Police Motorcycle Officer Training Association Skills Seminar

EVENT RULES

​The PMOTA Safety Seminar and Competition is an event to promote motorcycle safety and the benefits of motorcycle training. Police Motor Officers are at the forefront and are often considered the icon of a skilled motorcycle operator. However, with training and practice, civilian riders can also reach the same level of skill and mastery to produce safe motorcycle riders on the road.

ELIGIBILITY:

Competition is open to:

  1. Police Officers (active or retired)
  2. Civilian Novice or Expert or Elite
  3. Motorcycle must be at least 1000 cc or greater

NOVICE:

A rider who has never competed in a skill Event or a rider who has never placed as a novice in a skills event. The spirit of the novice group is to encourage newer riders or riders new to skills training seminars to participate and learn and grow their skills, so they become more proficient and progress into more advanced categories.

EXPERT:

A rider active or retired law enforcement who has attended a police motor school. Police and civilian competitors who have competed in more than 3 skills events as a registered novice or similar seminars will be assigned to expert division.

ELITE:

Any Rider, Law Enforcement or civilian that has placed in any competition in the overall category 1st through 3rd, more than three (3) times, is considered to be in the Elite class.

Registration and Release:

  1. All competitors shall sign a Release / Waiver of Liability form prior to practice or competition.
  2. All competitors shall have current motorcycle registration and motorcycle insurance.Must be available for verification during check-in process. Insurance must be valid to cover all days of the event. Government agencies will be considered self-insured.
  3. All competitors shall ensure they are signed up for the appropriate category in accordance with the rules established by the PMOTA staff. Any rider may be moved from the selected category based on rider skills, motorcycle modifications or the population in specific categories as determined by the PMOTA
  4. Prior approval from PMOTA staff must be granted to operate a drone on/over the premises.  You must have insurance to cover any damages incurred during the operation of your drone. Please contact the PMOTA staff for approval during the registration process.  Some homeowner’s insurance policies will cover these damages under the liability section.  Check with your specific insurance company.  It is also highly recommended to practice and/or take formal training before you attempt drone flights at a major event.

Rules Committee:

Any formal complaint from a competitor shall be presented to a member of the PMOTA staff.  The PMOTA staff will discuss and determine if the Rules Committee will be required.  If the PMOTA staff decides to present the request to the Rules Committee, the decision of the Rules committee will be final. The parties involved in the dispute will be permitted to present information to the PMOTA staff or the Rules Committee if requested by the staff or the committee. When the PMOTA staff or the Rules Committee are in deliberations, all involved parties will remove themselves to allow open discussion among the members.

  1. ​A Rules Committee will be established by PMOTA staff to settle all disputes that cannot be settled at the Judges level.
  2. The Chairman and Vice Chairman of the Committee will be decided by the Committee members.
  3. The Chairman of the Rules Committee will preside over the committee unless his or her agency/group is involved in the dispute. In that case, the Vice Chairman will be the Chairman.
  4. No member of the committee who is part of the department/group involved in the dispute will be permitted to vote on the subject.They may participate in the discussion but must remove themselves when it is time to vote.  The involved member does not get a vote.
  5. All questions submitted to the Rules Committee shall be discussed and voted upon by the committee.
  6. All decisions of the Rules Committee are final.
  7. In the event of a tie vote, The Committee Chairman shall not cast a second vote to break the tie, and the dispute or proposal upon which the tie occurs shall be referred to the PMOTA staff. The PMOTA Staff decision is final. Majority vote rules.
  8. Any formal complaint from a competitor shall be presented to the PMOTA staff.The PMOTA staff will determine if the complaint is presented to the Rules Committee. If the PMOTA staff decides to present it to the Rules Committee, the preceding instructions will apply, and the decision is final.

Rules and Regulations:

  1. Riders must attend MANDATORY Riders meeting as scheduled before the competition each day. Failure to attend could result in disqualification of the rider from the competition.
  2. Riders must be present on every day of the competition to compete in the specific events at the designated times.  Exceptions can be made on a case-by-case basis if presented to the PMOTA staff in advance and if time permits. This exception only applies to events that are part of the individual overall score.   Partner/team events are not part of this exception.
  3. Safety is priority!  All riders moving from one area to the next must do so at idle speed or not more than 5 miles per hour as appropriate or risk disqualification from the event.
  4. Riders’ placement in their assigned category, Novice/Expert/Elite (Civilian or LE) may be changed based on the riders’ skills or modifications on the competitor’s motorcycle. The rider may also be moved based on lack of population in a specific category on the recommendation of the PMOTA staff or the rules committee.
  5. Riders must wear a properly fastened D.O.T. approved helmet, full-length pants and over the ankle sturdy footwear.  Gloves and long sleeve shirts are suggested while on the course. This also includes the practice day and anywhere on the premises.
  6. No rider shall enter patterns without signing a liability waiver
  7. Attach bike numbers to headlight, fairing, or windshield where visible for the judges.
  8. If a rider experiences a malfunction prior to starting a scored event, he/she will be permitted a minimum of 15 minutes to repair or replace a motorcycle.  Riders are responsible for the maintenance and repairs of their own motorcycle. Riding order may be altered as determined by the PMOTA
  9. Any person(s) injured shall immediately report the incident to PMOTA staff.
  1. Challenge Ride: Anyone using communicating [verbal or non-verbal] with other riders during their ride could be immediately disqualified from this event. This applies to hand signals- sharing videos- and communication systems. If there is any question about the intent of this rule, please contact any of the staff for further clarification.
  2. Anyone who displays or engages in unsportsmanlike or irresponsible conduct as determined by the committee or PMOTA Staff may be disqualified from the competition.  You/ others may be asked to vacate the premises.
  3. Riders must compete on a motorcycle of at least 1000 cc’s that is equipped in the normal deployment configuration as delivered from the factory.  Any other modification made to the motorcycle that does not alter the stock unloaded ride height, lean angle or steering radius as designed by the manufacturer is permitted in all categories. Any modifications affecting the previously discussed items will place the competitor in the unlimited/ modified category.  Anyone placed in the modified category will only be permitted to participate in the team ride/partner rides on a limited basis, as determined by the PMOTA staff. 
    • Original equipment including saddlebags, saddlebag guards, lights, engine guards must be present, unmodified, and functional.
    • If the motorcycle came stock with ABS, it must be plugged in and operational.
    • Factory installed tip over sensors must be installed and functional.
    • Tire size must be of original size for the year/make/model motorcycle.
    • Shocks may be changed as long as the overall length of shocks does not alter the unloaded ride height of the motorcycle. 
    • In no circumstance can steering stops be modified from the manufacturer.
    • Floorboard brackets may not be replaced with aftermarket parts that increase lean angle or deliberately altered to increase lean angle. 
    • No frame modifications are permitted. 
    • Engine guards may not be modified to increase turning radius. 
    • If any modification is challenged and deemed to enhance the lean angle, ride height, or turning radius; it shall be determined by the PMOTA staff whether the motorcycle will fall into the modified category.  The PMOTA staff will discuss with the rules Committee if needed and the competitor will be given a choice to switch to the modified category or ride a motorcycle meeting the definition of our event rules.

SCORING:

  1. Precision Run Partner Speed Run
  2. Speed run
  3. Individual slow ride
  4. Challenge ride

Precision:

  • Move a Cone brush or touch or rub: 1 point
  • Knock a cone down or foot down: 2 Points
  • Motorcycle down: 5 Points
  • Motorcycle goes out of course: 5 Points (Must renter course where you went out.)
  • Max points on precision side per course: 10 Points
  • CLEAN ON PRECISION: 5 Bonus Points

Speed Run:

  • Move a Cone brush or touch or rub: 1 point
  • Knock a cone down or foot down: 2 Points
  • Motorcycle down clock keeps running
  • Motorcycle goes out of course or crosses boundary: 5 Points (Must renter course where you went out.)
  • Failure to stop in stop box clock keeps running till bikes in the box
  • CLEAN SPEED RUN: 5 BONUS POINTS

Clean on BOTH RUNS extra 5 BONUS POINTS totalling 15 points for clean runs.