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Motorcycle racing is one of the world's most exciting sports, with riders showcasing a huge degree of skill as they compete at high speed. There are lots of different types of bike races and they are staged all over the UK, so there will be something for you to watch. Many of the people who attend meetings are bikers and you will see an impressive array of machines in the public car park at most events. However, you don't need to own a sports motorbike to enjoy watching the races, and plenty of non-riders also go along to witness the thrills and spills. The biggest crowds tend to be at races on road circuits, although these are relatively rare in the UK. The North West 200, which takes place on a course around Portstewart, Coleraine and Portrush in Northern Ireland each May, attracts two million spectators. The competition is often a good place to spot the stars of the future and the list of former winners contains some illustrious names. The same is true of the Isle of Man TT, which is held in late May and early June each year. Thousands of bikers head to the island to watch the races on the 37-mile Mountain Course, which is an exhilarating mix of high-speed stretches interspersed with tricky technical sections. The current track record is held by John McGuinness, who set an average speed of 131.578 mph for a lap on his Honda CBR1000RR in 2009. If you are relatively new to motorcycle racing, the forms of the sport you are most likely to have seen on television are MotoGP and World Superbikes. These two global competitions gain huge publicity and attract the best riders and the teams with the biggest budgets. Silverstone in Northamptonshire hosts the British round of the MotoGP competition and the UK leg of the Superbike World Championship. Both are expensive to attend, so if you want to watch motorcycle sport in person for the first time, you may be better off trying a domestic meeting. The racing in the British Superbike Championship is tremendously exciting and takes place at circuits around the country. In addition to the world-famous tracks at Donington Park, Silverstone and Brands Hatch, there are also rounds at Thruxton in Hampshire, Oulton Park in Cheshire and Cadwell Park in Lincolnshire, among many others. What makes this such a great way to try watching the sport is that it is relatively cheap, with weekend tickets available for less than the cost of entry to a Premier League football match. While you may witness impressively high speeds at tarmac circuits, you will see more thrills and spills at Speedway. The riders use bikes with no brakes as they contest races over four laps of a dirt oval, so spectators are guaranteed action. The ten-team Elite League is the highest level of competition in the UK and, if you want to see Europe's best riders, this is where you can do it. However, the racing in the lower leagues is also great fun and, as there are clubs across the country, you will find a local match to attend. One other version of motorcycle racing well worth watching is motocross. If you own a motorbike you must have been tempted to give this sport a go, but if you haven't plucked up the courage, you can view the experts in action instead. As well as a British round of the world championship in Winchester, there are a number of domestic competitions that stage races across the country. To find the best selection of sports motorbikes and equipment, take a look at what P&H Motorcycles has to offer.
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