MX Tracks, Private Land, Organised Events on Public Land, Riding Clubs Meets and Green Lanes (known as trail riding) are all places you can ride your dirt bike legally in the UK.
In this post we will go through these different options, list some dirt biking sites that you may want to visit, as well as touch on things like costs and insurance.
1. MX Tracks in the UK
This is maybe the most obvious choice and a good one. MX tracks are purpose built courses that allow riders of all abilities to practice and improve their dirt biking skills. Many hold competitions as well as practice days, allowing riders to turn up, pay and ride on specified days.
As motocross is a common sport covering all of the UK you will likely be able to access a track fairly close to where you live.
Different tracks will offer varying degrees of difficulty with some having more than one option, for example a track for beginners, intermediate and advanced.
10 Popular MX Tracks in the UK
- FatCat Motoparc – Doncaster, South Yorkshire
- Hawkstone Park – Shrewsbury, Shropshire
- Landrake Moto Parc – Landrake, Cornwall
- Cusses Gorse MX – Salisbury, Wiltshire
- Apex Motocross Track – Worcester, Worcestershire
- Canada Heights – Swanley, Kent
- Mildenhall MX Park – Mildenhall, Suffolk
- Wroxton Motocross Park – Banbury, Oxfordshire
- Moto 45 – Tiverton, Devon
- Wilden MX Track – Stourport-on-Severn, Worcestershire
These are just a selection of tracks available and are among the most popular.
What Is The Most Famous MX Track In The UK?
Hawkstone Park in Shrewsbury is considered the most famous. The venue has been in use since as an MX track since the 1950s and has hosted many national and international competitions. Prior to that it started life in 1938 as a hill climb event for cars.
The last hosted FIM World Championship hosted at Hawkstone was in 1991 and due to increasing costs to host the event, they haven’t managed to do so since.
Website: www.hawkstoneinternationalmx.com
What Is The Hardest MX Track In The UK?
Hawkstone Park is known to be the hardest MX track in the UK. You need a high level of technical ability as the track offers up some steep inclines and challenging jumps which also make it very physically demanding on the rider. This along with varying ground types such as loose soil, hardpack and sand, test the riders knowledge, stamina and ability.
The track draws in riders from all over the world.
2. Private Land
If you are lucky enough to have access to private land then you are able to ride on it without restrictions, for example you don’t need a license, tax, mot or insurance. However insurance is not a bad thing to consider just incase somethings take a turn for te worst in one way or another.
The private land doesnt have to be owned by you, it could be anyones land and as long as you have permission from the land owner you are good to go.
Personally I have a neighbour who owns a big , relativley flat field which doesn’t get much use. I just asked him one day if he would mind me taking my kids there with there little Honda 80cc and he was fine with that. Easy!
Using private land as a place to ride is normally a cheap option that is close to home and isn’t used by other riders. So well worth considering.
3. Organised Events
This is probably obvious, but worth mentioning. Organised events happen all over the UK and although many of them are at MX tracks or similar, there are equally plenty of annual events that are held in bespoke places.
Most of these events tend to be competition based, normally timed races so perhaps something to build up to if you are new to dirt biking.
Searching Google, Facebook groups and local MX clubs are all good places to find local info about whats going on in your area.
4. Riding Clubs
Such a brilliant way to meet people with the same hobby locally, there are clubs for a range of MX styles so you can find a club that suits your interest.
For me its trail riding, and local green laning groups on Facebook is a great place to start. You can also use the green laning apps to find meet ups.
Motocross clubs are huge so if you are wanting to get competative you will likely end up going down this route. Most of the MX tracks listed above wil have a club at the track.
We have a small time local track near me where complete amatuers go to practice along with semi pro’s and you can people that will be happy to chat and invite you out on local rides.
5. Green Lanes – Trail Riding
Green laning and Trail Riding is my favourite style and gets you out and about in the countryside in all weathers with other riders having fun.
The UK has a great deal of accessible green lanes which can be riden, you just need to make sure that you are allowed on the one you want because not all of them permit dirt bikes.
Finding out what trail you can ride is a fairly simple process and can be done with an Ordnance Survey map. You need to locate a trail and use the legend to see that the trail is open to all traffic, full instructions and other methods can be found in this post .
Do You Need A License For Green Laning?
You need to hold a valid UK driving license for motorcycles to be able to go green laning. Your dirt bike must also have a valid mot and tax, as well as insurance.
Provided all these things are in place there is no other license required for you to start green laning.
A couple of posts you maybe interested if you are looking to get into green laning are below:
FAQ’s
Can You Ride Dirt Bikes On Public Land UK?
You are not legally permitted to ride a dirt bike on public land in the UK. This means you cant ride your dirt bike on any public land or common space without permission from the relevant authorities.
However you can ride a dirt bike on green lanes in the UK, which is land that has a public right of way but may or may no be privately owned. This is known as trail riding.
See below the section about Green Lanes, where I go into abit more detail about what lanes are legal and what you need to have in place to make sure you are legal to do so.
Generally speaking, the only times you can ride legally on public land would be if there is an event being held on the land. For example local to me there is an annual beach races which see hundreds of riders turning up on a wide selection of dirt bikes to tear up a predetermined course.
The event organisers would have permission from the authorites and would be responsible for the event safety and running. Most would have an entry fee which in turns covers event costs.
Can Police Take Your Dirt Bike UK?
The police can seize you dirtr bike if you are breaking the law whilst using it. This could be for a manner of reasons such as riding without a valid MOT or not having insurance on the vehicle.
Section 59 of the road traffic act 1988 explains about why the police can take you bike from you and under what circumstances. The link below will take you to that section.
Section 59 of the road traffic act 1988
What Happens If You Get Caught Riding A Dirtbike On The Road In The UK?
Dirtbikes can be road legal so assuming the bike is taxed, mot’d and insured you are ok to ride your dirt bike on the road. If you are riding illegally then if caught your bike can be seized by the police where by they have the right to take the bike from you at that very moment.
Depending on the situation the dirt bike maybe crushed or sent to a storage facility where you maybe be able to get it back for a cost.
Do You Need Insurance For A Dirt Bike UK?
Dirt bike insurance is a legal requirement if you wish to ride your dirt bike on the road in the UK. If you are riding your own bike on your own private land, or have permission from the land owner then you do not legally need insurance although it would still be recommended to have it.
How Do I Make My Dirt Bike Street Legal UK?
The short answer is you need to a have road worthy bike that has been registered to be on the road as well as have valid mot and insurance in place. If your bike is not road registered then you will need to apply for the relevant documents from the manufacturer.
I have a post dedicated to this topic so head on over there using the link below.
Related Post: How To Make A Dirt Bike Street Legal
How Old Do You Have To Be To Ride A Dirt Bike UK?
Dirt bikes are manufactured for children from the age of 4 yrs old and can be riden off road from that age. To ride on the road in the UK you will need to a minimum of 16yrs of age at which time you will be able to ride upto a 50cc with the relevant license.
