vehicles,tractor's or any motorized unit. The pollution to water,soil and air are harmed by us all.Even last weeks newspaper you through out to the dump..it all adds up.The state's water pipes,roads and public buildings..do you think they are safe ? Think again.We are all to blame as it was never thought of as the population grew...so lets not start picking on dirtbikes! Did anyone ever consider the kids maybe stayin out of trouble riding a dirtbike in a specified area, I am sure they didn't, as they are not a common sport as Baseball.The time and effort it takes riding or racing a dirtbike.If you do a little more checking you will find everthing I have said is true, I have done my homework.Another thing neglected by closed minded people is the FAMILY time this sport creates.Maybe the majority of the Public don't ride,but I bet they have some type of Motorized unit.There is enough of a Motocross community to avoid all of this foolishness,so I am sure we will always have a place to ride!You are correct as to getting feed back,statements as you made cause Close minded people.Try looking into keeping this a Free Country.

-- Sandy # 398 (raceme@mint.net), March 25, 2000.

Cris, you brought up a lot of key issues that many of the uneducated people in the world think of the world's best sport. I hope that you found Sandy's response to your questions stimulating enough. Another answer to your question(s), maybe to create a link on your web page to this message board to educate people on the truth about moto-cross and dirt bikes! If the majority of the community and/or government knew about all the positive impact this sport has brought to many people, they may look at dirt biker's and the sport differently. W.F.O

-- 314 (314@motocross.com), March 25, 2000.

I DUNNO BOUT YOU, BUT IF YOU ASK ME HARLEY'S MAKE ALOT!!!! MORE AIR POLLUTION AND NOISE POLLUTION THAN A DIRTBIKE, ALSO MOTOCROSS ISNT IN TRAILS OR WHERE EVER IT IS ON A TRACK SO WE AREN'T RUINING ANY LAND! MOTOCROSS IS ON A TRACK. I THINK YOU NEED TO GO TALK TO THE ENDURO RACERS , BUT IF THEY RACE IN CERTAIN PARTS OF THE WOODS THAN THEY HAVE PERMISION. SO I THINK THAT IF WE HAVE PERMISION TO RIDE WHERE EVER WE ARE RIDING THAN U SHOULDNT WORRY ABOUT IT !!!

-- MXCHIK (MXCHIK520@AOL.COM), March 27, 2000.

your gonna tell me that a dirtbike makes more air pollution than the chemical plants billowing yellow gas along the new jersy turnpike that cover manhatten in a yellow haze? never mind just one 15 mile traffic jam pumping exhaust fumes from thousands of vehicles on conn. interstate 95 almost every day in the morning.and for the weak,lame argument that dirtbikes destroy the woods, well i don't take my cr500 into uncut woods, in fact i don't even ride tight trails with that monster, all my buds and i open up on fire or cart roads which have already been there long before i was out of diapers, and only if we can't get to the nearest track! and as far as noise pollution i thought state and fed. land meant nobody lives there! it seems to me, wherever these crusaders against dirtbikes are causing problems,the industry that has the most to lose(manufacturers)should be there with the lawyers and cash to squash it nice and fast like the bikes they sell instead of doing nothing and hoping the riders will. if nothing gets done, i'm still gonna rock, they will just have to catch me cause i won't stop like i do now.

-- stymie (stymie500r@aol.com), March 27, 2000.