motos on trails (again)

just to revisit this issue because I know there's a thread out there, but I couldn't find it in a search.
I went for a ride yesterday and was a bit dismayed to find that motos have been ripping the shit out of a few sections of a trail I built. It's not just the fact that it's "my" trail, but every couple of years around here a great trail gets absolutely shredded by moto-x bikes to the point it's nearly unrideable on a mountain bike. I happen to think that's pretty lame; moto riders should be building and riding their own trails, but I digress.

What's the best approach to deal with motos on trails? I'm thinking that building some a-frame bridges with very steep downramps to dissuade them is one step. Mandatory airs? Public shaming?
I know other areas have big problems with moto users, luckily most people are respectful around here but it seems there's still a few idiots rolling around.

A start can sometimes be with contacting the local motorcycle club and asking them nicely to try and respect that some trails are mtb only. Wooden structures and other obstacles can be a deterrent, but at the end of the day if the rider is going to be an ass….well there's not much you can do.

In our area, the most heavily moto impacted trail network is actually in a Provincial Park that is close to a trailer park / homes on the edge of town. BC Parks does not have the manpower or desire to pursue an enforcement approach. They prefer an education approach, so we have a number of no-moto signs (official) that regularly disappear or are vandalized. Tomorrow I am heading out to install 2 more at a popular moto access point.

For ATV's, the best deterrent is a narrow fully benched trail cut across a steep sidehill, not sure what will deter moto. I have found that the moto use decreases as other users on the trails increase, so we rarely see moto impacts in summer/nice weather. It's usually fall/winter/early spring when the odds of running into mtb'ers/runners/hikers/dog walkers is decreased.

The offenders are not moto-club types, just yahoos with dirt bikes and are typically half cut at the time.

Who's land is the trail on? Guessing the trail is unauthorized?

good point in talking to the moto crowd, I don't think we have a club here but next time I'm in the Stihl Dealer/moto shop picking up parts for my saw I'll ask them to spread the word. I may also write a letter to the newspaper and see if that makes someone think twice - it's a long shot but you never know.

I'm actually surprised (and mildly impressed) that someone rode a moto up some of the rock faces (not a trials bike, a moto-x because I've seen the douchebags riding around while I was building, just waiting to get in there and rip it up). Of course the big problem is they dug big ruts at the base of the rock slabs while trying to get up.

All else fails it would be pretty easy to find out who it is by looking at the trucks parked across from the bottom of the FSR and go from there

i would guess a problem with actually identifying these guys is that they are probably pretty aggro. that's the impression i get with the renegade type moto riders. (i ride moto as well with a fairly mellow crew that never rides mtn bike trails).

Do you have a Mountain Bikes Only sign at both ends? That's really the only way to politely ask someone to not use an open path in the forest.

Don't bother with barriers - a good moto rider will see that as a challenge, same as we see a drop. You'd be surprised what can be ridden up and over, or around if you don't have the mad skillz.

PS - SORCA and SDBA have to be best managed dual purpose trail network out there. It takes effort and respect in both directions.

http://www.sorca.ca/sorca-sets-the-record-straight-on-bridge-over-ring-creek/

http://www.sorca.ca/respect-moto-mon/

I'm settting myself up for the same thing. Just cleared out an old moto trail and wondering how long until they find out since a lot of guys mtb and moto. Can't blame them since it was their trail in the first place but I'm always trying to think of filter features that can discourage them but still flow for mtb. I don't know what's worse though, the motos, or the guys that have already started sanitizing the trail but did not help clear it out. I'm almost wishing the motos will come through and thrash the stuff they dumbed down.

I'm settting myself up for the same thing. Just cleared out an old moto trail and wondering how long until they find out since a lot of guys mtb and moto. Can't blame them since it was their trail in the first place but I'm always trying to think of filter features that can discourage them but still flow for mtb. I don't know what's worse though, the motos, or the guys that have already started sanitizing the trail but did not help clear it out. I'm almost wishing the motos will come through and thrash the stuff they dumbed down.

How in the world is that the same thing?

lol

I'm settting myself up for the same thing. Just cleared out an old moto trail and wondering how long until they find out since a lot of guys mtb and moto. Can't blame them since it was their trail in the first place but I'm always trying to think of filter features that can discourage them but still flow for mtb.

Uh….youre trying to discourage motos from riding a trail that was made by motos?

I'm settting myself up for the same thing. Just cleared out an old moto trail and wondering how long until they find out since a lot of guys mtb and moto. Can't blame them since it was their trail in the first place but I'm always trying to think of filter features that can discourage them but still flow for mtb. I don't know what's worse though, the motos, or the guys that have already started sanitizing the trail but did not help clear it out. I'm almost wishing the motos will come through and thrash the stuff they dumbed down.

This is the exact kind of thing that starts problems.

i would guess a problem with actually identifying these guys is that they are probably pretty aggro. that's the impression i get with the renegade type moto riders. (i ride moto as well with a fairly mellow crew that never rides mtn bike trails).

yeah I was thinking maybe just a polite note on the windshield or something since I'd be pretty inclined to punch out anyone who was waiting around my truck to give me a talking to, can't imagine why anyone else would react differently be it a moto rider or a mountain biker

Sprinkle the trail with wild horses and appeal to their softer side of morality.