Police Motorcycle Skills Training Official Rules

These are the official rules for the Gulf Coast Police Motorcycle Skills Training.

All rules are subject to revision without prior notice, subject to approval by the Rules Committee.

All forms, documents, correspondence, the motorcycle riding committee logo, and materials used by the Gulf Coast Police Motorcycle Skills Training are the property of the Gulf Coast Police Motorcycle Skills Training.

Rules Committee

Defined: On the day of the skills training, a Rules Committee will be established to settle all disputes that cannot be settled at the judges level. The Head Track Official will select five committee members from five different agencies, and post the Rules Committee Members on or near the registration booth so that it can be seen.
Disputes: A dispute will be handled in the following manner:
- Any dispute of scoring of a particular event must be addressed by the affected participant after completing the said run.
- Only the participant may dispute scoring or a judge’s decision.
- Disputes will be brought to the Head Judge for a ruling over an event / course score.
- If the dispute is not resolved by the Head Judge, the Rules Committee will resolve the dispute.
- All decisions of the Rule Committee are final for the day of the skills training.
Conduct: Participants who display or engage in an unprofessional conduct as determined by the Head Judge (or their designee), may be ejected from the skills training.

General Rules

Eligibility: Participation in the Police Motorcycle Skills Training is open to all sworn full-time Law Enforcement Officers who are authorized to ride a police motorcycle through their department.

Running Order: Each rider will be assigned a number at registration. The rider must ride in numerical order.

Motorcycle Requirements: Participants must compete on a police motorcycle of at least 998 ccs, equipped in the normal deployment configuration, with all rails attached as originally equipped. The only modifications that will be allowed are to remove the kick stand. No modification of the steering geometry will be permitted. Fork stops must be in place. For applicable motorcycles, fork stops will be at the bottom of the triple tree to make contact with the frame while turning. No personally owned motorcycles will be permitted.

Participant Attire: Participants must compete wearing the appropriate uniform normally worn while on duty.

Protective Gear: All participants must wear a helmet that is properly fastened while on the course.

Emergency Motorcycle Repairs: Prior to entering an event, a participant (or team) will be allowed 15 minutes to repair a motorcycle that is malfunctioning. If the motorcycle is unserviceable, the participant may continue in the competition provided that:

- The participant can locate a replacement motorcycle within 15 minutes.
- The new motorcycle must already be qualified.
- The motorcycle must be assigned to compete in the same course as the participant.

Motorcycle Malfunctions: Once a participant or a team has begun an event, no excuses for a breakdown will be allowed. This includes kick stand problems. It may be advantageous to secure the kick stand prior to competing.

Entry Restriction: A participant may compete in only one division.

Participants Meeting: A meeting of ALL participants riding in the Police Motorcycle Skills Training will be held prior to the start of the competition.

- The scoring and the approved path of travel through the events will be reviewed.
- Participants should understand course events prior to the end of the meeting.
- The meeting will be conducted by the Head Track Judge or a designee.
- The Participants Meeting time will be announced in advance.
- It is the participants’ responsibility to attend the meeting.
- After the Participants Meeting, any disputes concerning information disseminated at the Participants Meeting will not be considered.

Challenge Run

The Challenge Run will be designed by the track judges. The track judges will determine what exercises will comprise the Challenge Run. The Challenge Run will not be revealed until set up by the track judges the day of the event. Only one place will be awarded for this event, regardless of their division or level of experience.

Divisions

Harley Davidson FL Windshield
- Expert- Any participant who has competed in 3 or more competitions, or has placed in the top five in at least one competition.
- Novice- A participant who has not placed in the top five of any competition or who has not entered in more than three previous competitions.
Harley Davidson FL Fairing
- Expert- Any participant who has competed in 3 or more competitions, or has placed in the top five in at least one competition.
- Novice- A participant who has not placed in the top five of any competition or who has not entered in more than three previous competitions.
Other Honda, Other Harley Davidson, BMW, etc
- Expert- Any participant who has competed in 3 or more competitions, or has placed in the top five in at least one competition.
- Novice- A participant who has not placed in the top five of any competition or who has not entered in more than three previous competitions.

Awards

Chris Metternich Memorial Award (Mr. Rodeo)

This award will be awarded to the overall best rider throughout the competition. Riders must compete in all individual events (Individual Speed Run, Individual Slow Ride, and the Challenge Run) to be eligible for this award. Points for each event will be awarded in order placed, 1^stplace finisher will be awarded 1 point, 2^ndplace finisher will be awarded 2 points and so on. The individual rider with the lowest amount of points after all events will be the recipient of this prestigious award. There will be Ten Places awarded for overall individual performance, with the first-place winner being named Mr. Rodeo.

Fastest Clean Run

This award is given to the participant with no penalties and the fastest time. This award will be given to only one participant, regardless of their division or level of experience.

Over 50 year Old Class

The participant who is 50 years of age or older with the fasted Individual speed run time will be awarded this award. This award will be given to only one participant, regardless of their division or level of experience.

Outstanding Female Participant

The Female participant with the fastest Individual speed run time will be awarded this award. This award will be given to only one participant, regardless of their division or level of experience.

Division 1 Expert and Novice

First through tenth Place will receive an award.

Division 2 Expert and Novice

First through tenth place will receive an award.

Division 3 Expert and Novice

First through Fifth place will receive an award.

Goal

The objective of the competition is to receive no penalty points. All participants begin with a zero balance.

Course Runs

Participants are required to make one run each on course A and B. Both runs will be timed beginning when the participants front tire breaks the electric eye and ending when the front tire breaks the electric eye when exiting the last exercise. A back up stop watch will be used by the Head Track Judge in the event of a timing malfunction.

Penalty Points

Penalty points for all rides will be assessed as follows:

Touch a cone = 1 penalty point
Knock a cone down = 3 penalty points
Put a foot down = 5 penalty points
Drop the motorcycle = 10 penalty points
Fail to complete an exercise = Disqualified

Final Score

Final score will consist of each participant’s final time of their timed runs.

After completing both runs, participants’ times will be added together after penalty points (if any) have been factored in.

Ties

In the event of a tie, the tie will be broken with the participant with the fastest clean run. If neither participant has a clean run, the tie will be broken with the rider who has the fastest time with penalty points added.

Team Competition

Awards – First through fifth place will be awarded.

Team: A team will consist of the top four riders from each department. To be eligible for team competition each participant must compete in all individual events (individual slow ride, challenge ride, and speed run) for each individual event, the winner will be given 1 point, second place will receive 2 points etc. After points have been assigned according to placement for those three events, those points will be added together for the final individual score. The team score will be the top four riders with the lowest scores will be combined for the team score. Each department may have only one team, unless departments having less than four riders want to combine to make a team. Departments with four or more riders may not combine extra riders with another department for an additional team.

Ties: All ties in the team competition will be broken in the following manner:

- Team with the fastest clean run.
- In the event the event neither team has a clean run, the tie will be broken with the fastest run with penalties.

Team Slow Ride Competition

- Awards – First through fifth place will be awarded.
- Team – Any four participants from a department or any four participants from different Departments may form a team.
  - Departments may enter as many teams as they wish
  - Participants may ride on no more than one team
  - All rules of the Police Motorcycle Skills Training apply
- Goal – The object of the team slow ride is for four participants to travel down a pre-determined space as slowly as possible. The team with the slowest combined time for all four participants from a team will determine the winner
- Penalties – The teams time will stop at the occurrence of any of the following:
  - Any team member puts his foot down
  - Any team member drops their motorcycle
  - Any team member crosses the boundary lines
  - The first team member does not start on time
  - The team members exchange was not done in time
- Timing – The time starts when the first team members front axle crosses the start line
  - The time stops when the last team members rear axle crosses the end line.
  - The first rider must be entered into the lane within the 5 seconds of the judges starting command.
- Rider Exchange- Team members shall enter into the pre-determined space.

When the first team members front tire (the area of the tire in contact with the ground) is about to exit the space (crosses the start/end line), prior to its exit the space, the second team member must raise their foot and enter the space (crosses the start/end line). Team member number 2’s front wheel must be in the space prior to team member number 1’s front wheel exit from the space. Team member number 2 then continues in the lane to the other end. Team members 3 and 4 proceed as stated above. A good exchange occurs when the next team member enters the space (across the start/end line) from a point in time prior to the previous team member exiting the lane with the front wheel, up to and/or until the previous team members front wheel crosses the end line.

Individual Slow Ride Competition

Eligibility: A participant must be a member of a participating department full time.

All rules of the Police Motorcycle Skills Training shall apply.

Awards: First through Fifth place will be awarded

Goal: The object of the individual slow ride is for the participant to travel down a pre-determined space as slowly as possible. The slowest time will determine the winner.

Penalties: The participants time will stop at the occurrence of any of the following.

A participant puts a foot down.
A participant drops the motorcycle in the space.
A participant crosses a boundary line.

Timing – The time starts when the participant’s front axle crosses the start line. The time ends when the participant’s rear axle crosses the end line.

Partner Ride

Awards: First through fifth place teams will receive awards.

Goal: The event will consist of two motorcycles being connected by a rope which is 36 inches long. The rope is divided into two 18 inch pieces. The two pieces have velcro attached to the end; the two ropes will be joined together. The ropes are attached to the saddle bag rails. There will be a pre-determined path of travel set by the track judge. Each participating team will be given one run. After completing the original run, each team will have the option to buy additional runs for a fee of 5.00 per run. A team will be allowed a maximum of 5 runs.

Disqualification: If any of the following occurs, the run will be disqualified.

The connecting ropes are separated at the velcro connection.
A participant puts their foot down.
A team member touches a cone.
A team member drops the motorcycle.
A team rides out of the predetermined course of travel.

Glossary of Terms

Average Turning Radius: left turn radius + right turn radius/2

Participant: A Law Enforcement Officer who is authorized to ride a Police Motorcycle by their department and is registered to compete in the Police Motorcycle Skills Training.

Police Motorcycle: A motorcycle owned by a department, city or county, that is used for your tour of duty while on departmental time. No personally owned motorcycles will be permitted.

Participants Meeting: A meeting of all participants to review the rules, path of travel and scoring procedures of the Police Motorcycle Skills Training.

Course: A series of events which a participant must ride. Includes the path of travel between exercises in the individual timed run.

Cross Boundary Line: If the contact patch of the tire crosses a boundary line. Crossing is determined if a judge can see space between the tire and the boundary line.

Department: Any police agency who a participant is a member full time.

Drop the Motorcycle: In an exercise, if the motorcycle falls to the surface and the participant does not have control of the motorcycle, which would allow for safe operation of the motorcycle (includes any part of the entire course in the timed run).

Exercise: A specific set of obstacles, which makes up part of the course.

Expert Level: Primary level of competition for the individual competition.