Created in 1978, the 24 Hours Motos celebrated its fortieth anniversary in 2018. Over the course of the years, this event became unmissable as well as a reference in the Motorcycle Endurance.
Day and night, in the rain or heat, teams of three riders will take turns on the handlebars of their machines to ride, ride and ride as fast as possible while avoiding obstacles to win the Grail: the victory in the 24 Hours Motos, a brand trophy for the manufacturers and the teams.
Two French riders are in the lead of the winners list: Alex Vieira and Grégory Leblanc. They both count five victories on this race. With 25 participations Gérard Jolivet is the most loyal rider of the 24 Hours Motos.
The race takes place on the Bugatti circuit. A route of 4.185 kilometers which count seven right-hand turns and four left-hand turns. Last year, in 24 hours of racing, the winning Honda CB R1000 completed 3,527.9 kilometers.
VICTORY RECORD FOR KAWASAKI
The particularity of this race also lies in the fact that professional and amateur drivers coexist on the race. The amateurs don't hesitate to take a week’s vacation to treat themselves to a nice break and ride alongside the pros. Since 2016, a 100% female team has been taking part in the race, which proves that motorcycle competition is becoming more feminine and it is open to everyone.
Concerning the prize list, Kawasaki holds the record for the most wins, with 14 victories, but Suzuki and Honda have 12. Honda, the first winner in 1978, took victory for the 40th anniversary of the 24 Hours Motos in 2018, whose start was given by Jean-Claude Chemarin, first winner of the legendary race with his teammate Christian Léon. For the first time in its history, a Japanese team won the race: the F.C.C TSR Honda France. History and future guide the 24 Hours Motos, with in particular the participation of two experimental machines developing innovative technologies.
The principle for drawing up the official list of participants is the same as for the 24 Hours of Le Mans: the ACO (Automobile Club de l’Ouest) receives applications and then, the Selection Committee selects 60 teams, including some from the Endurance World Championship, since the 24 Hours Motos is the second stage of this reference championship.
Three categories are racing: Formula EWC, Superstock and Experimental. For these 60 teams, the experiences and ambitions are diversified, which contributes to the richness and uniqueness of this race.
The 24 Hours Motos
