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Hard Enduro – Rules 2026

(Published 26 March 2026)

Table of Contents

030 Definitions and Application

Hard Enduro is a competition format held outdoors on a course consisting of natural or artificial elements. The course includes several obstacles, especially those created by natural formations, such as steep climbs, rocks, tree trunks and other terrain features that challenge the rider’s skill and the durability of the motorcycle.

The objective of the competition is to complete the designated course as quickly as possible, or alternatively to ride as long a distance as possible within the given time limit. It is characteristic of the discipline that both amateurs and professionals are on the starting line together.

These rules apply to all Hard Enduro competitions organized under the authorization of the Finnish Motorcycling Federation, and they are subordinate to the Sporting, Safety and Technical Regulations.

Event-specific deviations from these discipline rules may be made by decision of the discipline group. Any such deviations must be stated in the supplementary regulations of the competition.

All competitors taking part in the Finnish Motorcycling Federation’s competition activities must hold a valid competition licence issued by the Finnish Motorcycling Federation or, for foreign competitors, by another FIM-affiliated national federation. The competition licence may be an annual licence valid for the whole year or an event-specific one-event licence purchased via Motti. No start permission is required for Swedish, Norwegian and Danish competitors in accordance with the agreement between the Nordic countries. We follow the Finnish Motorcycling Federation’s anti-doping and competition manipulation prevention programme.

030.1 Motorcycles and Technical Requirements

The motorcycle must comply with the Technical Regulations. If the competition includes sections ridden on public roads, the motorcycle must fulfil legal requirements. If the competition is run in a closed area, the road equipment required by law may be removed for the competition. For clarity, road equipment means, for example, driving and brake lights, speedometer, fixed sidestand and number plate with its light.

The supplementary regulations of the competition must state whether the competition is run in a closed area or whether it includes sections ridden on public roads.

The motorcycle must have valid traffic insurance, and proof of this must be presented at scrutineering.

Noise testing is not mandatory at scrutineering. Noise testing may be carried out if required by the environmental permit or by decision of the Clerk of the Course. Noise limits are defined in the Technical Regulations.

Commercially available off-road tyres, excluding trial tyres, are permitted. Any exceptions are specified in the supplementary regulations. For clarity, if the competition has a class for trial motorcycles, then trial tyres are permitted in that class and this must be stated in the supplementary regulations.

030.2 Equipment

Mandatory equipment during the competition includes a helmet, riding boots, gloves, riding gear, and chest and back protectors compliant with EN 1621-2 / EN 1621-3.

The chest protector must comply with EN1621-2. The back protector must comply with EN 1621-3. The protectors must carry the above markings, or a separate document showing compliance with the standards must be presented at scrutineering.

The competitor must carry a thermal blanket (so-called space blanket) and a roll of gauze bandage, either attached to the motorcycle or in the riding equipment.

The use of goggles is recommended, but due to the nature of the discipline they are not mandatory. The use of tear-off films on goggles is prohibited.

030.3 Competition Classes

Classes: Pro (16+), Expert (12+), Hobby (12+), Women (12+), Senior (40+), Junior (12-16).

There is no special classification or promotion points system for riders. Competitors are free to enter any of the Pro, Expert or Hobby classes based on their own assessment of their skill level. A competitor under 16 years of age may, if necessary, apply to the discipline group for permission to participate in the Pro class.

Competitions may also include other classes, such as pair class and / or team class. These must be described in the supplementary regulations.

A suitable driving licence is required if the competition includes sections ridden on public roads.

Competition numbers are event-specific. The organizer decides the numbering and distributes the numbers to be attached to the motorcycles.

030.4 Competition Formats

The competition duration is typically 4–8 hours. The duration may vary by class. A characteristic feature of the discipline is its demanding nature, one expression of which is the long competition duration. The competition may also include short sprint or prologue sections. Details are announced in the supplementary regulations.

The objective of the competition is either to complete the designated course as quickly as possible (Best Time) or to ride as long a distance as possible within the given time limit (Longest Distance).

In both competition formats, the competition itself may be divided into separate sections. The sections may be laps of the same course or parts of it. At the beginning and end of a section there is an observation line (start, finish, checkpoint). The time from each section is taken to at least one-second accuracy, or the time of crossing the observation line is recorded to at least one-second accuracy. Between sections there may be transfers and / or mandatory service breaks, the details of which are announced in the supplementary regulations.

In a Longest Distance competition, the competition time starts when the first competitor starts moving and ends for all competitors simultaneously. No lateness limit (e.g. 30 min.) is applied. If the competitor’s exact ridden distance cannot be conclusively verified when the riding time ends (e.g. GPS), the result is recorded from the last observation line crossed by the competitor. In this competition format, even a competitor who has retired may receive a result if they have passed at least one observation line.

In the competition formats, the FIM rulebook is applied, where the competition formats are A -> B -> A, A -> B, Multi-Lap and Rally (multi-day A -> B). Observation lines are indicated by letters.

The riders’ starting procedure and order are defined in the supplementary regulations. The starting procedures are:

  • Individual start: Riders start one at a time in the order determined by the prologue. The interval between starters is stated in the supplementary regulations.
  • Mass start: More than one competitor starts simultaneously. The supplementary regulations must state how many competitors are in each starting row, the number of rows, and the time interval between the rows.

The starting procedure may vary from event to event and also on different days of the same competition.

The official results must show:

  • Competitor’s first and last name
  • Club or association
  • Make of motorcycle
  • Entrant
  • Result

030.5 Scrutineering

Scrutineering includes competitor registration, technical scrutineering of the motorcycle, verification of the validity of the traffic insurance, and inspection of the helmet and chest and back protectors.

Scrutineering must be completed no later than 30 minutes before the competitor’s own start time.

At scrutineering, a traffic insurance certificate showing the motorcycle’s frame number must be presented.

At scrutineering, a driving licence must be presented if the competition includes sections ridden on public roads.

At scrutineering, the space blanket and roll of gauze bandage must be presented.

Noise testing is not mandatory at scrutineering. Noise testing may be carried out if required by the environmental permit or by decision of the Chief Scrutineer / Clerk of the Course.

030.6 Course and Marking

The course must be marked clearly, consistently and unambiguously. Marking may consist of continuous taping of the course (edge tapes), course markers in accordance with the enduro rules (ball markers), tape markers on the riding line (streamers), or a GPS track to be followed by the competitor. Combinations of the above marking methods are also possible.

The method of marking the course must be communicated to the riders before the start of the competition, for example in the supplementary regulations or at the riders’ meeting.

The courses for different competition classes must be marked unambiguously. However, the course or part of it may be common to several classes. Particular attention must be paid to marking intersections.

A competitor may ride the route of a more difficult class if they wish, and this is not penalized. If a competitor leaves the course accidentally, they must return to the course at the same point. Any other deviation from the course results in a penalty.

The course may contain special additional sections (e.g. an extra loop that must be completed once or several times during the competition). Such special features must be brought to the riders’ attention before the competition starts, for example in the supplementary regulations or at the riders’ meeting.

The course may also include easier lines (chicken line) diverging from the main route. These lines must take at least three times the average time a competitor would use on the main route. Chicken lines must be marked sufficiently differently so that competitors do not accidentally use this option by mistake.

There may be officials on the course who take care of rider safety, guide riders when necessary and monitor compliance with the rules. Flag signals are given in accordance with the Motocross discipline rules (045.10.6). Officials must wear a clearly distinguishable high-visibility vest or equivalent sign of their role. Assistance given to competitors by officials is not considered external assistance. Officials are obliged to assist a competitor if the competitor’s health is at risk or if a blockage is forming on the course that hinders the progress of the competition.

Changing the course by moving markers is interpreted as unsporting behaviour and leads to a penalty.

030.7 Paddock Area, Pit Lane and Service

Riding in the competition paddock area is permitted unless the organizer states otherwise in the supplementary regulations.

The use of an environmental mat is mandatory both in the paddock area and in the pit lane. Service during the competition is allowed only in the marked pit lane.

Visiting the pit lane during the competition is not mandatory. Riding in the pit lane is permitted unless the organizer states otherwise in the supplementary regulations. The pit lane must be constructed so that riding speed cannot rise to a level causing danger. A rider returning from the pit lane to the course must yield to riders already on the course.

Refuelling during the competition may only be carried out in the pit lane. In the pit lane, refuelling, fluid top-ups and other service work on the motorcycle must be done with the engine switched off and the motorcycle on the environmental mat.

Many kinds of tools may be used in the pit lane, but not welding equipment, pressure washer, or other tools powered by electricity or compressed air. Battery-powered tools may, however, be used in the pit lane. Service work in the pit lane may be performed by a mechanic. In the pit lane, the competitor and a maximum of two (2) mechanics assisting the competitor may work, unless otherwise stated in the supplementary regulations.

A competitor may repair their motorcycle anywhere on the course using tools and spare parts carried with them.

030.8 First Aid and Safety

The organizer must prepare a written safety plan for the competition, stating the persons and telephone numbers essential for safety and rescue operations, the roads available, and other information necessary for safety measures. This material must be distributed to all competition operating points. The chief officials must have an adequate communication system. The organizer must ensure sufficiently rapid first aid and off-road transport on the competition course.

There must be sufficient fire extinguishing equipment in the scrutineering and paddock area in case of fire.

The competitor must carry a thermal blanket (so-called space blanket) and a roll of gauze bandage, either attached to the motorcycle or in the riding equipment.

The organizer may require the competitor to carry a functioning mobile phone. This will be stated in the supplementary regulations if necessary.

If a competitor encounters an injured fellow competitor on the course, they must provide all possible first aid and assist in getting them to treatment. The time used for giving assistance will be credited. The assistance given must be reported to the Clerk of the Course as soon as possible, but no later than 30 minutes after arriving at the finish. The amount of the credit is decided by the jury.

An effort must always be made to help a fallen / injured competitor. To assess the situation, the fallen rider may be asked questions such as “where are you?” or asked their name and place of residence. Vague answers may indicate a heavy blow to the head.

A competitor who has retired from the competition must always submit a retirement notice to the organizer.

030.9 External Assistance

All external assistance to competitors on the course is prohibited, unless the assistance comes from an official and the competitor does not gain an advantage from it. External assistance also means delivering tools, spare parts, water, as well as food and drink to the course during the competition. For a rule violation, the competitor may be penalized up to exclusion from the competition.

Officials may help a competitor by lifting the motorcycle or moving it to a safe place. On the competition course, all repairs and adjustments must be made by the competitor alone, without external assistance.

Assistance received from another competitor taking part in the same competition and riding with an official start number is permitted instead (including handing over spare parts and tools).

031.10 Penalties

Position penalties are added to the final result. Penalties are decided by the Clerk of the Course.

031.10.1 Disqualification from the Competition

The following violations result in disqualification from the competition:

  • Changing the motorcycle during the competition, including riding another competitor’s motorcycle. Both competitors are disqualified.
  • Refuelling with the engine running.
  • Practising on the competition course during the seven (7) days before the competition.

031.10.2 Position penalty of at least 10 places or disqualification

The following violations result in a position penalty of at least ten (10) places or, in serious cases, disqualification:

  • Riding carelessly in the paddock area or pit lane, or causing dangerous situations.
  • Failure to follow course markers or the competition course.
  • Any other serious violation of the sporting or discipline rules that does not fall under violations requiring disqualification, at the discretion of the Clerk of the Course.

031.10.3 Position penalty of 10 places

The following violations result in a position penalty of ten (10) places:

  • False start.
  • Riding equipment contrary to the rules (for example, use of tear-off films).
  • Improper use of the environmental mat or neglecting to use it.

031.10.4 Position penalty of 5 places

The following violations result in a position penalty of five (5) places:

  • Receiving a spare part during the competition from somewhere other than the service area, without outside installation assistance. The competitor must perform the repair themselves using the tools carried with them.

031.10.5 External assistance

  • Receiving external assistance during the competition results in a position penalty of at least five (5) places or, in serious cases, disqualification, at the discretion of the Clerk of the Course.

030.11 Points

Series points are awarded in each competition as follows:

PositionPointsPositionPoints
1251110
222129
320138
418147
516156
615165
714174
813183
912192
1011201

The final points include the points from all rounds, i.e. gross points.

030.12 Awards

An award ceremony must be organized at each competition no later than 10 minutes after the top three competitors have been determined. This ceremony is provisional, and the results are not confirmed until the protest period has ended.

A prominently decorated podium that is clearly visible to the public is recommended for the award ceremony. The top three competitors receive a trophy and may also be presented with other appropriate prizes or mementos.

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