Do MotoAmerica Riders Make Any Money?

[russ69]

I could answer this question back in my day, very few roadracers made enough money to earn a living. But what about today? Do the top 5 riders in MotoAmerica make a living wage? Top 10?

 

[NoTraffic]

Subscribed . . I've asked this on a number of occasions and get no real straight answers. Moto 2, Moto 3? Very hard to find what the numbers are . . . I actually think if it was more transparent it would make the sport more exciting to the general crowd regarding prize money.

 

[Map8]

The MotoAmerica factory riders make good money. Maybe mid six figures or more if they win a lot of races or the championship. Some of the private teams pay, others just cover expenses but the rider can make money from helmet, leathers, boots and other personal sponsors. Prize money is not a factor anymore. In the late 90s and early 2000s, AMA Superbike factory riders were paid really well. Better than some factory WSBK or MotoGP riders. Mat Mladin sold a lot of gixxers.

There is no prize money or purse money in MotoGP/Moto2/Moto3. Same for WSBK and BSB. Rider money in those series comes from team contracts and personal sponsors.

There are bonuses for championships and pole position, wins and podiums though the very, very top riders in World Championships have multi-million dollar contracts and the bonuses may not be as much as for the satellite riders. Satellite riders are less likely to win so they get a big payday when they do. When Jack Miller won the GP at Assen a few years ago, it was reported that was something like a 300,000 euro payday.

Even in series with purse money, that doesn't mean the purse goes to the rider. The team may keep it to offset expenses or only pay a percentage to the rider.

 

[westie]

Even Daytona winner Steve Rapp kept his day job.

 

[NoTraffic]

The MotoAmerica factory riders make good money. Maybe mid six figures or more if they win a lot of races or the championship. Some of the private teams pay, others just cover expenses but the rider can make money from helmet, leathers, boots and other personal sponsors. Prize money is not a factor anymore. In the late 90s and early 2000s, AMA Superbike factory riders were paid really well. Better than some factory WSBK or MotoGP riders. Mat Mladin sold a lot of gixxers.

There is no prize money or purse money in MotoGP/Moto2/Moto3. Same for WSBK and BSB. Rider money in those series comes from team contracts and personal sponsors.

There are bonuses for championships and pole position, wins and podiums though the very, very top riders in World Championships have multi-million dollar contracts and the bonuses may not be as much as for the satellite riders. Satellite riders are less likely to win so they get a big payday when they do. When Jack Miller won the GP at Assen a few years ago, it was reported that was something like a 300,000 euro payday.

Even in series with purse money, that doesn't mean the purse goes to the rider. The team may keep it to offset expenses or only pay a percentage to the rider.

Still a gray area. Even if there is a sum that goes to the team, it would be interesting to know, much like Professional Boxing. When you get to the pro circuit, it would be fascinating to know what's at stake. If I watch the races or even replays, .002 seconds off the clock might mean a 75k purse+ for the team.

I know a lot of it is bragging rights but it is nowhere cheap to sustain a racing crew and all of its consumables.

 

[Map8]

There are a lot of details about money that are never made public. We have to speculate or infer from interviews. Only a few details about payouts or rider pay ever get published.

I don't know if MotoAmerica even offers any purse money. If there is some kind of payout, its not enough to make the race more interesting. No one is getting $75K or anywhere near that for race purses. There is contingency money from manufacturers. Here is what Yamaha road race contingency pays for MotoAmerica finishes if you meet their requirements. I have no idea why Yamaha pays 5th place more than 4th place in MotoAmerica Superbike. i'm sure that a type and supposed to be $500.


The ASRA club-run Daytona 200 is the only race a with a decent purse anymore. I think the total purse is $175K. A detail of the payout is HERE. $25K to win, $20K for second and it pays all the way to 40th place. No purses like that in MotoAmerica.

 

[ReUnited]

Some details on purse money in 2018 MA http://motoamerica.com/2018/03/10557/

 

[Map8]

Some details on purse money in 2018 MA http://motoamerica.com/2018/03/10557/

Thanks for finding that.

 

[MotoCat]

So let’s take, for example, riders outside the top 10 of Twins Cup. Are they working normal day jobs like the rest of us? If so then that’s pretty admirable.

 

[synfinatic]

dunno about MA, but a fair number of Moto3/3/GP riders are *bringing* money to the team (from personal sponsors) in order to secure their ride. More then one rider has lost their ride over the past few years because the team got in bad financial situation and another rider was able to bring more money to the table.

Wouldn't surprise me that non-factory riders in MA are often finding themselves in a similar situation.

 

[Map8]

So let’s take, for example, riders outside the top 10 of Twins Cup. Are they working normal day jobs like the rest of us? If so then that’s pretty admirable.

Is this a trick question? I don't think there are more than ten riders in MotoAmerica Twins Cup.

 

[thedub]

So let’s take, for example, riders outside the top 10 of Twins Cup. Are they working normal day jobs like the rest of us? If so then that’s pretty admirable.

Is this a trick question? I don't think there are more than ten riders in MotoAmerica Twins Cup.

lol, there were only 9 riders in the twins race at Sonoma. I don't know them all personally, but it's pretty safe to say they all have day jobs. None of them are getting paid to ride, if that's what you are asking.

 

[NorCal_SV650S]

9 riders? Well then there WERE more fans than riders...but not by much...God MotoAmerica is such a joke now...too bad how far the US "top tier" racing has fallen...

As a race fan, watching MotoAmerica and WorldSBK die slow painful deaths is sad...well MotoAmerica died a swift death as AMA...only to be CPR'd back to whatever said state it is now ..

I have fully switched to AFT and it's good enough...even if Mees is crushing all who enter...

 

[HadesOmega]

Are there any privateers/self-sponsor?

 

[antidote]

A vast majority of moto and auto racers either have successful businesses (or do things like rider/driver coaching on the side) or come from a situation where their family has money.

Either way, they bring a stack of cash to buy team support/team seat or they bring a sponsor to the team.

Very few can afford to live by racing. It's always been "How do you make a small fortune racing? You start with a large fortune."

 

[Map8]

Are there any privateers/self-sponsor?

Almost everyone in MotoAmerica.

All the riders in the Junior Cup, Twins Cup and 1000cc Superstock are privateers. Some may have sponsors that help with expenses.

In Superbike, there are only five riders getting paid by either Yamaha or Suzuki (Beaubier, Gerloff, Elias, Hayden, Lewis). Everyone else is a private team or rider though maybe a few riders get some compensation from well-funded teams.

In Supersport, Yamaha pays one rider. Everyone else is a private team and I could only speculate if any of the well-funded private teams (like one or two teams) are paying a rider anything. Almost the entire grid is paying their own way but some have sponsors to help with some costs.

Roadracing is really expensive compared to other types of motorcycle racing so there isn't much money to go around and road racing in general (cars and motorcycles) is in a huge slump in the U.S.


American Flat Track probably has more paid riders than MotoAmerica.

Supercross pays way better than anything else and private teams can get by on prize money if the rider makes the main event.

 

[khill]

Almost everyone in MotoAmerica.

All the riders in the Junior Cup, Twins Cup and 1000cc Superstock are privateers. Some may have sponsors that help with expenses.

In Superbike, there are only five riders getting paid by either Yamaha or Suzuki (Beaubier, Gerloff, Elias, Hayden, Lewis). Everyone else is a private team or rider though maybe a few riders get some compensation from well-funded teams.

In Supersport, Yamaha pays one rider. Everyone else is a private team and I could only speculate if any of the well-funded private teams (like one or two teams) are paying a rider anything. Almost the entire grid is paying their own way but some have sponsors to help with some costs.

Roadracing is really expensive compared to other types of motorcycle racing so there isn't much money to go around and road racing in general (cars and motorcycles) is in a huge slump in the U.S.


American Flat Track probably has more paid riders than MotoAmerica.

Supercross pays way better than anything else and private teams can get by on prize money if the rider makes the main event.

^^ All of this.....

 

[budman]

9 riders? Well then there WERE more fans than riders...but not by much...God MotoAmerica is such a joke now...too bad how far the US "top tier" racing has fallen...

As a race fan, watching MotoAmerica and WorldSBK die slow painful deaths is sad...well MotoAmerica died a swift death as AMA...only to be CPR'd back to whatever said state it is now ..

I have fully switched to AFT and it's good enough...even if Mees is crushing all who enter...

Did you go?? While not super attended the racing was good and the whole show was very well done. It reminded me of the glory days except for attendance.

Kudo's to MA and Sonoma for making it such.

MA can't turn around a ship on a dime... they are working their asses off no doubt and I think the class structure they have now is the right one moving forward. I truly hope it grows and part of that will be seeing other factory rides becoming available.... or least some solid factory support.

I think that Bobby Fong's Team last year (Latus) showed what a good privateer team could do and how professional they could be, but not even a sniff of support led the owner to say fug it. George invested big bucks and Bobby had some great results that in my mind warranted some support from Kawasaki.

Good to see that some contingency is out there to help the privateers.

Payouts look similar to what I remember back in the 70's to win a National.

I have always been bummed by the lack of compensation doing something so fricken challenging, awesome and dangerous.

 

[Map8]

Its a serious bummer there isn't more money in U.S. road racing right now. Doesn't mean there isn't a good product on the track or the people involved are anything less than the best in the country.

 

[stangmx13]

I read an article a while back that said that last place in every SX race would pay ~$75k total. that means u made it into the main each event and were 22nd out of 40 riders, so its not an easy accomplishment. but last place in every MA event pays $0. that a big difference.

There is no prize money or purse money in MotoGP/Moto2/Moto3. Same for WSBK and BSB. Rider money in those series comes from team contracts and personal sponsors.

are we sure about this? Ive never found any concrete info on this. and I recently heard the announcers make a comment about the championship payout or something.