Beginnings
Founded in the early 1970s as the Foothill Trail Riders and later incorporated in 1992, the Berkshire Trail Riders Association is a 501(c)(3) non-profit charitable organization that advocates responsible off-road motorcycle riding, competition and local philanthropy in the greater New England region, all while fostering National and International Amateur Sports Competition.
Competitive Racing Spirit
Our members, former and current, compete locally, nationally, and Internationally, the vast majority at the amateur level while others have gone on to race professionally. The racing we host and compete in may or may not include sanctioning by the AMA, NETRA, GNCC, FIM and more. We have nearly 50 years of off road competition experience and will entertain hosting another International event.
Ongoing Trail Maintenance
The Berkshire Trail Riders maintain the trails they ride and promote their preservation through trail-work parties, while working alongside local, state and federal agencies. Other than those on private land or posted as prohibited, the trails are open to the public for all to enjoy.
Giving Back to Our Community
Over the years, Berkshire Trail Riders Association continues to donate time and money to local and national charity organizations alike, including regional fire departments, EMT units, State Forest and Massachusetts Department of Environmental Protection agencies, local residents who lost homes in fires, accident victims, private and public land owners, Hospice in The Berkshires, and The Ronald McDonald House Charities.
The Enduro is a form of motorcycle sport run on extended cross-country, off-road courses. The main type of enduro event, and the format to which the World Enduro Championship is run, is a time-card enduro, whereby a number of stages are a time trial against the clock.
The Hare Scramble is a form of off-road motorcycle racing that varies in distance and time, with the riders completing multiple laps around a marked course through wooded or other rugged natural terrain.
A Turkey Run is a route-sheeted, non-competitive trail ride. Some of the route may include trails with a high level of difficulty similar to an enduro, appropriate for enduro bikes but not the larger dual-sport or adventure bikes.
A Club Ride is a friendly, non-competitive day of riding, generally starting as one big group, and inevitably broken into smaller groups with similar skilled riders. Club rides are rain or shine.
Adventure Rides are generally done on off road capable motorcycles capable of travelling thousands of miles in comfort.
The Foothill Trail Riders 1973 International Six Day Enduro Featuring the Legendary, Visionary, Penton Brothers --Wahconah Regional High School - Dalton, MA--
The ISDT was first held in 1913 at Carlisle, England. It has occurred annually, apart from interruptions due to World War I and World War II, at various locations throughout the world. The early events were a true test of machine, rider skill, and reliability. Held on the ‘roads’ of that era, today most of the routes are truly ‘off-road’. Originally titled the International Six Day Trial, in 1981 the FIM decided to update the name to International Six Days Enduro, the name Enduro having been devised by the Americans and popularised by many motorcycle manufacturers also greater reflected the change in the event from a trial to more akin to a rally featuring skills more associated with cross country motocross.
The sport has been associated with many great motorcyclists before its 100th anniversary in 2013; this also includes women such as 1920s-30s star Marjorie Cottle. Up until 1973 the contest was always held in Europe. In 1973 it travelled for its first overseas jaunt, to Dalton, MA, right here in the Berkshires. Since then it has been outside Europe more frequently: twice in Australia (1992 and 1998), once more in the United States (1994), Brazil (2003), New Zealand in 2006, Chile in 2007 and 2018, and Mexico in 2010. The 2014 event was held from the 3 to 8 of November in San Juan, Argentina.[1]
The event has attracted national teams from as many as 32 different countries in recent years. Over its long history the rules and conditions have changed to keep in step with the developments in the sport, but it remains a supreme test of rider and machine. Over the six days and upwards of 1250 miles a rider must contend with strict rules about time allowances and restrictions on mechanical replacements, carrying out his or her own motorcycle repairs. The ISDE can attract entries of more than 500 riders, together with thousands of support crew and spectators. This has a major impact on tourist income for the venue in which it is based each year. For 2013, the 100th anniversary of the holding of the first ISDT, the FIM announced that there were a record number of pre-entry requests of 820 covering 35 nations from across the Globe with 600 entries being allowed to compete.[2]
Usually referred to as the ‘Olympics of Motorcycling’ with trophies for best six-rider national, four-rider junior national, three-rider women’s national, three-rider club national and three-rider manufacturing teams. Gold, silver and bronze medals are awarded on an individual level. The medals are typically awarded based on percentage of finishers, or relative to the best individual performance in the event within their specific class. Individual gold medals go to participants who finish within 10% of their class’ top competitor’s total elapsed time, silver medals are awarded for those who finish within 25%, and bronze medals are awarded to any rider who finishes all six days within their time allowance.
–Source, Wikipedia
Some local rides across the Northeast and beyond.
I had a blast! This was my first organized ride, and first time on dirt / trails in any meaningful way. I’m hooked!
Berkshire Trail Riders Association
PO Box 601
Winsted, CT 06098
©Copyright 2020, Berkshire Trail Riders Association. All rights reserved. Berkshire Trail Riders Association Inc is a 501(c)(3) charitable organization registered in Connecticut.