Motorcycle Ice Racing: Courage, Skill, and the Thrill of Frozen Tracks

How riders master the art of riding on ice

Motorcycle ice racing is one of the most extreme forms of motorsport. Imagine speeding at up to 160 km/h across a frozen lake, battling biting cold, flying shards of ice, and nearly zero visibility. It demands not only courage, but also an incredible feel for the bike.

Andre Park: Fighting Through the Pain

MX rider Andre Park showed his arms after finishing: they were covered in red welts.

“My arms are torn up! Riding behind someone is brutal — the ice chunks whip your forearms and it’s incredibly painful,” Park explained. “Sometimes it hurt so much I squeezed one eye shut from the pain, but you keep pushing, hoping for a chance to pass.”

Visibility is often the biggest challenge:

“With two riders ahead of you, visibility is almost zero. All you see is a white snow cloud. You have to ride by instinct, not sight.”

Despite the danger, Park enjoyed the track:

“From the outside it looked simple, but on the bike it was tricky. There was enough width to try different lines — sometimes I’d go wide, 30 meters off the ideal line, just to get an exit for overtaking.”

The Dangers of Riding on Ice

Compared to summer motocross, the risks are different.

“On ice, I fear collisions the most. The studs on the tires are razor sharp. If you fall into them, it’s not just a scratch — I’ve seen fingers lost. It’s no joke.”

Park highlighted how tire choice changes the riding style:

“With spike tires, braking on snowy patches is dangerous — the wheels slide out immediately. They need clean ice. On snow-covered tracks, studded motocross tires work better.”

Riding in Finland, Park noticed the competition is fierce:

“The road-racing guys there don’t fear speed at all. They go flat-out, no sense of danger. It makes for tough racing.”

Preparing the Bike for Ice

Success isn’t just about the rider — the bike must be adapted. Park explained:

Cover the radiators: “The engine won’t heat up properly in the cold otherwise.”

Lower the suspension: “Dropping the forks and rear shock makes the bike sit closer to the ground, easier to control.”

Hand guards: A must to protect against flying ice shards and freezing hands.

Gearing changes: “I run a smaller rear sprocket for more speed on the straights.”

Katrin Põldma: Learning to Push Harder

Sidecar rider Katrin Põldma had only her second ice race experience but already felt hooked:

“Racing on ice is amazing, though motocross tracks are more fun because of the jumps. On ice the sidecar behaves differently, it slides so much more. I still take some corners awkwardly — I need to learn that.”

Visibility was her biggest challenge:

“At the start the snow cloud hit me in the face, like a shower of needles. My whole face was striped and stinging afterwards.”

But she found her fighting spirit:

“At one point I thought no one was behind me, then suddenly someone tried to pass. That made me push harder! Even when I got passed on the last lap, I didn’t give up.”

Hanno Velt: Building the Perfect Ice Track

Racer and track builder Hanno Velt designed the course to highlight rider skill:

“I wanted flowing curves, not sharp 90-degree corners. The goal is to keep the racing smooth and reduce the risk of collisions.”

Velt emphasized safety features too:

“Every bike should have a dead-man switch. If you fall and the wheel with spikes keeps spinning, it can shred you. With the switch, the engine cuts immediately.”

Even after breaking a finger in a recent crash, Velt still lined up to race.

Courage, Control, and Balance

As Park summed it up:

“Many riders rely only on grip, but real ice racing is about letting the bike slide and controlling it. The moment you panic and shut the throttle, the bike flicks the other way and you crash. You need courage and absolute bike feel.”

Motorcycle ice racing is not for the faint of heart. It combines speed, danger, and artistry in equal measure. For riders like Andre Park, Katrin Põldma, and Hanno Velt, the frozen track is not just about racing — it’s about testing limits, mastering control, and embracing the raw thrill of riding where few dare to ride.

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