rath is a motocross legend and continues to set new records with each season. “Twenty year old Stephane Roncada is one of those guys who knows no limitations”(Goble 1). Stephane began his career in France at the age of five. He left his country in 1997 to apprehend motocross fame and fortune in the U.S. (Goble 1). Since 1997 he has kept himself near or at the top of the challenging Supercross and National Championship circuits. The reason that motocross is not a more popular sport among amateurs is due to several reasons. The main reason is that motocross, or any type of motorcycle, is extremely dangerous. Riders must be alert and use their heads at all time. A lazy or inattentive rider is almost always an injured rider (Naden 26). There are also many predicaments that are out of a rider’s control. Things such as track conditions, other riders, and bike malfunctions can be extremely dangerous and are out of the rider’s ability to control. Another reason for the sports unpopularity is due to the expense of motocross. Bikes are around five thousand dollars for a new one and maintenance can also be expensive. The maintenance required for a motocross bike is especially rigorous as well. For every hour a motocross bike is ridden, one hour of maintenance is to be expected. Things such as cleaning the bike, changing the oil, cleaning the air filter, adjusting and lubricating the chain, and adjusting the air pressure are all mandatory maintenance requirements after one hour of hard riding. The maintenance aspect and risk factors involved in motocross help classify it as an extreme sport. Some other minor drawbacks involved with motocross are the noise and pollution created by two-cycle dirt bikes. These factors are on their way to being solved with a new type of bike. It is a four-stroke dirt bike that requires little maintenance, is much quieter, and does not create much pollution. Since America takes ...
