The Off-Road Zone
(Updated March 7th, 2008)

One of the PNWMA's crowning achievements is it's off-road series. It consists of each club putting on a race under the banner of the PN. The member clubs organize the event following guidelines put down by the PN to make the series uniform. The the PN manages the overall points and awards for the series.

There are 18 races in the 2008 off-road series with events ranging from Castlegar to Dawson Creek to Bellingham. There are around 400-500 riders involved in the races with eleven classes so each rider has a class they can be competitive in.

In order to race, you need a motorcycle that is capable of race speeds and abuse for two to three hours. You'll also need safety gear since accidents to happen. and you'll need a license. The license you'll need is the PNWMA Competition License, which allows us to track your results for the series, the PN will also send you results and posters, four or five times a year. If you do well you can be eligible for trophies and the coveted winner's jacket given to each first place rider in their class.

The main reason for racing varies for many riders. For some it's the challenge of being the fastest in the woods, for others it's the adrenaline rush, and a few riders understand that "the stopwatch never lies" adding an infallible witness to their right to brag.  But no matter what your reason for ending up on the start line, remember to have fun out there.

Then check out the posters page for cool events that are coming up and have fun out there. There are also points, posters for non-series events, forms and other publications including rulebooks and license forms posted there. Click on the Posters button

ORS Classes: (PNWMA = NMA)

• Masters  = AA
• Expert = Open A
  
• Intermediate = Open B
  
• Vet Expert = Vet A
• Vet Amatuer = Vet B
• Senior Expert = Senior A
• Senior Amatuer = Senior B
• Super Senior = Super Senior
• Junior Over = Open C
• Junior Under = 200 C
  
• Women = Women

The classes are sorted on skill and age levels. The Over/Under split in the Junior classes are based on the engine size of your motorcycle. The Expert/Amatuer split in the Vet and Senior classes is dependent on skill. Expert and Master's class riders who are 30-39 may race in the Vet Expert, or Senior Expert if they are 40-49 years old.  Intermediate and Junior class riders can race in the Amatuer class. Riders over 50 years old may race in the Super Senior class. While women have the Women's class. Classification in Masters, Experts, Intermediates, Vets, Seniors and Womens classes is not bike dependent. It's race what you brought.

For riders racing in the states, please confirm you are racing in the correct class. If you do not race in the correct class, you will be given a finishing position which is the addition of your position and the last place in the correct class. For example, if you race Vet C (incorrect class) and get a 5th, and there were nine riders in Vet B (correct class), you will be given points for 14th place.

Class Hierarchy

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ORS Points

21 or worse = 1 point
Good samaritan or work points = the average of points collected over the season

The points for the off-road series are then tallied at the end of the year and the best races are counted towards the series totals

The Appendix B of the Rules and Regulations have a current listing of the amount of throwaways

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Rider Number Plates

These are recommended for riders to aid in scorekeeping and identification by spectators. These are not essential. If you do use number then please use the last three numbers of your PNWMA license/transponder. There will be no penalty for using other numbers and colors but we ask you to refrain from this to avoid confusion.

I've also contacted a couple of local graphics companies and provided them with PNWMA logos, so this way you can add these logos to your graphics kit.

Ride Industries (Victoria)

Printwerx.ca (Prince George)

Transponders

For 2008 We will be trying to focus more on the transponder system. At a race you will have to stop at the lap check, you will be checked manually and electronically at the same time. The manual check is a backup. Please note that transponders will not work if they are touching metal. We strongly suggest attaching the transponder to the center of your chest protector. It will work under shirts and jerseys as well. If you don't wear a chest protector then zap-strapping it to the center of your number plate is an alternative. (But is it a pain to check at the beginning of every race.) The transponders cost $10 and they are good for as long as you race. You can get a refund of $5 if you bring then back at the end of the event. Sportsman classes are not required to have a transponder.

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Event Bulletins

Please check the PNWMA Forums for more up-to-date updates.

Frequenty Asked Questions:

The answers to some frequently asked questions are posted here.

The Regional System

Also the regional idea has been implemented for this year. The idea is to allow racers and option of racing part of the series in a smaller more local format rather than running the entire series. There is still the option of racing for the overall prize and the jacket. With the region, only the regional events are considered for the trophy. However there is no penalty for racing events outside of the region. In fact I highy recommend doing so for practice and the fact that a lot of clubs put on some really good events in some really good riding areas.

"The Coast" Region #1

• Bent Spoke Hare Scramble, Hope BC
• Piston Run Cross Country, Chilliwack BC
• Monkey Wrench Cross Country, Lytton BC
• 3 Worlds Cross Country, Kamloops, BC
  
• Zofka Ridge Cross Country, Hope, BC

There is 1 throw-away for the Coastal region.  It will be the your Best 4 Scores for any class. Trophies to 3rd place.

"The Interior" Region #2

• Big Kahuna II Hare Scrambles, Kamloops BC
• The Squealin' Pig Hare Scramble, Vernon BC
• Ogopogo Cross Country, Penticton BC
• Tree Hugger Hare Scramble, Castlegar BC
• Mud Creek Run, Taylor, BC
• Gundy Pinner, Dawson Creek, BC
• Night Rooster, Vernon, BC
• Big Rooster Cross Country, Vernon BC
• Outback Bushwack Hare Scrambles, Quesnel BC
• Overlander Cross Country, Willams Lake BC

There are 5 throw-aways for the Interior region.  It will be the your Best 5 Scores for any class. Trophies to 3rd place.

A more current listing of Regions is under Appendix A of the Rules and Regulations

Racing

This is the easy part. Go to a race and sign up. If it's your first race then, fill out a PNWMA Competition License form and purchase a racing license ($30 Individual / $40 Family) then purchase your race entry fee (Around $40) and then finally pick up your transponder ($10). Then is just a matter of going racing.

Once you've done your first race, then don't worry about the license untill next year, or your transponder (it's good for as long as you race.) Don't forget to check it at registration at every race.

Have an awesome ride and Good Luck!

Okanagan Hare Scramble Series (OHSS)

These guys are the former membrs of the Okanagan Dirt Riders. They wanted to keep organizing races after the collapse of the ODR so they joined the PN. They are a seperate series, independent of the ORS, however your PN license will allow you to race their series. OHSS races are not in a hare scramble format. Instead riders will complete a set amount of laps and scored by their finishing times. (More like a cross country.) Their dates are listed on the calendar. I recommend trying one of their events just to give them some support and to try something new.

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