Enduros are a great time for a lot of reasons. Of course, they involve you and a dirt bike. That’s a given. But there are a few more ingredients that really help this discipline stand the test of time.
- A lot of seat time. Most enduros are 75 to 100 miles long (or more).
- Time to catch your breath. Test sections are broken up by easy transfer sections and resets.
- Time keeping is easy. Basically, go as fast as you can in test sections. On the easy transfer sections where you could outpace the 24 mph average, just compare the time on your watch to the time on the route sheet. If you’re ahead, stop and wait.
- Great trail. Enduros are one giant loop, so the trail is generally fresh.
- Variety. Because enduros cover relatively large swaths of land, you can go from hills to fields to valleys and back all in one ride.
- Adventure. You never know what to expect around the next corner -- a monster hill, caves, dry creek beds, a motocross track, a barn…
- History. Enduros date at least to the birth of the AMA in 1924, making them one of the world’s longest-running motorsports.
 This shot, from the 1955 Athens Milk Run, is of Clarence Wise of Zanesville, Ohio. From the December 1955 issue of American Motorcyclist: "He could use a team of horses much better than the horses in his engine. The other bike is a silent testimoney that only the hearty could survive. Wow, what a mess!"
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This weekend, Ohio off-roaders will ring in the 65th anniversary of a true Midwestern classic, the Athens Motorcycle Club’s annual Milk Run Enduro. The event has been going strong since 1946. It has been won by great off-roaders from Joe “Pappy” Gee to John Penton to Terry Cunningham to Mark Hyde to Robbie Jenks.
I will be there, hopefully enjoying some perfect fall weather -- about 70 degrees and sunny. No, I have no shot at the traveling trophy that goes to the overall winner, but I’ll have a great time and get way more than my money’s worth.
Enduros might not be for everyone. If you enjoy three-hour, full-throttle assaults on a set woods loop with a few hundred of your favorite friends, sign up for a Grand National Cross Country event or hare scrambles. If you’d rather ride on your own schedule and competition isn’t your thing, dual-sport rides are for you. If you fall somewhere in the middle, a classic enduro may be the perfect way to round out a weekend.
It’s something motorcyclists figured out nearly 90 years ago, and it isn’t changing anytime soon.